Sadhguru: In today's world, understanding the basis of mental health is of utmost importance and more relevant than ever before. Mental illnesses are growing to an enormous scale which is disproportionate to the population. For many people, they don’t have to be poked by someone to become miserable. They experience misery even when they are by themselves. They may not be medically diagnosed with a psychological ailment, but they are mentally ill – maybe mildly ill, but they are heading towards an ailment.
To use an analogy, your normal body temperature is supposed to be 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit. If it becomes 99 degrees Fahrenheit, we say you are running a mild or low-grade fever. Similarly, if you can use your intelligence to cause suffering to yourself – it may be just tension, stress or anxiety – you are in low-grade madness. Being physically exhausted is different from being mentally stressed. By the end of every day, you should be physically exhausted – you must live like that. Otherwise, you are not doing much. But if you are mentally stressed, you are in low-grade madness. If we push you into difficult situations, it will graduate into high-grade madness. Too many people are heading in this direction because they are not able to consciously conduct their mental faculties.
Our center, called the "Sadhguru Center for a Conscious Planet" at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston, has done a lot of research about how the Yogic practices we offer transform your chemistry and the way you are and how they create the chemical basis for you to remain blissful throughout your life. But, we know that everyone in the world will not take up Yoga – that is a faraway thing. This is why we want to offer a whole platter of tools for mental wellbeing.
Currently, the center is doing research to show how practicing Indian classical arts – dance, music and Kalaripayattu can do tremendous things for children and adults. Indian classical art forms are designed in such a way that if you practice them, they are not just entertainment; something about you changes. For example, anyone can dance but to do classical dance, you need a certain level of application. You have to be conscious of how you move every limb. You cannot just do something. It is a very conscious process to do things in a certain way. Just the attention it takes will transform you.
In 2024, we will be launching a global movement called Conscious Planet. Its aim is to ensure that at least three billion people have a 12–15 minute practice that they can do every day for their inner wellbeing. Along with meditation and Yoga, we will offer a variety of things such as music, dance and martial arts on our online platforms. If we offer a platter of things that people can do, not everyone will need to do Yoga. The idea is: Do whatever but somehow don't be mentally sick.
“Don't be mentally sick” means if not blissfully, at least live peacefully. If you live in an ecstatic way, fantastic. But if you are a little “low grade,” at least you should live peacefully. Peacefulness is the low-grade pleasantness of life. “I am joyful,” means you are a little more pleasant. “I am blissful,” means even more pleasant. “I'm ecstatic,” means a high level of pleasantness. In terms of pleasantness, at least the minimum pleasantness must happen to every human being. Once they taste peace with a 12-15 minute-practice, they may want joy. Every day if three billion people on this planet can do something for 15 minutes for their mental wellbeing, it will make a significant difference. This is the plan. Let us make it happen.
Editor's Note: Project Samskriti offers in-person and online workshops in Indian classical dance and music as well as Kalaripayattu, one of the oldest martial art forms.
To explore upcoming workshops, click here.
