2023 has been a year of significant changes around the world. We’ve seen so much, from heartbreaking war situations to life-saving advancements in medical science. However, the mental health pandemic as predicted by the scientists all over the world, continues to be a threat. As 2023 came to an end, CNN interviewed Sadhguru to provide a few tips on how to best manage mental health and overall wellness in the coming year. On 31st December 2023, Sadhguru led a meditation event which was live-streamed from Isha Yoga Center, Coimbatore, India.
Becky Anderson: “Sadhguru, joining us now from Coimbatore in India. You lead the Isha Foundation, you offer yoga programs for self-improvement. Walk me through your event today and what you focused on, as we leave behind the year of 2023.”
Sadhguru: “One important thing that’s facing the world is definitely mental health. This has become a huge challenge like never before. So one important thing is what we eat, what we put into our system, because our body is a consequence of the kind of food that we consume. Large number of people are still in the survival mode. The kind of food that we consumed to survive, we were hunters and gatherers, so we ate a certain kind of food. But a time has come where our physical activity has come down significantly than what it used to be a thousand years ago, so moving towards more vegetarian food, fresh fruits and vegetables and nuts and you know, along with other things.”
“Plant-based life will make a huge difference and also above all that if maximum number of people invest at least 15 minutes a day for their inner wellbeing. When I say investing towards inner wellbeing, as there is a science and technology for external well-being, there is a whole science and technology for inner well-being. So the tools for transformation one can make use of, we are offering this to many people. Our idea is, at least three billion people, if they can spend 15 minutes a day towards their own inner well-being, it would make a huge difference in the world and we are hoping that in the next 18 to 24 months we can make this happen. And above all, putting the body to use. This body is designed to be used. If you try to save it it’ll be lost. We must put it to use. The more you use it, the better it is.”
Anderson: “Sadhguru, you got me for 15 minutes a day. I promise you I will do my best. What are you hoping to see more of in 2024, very briefly?”
Sadhguru: “In 2024 one most important thing that we need to do is enhance the organic content in the soil because the food has become weak. The food that we’re consuming doesn’t have the complex micronutrients necessary to nourish this body. For example, studies are showing that if you ate one orange in California in 1920s, what nutrients you got, to get the same thing today you have to eat eight oranges. So enhancing organic content, we’ve been working on this.”
“Fortunately, in the recent COP 28, the narrative has shifted toward ‘soil’, otherwise we’ve been only talking ‘oil’. It’s time we talk ‘soil’. We’re talking about it, it’s time to act upon it. We are already working with COP 29 with Azerbaijan to see that soil becomes the thing, and fortunately this year there was an event where the UNCCD had an event which was titled as ‘Soil the Superstar’. Just 2 years ago it was absent. Now it’s become the Superstar. And above all human beings must understand ‘In is the only way out’ because human experience is caused from within. If you do not take charge of our interiority, what kind of experience we have of life cannot be determined from outside.”
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