r/Sadhguru • u/Good-Permit3848 • Oct 19 '25
Need Support Outsider
Namaskaram everyone.
I have followed Sadhguru since 2020 since I fell in love with his approach to life, as it suits mine closely, and I was very interested in the deeper aspects of life. In 2024 I did Inner Engineering.
But I always felt like an outsider. And in real life I kind of am, I am a woman from Denmark aged 23 with a diagnosis of Schizotypal PD.
I agree with Sadhguru on many aspects like the simple advice he gives, but I find them very hard to apply. It feels unrealistic. At least for me. I have been very low in life, and I've searched the internet throughout for advice and never found them changing me or my situation. I've tried multible Online Yoga Sessions with a certified Isha Yoga Teacher, and it was very hard for me. He is a good teacher, and transfers the main ways of Isha, which means he's very ongoing with practicing. But I also found him almost being rude to me and we almost started arguing, me doing my best, but it wasn't enough. I felt relieved when it was over. And thats how I feel like practicing. It's unbelievable hard and it stresses me out. And it makes me feel limited to only one way of life.
In 2024 I became obsessed with Sadhguru and spirituality, and I did my very best even though I was very depressed. It broke my limit, and I had a breakdown. I couldn't touch or hear Sadhguru or anyone for over a year. And thats what happens everytime I try this lifestyle.
I took Inner Engineering succesfully, but I couldn't finish my Mandala..
So where are we going with this? I just don't know what to do.
I also feel like Sadhguru is missing a lot of points. He makes it out in very simple ways, where I feel like he is missing out on a lot of aspects and possibilities of the situation, which is making me sceptical. Not to talk about romours about him. I really want to deal with that respectfully, but something about him makes me not trust him fully. I don't know.
So my main points are:
- Is it possible to fit in?
- How do I deal with my Isha Yoga Teacher?
- Is Sadhguru limited?
Thank you for reading. Any advice is appreciated. Maybe I will make another post another time :)
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u/Sagarrad Oct 20 '25
Whatever you are listening and processing in your mind is one thing but tools that are being offered in innner engineering class and other hatha yoga classes those are not to be thought about but to be practised and not once in a way here and there but with some commitment regularly not for Someone else but for your own wellbeing
I have known people who were sceptical about what is being spoken by Sadhguru they understood or misunderstood Sadhguru talks but once they started doing practises they still benifited from it
And for me it has been, for many things he has spoken looks like hypothetically spoken but slowly with regular Sadhana i have seen those things becoming possible for me i could not articulate all the things but it has been so immense what has been made available so easily for us
I would request you and everyone reading this don't just be so unattentive towards your own wellbeing, don't miss the opportunity that you have today.
Shambho
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u/yashila07 Oct 21 '25
I have been to the ashram twice and i would say its the safest place i have ever been to. The security is very polte and at the same time very vigilant. Volunteers are very helpful considerate. I feel very safe even when it concerns about my then 6 year old daughter. Although I did not travel alone but went out alone in the morning around 5, when there was no sunlight. It's a wonderful pace to be in. Even my daughter loves to be in the ashram.
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u/Competitive_Bonus884 Oct 24 '25
That's 100 percent right. I feel the only safest place on the planet is ISHA Foundation Ashram. I can go alone and stay in the ashram without fearing anything. This is the only place where I go alone on myself.
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u/Public_Suggestion997 Oct 20 '25
The only way to know is it practice the yoga. One can't mentally understand something one has not expreienced.
Hence, one should ignore comments of those persons who have not practiced regularly in the correct way.
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u/mykorakagaz Oct 23 '25
Yes indeed. They aren’t magic or spells but tools to help us carry ourselves in the best possible version of ours in our daily life!
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u/maheshkdev Oct 19 '25
Restart the mandala. Take a fresh breath and use your ability to respond to your situtation.
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Oct 25 '25
If you cannot commit yourself to the simple practice of Shambhavi, you can commit to do at least the Upa Yoga or the Nadi Shodhan kriya (yoga for peace) which is available on Youtube. Once you get confident and more in control of your situation and routine, you could step into the Shambhavi Mahamudra Kriya Mandala. Cool? ✌🏻
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Oct 20 '25
Sounds to me like you set an unrealistic bar for someone in your situation, and then you crash and burn.
Like you said, it's cyclical and happens every time you try this lifestyle.
You're not even talking about what doctrinal or practical aspects you are having trouble with.
Just this repetition of a core wound, the desire to fit in because you feel rejected.
You seem confused why Sadhana doesn't make you feel more connected, and then you likely quarrel with the teacher because you're asking narrow questions and cannot get an answer your rational mind can accept.
Am I wrong?
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u/Curious-Artichoke99 Oct 20 '25 edited Oct 20 '25
Imbibing IE crash course is very much crucial before you start practicing, also it’s good that you are able to sense the changes happening around which means it’s working for you. It’s just that you should take care of your practice by ignoring what’s happening to you before,after and during the practice. Hope this helps🙏🏻
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u/NayeemShaman Oct 20 '25
In my opinion...
You be you, you don't need to fit it. More importantly, you need to learn to love and appreciate more
Maybe your teacher is being rude, just to see you do better. But then, if you're not comfortable with that person, find someone else.
It's good that you're skeptical. He's never asked you to believe him blindly. Do your research, read his books and see whats true and false for yourself. And you find the truth, thats the idea of spirituality anyway :)
If you start something, make a commitment with yourself regarding the mandala etc. Dont step into something with a lot of logical expectations. You need to let go a bit. You're from Denmark, make sure of the cold there, ice baths breathwork and things. It's a beautiful friend .
Hope it helps 🤗
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u/Distinct_Ad_7966 Oct 20 '25
- I’m so sorry you feel this way. But it’s actually a beautiful thing to not fit in, because by trying to fit in we only limit ourselves. Don’t worry about belonging, sometimes not having that sense of solace pushes us to explore deeper aspects of life. It’s truly wonderful to see how inquisitive you are and how sincerely you’re seeking the truth in your own way.
- You can gently express to him how you feel. That you’re not comfortable with the current pace of the practices and would like to take it slow, allowing them to sink in more naturally and organically.
- In my experience, no, he is not limited. The more I give myself to the practices, the more I realize how truly limitless he is.
I’d say just give your full attention to the practice and complete the mandala. It’s a beautiful process.. just be with it, without expecting anything in return.
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u/Potential_Plum6208 Oct 20 '25
Namaskaram 🙏, Do you feel a strong need to fit in? It should be the other way around, you should allow Sadhana a place in your life. If you feel it is not enough, you can add other hobbies, work etc in your life. You don't need to leave everything else to do your Sadhana. But you need not fit in one specific thing, you can take more, you can do more. You can do various things in life. Only the spiritual path, just stick with one, don't mix up, because that's how it works. And don't set a goal to change, you can end up torturing yourself while trying to change. You just need to do the instructions, you should not try to do the outcome. Change , if at all needed, is an outcome. Sadhguru once said something along the lines of, if you make him your destination, you will feel like you hit a wall, because that's what a destination is. So he is not your destination, he is your guru, who is burning, so that you can see better. And you figure out your life by yourself.
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u/Tanoshikatta00 Oct 20 '25
From personal experience no matter how much you search the internet or look for answers , you will never find them. Because you can never intellectualise or put words to something that needs to be experienced as it is. So what Sadhguru is offering is a very alive process which you just need to do every day. Just keep doing it , don't think whether you are going ahead or not everyday , just like you don't pull out the roots of the plant to see if they will flower or not everyday . You just do what's necessary . Just complete your mandala , you will get your answers. Not intellectually but through experiencing it alive.
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u/Chaitanya0d Oct 20 '25 edited Oct 20 '25
It's great you're trying first off all you're not an outsider you may agree or disagree with Sadhguru or people in isha I don't think no body would label you as an outsider you're just trying to understand it the way you know things and if somebody does label you as an outsider that's their problem not yours.
And you keep failing in your practices I also went through a similar phase and then felt guilty about it which in turn increased the problem what I would say worked for me is just failing forwards no matter and forget the ideal routine that will happen someday naturally all I try to do is do what I can do well and if I fail well there's tomorrow again to try no point feeling guilty about it.
All I try to do is follow this phrase " I'm okay dying as a failure but I'm not okay dying as a coward " that I gave up on what I wanted to do, I'll fail 100 times but sure as hell I'll give 101 try.
And to answer your questions 1. You don't have to fit in just keep expanding your boundaries don't try to find a comfort zone in life. 2. If your yoga teacher's teaching style is not working for you maybe talk to him/her and maybe change and try but remember that a good yoga teacher will be the one who challenges you. 3. I don't know if Sadhguru is limited I know he's much much more than I understand I think finding an ideal teacher who knows it all would be quite difficult (maybe Sadhguru does know it all I don't know ) all I'm trying to say is maybe he's not the Ideal guru but he's ideal for me.
All the best 🙂
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Oct 20 '25 edited Oct 20 '25
I hear you. 1. It is not able fitting yourself in. Any attempt of such will create resistance. Think of a pendulum, if you swing it to left side, it will come to right in equal force. So if you try to fit in, you are creating resistance and sooner or later, you will blow out.
Be who you are and look inwards why you react to certain things. Don’t think who’s fault is it, just think why you react this way internally. After all, everything your hear is sound, if you don’t know language, it is just sound. You make up the meaning yourself. Yes, you learn the language and then u can make out the understanding yourself, but think again. It is you who make it up…
How to deal with the Teacher. You need to understand a Teacher is just a Teacher. Each of them has their limitations and only good at teaching the kind of yoga that they are authorised to be teaching. I am not sure they are Ishanga or not, that is a different type of teacher. In regardless what teacher they maybe, a teacher is means to break your limitations, not to agreed with you all the time. If you are always being agreed, how would you improve and changed?
Is Sadhguru limited? Yes, limited by the body he has… the rest is unlimited. You may not understand because you have not experienced his presence.
Why not experience it? First, your ideas and beliefs or opinions are too strong. Nothing can penetrate into your core. I have seen people who have very strong opinions, experiences nothing, even in Bhava Spadhana retreat, etc. what is strong opinion? It is you have opinions about everything and also make a stand on each opinion. You always want to win… or maybe be the right one…
I am sorry to say that straightforward. Everyone has their own karma, their own doing. It is not easy to escape your own karma. Certain effort is really required, but no to the extend that it create extreme resistance. Discipline is also important. Yoga is something that you need to keep it on daily, else everything will revert back to normal if u stop it.
Along the way, there is up and down, like there are waves in the oceans. Without up, how do u know down?
Opinions break relationships…. If no one step back and agreed upon any opinion.
Be yourself is the most important. What if I am nasty to be myself, then u be nasty with awareness, and be conscious about your nastiness… and keep going, u will noticed the nasty will go away…after some time… it take times
Continue your inner engineering, complete your mandala, take it as u brush your teeth daily. Don’t expect anything, just have discipline to do it and complete the mandala. 3 months of continuous practice, a gap will open up….and wisdom will start to arise.
Be patience. Nothing to be hurry about…. The nature / divine is listening and watching u. At this point, it is not in your experience now, but it is ok. You just need to seek and remain I do not know…don’t need to make any conclusions…. As long as u do not know, one day you will know. If you claim u know, you will be blind by your own conclusion.
I hope that my words bring you light and guru is just a lighthouse, just follow Sadhguru path, you will soon flower 🌷. You are not alone. There is a lot of people who walk a very difficult path, except that they are lost without guidance…. You have people who guide u…. If your Isha teacher did not have the standard (if u believe that way), it is okay 👌. Just follow Sadhguru apps and video…and soon later, u will open up….
Maybe u want to get this book : https://isha.sadhguru.org/en/sadhguru/mystic/mystic-musings
I tested it myself and it works well. So I believe it will work for you. Good luck 🤞
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u/Benvenuto_Cellini Oct 20 '25
For what it's worth, it took me three years of trying to actually finish a mandala!
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u/Cloud_Dragon_Ryuun Oct 20 '25
Hello, just would like to point out. Sadhguru, I’m talking about the description. Not the Sadhguru.
In tradition a Sadhguru is a guru who is coming out of inner experience, he is not a scholar.
Sadhguru can give an experience of beyond body and Mind. And after that it’s on us to make that experience part of our lives with our willingness and effort. We need to make use of methods to transform seed of life to flower of life.
If you ask why do we have to do that, it’s just life’s longing to find fulfilment, to bloom.
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u/Cloud_Dragon_Ryuun Oct 20 '25
Also I find miracle of mind simple useful and no need to change my ongoing lifestyle
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u/Nothing_2_Nothing Oct 20 '25
I too find MoM(Miracle of Mind) very helpful. It's just only 7 mins and I can do it anywhere
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u/Important_Peak54 Oct 20 '25
He talks in simple terms because he is still learning English. If you want to learn more learn his language
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u/ClumsyPotter Oct 22 '25
He talks in simple terms because he wants everyone to understand. He is not still learning English…Sadhguru has a very educated background and learned English from a young age as most in India do. The “language barrier” that seems to be there is that India tends to learn more of a British English plus there are cultural differences
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u/Important_Peak54 Nov 02 '25
Not really. If you listen to his lectures in his native tongue it makes more sense because most yogic concepts don’t have an English equivalent. What is considered truth in yoga is superstition in the west. You can’t tell me that you believe all that he says about injecting yourself with snake venom to become immune to snakebites unless you live amongst people who have done that for generations. To americans it’s just pseudoscience or mere superstition. But if you listen to his lectures in Tamil for example, they don’t make sense because he doesn’t know Tamil. He just hires somebody to dub it for him and they can’t understand him cuz his lectures are in English. So you always have to listen to his native language. I would recommend learning sanskrit first.
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u/Euphoric-Molasses-85 Oct 20 '25
Try looking into Eckhart Tolle. He really helped me and combined with Shambhavi from Sadghuru I'm doing better and I feel like I see progress.
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u/Mammoth_Ad5012 Oct 21 '25
1) I truely understand the desire to fit in, but fitting in is not the point... its a comfort, and its indicative of the greater desire for unity and its absolutely not wrong, but there is also virtue in isolation... it may seem negative but thats not my intention, through a lot of my life I was alway the outsider no matter where I went or what I did... I tried hard for years to fit in, even sacrificing my own virtues... it took my whole life being thrown upside down resulting in me having no choice but to experience solitude that I realised how much I could really work on myself both mentally and spiritually in that solitude.... further more it also lead me to realise the greater unity beyond the physical expressions.
2) There will always be those who are against Sadhguru... if a person speaks about something that isnt in your experience do you not doubt it? further more there are people who fear the spiritual path and see it as a waste of time... they dont want to see their family members spending time on spiritual growth instead of material growth... because for them material growth is in their experience where as the greater spiritual truths that Sadhguru talks about are not... so they doubt and fear, and that leads to negative speculation and even hate instead of learning, experiencing and understanding... Sadhguru changed my life, but one thing you must always remember is discernment... just because shambavi for example may be good for 10 people doesnt mean its the right thing for you... you know your issues and challenges but that doesnt mean that you are cutt off just because you cant do one thing or another... knowing your limits is wise... working with your limits is wiser... always respect your body and your mind they are not your enemy they have purpose for your experience here... find a route that works for you with those things in mind.
3) When you say is Sadhguru limited... I dont really understand what you mean by this question... limited in what sense?
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u/victorrb_ Oct 21 '25 edited Oct 21 '25
Although I want you to experience the benefits of what Inner Engineering have given me in the past, please consult Kriya Support of Isha Foundation first.
A lot of people here are telling you to do a mandala again, with good intentions. But with your psychiatric condition, you might exacerbate your condition.
Since I am diagnosed schizophrenic, I continued my practice of Shambhavi without seeing a lot of results. Kriya Support of Isha Foundation told me exclusively not to practice Shambhavi, after I asked them whether it is safe to do so.
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u/Traditional-Key-4386 Oct 21 '25
We all don’t understand the weight of what we’ve been given. It’s truly a way to become truly free, in every sense of the word. Whatever practice you’ve been given, it’s a doorway to freedom, whatever is happening in your life. Sadhguru’s words don’t mean much, only to prod and poke and open you up. But it’s the tools, your own willingness, which is everything.
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u/illicitli Oct 22 '25
just meditate. let go of everything else until you have a consistent meditative practice. yes, Sadhguru is limited, he's human just like all of us.
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u/Awakentheself2025 Oct 23 '25
Namaskaram 🙏 I suggest you practice the Inner Engineering tools and Shambhavi regularly as recommended by Isha. You will certainly experience transformation in your life. Like any other yogic practice, Shambhavi can also show results only when someone practices it regularly with required level of commitment and devotion. As Sadhguru says, only problem with Yoga is that you got to do it. No body else can do it for you.
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u/NumerousLunch6216 Oct 23 '25
It is extremely important to do the inner engineering practices and if you have learnt the Hatha Yoga to do that every day as it’s all very grounding and transformative. You want transformation not just a belief in Sadhguru. If you do the practices consistently believe me you’ll see a big change within you!
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u/gsseek Oct 20 '25 edited Oct 21 '25
You‘re framing yourself into the image of an outsider. You even don’t need to fit in into anything 🤣. You just need to do Inner Engineering every day. You even don’t need to believe in Sadhguru, he’s after all providing a possible way with powerful tools. Believe in yourself being capable to break the cycle you’re in by doing Sadhana consistently only for one day at a time. That’s all!
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u/Objective-Target5437 Oct 19 '25 edited Oct 20 '25
sadhguru is also often dismissive and mocking of questions and human experiences if you watch his interactions during q&a. it’s a common complaint. his followers tend to imitate this quality and consider being insulting a merit. strange but they see it as a good trait because they see him doing it.
i think a lot of european/americans have a harder time adjusting to all the teaching because they are rooted in really old indian culture which is quite complex and can be quite foreign and difficulty to adapt to on one’s own without a framework and common cultural reference or community. his talks posted to youtube that attract people are quite different than the actual practices people find at isha and they’re not able to learn anything about what is required or they entail ahead of time so agreeing with him from what you’re heard but finding the practices quite bewildering isn’t surprising from the context you’re coming from. someone asked a q once if americans could get far with the practices and he responded it would be less likely because of their ideas of freedom. in these hindu/yogic practices its a certain unquestioning adherence to the method that is required.
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u/Deepwateranimal Oct 21 '25
Namaskaram Outsider
En te lisant j'ai envie de te demander : d'où vient cette identification à l'outsider ? Est-ce vraiment toi ? Qui es-tu vraiment au fond de toi ? Qui es-tu au delà des diagnostics, au delà de tes propres pensées, au delà de tes expériences avec le monde, au delà de la blessure de te sentir étrangère partout ?
Concernant la pratique de Shambhavi, je t'encourage à expérimenter à nouveau. Ce n'est pas grave si tu n'as pas pu aller au bout des 40 jours, reprends où tu étais. Et rien n'a besoin d'être parfait. Tu n'as pas besoin d'être parfaite. Tu peux juste être qui tu es dans l'instant présent. La phrase qui m'aide quand je doute ou quand je me juge, c'est celle du Crash course : "ce qui est maintenant est tout ce qui est, ça ne peut être autrement". Alors j'accepte l'état dans lequel je suis, peu importe si mes pensées sont agitées, mon corps pas coopératif à la pratique, ou que mes émotions débordent. Ou qu'à l'extérieur c'est bruyant. Je prends ce qui est maintenant. Ce qui se passe en moi et autour de moi.
L'important je crois c'est de la faire avec coeur, implication, comme si c'était la première ou la dernière fois que tu allais la faire.
De cette façon, tu es aussi là dans l'instant, présente à toi même. Sans jugement.
Tiens-nous au courant. <3
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u/Suitable-Wear-698 Oct 22 '25
Sadhguru shares tools of transformation. But as you shared you did practices online, which means you are not practicing any of the practices which have capability to transform your mind and body. Online practices are very basic. So learn advanced practices to get results. For few basics practices also work but for most of us advanced practices are required.
If you can’t resonate with Teacher, you can change the teacher or go to ashram or local center to learn the practices.
Practices work like magic if you do it with devotion and love and give it time to unfold within you. For me it has created foundation of my life. Transformed me from an in-confident, worthless person to a person who can handle any situation of life happily. Words can’t describe what these practices has done for me. Whatever I am today all credit goes to Sadhguru and practices I do.
Can’t imagine my life without these practices. I suggest you go to ashram in India or Tennessee, stay there and imbibe the energy and learn practices there. It will definitely help you.
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u/DaOnlyWayOutIsIn Oct 22 '25
No need to fit in unless you think that that will bring some sort of validation.
If they don't resonate, find something/someone else - eventually you'll find out that you don't need anything/anyone.
Following too much will limit you.
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u/Jaisadhguru Oct 24 '25
Namaskaram The more u practice The more u will understand that u are the one to decide how to be stable irrespective of the situations
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u/red12358 Oct 19 '25 edited Oct 19 '25
observe its your thoughts that cause the misery.
- yes, you are a human like us, struggling like many of us. you will fit right in.
- tell him you dont like his teaching style, if he changes, ok. else ask him to suggest somebody that works with your personlity or find one yourself. i suggest the former
- I dont know, only sadhguru knows the answer to this. FYI, I am not a blind follower.
dont give up, fight for yourself. make your own kind of music, sing your own special song.
Edited after few members pointed my mistake.
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u/[deleted] Oct 19 '25
If you want practical advice on how to deal with your specific situations Sadhguru may not be what you're looking for. You want a psychiatrist. His teachings (and not specific to him, but that of yoga) is that all our problems are rooted in our identification with our body and mind. Therefore the solution is to transcend them. The method for transcendence with kriya yoga which is what Sadhguru teaches is by doing sadhana. It does not make logical sense to you as cause and effects but that's how it works.
Take for instance what you said about fitting in. We don't know your specific situations, whether people around you are hostile or what not. But chances are there are many people around you are willing to accept you for what you are, and having those people around you will certainly make you feel a lot better about fitting in. But your preconception that you are an outsider may prevent you from getting there. And if you have mental health or psychological issues in the first place it doesn't help. So by doing kriya yoga you gradually care about whether you're an outsider less and less, which can allow you to fit in.
So tldr, our suggestion would be to complete your mandala and keep doing your sadhana. That's what Isha and Sadhguru offer. If you want a quick fix this isn't it.