How a Young Israeli Physicist Found New Stability, Greater Health, and Fulfillment

When I Felt There Must Be More to Life Than This

Living in Jerusalem for many years, I saw religion and spiritualism of all sorts taken to the extreme. Always being rational and a physicist by profession, I was sure that anything spiritual is to be avoided at all cost. I believed it was all traditions and rituals without any substance. However, the beautiful silent mountains surrounding the stone walls of the old city make sure you start looking within yourself, sooner or later.

That time came for me at a point in my life where I didn’t know where I was going anymore. I had been studying physics and mathematics for years, doing research, and was about to start a Ph.D. Always curious to know and understand the world, for my analytical mind, researching the physical laws of the universe was the only way to go. Though I was a successful scientist, growing in me was the feeling that this isn’t enough.

Every week, I had an endless internal debate – on the one side, all the hard work I had put in to get to where I am, and on the other an unknown path. Not knowing which side was the devil and which the angel, I did what my family didn’t expect and quit my academic career.

How Isha Broke through My Prejudice

At that time, I knew very little about Sadhguru or Isha. For me, he was a familiar face from viral YouTube videos, always with words of wisdom, a great sense of humor, and a great beard. Although his words resonated with me, still, I had some reservations that stemmed from the religious way of life I had seen.

What made me look beyond my preconceived notions were the videos about the various programs being offered, and the Hatha Yoga Teacher Training. Being a veteran of a few Yoga studios myself, I thought I knew what Yoga was. But it seemed that in Isha, everything was designed in a very unique and specific way – an approach to Yoga that I had not seen before. Watching and reading about the Teacher Training and the ashram life, the attention to detail in every aspect just blew me away. From the way of eating to the many activities and initiatives, all managed entirely by volunteers, I felt this was something greater than me and my prejudice.

Time for a Leap of Faith

The first step was to join the Inner Engineering program in my area, as now, without a job, I had plenty of time to spare. I remember calling the local team of volunteers to find more about the program, thinking we would be doing impossible spine twists for three days. The volunteer calmly responded to all my queries, saying, “If you relate to what Sadhguru says, just come to the program.” So I took a leap of faith, and from that single weekend, life began to change rapidly.

Going through the process designed by Sadhguru, I felt so much lighter afterward, like a weight that had been with me for as long as I can remember had been lifted. I didn’t fully understand the tools that were given at that point. However, seeing how others experienced it, and seeing the volunteers who went above and beyond to offer us this experience, I decided to do one more illogical thing and follow the instructions exactly as they were given.

No matter what people said, no matter how difficult it was to find the time or the motivation, I made a commitment to do the practice. With regular practices, combined with Hatha Yoga, physically my body was getting stronger and mentally I was less afraid to take on whatever may come. This calmness of mind made me see the people around me differently. What I found so irritating before now felt nice and lovely. I also wanted to try and put myself out there in terms of working in a field I was passionate about. So I took freelance jobs in writing and teaching science, slowly finding my way while enjoying the process.

How Sadhanapada Has Changed the Way I Do and Look at Everything

With this new sense of adventure, I wanted to explore further and decided to apply for the Sadhanapada program. Unfortunately, due to the pandemic, I could not join in 2020. But this delay would neither crush nor deter an Inner Engineering graduate. I waited patiently and finally managed to join the 2021 program, which is currently going on.

Although I have not been here long, I feel that my growth has accelerated tenfold. What would have taken me months to work through happens here in the span of a week. In terms of my body, I feel like a child, unlearning and relearning how to walk, sit, and eat. Doing Yoga practices in the consecrated space of the ashram, the level of focus I put in the daily practice made me reach postures that I was unable to reach before, even though I had been practicing for over a year.

By a seemingly magical design, you will find you are constantly living on the edge of your limitations here – like it or not. Sadhguru said that you just have to melt into it, and once I did, the world around me changed. Now tears come to my eyes when I simply look at the sky, a tree, or a flower. I’ve learned to look with love even at the mosquitos, and lost the ability to simply whack them out of existence, no matter how many bites I have on my feet. Everything appears to be so much greater than what I could see before.

When I Found the Magic Cure for My Allergies

One of the greatest experiences of ashram life for me is the daily connection with the elements. One example that made the impact of this clear happened after two days at the gardening department. All my life, I have had allergies, which flared up as soon as I landed in India. What I couldn’t believe is that two days of working with the soil not just reduced the symptoms, but my allergies were completely gone. Years of sniffling and sneezing, solved in two days. Walking in the rain and sun, feeling the wind blow through every space in the ashram, and walking barefoot, makes one experience life differently.

When I look back on my life before Inner Engineering, I see I was just afraid. I feel amazed at how much I have changed within two years. Before, I was avoiding taking more responsibilities as I always felt stressed when there was too much on my plate. Now I find I am able to do my work intensely, feeling more energetic as the workload increases. With this stability of mind and body, I feel a sense of freedom, as more possibilities are open for me now. I don’t know what lies ahead, but I am so grateful for Sadhguru and the many Isha volunteers who have been making this happen for me. What is being offered here is so precious, and I hope to continue to be a part of it.