As a lone motorcyclist, Sadhguru has been on a 100-day, 30,000-km journey to raise awareness about soil extinction, activate citizens’ support, and initiate government policy reforms to revitalize the soil. The movement has already struck root in the hearts and minds of people and government representatives across Europe, Africa, Central Asia, and the Middle East. Get rare glimpses behind the scenes of the Save Soil movement, straight from volunteers who travel with Sadhguru.
The people’s voice in support of the Save Soil movement has been growing in volume tremendously across the globe, as Sadhguru traverses countries and continents on the motorcycle, awakening people to the vital importance of soil health and mobilizing their support for the movement.
Nathalie, a volunteer who is part of the small support team trailing Sadhguru, shares, “The people’s response has been phenomenal and very moving. Every gathering gets bigger, and the way people of different religions, beliefs, ethnicity, and cultural backgrounds respond is exhilarating. Many times, just looking at the crowd and what is happening, I had tears of joy and exhilaration in my eyes. I never had felt like this before just looking at crowds.”
Justin, who handles the dual role of a cameraman as well as the driver of the pilot car with equal enthusiasm, got to see up close and personal the steadily growing support for the movement, and the tremendous impact it has on the hearts and minds of people. He says, “It’s been a wonderful experience to be able to capture these moments, expressions, and the excitement of people. Most of them are seeing Sadhguru for the first time and are curious about the Save Soil movement.
“When you look at their faces, in all these different countries, the expression is the same. People are really excited about this movement and want to do something. They are moved by this simple and powerful message. Being behind the camera and looking at these expressions through the lens is an amazing experience.”
As the pilot car driver, Justin’s day begins early. He inspects the car first to ensure everything is in order for the day’s journey. Then he checks the map, takes a glance at the weather report, and discusses the day’s route with other team members to make sure no one loses their way and they arrive on schedule.
La La Le La Le La Le…. The Save Soil song has resounded at venues across Europe and the Middle East as Sadhguru raises awareness about the need to Save Soil. Though the journey is long and arduous, he sets a fiery pace and a tight schedule, pushing to make it on time for every event and meeting.
There are many challenges along the way, but Sadhguru hurdles past all. Christopher, a member of the support team, says, “When we were driving from Switzerland to Paris, we encountered rain and 40 mph gusts of wind. Visibility was down to 15–20 meters; we had our hazard lights on and had to slow down. It’s amazing how Sadhguru is putting his life on the line for the Save Soil movement. He’s really not doing this for himself – he’s doing it for us, for what we need, for the future generations. That’s why he has taken up the journey, even though it’s not a joyride.”
People from different walks of life are joining forces and becoming Earth Buddies as awareness about the soil crisis grows exponentially. Their enthusiasm resonates with the small, yet passionate group of Save Soil volunteers who accompany Sadhguru on his 30,000-km journey. Like Sadhguru, food, sleep, and physical comfort are no priorities for them. Their focus and spirits remain high regardless of any challenges on the way.
The team that’s managing the logistics and organizational aspects of the Save Soil events and interviews seems minuscule when compared to the mammoth task at hand. But grace and teamwork make the dream work.
Kay, one of the support team members, shares, “We are actually quite a small team where everyone is doing everything, and we’re pretty stretched. We are not trained for the job that we’re doing, but it’s such an honor to be able to work with everybody. I’ve never worked with such good-hearted people with good integrity and so much focus on getting things to align with this movement. It’s been such a learning and positive process for me.”
The response that Sadhguru and his team have got from people has been overwhelming. The scenes are similar wherever they go, such as in Belgrade, Serbia, as Kay observes, “Within a matter of a few hours, everybody in the city seemed to know about the Save Soil movement. When Sadhguru was walking down a street, people would come up and speak to him. It’s really wonderful.”
The Save Soil volunteers who are on the journey have been divided into different bio bubbles so that if anyone shows flu-like symptoms, that person or team can be segregated from other teams. These bio bubble teams play the role of organizers for all events and interactions that take place along the way.
Kay shares, “We are organizing events and interactions on the go. It is a joy to be able to travel with Sadhguru and to see him in action. A lot of preparation goes in, but it’s also fun being in a bio bubble. Our bio bubble arrangement is quite important because we interact closely with Sadhguru, who is leading the Save Soil movement. We follow strict guidelines, and even when we go to public events, or speak to supporters, we wear masks.”
Bringing Save Soil supporters together and driving through difficult weather conditions and terrain has not taken the joy out of the passionate volunteers.
Christopher, who is also driving a car that’s trailing Sadhguru, shares, “While driving through rain and wind, when the going gets tough, we can hear Sadhguru singing. These are the most amazing and memorable moments for me, to be inspired and experience joy even at challenging moments. We were also able to play Frisbee with Sadhguru when he decided to take a break. We also played football together. It has been really enjoyable to joke and play together.”
Team members look up to Sadhguru as their inspiration as he seems unfazed and pushes through challenges with ease. “I just don’t know where he gets the energy from, even though he’s sleeping only about three hours a night,” Christopher adds.
Traveling with Sadhguru and meeting enthusiastic Save Soil supporters, Isha meditators, and Sadhguru’s followers has not only been an uplifting experience for the volunteers but also an opportunity for self-exploration, sadhana, and satsang.
Kannan, a volunteer in charge of communications and motorcycle maintenance, shares, “I had a specific role – to listen to Sadhguru. What more could I ask for? I wore these headphones all the time and didn’t speak much. Whenever Sadhguru asked, I gave him the required information. The rest of the time was a kind of a sadhana for me; I was in silence, just listening to Sadhguru and the wind blowing in his helmet. I was able to experience his perspective, and how he feels as a rider. It’s beautiful; so magical and unbelievable for me. It’s kind of a satsang on wheels.”
For others too, the journey has offered invaluable lessons of growth and transformation. Christopher said, “Some days were extremely tough with long hours of driving the car and several public events on the way. As we drove from Sofia to Bucharest, we had a lot of public events; the weather was horrific; it was snowing at a lot of points, and I was feeling very exhausted. My patience was growing thin. And, like always, Sadhguru knew about it first. He came to me and told me to be open and remain calm.”
Riding from country to country, in any kind of weather, Sadhguru’s relentless commitment has become a source of inspiration for volunteers and people at large. Nathalie echoes the sentiments of many volunteers and supporters when she says, “While riding the motorcycle, he faces the elements like strong gusts of wind, extreme temperatures, rain, and snow.” Yet, when he reaches venues and public meetings, he is full of energy, dancing with Earth Buddies, singing the Save Soil song, and inspiring all.
“After the day’s ride, he is still busy attending video and zoom calls and meetings, some of which continue throughout the night. It’s unbelievable how many things he can handle simultaneously. The most difficult problems are taken to him, and he always figures out solutions. I have not seen anyone else handling so many things simultaneously with grace and ease. Every moment, he inspires us to break our limitations and identifications, and be at the peak of who we can be. For me, this journey is very inspiring,” she added.
