Isha Foundation
Encyclopedia
Isha Foundation is a non-profit, spiritual
organization founded in 1992 by Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev. It is based at the Isha Yoga Center near Coimbatore
, India
and at the Isha Institute of Inner Sciences at McMinnville, Tennessee
in the United States
. The foundation offers various yoga
programs under the name Isha Yoga. It has over 2 million volunteers and works in tandem with international bodies like the Economic and Social Council
of the United Nations
.
and the Shambhavi Mahamudra. Yoga classes are also conducted for corporate leaders to introduce them to what Sadhguru calls "inclusive economics," to introduce a sense of compassion and inclusiveness into today's economic scenario. A yoga course for the Indian Hockey
team was also conducted in 1996. Isha foundation began conducting yoga programs in the United States
in 1997 and in 1998, yoga classes for life-term prisoners
in Tamil Nadu prisons were initiated.
Isha foundation also regularly organises Mahasathsangs
with Sadhguru in Tamil Nadu and Karnataka where he gives discourses, conducts meditations and answers the audience's questions. These Mahasathsangs are also used as platforms to encourage tree-planting activities. Isha foundation also organises annual yatras
to Mount Kailash
and the Himalayas
under the banners Kailash Manasarovar Sojourn and Himalayan Dhyan Yatra. The Kailash Sojourn led by Sadhguru is among the largest groups to make the trip to Kailash with 514 pilgrims making the journey in 2010.
near Coimbatore and at the Isha Institute of Inner Sciences at McMinnville, Tennessee. The Isha Yoga Center houses the Dhyanalinga
Yogic temple
a space for meditation which does not ascribe to any particular faith or belief system. It was consecrated by Sadhguru in 1999. The dome which house the actual linga - which is 13 in 9 in (4.19 m) in height and made of very high density granite rock, is a pillarless ellipsoidal dome that is 76 feet (23.2 m) in diameter and 33 feet (10.1 m) in height. It is constructed entirely of natural materials to ensure longevity. Burnt clay bricks were used with mud mortar and massive granite blocks without steel, cement or concrete. The Linga Bhairavi temple, a feminine deity is also housed besides the center. The Center also houses the Spanda Hall a 64000 square feet (5,945.8 m²) meditation hall. The Isha Rejuvenation Center is also located at the ashram which is a Ayurveda
and Siddha
spa which offers massages, various treatments and programs.
The Isha Institute of Inner Sciences was established in 2006 on 1200 acres (4.9 km²) of land on the Cumberland Plateau
. It houses the Mahima Hall, a 39000 square feet (3,623.2 m²) meditation hall.
which is the highest award bestowed on organizations and individuals for their contribution to restoring and protecting the environment. In 2006, PGH organized the planting of 852,587 saplings which earned the project a place in the Guinness Book of World Records. PGH has been involved in rural and urban greening campaigns across South India
and has over the years partnered with the Government, corporates, schools, colleges and NGOs in various environmental initiatives.
. As of 2010, ARR has reached over 4,200 villages and a population of over 7 million people.
Spirituality
Spirituality can refer to an ultimate or an alleged immaterial reality; an inner path enabling a person to discover the essence of his/her being; or the “deepest values and meanings by which people live.” Spiritual practices, including meditation, prayer and contemplation, are intended to develop...
organization founded in 1992 by Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev. It is based at the Isha Yoga Center near Coimbatore
Coimbatore
Coimbatore , also known as Kovai , is the second largest city in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is a major commercial centre in Tamil Nadu and is known as the "Manchester of South India"....
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
and at the Isha Institute of Inner Sciences at McMinnville, Tennessee
McMinnville, Tennessee
McMinnville is the largest city in and the county seat of Warren County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 13,605 at the 2010 census...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The foundation offers various yoga
Yoga
Yoga is a physical, mental, and spiritual discipline, originating in ancient India. The goal of yoga, or of the person practicing yoga, is the attainment of a state of perfect spiritual insight and tranquility while meditating on Supersoul...
programs under the name Isha Yoga. It has over 2 million volunteers and works in tandem with international bodies like the Economic and Social Council
United Nations Economic and Social Council
The Economic and Social Council of the United Nations constitutes one of the six principal organs of the United Nations and it is responsible for the coordination of the economic, social and related work of 14 UN specialized agencies, its functional commissions and five regional commissions...
of the United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
.
Isha Yoga
Isha Yoga is the masthead under which the Isha foundation offers various yoga programs. The word Isha means the formless divine. Isha Yoga's introductory flagship program is 'Inner Engineering.' It includes initiation into meditation and pranayamaPranayama
Pranayama is a Sanskrit word meaning "extension of the prana or breath" or more accurately, "extension of the life force". The word is composed of two Sanskrit words, Prāna, life force, or vital energy, particularly, the breath, and "āyāma", to extend, draw out, restrain, or...
and the Shambhavi Mahamudra. Yoga classes are also conducted for corporate leaders to introduce them to what Sadhguru calls "inclusive economics," to introduce a sense of compassion and inclusiveness into today's economic scenario. A yoga course for the Indian Hockey
Hockey
Hockey is a family of sports in which two teams play against each other by trying to maneuver a ball or a puck into the opponent's goal using a hockey stick.-Etymology:...
team was also conducted in 1996. Isha foundation began conducting yoga programs in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in 1997 and in 1998, yoga classes for life-term prisoners
Life imprisonment
Life imprisonment is a sentence of imprisonment for a serious crime under which the convicted person is to remain in jail for the rest of his or her life...
in Tamil Nadu prisons were initiated.
Isha foundation also regularly organises Mahasathsangs
Satsang
Satsang in Indian philosophy means the company of the "highest truth," the company of a guru, or company with an assembly of persons who listen to, talk about, and assimilate the truth...
with Sadhguru in Tamil Nadu and Karnataka where he gives discourses, conducts meditations and answers the audience's questions. These Mahasathsangs are also used as platforms to encourage tree-planting activities. Isha foundation also organises annual yatras
Yatra
' , in Hinduism and other Indian religions, generally means pilgrimage to holy places such as confluences of sacred rivers, places associated with Hindu epics such as the Mahabharata and Ramayana, and other sacred pilgrimage sites. Tīrtha-yātrā refers to a pilgrimage to a holy site, and is...
to Mount Kailash
Mount Kailash
Mount Kailash is a peak in the Gangdisê Mountains, which are part of the Himalayas in Tibet...
and the Himalayas
Himalayas
The Himalaya Range or Himalaya Mountains Sanskrit: Devanagari: हिमालय, literally "abode of snow"), usually called the Himalayas or Himalaya for short, is a mountain range in Asia, separating the Indian subcontinent from the Tibetan Plateau...
under the banners Kailash Manasarovar Sojourn and Himalayan Dhyan Yatra. The Kailash Sojourn led by Sadhguru is among the largest groups to make the trip to Kailash with 514 pilgrims making the journey in 2010.
Ashrams
The Foundation has also established two ashrams, the Isha Yoga Center at the Velliangiri MountainsVelliangiri Mountains
The Velliangiri Mountains, a part of the Nilgiri Nilgiri mountains Biosphere, are situated at the western border of Coimbatore district, Tamil Nadu. Known as the "Thenkailayam - Kailash of the South", these mountains are held and revered on par with spiritually most powerful place on the planet -...
near Coimbatore and at the Isha Institute of Inner Sciences at McMinnville, Tennessee. The Isha Yoga Center houses the Dhyanalinga
Dhyanalinga
The Dhyanalinga is a Yogic temple located from Coimbatore, India. The temple was consecrated by Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev, a yogi and mystic. The temple is consecrated using prana prathista and is dedicated for meditation. Silence is maintained inside the temple. Dhyana in the Sanskrit language,...
Yogic temple
Temple
A temple is a structure reserved for religious or spiritual activities, such as prayer and sacrifice, or analogous rites. A templum constituted a sacred precinct as defined by a priest, or augur. It has the same root as the word "template," a plan in preparation of the building that was marked out...
a space for meditation which does not ascribe to any particular faith or belief system. It was consecrated by Sadhguru in 1999. The dome which house the actual linga - which is 13 in 9 in (4.19 m) in height and made of very high density granite rock, is a pillarless ellipsoidal dome that is 76 feet (23.2 m) in diameter and 33 feet (10.1 m) in height. It is constructed entirely of natural materials to ensure longevity. Burnt clay bricks were used with mud mortar and massive granite blocks without steel, cement or concrete. The Linga Bhairavi temple, a feminine deity is also housed besides the center. The Center also houses the Spanda Hall a 64000 square feet (5,945.8 m²) meditation hall. The Isha Rejuvenation Center is also located at the ashram which is a Ayurveda
Ayurveda
Ayurveda or ayurvedic medicine is a system of traditional medicine native to India and a form of alternative medicine. In Sanskrit, words , meaning "longevity", and , meaning "knowledge" or "science". The earliest literature on Indian medical practice appeared during the Vedic period in India,...
and Siddha
Siddha
A Siddha सिद्ध in Sanskrit means "one who is accomplished" and refers to perfected masters who, according to Hindu belief, have transcended the ahamkara , have subdued their minds to be subservient to their Awareness, and have transformed their bodies into a different kind of body dominated by...
spa which offers massages, various treatments and programs.
The Isha Institute of Inner Sciences was established in 2006 on 1200 acres (4.9 km²) of land on the Cumberland Plateau
Cumberland Plateau
The Cumberland Plateau is the southern part of the Appalachian Plateau. It includes much of eastern Kentucky and western West Virginia, part of Tennessee, and a small portion of northern Alabama and northwest Georgia . The terms "Allegheny Plateau" and the "Cumberland Plateau" both refer to the...
. It houses the Mahima Hall, a 39000 square feet (3,623.2 m²) meditation hall.
Project GreenHands
Project GreenHands (PGH) is a grassroots ecological initiative established under the aegis of Isha Foundation by Sadhguru in 2004 which seeks to restore ecological balance and maintain proper environmental health in Tamil Nadu. Towards this end, PGH aims to increase the green cover in Tamil Nadu by 10% and has successfully overseen the planting of more than 8.2 million trees by over 2 million volunteers. PGH was felicitated by the Government of India in June 2010 with the Indira Gandhi Paryavaran PuraskarIndira Gandhi Paryavaran Puraskar
Indira Gandhi Paryavaran Puraskar is an environment award instituted by the Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of India in the year 1987, in order to encourage public participation in environment...
which is the highest award bestowed on organizations and individuals for their contribution to restoring and protecting the environment. In 2006, PGH organized the planting of 852,587 saplings which earned the project a place in the Guinness Book of World Records. PGH has been involved in rural and urban greening campaigns across South India
South India
South India is the area encompassing India's states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu as well as the union territories of Lakshadweep and Pondicherry, occupying 19.31% of India's area...
and has over the years partnered with the Government, corporates, schools, colleges and NGOs in various environmental initiatives.
Action for Rural Rejuvenation
Action For Rural Rejuvenation (ARR) is a multi-phased program aimed towards improving the overall health and quality of life of the rural poor. ARR was established by Sadhguru in 2003 and seeks to benefit 70 million people in 54,000 villages across South IndiaSouth India
South India is the area encompassing India's states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu as well as the union territories of Lakshadweep and Pondicherry, occupying 19.31% of India's area...
. As of 2010, ARR has reached over 4,200 villages and a population of over 7 million people.
Isha Vidhya
Isha Vidhya, an educational initiative, aims to raise the level of education and literacy in rural India by providing quality English language based, computer-aided education to rural children. Isha Vidhya provides full scholarships for its students based on their economic situation. Currently there are seven schools in operation which educate around 3000 students.Isha Home School
Isha Home School is a residential school founded in 2005 by Sadhguru, situated at the Isha Yoga Center. Students reside and learn in a home-like atmosphere which combines elements of the Montessori method of teaching with traditional classroom teaching. Children are encouraged to experiment and explore various subjects and develop an interest in them with teachers and house parents playing the roles of guides and mentorsSee also
- Jaggi VasudevJaggi VasudevJaggi Vasudev also known as Sadhguru, is an Indian yogi and mystic. He founded the Isha Foundation, a non-profit organization which offers yoga programs around the world, including India, United States, England, Lebanon, Singapore, Canada, Malaysia, Uganda and Australia...
- DhyanalingaDhyanalingaThe Dhyanalinga is a Yogic temple located from Coimbatore, India. The temple was consecrated by Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev, a yogi and mystic. The temple is consecrated using prana prathista and is dedicated for meditation. Silence is maintained inside the temple. Dhyana in the Sanskrit language,...
- Project GreenHandsProject GreenHandsProject Green Hands is a grassroots ecological initiative established by Isha Foundation in the state of Tamil Nadu, India. The stated mission of the project is to plant 114 million trees throughout Tamil Nadu as soon as possible and increase the forest cover in the state to 33 percent...
- Action for Rural RejuvenationAction for Rural RejuvenationAction For Rural Rejuvenation is a multi-phased program aimed towards improving the overall health and quality of life of the rural poor. ARR was established by the Isha Foundation under the aegis of the foundation's social outreach wing Isha Outreach. ARR aims to benefit 70 million people in...
- Isha Home SchoolIsha Home SchoolIsha Home School is a residential school situated at the Isha Yoga Center near Coimbatore and founded in 2005 by Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev...