O n May 3rd, the Mayor Annise Parker announced the day as “Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev Day” in Houston. The proclamation was made at an event hosted by a number of local organizations which was attended by community leaders from different walks of life - around 200 in attendance. That event also included a discourse by Sadhguru and a moonlight dinner with Sounds of Isha accompanying.

The Houston IE began the next evening on the 4th. On the morning of the 5th, lines were forming very early outside of the hall with participants eager to get in and be near the front. Sadhguru began the morning session by walking through the hall among the participants as he spoke. That evening many participants, volunteers, and guests stayed for a Buddha Pournima celebration, where Sadhguru spoke about the life and the dedication of Gautama Buddha in his search for truth.

The last day of the program began with a lively morning session, then moved into the moment of initiation. The whole day was very powerful, and at the closing, many of the participants were overcome expressing their gratitude to Sadhguru and to the volunteers.

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Sadhguru also announced the next mega-program in the US, which will take place in Detroit this October.

This was followed by a series of meetings and yantra consecrations in different parts of the country. On May 12th, Isha Institute of Inner Sciences (iii) began with a live address by Sadhguru to all of the sathsangs (monthly gatherings of meditators) across the country. Volunteers and visitors gathered in Mahima and Sadhguru was also able to interact live with video and questions from meditators in Detroit, which will be hosting the next Sadhguru-led Inner Engineering 3-day Program in October!

During the Sathsang, Sadhguru spoke about experiencing one’s life as a Song:

When I say a song… People have always thought that only if you sing a lyric, it is a song. No, if you listen carefully enough, if you are willing to put all of you – everything that you are into your listening, and if there is nothing left in you… if your listening becomes everything, you will see everything is a song. Not because you’re listening, simply because you have put yourself out — everything becomes a song.
So if one has to know the song of the divine — if one has to hear the divine, if one has to feel the divine, above all if one has to become the divine, what is needed is — Do something, just about anything, which is not about you, and do it in such a way like this is the last moment of action. Do it in such a way that you throw your everything into what you’re doing. You will see life will become a song. What is a toil for somebody will become divine melody for you. If only you’re willing to put everything that you are into whatever you’re doing right now.”

One question about the fear of dying and of family members’ death prompted Sadhguru to recount the harrowing story of his experience earlier this year, when the landing gear failed in a small plane where he was a passenger, nearly resulting in a crash landing. You can read the full story here.

After the morning Sathsang, iii also hosted several local visitors for an Open House, seen here enjoying a hike to one of the waterfalls.

Another guest stopped by as well, a large terrapin which gained some attention in the courtyard both from the visitors and from the resident squirrels.

Perhaps he was drawn by the hum of activity across the campus as volunteers prepare for the upcoming Bhava Spandana (BSP) program – the largest in the US so far!