Isha Yoga Center Coimbatore

The Isha Foundation is a global, nonprofit, volunteer-based spiritual organization founded in 1992 by the Indian yogi and mystic Sadhguru (Jaggi Vasudev). The foundation’s headquarters are located at the Isha Yoga Center near Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, in southern India. The center’s most famous landmark is the monumental, 34-meter-tall Adiyogi Shiva statue, considered the world’s largest bust statue.

Core Philosophy and Programs

The organization is dedicated to raising human consciousness and promoting inner well-being. • Isha Yoga: At the heart of the teachings is a holistic yoga system adapted to modern people. It combines elements of Jnana Yoga (knowledge), Bhakti Yoga (devotion), Karma Yoga (action), and Kriya Yoga (energy). A well-known introductory program is Inner Engineering. • International Centers: In addition to the main ashram in India, the foundation operates the large Isha Institute of Inner-sciences in Tennessee, USA, as well as branches worldwide. • Global Initiatives: Sadhguru and the foundation are involved in large-scale social and environmental projects, including the Rally for Rivers and Cauvery Calling initiatives, as well as the global Save Soil campaign to regenerate agricultural land.

Sadhguru

Sadhguru has often said that “society is overripe for a spiritual process.” His fundamental vision is to offer the science of inner wellbeing to every human being – a science that helps a person realize the ultimate potential within. From this vision stem a multitude of projects, programs, and methods, all towards the same aim: to raise every human being to the peak of their potential, so that they are exuberant, all-inclusive, and in harmony within themselves and the world.

What is Yoga?

In terms of practice, Yoga is a discipline that over 300 million people around the world are actively engaged in. The word “Yoga” literally means “union,” and refers to an inner state where one experiences everything as a part of oneself. Often mistaken for a system of physical exercise, the Yogic system is actually a set of tools for self-transformation that are designed to bring one to this state of union.

What is a Yoga posture or Asana?

A Yoga asana is a certain posture that can take one to a higher dimension or higher perception of life.

Contrary to popular belief, Yoga postures or asanas are not just about stretching and bending the body. In Sadhguru’s words, “Yogasanas are not exercises. They are very subtle processes of manipulating your energy in a certain direction. It needs to be done with a certain level of awareness. There are various levels of doing asanas. You can practice asanas just physically, or more deeply, being aware of the breath, sensations, reverberations, being aware of the nadis, or with appropriate mantras. You can even do asanas without moving a limb.”

How does Yoga work?

Yogic practices are a science and technology for turning inward. Sadhguru defines Yoga as a subjective tool to explore the inner dimension of a human being that is beyond the accumulations of body and mind.

What is the international day of Yoga?

The International Day of Yoga is celebrated annually on 21 June. It was declared to be so by the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) on December 11, 2014.

The date of 21 June was chosen because it is the summer solstice (the longest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere) and has special significance in the Yogic system.

Why was the International Day of Yoga created?

The proposal for the International Day of Yoga was put forward by the Prime Minister of India, Shri Narendra Modi, and during his address to the UNGA on September 27, 2014. In his speech, he said:

“Yoga is an invaluable gift of India’s ancient tradition. This tradition is 5,000 years old. It embodies unity of mind and body; thought and action; restraint and fulfillment; harmony between man and nature; a holistic approach to health and well-being. It is not about exercise but discovery. It is not about strength but sensitivity. It is not about competition but cooperation. It is not about self-assertion but self-restraint. It is not about violence but peace. Yoga can open up a new horizon of peace and harmony.”

He proposed that 21 June be declared as the International Day of Yoga and that date was unanimously approved by the UNGA.

What are the health benefits of Yoga? Although Yoga has many health benefits such as…

• Improved breathing
• Reduced stress
• Improved sleep
• Better heart health
• Higher levels of energy

...and many more, Sadhguru describes good health as merely a side effect of Yoga. Yoga is not just about physical fitness; it is a holistic system that touches every aspect of your being – physical, mental, emotional, and energy-wise.

Will Yoga help with weight loss?

Yoga can help with weight loss but it is only a side effect of the inner transformation that people experience through Yoga. With regular practice, they find that their relationship with their physical body and their eating habits change. However, The main purpose of Yoga is to bring one to a state of union where they experience the entire cosmos as part of themselves. In Sadhguru’s words, “Yoga rejuvenates the system and brings so much sense into you that you will not overeat. Once a certain level of awareness arises in your body, your body becomes such, it will just eat what is needed for it. It will not eat anything more. This is not because you are controlling or regulating your life in any way or because somebody is telling you to go on a diet. If you do some other exercises or dieting processes, you are always trying to control yourself. With Yogic practices, you do not have to control yourself. You just do the practices. This takes care of the system in such a way that it will not allow you to eat more than needed. This is the big difference with Yoga.”

Will Yoga help with back pain?

Many Yoga practitioners have found relief from back pain because Yogic practices address all aspects of human wellbeing. The Yogic system is designed to bring a person to a sense of physical health, mental clarity, emotional pleasantness, and energetic vibrance. Specifically, the spine is given utmost importance in Yoga. Sadhguru explains that without the spine, a human being would be unable to experience higher possibilities. Keeping the spine well-protected, strong, and sensitive is important for a Yogi because you want to experience the whole universe as a part of yourself. ** Will Yoga help with building muscle, strength, and flexibility?**

Building muscle, strength, and flexibility is a natural outcome of practicing Yoga. Since the physical aspect of Yoga is only preparatory in nature, one of its goals is to enable the practitioner to sit in a stable and comfortable posture. However, Yoga builds strength not just in the muscles but in all aspects of the physiology which ensures holistic development of the body.

Can Yoga help reduce stress?

Yoga has been shown to be effective in reducing stress, anxiety, and depression. The main reason for this is that Yoga brings about a transformation in the way you perceive yourself and the world around you.