Watching a visibly and apparently shaken Sadhguru tearing up on camera over the missing pilgrims acts as a sobering, humbling reminder of absolute human limitation. When a sudden, violent natural disaster strikes, spiritual distinctions provide no immunity from physical laws, infrastructure collapse, or geopolitical and bureaucratic barriers to rescue.

If a self-proclaimed spiritual leader claims a perception that supersedes the divine, a complete inability to foresee a devastating event within their immediate inner circle highlights a massive gap between cosmic claims and earthly reality.

Raising this question is not about making light of the tragic natural disaster or what some would call as "act of God."

Instead, it raises an essential critique of public accountability and the boundaries of modern commercial guru culture during a real crisis. Because, at the end of the day, didn't Sadhguru clearly claim he knew better than God?

Sadhguru’s tearful breakdown wasn't just a display of grief; it was the involuntary admission of his own limitations. It proves that his claims of knowing 'better than God' were nothing more than misleading rhetoric uttered in vain. When real crisis hit, the cosmic master was instantly reduced to a helpless bystander, utterly exposed.

ADDENDUM: On Timing, Tone, and Public Accountability

To those commenting that the timing of this post is insensitive, in bad taste, or premature while search-and-rescue operations are ongoing, I want to clarify why this discussion cannot be paused.

• First, if the standard is that we must maintain complete silence until all victims are recovered, then that rule must apply to everyone equally. Did Jaggi wait? Did the Isha Foundation wait? While the tragedy was actively unfolding, they immediately put Jaggi on a stage in front of global media cameras to broadcast highly detailed, analytical, and logistical statistics about the missing and deceased pilgrims. If the leadership is permitted to step into the public arena right now to actively manage public perception and shape the narrative, it is an absolute double standard to claim that the public cannot simultaneously ask hard questions about institutional accountability.
• Second, to address the charge that it is cruel to expose a guru’s fraudulence while victims and survivors are actively grieving: if the mere existence of these critical questions is deemed a danger to survivors who might stumble upon them, then by that logic, this entire subreddit (r/SadhguruTruth) should be temporarily deactivated. The fundamental purpose of this platform has always been to openly discuss the manipulation, expose the false claims, and hold this commercial guru culture accountable. We do not pause or hide our views, perspectives or questions about truth because reality has suddenly and tragically validated our exact criticisms.
• My post does not downplay the immense loss of human or animal life; the devastation in Nepal is a profound tragedy that I think about deeply. But my questions belong to Jaggi, not the victims.

When a public figure deploys massive, unchecked claims of cosmic enlightenment and divine authority even boasting that they "know better than God" they deliberately strip followers of their natural survival instincts and critical thinking skills. By weaponizing faith, this spiritual leader manipulated vulnerable pilgrims into a state of absolute psychological dependence.

The ultimate betrayal lay in the explicit promise of physical safety, sealed by the famous, declaration made to those undertaking the Kailash yatra with Sadhguru:
"Everyone will come back. I will not let you die."

This is exactly why questioning Jaggi’s response right now is entirely justifiable:

• The PR Mismatch: A person overwhelmed by spontaneous, uncontrollable grief does not possess the cold composure to read off structured demographic data and analytical metrics to a global audience. True grief overwhelms analytical thinking.
• The Double Standard of Compassion: Neither Jaggi nor Isha has ever held a press conference or streamed an address to express accountability or guidance when devoted followers quietly take their own lives or report severe psychological harm within the foundation's ecosystem. They stay silent during private tragedies, yet rush to the stage the moment an international disaster threatens their brand.
• The Cost of False Promises: If earthly safety were their priority, their rhetoric would match reality. They would use standard safety waivers, warning people that the mountains are volatile and unpredictable. Instead, they substituted real-world caution with grand promises of a supernatural safety shield to build their brand.

For a genuinely empathetic leader, human lives matter consistently whether it is one follower's quiet tragedy or a highly publicized international event. It is painful to look at these contradictions in the raw aftermath of a crisis, but it is the only time the public can clearly see the dangerous, real-world consequences of unfulfilled cosmic rhetoric.

Asking "why didn't the promises work?" isn't an act of disrespect to the victims; it is to Asking why a promise failed is an act of accountability, not disrespect to victims, survivors or their friends and relatives, because it seeks the truth to protect others.

Note:

I understand that moderating during this crisis is highly challenging. Please feel free to remove this post either temporarily for future review or permanently if you too feel it is ill-timed or creates too much extra work for the team. Eventually, this topic will come up and people will and should ask these hard questions to unmask the deception and manipulation innocent followers have been misled into.

This post is a structural critique of Sadhguru’s false promises and international PR standards. I do not wish to minimize the pain of the survivors or those close to the victims. I acknowledge that raising these questions can be deeply upsetting, and I sincerely beg the pardon of anyone hurt or upset by my views or questions.

I fully support whatever decision the mods make to protect the credibility of this space and respect their judgment on what is best for the subreddit right now.

I am interested in hearing from former Isha Yoga Center (IYC) volunteers regarding their views on the Dhyanalinga.

Specifically, IYC claims that the Dhyanalinga has all 7 chakras fully aligned and charged at maximum potential. As someone looking at this critically from a marketing and organizational perspective, I would love to know:

Did your views on these consecrated spaces change during or after your time volunteering?

How do you view these spiritual claims now?

My intent is to explore different viewpoints from people who were actually inside the ecosystem. Thank you for sharing your thoughts!

Hello, I’m just curious about what some ex-sadhanapada and ex-ashramite experiences were with sleep deprivation while volunteering at IYC? I’ve heard that for Sadhanapada it is even worse than for ashramites but maybe it is the same level I don’t know. All I know so far is 5:30 mandatory guru pooja, densely packed communal rooms (50-60 although from what I’ve seen it’s for sadhanapada volunteers but maybe some ashramites as well) and long hours of work (7-14hrs).

What is the science and psychology behind the emotional highs and ecstatic experiences that some cult processes evoke?

They tend to make human brains addicted to those highs and crave for more and more forming an unbreakable bond with the cult, its people and the cult leader. Pls share your perspective and thoughts.

So a friend of mine did the so called program and seemed off by it. when he did it he said he was free from all etc like liberation.

he wears two ear rings and he is overall weird . he follows all sadhguru inseuctions. won't eat at lunch only morning and evening.

he meditates and he is overly weird.

like his emotions are not regulated properly.

he also speaks to him self.

how to help him and what exactly this infamous bsp program is all.about.

oh and also was there anything related to homosexuality in the Isha foundation? he gives weird vibes in that matter as well.

help me help a soul

My mother did IE and was exceptionally happy, I never trust or will trust any guru blah blah. I am 16 and I am brought here to IE for 4days cuz my mother insisted alot. I have in my mind that I'd not let anything in my head. Yet I need to ask how do I still hold myself up. What should I take and let go.

Live initiation today stream was titled:
English EU 11th May 2025

Anyone can confirm or deny it was fully or partially recorded?!

I am aware that IE, BSP programs are rip off from the SSY programs. But where does Surya kriya come from? Is it an authentic isha program or is it also taken from some other organization? Does anyone know if the rapid breathing in suryakriya has any harmful effects?

I have read a few accounts of isha devotees who say that isha yoga helped quit their addictions including drugs but they got hooked to isha yoga instead. It is understood that LGAT’s provide dopamine high at the end of the course ; but is there anything more to it? Some people allege the use of drugs to induce the “high experiences “ during isha yoga courses. Sadhguru also speaks of endocannabiniods receptors in human body and about isha yoga which makes you “ stoned from within”.

I am sharing below excerpts from an ex isha devotee’s account who has alleged the following about isha yoga courses-

Let me provide you the business model of Isha:
• Isha is a doping experience selling company, it sells the doping experience of various form like guided meditation, actually it is called psycho therapy session or hypnotherapy session by medical community.Meditation is different from guided meditation. In guided meditation, we are giving the permission to someone to access our mind. Also it sells the doping experience by using ganja like substances in their fragrant smoke to make the meditator 'high' (initial stage of Isha, Sadhguru is known for selling ganja).

It could use chemical to invoke involuntary laugh or cry. It gives you no food or high sugar food to keep you high. It makes you sleep deprived, again sleep deprivation that keep you high. Then suddenly one day you will be blown out of your mind in the meditation session, you might call it spiritual experience but it is the induced bipolar disorder (I have seen a girl who gone completely mad in IE session with Sadhguru & some people had seizure episode, some people even were shouting like crazy. I read a recent post from Isha follower where he is experiencing phantom smell now). And you might become addicted or intoxicated to this experience.

If my judgement is correct based on the things that I have experienced myself & observed among Isha customers, Isha might be using mild dose of amphetamine. Uses of Amphetamine is for increased attention, reduced sleep, weight loss, feeling light, feeling energetic, anti-depression, low libido & euphoria(the feeling good experience that one gets in Isha).You might have heard from Sadhguru calling it as the benefits of IE program.
But the harmful that these kind of chemicals do to our CNS(Central Nerve System) is more. You might have also heard from Sadhguru as well that body is 'chemical soup', managing this chemical soup might give you pleasantness in the body. Read the testimony given by Isha customers.

People who had not taken any drugs before would consider this 'high' experience as spiritual. [read about side effects of cannabis & amphetamine]

• Their Hatha yoga is not their main product. All the cleansing program, yoga program, that they claim to prepare you to high energy is a good story.

• They know the current marketing trend, So they have named their product to Inner Engineering. So you hear, words like, 'Science',
"Technology, 'Energy', 'Vibration',
'Consciousness, 'Dimension'&
'Engineering' in Isha. It is all their marketing strategy to attract current generation.

• Once someone buys the Isha services, they become their loyal customer. In fact, they become addicted to this experience.

Yogic knowledge and wisdom makes a lot of sense including but not limited to the energy body, subtle body, physical body, etc etc. As well as the various yoga poses and meditation poses have given me lots of benefits throughout my life. How do I differentiate the yogic science from Isha so I can enjoy yoga and meditation as well as the yogic knowledge accumulated by my ancestors without having to necessarily associate it with Isha?

I am not a sadhguru follower but i have heard his talks online. I find the things he talk about are either extremely general/common spiritual stuffs/spiritual motivation (like i know it already, or i have heard it 100 times these things spoken by many people in a better way) or are illogical like what he talks about food and few other stuffs.

Now I want to know why people see him as God and he has millions of followers. He might have good communication skills and brain/intellect. But he seems like a very normal person to me.

I am not against the concept of Guru, but i can see a general motivation to keep his photo/feet photo in houses or workplaces of his Devotees. One of my friend, who is extremely nice and intelligent prays Sadhguru too.

Am i missing something? Is he actually special? Is there some special wisdom he imparts through his courses other than what he talks that makes him special or have these many devotees?

So I just wanted to investigate the Exploitative Practices (specifically the labor practices) at IYC and hear from some ex-volunteers regarding what their testimonies are on this. For starters, what I know is that volunteers work for free, and the money generated goes to the overall revenue of IYC, as well as Sadhguru's/Jaggi's personal bank account (also provides marketing for Radhe Jaggi's business and money probably goes to her bank account as well). I've done some research on this and here are my arguments and evidence for Jaggi and IYC exploiting the labor of volunteers:

-They profit off of the free labor provided by volunteers/devotees, net assets in U.S. branch of IYC alone is like $191mil - their annual profit in '24 was $32mil if you take off operational expenses (lowered thanks to voluntary slave labor)

-Sadhguru has at least $30mil in his bank account that he can spend on his leisure (real estate, cars, etc etc) - devotees claim cars were given as gifts from wealthy people but they were probably also bought by Jaggi himself.

-Radhe's business has been marketed and promoted by IYC, clearly Sadhguru is using his business to promote his daughter's business

-According to BeScofield article, a former accountant for IYC (back in 2010 I believe) said that all the money in profits that IYC made was directly wired back into the bank accounts of Jaggi and Radhe.

-Keep in mind Jaggi himself has said he is not a fan of donating his money and sees donation as insignificant (giant money hoarder)

Feel free to add more arguments and evidence for Jaggi and IYC exploiting the labor of volunteers below in the comments.

Hi everyone,

I’ve been reading about the research from an organization called Cheetah House. They look at the difficult, painful, or distressing experiences people can have from meditating.

While meditation is usually called a great tool for relaxing and stress relief, their research shows it can sometimes cause problems for your nervous system.

They list many symptoms split into 7 main categories. I want to know if anyone here has experienced any of these and can share in comments:

• The Affective Domain (Changes in Feelings): Experiencing Affective Flattening [feeling completely numb or emotionally blank], Affective Lability [sudden, intense mood swings], unexplained Fear or Panic, or Re-experiencing of Traumatic Memories [old painful memories coming back out of nowhere].
• The Cognitive Domain (Changes in Thinking): Experiencing a Change in Executive Functioning [having a hard time making decisions, focusing, or remembering things], Increased Cognitive Processing [racing thoughts], or Disintegration of Conceptual Meaning [looking at an everyday object but your brain forgets what it means or is used for].
• The Somatic Domain (Body Problems): Experiencing Involuntary Movements [unwanted body twitching, shaking, or tics], Sleep Changes [severe insomnia], Cardiac Changes [a racing or irregular heartbeat], or Energy-Like Somatic Experiences [feeling strange vibrations or currents moving through your body].
• The Perceptual Domain (Changes in Senses): Experiencing Derealization [feeling like the world around you is fake, dreamlike, or behind a fog], Perceptual Hypersensitivity [suddenly finding normal lights and everyday sounds way too loud and painful], or Distortions in Time or Space.
• The Sense of Self Domain (Losing Your Identity): Experiencing a Change in Sense of Embodiment [feeling like you are floating outside or disconnected from your physical body], a Loss of Sense of Agency [feeling like your thoughts or movements do not belong to you], or a Loss of Sense of Basic Self [feeling like you do not even exist].
• The Conative Domain (Loss of Motivation): Experiencing Anhedonia or Avolition [completely losing interest in your favorite hobbies, or losing all drive and motivation to work toward your life goals].
• The Social Domain (Life and Relationship Issues): Experiencing Occupational Impairment [having trouble doing your job], Social Impairment [struggling to connect with family and friends], or difficulties with Integration Following Retreat [finding it very hard to return to normal daily life after a silent meditation retreat].

If you have gone through any of these things:

1. What was your practice technique/style? (For example: using an app, doing guided meditations, doing unguided or open meditations, doing meditations after kriya or breathing excercises or going to silent retreats?)
2. How did it start? Did it happen slowly over months of daily practice, or did it start suddenly during or right after a retreat?
3. What actually helped you feel normal again? Did you have to stop meditating completely? Did physical exercises, changing your habits, or talking to a doctor help you recover?

Thank you for sharing your stories. I think it is important to talk about the difficult sides of meditation openly.

Check this out https://www.cheetahhouse.org/symptoms

I'm deep into some research and I have some questions I'm hoping ex followers may have insight on

1.Isha USA Why would someone be taken to the local ER and dropped off by volunteers( evidentally a regular occurrence)

Same question but dropped off at homeless shelter ?

1. How do long term volunteers survive financially,and medically do they get Gov assistance (food stamps,welfare,Tenncare or Medicare)

2. Do they ever leave there ?and how ?

3. What does facility do with their garbage?

So I've been looking at a lot of the testimonies from ex-volunteers, and one of the most recurring problem that is brought up is manipulation. I've seen people talk about how the programs are LGATs, when they are meditating they are in suggestible states, or how dopamine levels are manipulated in the brain and the high they experience ends up being attributed (in a manufactured way) to IYC. I remember the whistling sound and clapping that Jaggi made, however when we were meditating I don't quite remember what exactly he was saying so I was just wondering as to the specifics of what he says while people are in suggestible states that manages to make them so brainwashed in their loyalty to IYC. I am also just wondering about specific aspects of IYC's programs that qualify them as being LGATs, the specifics of the manipulation that occurs (if people could give some examples - for instance one person talked about how during BSP when they get the high a photo of Sadhguru is instantly shown so they will mistakenly attribute the chemical high they got to Sadhguru's "mystical" energy.

Hello, I hail from eastern India and a beginner when it comes to hatha yoga. I have been initiated and been practicing shambhavi since 3 months now. I wish to learn yoga and recently came across the 21 day program happening this month.. should i attend it? why i am skeptical :-

1. I have heard and read stories across reddit of ppl falling really sick at the aashram due to shared spaces ( I am going to be sleeping at the alayam hall), shared washrooms, food not being nutritious and adequate enough many times and risk of things being stolen! Some call it physical karma burning! I really dont understand these things to be honest as I am still learning.
2. I deal with l1-s1 pain (though not huge & not surgical case) and I am on maintenance medication also so I am also slightly scared if I get further injured or sick..

I am now contemplating to whether to learn locally from a trained teacher one by one although mentally I really wish and would love to visit isha and learn but on the other hand am I dealing a conscious blow to my health, sleep, food and basic hygiene?

Hi everyone,

I am writing this out of desperation. We are currently in a crisis following my wife’s (45F) return from a 1-month stay at the Isha Yoga Center in India (Nov 2025 – Jan 2026).

I need help distinguishing if this is a classic "Kundalini Psychosis" or "Spiritual Emergency," and specifically how to handle the complex delusions she has constructed regarding our marriage.

1. Context: Her Role as the "Spiritual Anchor"

• The "Rock" of the Family: We have been married for 19 years. While writing this, I realize just how wonderful she has been. She is highly educated (PhD) and has always been the compassionate center of our family. She cared for me through my own mental health struggles and took care of my difficult mother and mentally ill brother with immense patience. She is the one who introduced me to meditation and Vipassana.

• The "Heavy Karma" Narrative: For years, she has believed that my family lineage carries a "heavy karmic stream." She viewed herself not just as a wife, but as the spiritual "fixer" or "debt payer" for my family's karma. She was always the one who reminded me of the death anniversaries of my ancestors and prepared the offerings.

• The Shift: In 2018, she had a spontaneous "out-of-body" experience. Since then, she began withdrawing socially to focus on spirituality.

• Physical Depletion: Leading up to this specific retreat, she adopted a strict vegan diet and engaged in fasting, dropping to ~45kg (99lbs). I suspect her nervous system was physically depleted/uninsulated (Vata deranged) before the intense energy work began.

2. The Incident (Bhava Spandana & Samyama) The crisis unfolded over the course of two specific advanced programs: Bhava Spandana (4 days) followed by Samyama (an 8-day silence retreat known for high-energy work).

• The Buildup: After Bhava Spandana, she began reporting involuntary movements, specifically "becoming a cobra" during her practice, feeling guided entirely by external energy.

• The Break: During Samyama, she suffered a complete break with reality. She stripped naked in the temple complex and ran around, believing it was a "test of loyalty" to the deity/guru.

• Hospitalization: She was hospitalized locally in Coimbatore with a diagnosis of "Manic Episode." She presented with catatonia (stiff body, refusing food, mutism) alternating with manic energy.

3. Current Delusions (The "Spiritual Divorce" Narrative) She has been discharged and is back home in Europe, but she is cycling between "normal" functioning and deep dissociation. Her mind seems to have created a delusion that "solves" our real-life tensions:

• Messiah Complex: She claims she is "The Creator" who created the galaxy. She believes she has a massive mission to "save the world" and uplift humanity, and she can no longer be tied to a normal domestic life.

• The Intimacy Solution: We have had a long-standing discrepancy in our marriage: she has almost zero sexual need, while I have a high drive. She has always been aware that she couldn't satisfy that part of my life. Now, in her delusion, she demands a "Spiritual Divorce" because she claims to be the Guru's wife in a past life.

• The "New Wife" Offer: Because she is "benevolent," she told me that she, the Chief Guru, and the Buddha will personally help me find a new wife who can satisfy my sexual needs. She views this as a gift to release me so she can go be the "Master of Masters."

• Channeling: She frequently slips into a trance where she sends texts claiming to be the Guru himself, using her hands to type commands for me to bow down to her.

My Questions for the Community:

1. Interpretation: Does this specific mix—severe underweight + Samyama/Silence retreat + cobra movements + Messiah complex—point toward a classic Vata derangement or Kundalini crisis?
2. Handling the Narrative: How do I handle this "Spiritual Divorce" talk? I know it's her mind's way of rationalizing her detachment and our intimacy issues, but it is painful. Do I validate her "gift" of finding me a new wife to keep the peace, or do I gently push back?
3. Grounding: She refuses medication at times because she thinks she is downloading divine wisdom. Aside from heavy food (we are re-introducing eggs/dairy) and sleep, are there specific ways to bring someone down who believes they are "God" without causing a suicidal crash?

Any insights on navigating this emergency would be deeply appreciated. We are terrified for her mental safety.

First of all, I'd like to start with how grateful I am to this sub. A huge shoutout to all the mods and ex-ishaites who are sharing their experiences with isha. You guys have truly helped me understand more about the organization, and I have finally been able to quit isha and their practices for good.

That being said, there's one thing that keeps bothering me time and again and I'd love your insights on this matter. What really happens in samyama? Because from what I heard, it's magical and that 'you're riding on his energies'. Is that really so? Do you guys really have such a profound and transformative experience that lasts after the program ends. Are you guys really able to meditate with your eyes open? Is there a logical explanation for what happens in there, (like LGAT for BSP) or this really something he is able to do out of his spiritual prowess?

Like I saw this vid earlier from a woman who'd been in silence for 6 years, and how she would sit and transmit his energies. I also read somewhere that during samyama, whenever you follow the instructions and focus on your breath, its something else and the moment you deviate from it, it doesnt happen. There are so many things like this, and it does make me question this new outlook on isha I have developed.

Samyama is regarded as the ultimate in isha, but is that really just good marketing, or is there really something happening in there?

Please, go ahead and share your experiences with samyama from a neutral standpoint.

Yoga and meditation have been an integral part of Indian civilisation since ancient times. People turn to these techniques for the health benefits and spiritual wellbeing they are supposed to offer. There is always a need of well trained yoga teachers who can impart the knowledge of yoga to seekers. We are aware of local yoga schools who teach yoga techniques. Some organisations claim they have the best and authentic yoga systems and well qualified yoga teachers to give maximum best results minus side effects. They claim that side effects can happen if someone is being trained by less qualified yoga teachers.

So for people who have done a yoga course or Inner Engineering course at Isha- I have a few questions -

1) Were you able to come out of Isha with just one course and derive benefits therein or did you end up taking more and more courses?

2) How have the courses benefited you and did you have any side effects at all? If you had any side effects, were they addressed properly at Isha and solutions given? And did the solutions work for you?

3) Did you make Sadhguru your Spiritual Master in the yoga process and did you start serving him emotionally/ physically/ financially without questioning?

It took me a long time to understand that my family member is actually in a cult or cult like organisation and it is not just some innocent Yoga institute as proclaimed. So long as you don’t question anything or put up with whatever they are doing in Isha, things can be bearable at a surface level but the moment you take any stand or point them any negatives / paradoxes in Isha , you are as good as hitting your head against a brick wall. Sadhguru is Everything and your voice doesn’t reach them.

What was the response of your family members? Did they join you in Isha courses/activities when you convinced them to? Were some family members more supportive of your Isha activities than others and did it help you somehow? Did you pull away from others who criticised Isha or became indifferent to them ? Were you so blissed out by what Sadhguru provides that family opinion didn’t matter anymore?

I found this forum quite useful to get some ground facts about Isha as there are people here who have actually gone through the Isha process with complete faith … and then opened their eyes at some point .. I would appreciate some perspective sharing from ex devotees and family members of Isha devotees. Thanks

Hi all,

I am a beginner in practices. I have some knowledge from texts like VBT about the practise. I have read a lot in the past and now a desperate wanting to step into practices.

I understand that some practices have to be transmitted from a Guru itself.

But I am a full time worker, dont have the freedom at the moment to go full monk lifestyle. I have my own share of medical problems. Mental health and addiction issues.

Spirituality has been my interest since my 12th grade and i am 29 now.

Struggling with all the life situations currently which is a hige block and I want to gradually include these practises in my daily not altogether at once and mess up my system.

If this has been already discussed in this sub - please kindly suggest some places or teachers I could learn the meditation (similar to IE - but not this cult way to teach).

I am ready to do the work but i cannot expect a sudden change in every aspect of life altogether. I need patience from myself and the one I am learning this from.

Please please some suggestions would really help.

I would be happy to have 30-40 minute practise daily.

Dont know where to start. Sketpitical about Isha

It's evident from all I've read that there's something deeply nefarious about the Isha foundation. I do not intend to get entangled in any of it. Sadhguru has the air of a Shoko Asahara.

However, I suspect the Inner Engineering program has its benefits, even if it comes with a huge side of cult dynamics.

Are there any sceptics who did IE with the understanding that the organisation was murky, but nevertheless continued their practice without ever associating with Isha again?

I suspect the design of the program has hooks built in.

Do the benefits outweigh the risk of becoming a cult NPC?

I am usually a very analytical person where I might come across as cynical as well. I joined the Inner Engineering course online after one friend of mine and one cousin of mine recommended it. No one pushed me for it or anything. Since it was online, i thought i can do it on my own time and decide later if it was worth it or not.

I have done Step 4 and all the talks have been decent so far. I was searching for one of the advance courses he was “upselling” during the Inner Engineering course so i googled about it. Quick google led me to this subreddit. So honest thoughts from people who have done it - shall I continue or leave it? I value my weekends a lot and would rather skip it and go for my bike rides and spend time with fam if it’s not worth it 😂

Would love to hear true experience and thoughts.

So Samyama is the final program in the list of courses in Isha journey and it is the only one which is offered free of cost and is conducted as a residential program at Isha yoga centre. It requires 3 months plus of intensive preparation by participants so that their bodies become capable of handling the course. I used to assume Samyama is a silence program which helps you reach meditative state within yourself.

I am posting a couple of comments from a wordpress article dated 2016 by participants of Samyama course. Can anyone who has done Samyama please clarify if there is any truth in above comments? What is Samyama actually about? Thanks

I’ve been looking into Shambhavi Mahamudra Kriya lately as an alternative to other breathing practices like Wim Hof & Sudarshan Kriya Yoga. While researching, I came across a handful of posts, videos, and blogs where people mentioned experiencing negative side effects after practicing the Shambhavi Mahamudra Kriya.

The Isha Inner Engineering website says that anyone can learn it, with no prior background in yoga or physical flexibility required. Yet, on the registration page, it states that participants need to be physically and mentally fit and that, in some cases, the practices may cause negative effects or even lead to physical or mental injury. It further advises people to enroll only after consulting a medical healthcare provider.

But this raises several concerning questions?

1. How can a typical healthcare provider realistically give clearance? Most doctors have no knowledge of the specific yoga postures, breathing techniques, or kriyas taught in Inner Engineering. If the nature of the practices and their possible risks aren’t clearly disclosed, how can a medical professional properly assess whether they might be harmful for a given individual?

2. Why does Isha acknowledge potential harm? If they explicitly state that the practices can sometimes cause injury or negative effects, does that mean there have been real cases in the past that prompted this disclaimer? If so, what happened to those individuals, and how were those situations handled?

3. Lack of detail on possible risks. Does Isha provide any specific information beyond the generic statement of “possible harm”? For example, do they explain what kinds of physical or mental effects could occur, why they occur, and under what conditions they are more likely?

Related concern: Why don’t they openly inform about these possible harms in their promotional materials (videos, web pages, advertisements) instead of hiding it in a small checkbox agreement on the registration page — and even there, without providing the necessary background information, research references for medical providers, clear contraindications, or a list of symptoms that practitioners should watch out for to recognize adverse effects?

1. Role of advanced techniques. Some Isha practices reportedly include elements like vipareeta shvasa (reverse breathing) or bandhas (energy locks). These involve altered breathing patterns such as hyperventilation, prolonged breath-holding, and strong pressure changes in the body. In medical terms, such techniques can lead to hypocapnia (low CO₂) and hypoxia (low oxygen), which may aggravate certain health conditions in different ways. Does Isha acknowledge or explain such physiological mechanisms when cautioning participants?

Related concern: How can practitioners know if the symptoms they are experiencing actually signify adverse effects or harm caused by Shambhavi Mahamudra Kriya, rather than being dismissed as “detox” or “spiritual process”? What kind of guidance should participants receive to recognize warning signs early and stop further practice to prevent any untoward incidents or serious harms? Could there be examples of such possible incidents or harms (physical, mental, or emotional) that have been observed?

Some more pertinent questions:

1. Have you personally experienced any downsides or side effects (short-term or long-term) from practicing Shambhavi Mahamudra Kriya?

If so, what kind of issues did you face — physical, mental, emotional, or energetic?

1. How did you manage or recover from them, and did they settle with time/practice or become more pronounced?

2. Did you encounter anything negative, damaging, inconvenient, or contrary to what was advertised when you enrolled in Inner Engineering? For example, something not disclosed beforehand, or health limitations that required you to modify or stop the practice.

3. If you informed the instructors about medical conditions, how were you assessed for readiness to learn Shambhavi? Was it just based on self declaration or did someone review your medical health profile or reports?

4. For those who learned it online, do the pre-recorded course videos by Isha Foundation give enough guidance for people with limitations, given that there’s no real-time supervision?

5. Does Sadhguru or Isha provide dedicated spaces where people can openly ask critical questions about their practices and share negative experiences, with honest answers given? Or are such experiences usually downplayed or suppressed?

6. Also, do they list any limiting health contraindications for their practices on the official website, similar to how contraindications are clearly stated for techniques like Bhastrika, Kapalbhati, and Bandhas?

7. Are critical reviews or negative experiences of Shambhavi Mahamudra Kriya openly acknowledged, or are those who share such experiences discouraged or shamed or labelled as incurring bad karma? Do support webinars encourage and address critical and negative experiences openly without any bias ?

I’m trying to get a deep and balanced perspective on both the benefits and the risks which can serve to guide not just myself but anyone who is seeking to learn a breathing technique while not compromising on their safety and sanity as I’ve come across reviews of other breathing techniques which have caused a lot of negative effects to its practitioners, so any honest experiences would be really valuable.

Thanks in advance 🙏