Youth and Truth: The Inside Scoop!

Youth and Truth was not only brimming with questions from students and insightful answers from Sadhguru, it was also replete with interesting episodes, inspiring shares and amusing stories. Here’s the inside scoop! Enjoy!

#1 Youth have asked Sadhguru over 100,000 questions

Youth and Truth has become a buzzword among the media and the country’s youth within a month of its launch. Youth are utilising this platform to empower themselves with clarity, by seeking answers from Sadhguru on a variety of questions and diverse topics. Questions have ranged from nation building to sexuality, from the Illuminati to tech-addiction, and a whole lot in between.

#2 The most common and the most personal questions were…

“What should I do in my life?” and its variations were the most commonly asked questions. Versions of this question included: “Should I follow regular career options, my passion, or listen to my parents? Should I do something for the world or go abroad and earn money? What should I do so I don’t regret my choice later? What choice do I have if everything is destined?”

Questions about casual sex & PDA, use of social media, religion’s place in today’s world, sexual harassment and feminism, the need to belong, stress, competition and relationship issues were also popular. 

The most unusual personal question that Sadhguru was asked might possibly be, “Why do you sit with your left leg up, and right leg on the ground?” This was at Shri Ram College of Commerce, Delhi. Other personal questions included, “How are you ON all the time?” and “What is the secret of your success?”

In some colleges, students asked queries related to their curriculum and management of their courses. Some questions also pertained to yoga, artificial intelligence, nationalism, lynchings and the 2019 elections.

#3 There were 34 events in 27 days

Besides the “main” events which were Sadhguru’s interactions with students in colleges and universities, there were also Instagram livestreams, Satsangs in Varanasi and Mysore, media interviews and unscheduled, off-the-cuff interactions with a variety of people.

#4 Houseful at all events!

The college events were all filled to the brim. Many were literally spilling over. At the National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad, students were leaning over the railings. At IIM Ahmedabad, the security guard was curious to know why such a large number of students had turned up for this event. At NALSAR, floorspace on the aisles was also taken.

A volunteer described the students’ attention levels at RIE Mysore: “They were super-involved with Sadhguru through and through. And all of them dancing to Sounds of Isha! Children, students, general public, school staff – everyone!”

#5 Sadhguru talked about the “cobra test”

Do you know what the cobra test is? Here’s Sadhguru’s description: “All snakes are stone deaf. They don’t have a hearing mechanism at all. So it literally has its ear to the ground. Its entire body is to the ground, feeling reverberations. The only way he knows you is by your chemistry. He does not see you very well, but he knows your chemistry very well. 

If you just go and pick up a cobra, if there is no anxiety in you, he will simply come without any resistance. If you show a little bit of anxiety, he will go for you because he sees it as danger immediately. People were asking, ‘Sadhguru, how do we know if we are really meditative and at ease?’ I said, ‘We must do a cobra test for you.’ If you pick a cobra up, if he just comes, you are at ease. If he reacts, that means you are not at ease.”

#6 A MostlySane, Beer Biceps connection

After the Youth and Truth events ended in September, Sadhguru was set to leave to Paris for two UNESCO events. When Sadhguru boarded the flight, all the young men and women flight stewards were excited to have Sadhguru fly with them. They told him that they had really enjoyed his interview with Prajakta Koli, a popular YouTuber.

#7 The perfect beat for an offbeat event

At BHU, the university surprised Sadhguru by organising an offbeat session by their music department faculty and students. About 15 to 20 students came in groups of 3 or 4 each, and gave a different rendition of Hindustani music in the form of Kabir Bhajans or other classical music pieces. 

The students asked some wonderful questions pertaining to their struggles in learning music. “If music is the way to the divine, why do we get so frustrated sometimes while practicing it?” asked one of the girls. At the end of the event, Sadhguru shared about his experience at Kanti Sarovar, and sang Nada Brahma along with them.

Editor’s Note: 

Watch the Youth and Truth #UnplugWithSadhguru playlist, a comprehensive compilation of Sadhguru’s talks and interactions with the youth and students of India. New videos will be added to this playlist as more videos are released from the Youth and Truth events, so remember to visit this playlist again!