As you enter, you are greeted with a sweet 'namasthe akka'.....something you get used to hearing across the center, by all their volunteers.
A namasthe that seems to symbolize the recognition of the 'soul within' so to say, and that's the connect that the place enables.
The words that come to mind are 'spirituality' 'seeking' 'energy' 'meditation' 'mysticism' and such.....all about tuning in. It's stepping beyond the physical world into the mystical, the abstract, the energy spaces.
The entire space seems created to enable just that connect. While there are what might appear like religious idols.... the dhyanalinga, and the lingabharavi, they are in essence a physical manifestation of the masculine and feminine principles of nature, energy centers denoting each, rather than the conventional sense of a 'deity'.
Architecturally, it's very spread out, so there's a feeling of a lot of space. There is a quiet and serenity in the entire surroundings, where even those who are talking go into whispers. The stones used are huge and very old time, giving it a powerful feel. There are these tall lily trees everywhere, giving the entire space a fragrance that's almost intoxicating and soothing at one time.
The entire ambience pretty much tunes all your senses from out of their 'normal' experience into a rarefied space. It's an aura of mysticism and depth that starts seeping in.
I started with the aumkara meditation, where Sadhguru (video) explains the word 'aum' and there's a twenty minute chanting of the aum, which seems to alter the very vibrational frequency of your being.
They have a theerthakund, a 'chandrakund' for women and 'suryakund' for men. These are water bodies created 30 feet below the surface, with solidified mercury lingams within(which has some deep alchemy significance), in which you take a dip to activate and sensitize the chakras, the energy system within.
It's in itself a wonderful experience, as it has this really mysterious aura (especially so the chandrakund) as it's like a big well, semi dark, surrounded by these huge huge stones, the mercury lingam in the middle, water falling from a height of 40 feet, under which you can stand. It's like being under a waterfall, and as the water thunders onto your head, I found practically all thoughts leave my head. I could almost feel like a receptacle getting emptied. And even physically, it seems to make every cell in the body tingle, and as you become aware of your body as this multitudinous organism of cells, you can almost sense the cells expand and merge with the outside, and somehow this feeling that all boundaries fall off.
Then you enter the dhyanalinga. Sadhguru says, with a dip in the theerthakund and fifteen minutes of eyes shut in the dhyanalingam, you don't even need to meditate. It does the job for you, as the lingam has been so consecrated as to sync all seven chakras and bring them into balance.
It does not subscribe to any particular belief or faith, nor does it require any ritual, prayer or worship. It's just about being there, in silence, connected into yourself.
The dhyanalinga was consecrated by Sadhguru over a three year process called the prana pratishtha. It is a like powerful energy form sitting under a pillarless brick domed structure, which in itself tends to overwhelm.
The dhyanalingam has these crevices along the wall, and I sat in one of those. And time seemed to disappear. I found myself in a space between wakefulness and sleep. Fully awake yet not in this world, and it was quite transcendental in feel.
I ultimately left only because I suddenly figured that my legs had gone into severe cramp, and I couldn't focus beyond that anymore.
I then walked back 'out into the world'......went to the canteen, so sweetly called 'peppervine eatery' and had some lovely coffee and sundalu and kichidi.
That done, I wandered around a little and thought I'd settle down under a tree for a bit, and maybe write my diary.
And then I suddenly felt this urge to go see the 'lingabhairavi'. It was actually an urge from somewhere, god knows where, because a moment before that even the thought wasn't there. I had infact settled down under a tree :)
And that was a remarkable experience. In fact even more overpowering than the dhyanalinga. The idol is designed to be an embodiment of the feminine energy, and it's this beautiful black oval, with just these two large eyes.....and it was so powerful that it seemed to lock eyes. I almost couldn't close my eyes, it's like something that's staring deep into your very soul. I sat mesmerized and within minutes I found my eyes well up with tears, and I was left wondering what was happening, as here was something that I wasn't doing. I think I stayed glued for over an hour.
When I finally left and went back to my tree to write my diary, what I wrote was this:
"that here are created these powerful energy centers into which if you connect, they can alter at a subliminal level the very structure and makeup of your being.....you come out an altered person, like you vibrate at a different frequency, and while still being in the world, you are also in some sense 'off the world'"
The experience in pictures ( all courtesy Google):
One part of the center viewed from the outside:
The entire ambience pretty much tunes all your senses from out of their 'normal' experience into a rarefied space. It's an aura of mysticism and depth that starts seeping in.
I started with the aumkara meditation, where Sadhguru (video) explains the word 'aum' and there's a twenty minute chanting of the aum, which seems to alter the very vibrational frequency of your being.
They have a theerthakund, a 'chandrakund' for women and 'suryakund' for men. These are water bodies created 30 feet below the surface, with solidified mercury lingams within(which has some deep alchemy significance), in which you take a dip to activate and sensitize the chakras, the energy system within.
It's in itself a wonderful experience, as it has this really mysterious aura (especially so the chandrakund) as it's like a big well, semi dark, surrounded by these huge huge stones, the mercury lingam in the middle, water falling from a height of 40 feet, under which you can stand. It's like being under a waterfall, and as the water thunders onto your head, I found practically all thoughts leave my head. I could almost feel like a receptacle getting emptied. And even physically, it seems to make every cell in the body tingle, and as you become aware of your body as this multitudinous organism of cells, you can almost sense the cells expand and merge with the outside, and somehow this feeling that all boundaries fall off.
Then you enter the dhyanalinga. Sadhguru says, with a dip in the theerthakund and fifteen minutes of eyes shut in the dhyanalingam, you don't even need to meditate. It does the job for you, as the lingam has been so consecrated as to sync all seven chakras and bring them into balance.
It does not subscribe to any particular belief or faith, nor does it require any ritual, prayer or worship. It's just about being there, in silence, connected into yourself.
The dhyanalinga was consecrated by Sadhguru over a three year process called the prana pratishtha. It is a like powerful energy form sitting under a pillarless brick domed structure, which in itself tends to overwhelm.
The dhyanalingam has these crevices along the wall, and I sat in one of those. And time seemed to disappear. I found myself in a space between wakefulness and sleep. Fully awake yet not in this world, and it was quite transcendental in feel.
I ultimately left only because I suddenly figured that my legs had gone into severe cramp, and I couldn't focus beyond that anymore.
I then walked back 'out into the world'......went to the canteen, so sweetly called 'peppervine eatery' and had some lovely coffee and sundalu and kichidi.
That done, I wandered around a little and thought I'd settle down under a tree for a bit, and maybe write my diary.
And then I suddenly felt this urge to go see the 'lingabhairavi'. It was actually an urge from somewhere, god knows where, because a moment before that even the thought wasn't there. I had infact settled down under a tree :)
And that was a remarkable experience. In fact even more overpowering than the dhyanalinga. The idol is designed to be an embodiment of the feminine energy, and it's this beautiful black oval, with just these two large eyes.....and it was so powerful that it seemed to lock eyes. I almost couldn't close my eyes, it's like something that's staring deep into your very soul. I sat mesmerized and within minutes I found my eyes well up with tears, and I was left wondering what was happening, as here was something that I wasn't doing. I think I stayed glued for over an hour.
When I finally left and went back to my tree to write my diary, what I wrote was this:
"that here are created these powerful energy centers into which if you connect, they can alter at a subliminal level the very structure and makeup of your being.....you come out an altered person, like you vibrate at a different frequency, and while still being in the world, you are also in some sense 'off the world'"
The experience in pictures ( all courtesy Google):
One part of the center viewed from the outside:
There's lots of lotus ponds, with lovely colored lotuses in bloom around the place
The Chandrakund, which you go into for the dip. Look at the size of those stones, massive blocks from time bygones they feel. The pool is pretty deep, with chill water...like the water is upto your shoulder. It extends both sides another 10 feet each side, with a waterfall on one side. Very mystical and very pretty.
Entrance to the dhyanalingam
Inside the dhyanalinga. It's pin drop silence, and evokes a naturally meditative space.
This is one of the most beautiful nandi's I've ever seen.
The Lingabhairavi
To move onto the more real life part......the Isha Shoppe, a really ethnic and artistic store which sells stuff designed exclusively by Isha volunteers and made by local artisans. I love their coconut oil scented candles, and was happy to pick them up again.
To move onto the more real life part......the Isha Shoppe, a really ethnic and artistic store which sells stuff designed exclusively by Isha volunteers and made by local artisans. I love their coconut oil scented candles, and was happy to pick them up again.
That's entrance to the eatery
They have these bullock carts for a ten buck ride back, for those who prefer it....very rustic and pretty
This was a full surprise moment. As I was walking this one guy comes and says "can I take a selfie with you", Varadarajan the guy on the right.....they were three of them, and I said, yeah why not.... and before I knew it there was this whole bunch of them from somewhere, it was a simply so cute moment.
That's Murugeshan and me, end of day. He was my cab driver for the whole Coimbatore trip.
Just being there, in the paradoxical surroundings of deep serenity and high energy, is in itself a transformative experience, the extent of which is ones own willingness and wantingness. It's there for the taking, an offering of powerful spiritual growth.
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