Out of the Helicopter Into Nothingness
Christopher from the UK recounts how he made it to the Himalayan Jaunt just in time, and his powerful experience of nothingness or Shiva at Kedarnath.
Christopher: I felt extremely blessed to be a part of the Himalayan Jaunt. I had not received my visa until a week after the jaunt commenced. But I was so determined to come that I didn't mind if I’d missed the first week. Even if it meant coming here only for five minutes, I still would have traveled all the way. I chartered my own helicopter because I was desperate to get there. I landed in Kedarnath, got off the helicopter and ran.
Just as I dropped my bags and got to the steps of the temple, Sadhguru was there. He had just come out of the temple, and he nodded at me. Only by His grace was I allowed to come. I took my shoes off, went into the temple, and I just put my hands in Namaskar and closed my eyes. There was just a black still void of nothingness. And I knew at that point, I was touched by Shiva. I’ve experienced this before, at Mahashivratri. And it just shows me again that though I am so small in this universe, the potential I have is unlimited.
This trip has deepened the experience of my practices, and how I feel about everything around me.
Where Rocks Slide and Humans Sit Unmoving
Bengaluru resident Balaji, who has had the opportunity to ride with Sadhguru on several occasions, shares moments from the Himalayan Jaunt that made it truly special.
Balaji: Towards the end of the Cauvery Calling motorcycle rally, Sadhguru invited us to ride with him in the Himalayas in 2020, which didn’t materialize because of the pandemic. So, I was keenly looking forward to riding with him in 2021. The uncertainties of weather and possible landslides made this ride very exciting, and therefore memorable.
En route to Badrinath, we came across a deep puddle of water. People traveling in the pilot vehicle told us to immediately turn back. When we looked up, we saw a massive landslide descending upon us. As there was not enough space to turn around, the riders and the volunteers had to literally push the motorcycles back. Luckily no participant or volunteer was hurt. If we had delayed turning back even by two more minutes, some of the riders and their motorcycles would have been washed away.
Another challenging ride was from Guptakashi to Sonprayag, followed by an equally challenging trek up to Kedarnath. But once we had a glimpse of Kedarnath, we forgot all our pains and struggles. We sat in front of the temple in Sadhguru’s presence and with the majestic Himalayas in the backdrop. We sat there unmoving for a long time. It was the most surreal and powerful experience of the entire trip.
When Mr. Doctor from Egypt Became an Isha ‘Roadie’
Porus Doctor, a passionate meditator from Egypt, shares how he regained his mojo after riding with Sadhguru in the Himalayas.
Porus: I have been with Sadhguru since 2016. I found out about this trip in February this year and bought a Harley Davidson to practice. I registered myself, not sure if I’ll be selected, but I prayed to God, and finally I made it to the Himalayan Jaunt.
Sadhguru rode with us, joked with us, and spoke at length about our favorite topic – motorcycles. He blessed us and our motorcycles. It felt like we were part of his team, his roadies – Isha roadies.
Kedarnath was a completely different experience. The riders decided to go to Kedarnath on a pony. We wanted to reach up early because Sadhguru would come in a helicopter. But I had to come back down since I had forgotten my bag. I decided to walk all the way up, which I was not prepared for. My thighs and calves were in pain, but I kept chanting Shiva Shambho. And because of Sadhguru’s grace, I mustered the needed energy and managed the climb.
I think we come to these mountains to realize how small we are. We are nothing on this planet. We just come here and then we just go away. It was the experience of a lifetime. I feel young again, I feel rejuvenated, and I feel like my mojo has come back in James Bond ways.
How Grace Guides in the Uncanniest Ways
Hyderabad resident and rider Sunil shares how his deep longing to ride with Sadhguru came true after four years, and recounts a strange coincidence in the Himalayas.
Sunil: In 2017, I started watching Sadhguru’s videos on YouTube and soon fell in love with him – not because of his spiritual teachings, but because of his love for motorcycles. Around the same time, I purchased a brand-new Harley Davidson Iron 883. Since then, it was my dream to ride with Sadhguru.
In June 2021, I applied for the Sadhanapada program and the Himalayan Jaunt with Sadhguru. I couldn’t believe my ears when an Isha volunteers phoned me to confirm my participation in both. Just then, Sadhguru’s words echoed in my mind: “May your dreams not come true. May things that you could never dream of happen to you.”
The trip lasted for twelve days, and we rode for over six hours every day. Though I can share at least 100 memorable instances from the trip, here is the most strange and unbelievable coincidence. Since on the tenth day of the ride, the front tire of my motorcycle had punctured and turned flat, I had loaded my motorcycle on the tow truck and had been traveling in a car. En route to Badrinath, we encountered a massive landslide. There, we met a Canadian who was recording videos of the landslide, and the moment she saw Sadhguru, she fell at his feet to seek his blessings.
She had reached this place after boarding the “wrong” bus. She joined us in the car until the next stop on our journey. It turned out that she was exploring India for the last two years without any specific plan, purpose, or guidance. And we soon discovered that she was initiated into Shambhavi Mahamudra in the same class as me (in Hyderabad in October 2019)!
It felt as if all forces in the universe had conspired to bring her to Sadhguru’s feet in the majestic Himalayas. And she was not the only one. Almost every participant had uncanny coincidences that brought him or her to Sadhguru. I could relate with all of them, because the same was true for me. Though I’m back to city life, my heart is still in the Himalayas.
The Ecstasy of Being with an Enlightened Master
Bengaluru resident Hemant shares how his dream of being in the Himalayas with Sadhguru came true after a long wait of three years.
Hemant: Recently, when I was in Dubai, I received an email from the Isha Sacred Walks team saying there’s an opportunity to go on a bike ride with Sadhguru in the Himalayas. Without a second thought, I cancelled my Dubai trip. It was Sadhguru’s grace which brought me here.
We bikers were very fortunate to spend twelve days with Sadhguru. There were very special, candid moments with him that I will never forget – during breakfast, during tea breaks, exploring the Himalayas.
The experience of being with Sadhguru at Kedarnath was out of this world! We chanted the Mahamantra in the evening in front of the Kedarnath temple, and it literally felt like every cell in my body was bursting with ecstasy. It’s the highest, most pleasant experience I’ve ever had in my life.
During our ride, till a point, I was heading the bike team. But just before the landslide, I stopped because it was raining. We escaped the landslide by just a few minutes. It was again, I think, Sadhguru’s presence. He knows what to do. He just took over, and we all got saved. I think it’s his blessing to encounter this kind of dangerous thing under his grace.
Nothing can beat this once-in-a-lifetime experience of riding with the Master.
