Sadhguru - emotions are the strongest aspect of your life

Summary

In this insightful discourse, Sadhguru emphasizes the significance of emotions in human life, asserting that they often outweigh intellect. He explores the concept of love as a sweet emotion, contrasting it with bitterness, which manifests as hate or irritation. Sadhguru encourages individuals to cultivate pleasant emotions for a more joyful existence. He also humorously notes the unconditional love a dog offers, suggesting it as a 'guaranteed love affair.' The talk concludes with the idea that being pleasant, rather than merely loving, is the key to a harmonious life, where one's inner state naturally influences their interactions with others.

Takeaways

• 🧠 Emotions are a powerful and integral part of being human, often more intense than intellect.
• ❤️ Love is an emotion and represents the sweetness of one's emotional state, contrasting with bitterness which can manifest as hate.
• 🤔 The desire for a 'love without emotion' is a European concept, but love inherently is an emotion.
• 🐕 Dogs are capable of love, providing a consistent and unconditional form of affection, highlighting the depth of their emotional connection.
• 🌟 In yoga, emotions are not categorized as love or hate but are seen as pleasant or unpleasant, with love being a pleasant emotion.
• 🔑 The key to a pleasant life is to cultivate pleasant emotions, which naturally lead to pleasant interactions and experiences.
• 🌱 Emotions should be pleasant not because of external factors but as a reflection of one's inner state, ensuring consistent positive interactions.
• 💡 It's crucial to understand that being pleasant is not dependent on external circumstances but is a choice and responsibility of the individual.
• 🛡 Trying to be pleasant based on external validation can lead to bitterness and conflict, especially in intimate relationships.
• 🌈 Equanimity is essential for perceiving reality as it is, without the distortions of personal likes or dislikes.

Q & A

Why is love considered a significant aspect of human life according to Sadhguru?

Sadhguru suggests that love is significant because human emotion, of which love is a part, is a strong and powerful aspect of being human. Even in an age where people consider themselves intellectual, emotions, including love, remain the most intense part of their lives.

How does Sadhguru differentiate between love and other emotions?

Sadhguru explains that love is a type of emotion, specifically the sweet aspect of emotion. Other emotions, such as anger or irritation, are considered bitter. The same emotion can be love or hate, depending on its expression.

What does Sadhguru mean when he says 'love means just that'?

When Sadhguru says 'love means just that,' he refers to the transformation of one's emotions into sweetness, which is what love represents.

Why does Sadhguru challenge the idea of being in love without emotion?

Sadhguru challenges the idea because love itself is an emotion. He argues that it's not about being in love without emotion, but rather about choosing to have sweet, pleasant emotions over bitter ones.

What is Sadhguru's perspective on the relationship between love and hate?

Sadhguru views love and hate as two sides of the same coin. He suggests that love can turn into hate if something goes wrong, indicating that they are closely related and can easily transform into one another.

How does Sadhguru describe the experience of love in human life?

Sadhguru describes love as the most profound and intense experience of life for many people, often raised to a divine level. However, he also points out that love is just one of the many emotions humans are capable of experiencing.

What is the importance of being pleasant according to Sadhguru?

Sadhguru emphasizes that being pleasant is crucial because it affects all aspects of one's life, including health, peace, joy, and success. He suggests that if one is pleasant, they will naturally be loving, without having to force the emotion.

Why does Sadhguru use the example of a dog to illustrate love?

Sadhguru uses the example of a dog to show that love is not just a human capability. Dogs, he says, can also love unconditionally, providing a guaranteed love affair and a daily demonstration of affection.

What does Sadhguru suggest as an alternative to focusing on being loving?

Instead of focusing on being loving, Sadhguru suggests focusing on being pleasant in one's body, mind, emotions, and energies. This approach, he believes, will naturally lead to a state of love and other positive states.

How does Sadhguru define the role of emotions in yoga?

In yoga, Sadhguru does not categorize emotions as love, hate, happiness, or misery. Instead, he focuses on whether emotions are pleasant or unpleasant, and how they can be made pleasant to enhance one's overall well-being.

What is the key message Sadhguru conveys about maintaining pleasantness in one's life?

Sadhguru's key message is that maintaining pleasantness is an internal responsibility and should not be dependent on external situations or people. Being pleasant regardless of circumstances leads to a more harmonious and fulfilling life.

Outlines

00:00

💞 The Essence of Love and Emotions

In this paragraph, Sadhguru emphasizes the significance of emotions in human life, asserting that they are more intense and influential than intellect. He questions the audience to consider whether they want their emotions to be sweet or bitter, using the analogy of a sharp or dull mind to illustrate the preference for pleasant emotions. Sadhguru explains that love is essentially the sweet aspect of one's emotions, contrasting it with hate which is the bitter aspect. He points out the closeness of love and hate, suggesting that a minor issue can turn love into hate. The paragraph concludes with a reflection on the profound experiences associated with love and the idea of 'divine love,' suggesting that love is a human capability rather than a divine one.

05:00

🐕 Love Beyond Conditions

This paragraph humorously compares the unconditional love of a dog to the conditional love often found in human relationships. Sadhguru suggests that if one cannot inspire love from those around them, relying on the idea of 'God loves you' is an unfortunate way to live. He advocates for a state of pleasantness within oneself, which he believes is more important than trying to be loving towards others. The paragraph discusses how different aspects of being pleasant—such as health, pleasure, peace, joy, love, compassion, bliss, ecstasy, and success—manifest in one's life and relationships. Sadhguru argues that being pleasant is not about external conditions but an internal state that naturally influences one's interactions with others.

10:01

🌟 Cultivating Inner Pleasantness

The final paragraph delves into the importance of maintaining one's pleasantness regardless of external circumstances. Sadhguru challenges the idea of being pleasant only when others are nice, suggesting that true pleasantness is an internal quality that is not dependent on external situations. He argues that trying to be pleasant based on external factors is futile and often leads to bitterness and unpleasantness. The paragraph highlights the destructive nature of attempting to be loving when one is not feeling pleasant internally. Sadhguru encourages individuals to focus on cultivating pleasantness within themselves, which will then naturally extend to their interactions with others, leading to a more harmonious and pleasant life.

Keywords

💡Emotion

Emotion refers to a natural instinctive reaction to an event or situation. In the video, Sadhguru emphasizes the power of emotions in human life, suggesting that despite intellectual advancements, emotions remain the most intense aspect of human experience. He uses the example of love and hate to illustrate how emotions can be either sweet or bitter, and how they can transform from one to the other with minor changes in circumstances.

💡Love

Love, as discussed in the script, is a positive and sweet emotion that arises from the transformation of one's emotional state. Sadhguru points out that love is not separate from emotion but is the pleasant form of it. He contrasts love with hate, indicating that the same emotion can turn into hate if it becomes bitter, often with the people one was once close to.

💡Intellect

Intellect in the video is mentioned as the cognitive ability of the mind to reason and understand complex ideas. Sadhguru questions whether intellect is as intense as emotions, suggesting that even in modern times, people's decisions and actions are more significantly influenced by their emotions than by their intellectual capabilities.

💡Pleasantness

Pleasantness is a state of being agreeable, enjoyable, or delightful. The video script uses this term to describe the desirable state of one's emotions, body, mind, and life energies. Sadhguru suggests that striving for pleasantness in all aspects of life leads to a more harmonious and fulfilling existence, rather than focusing solely on being 'loving'.

💡Equanimity

Equanimity is the ability to remain calm and composed in all situations, regardless of external circumstances. In the context of the video, Sadhguru encourages viewers to cultivate equanimity so they can perceive and respond to life's events without bias or emotional distortion, which is key to maintaining pleasantness in oneself.

💡Bitterness

Bitterness in the script is used to describe negative emotions such as anger, irritation, and hatred. Sadhguru explains that these emotions are often the result of unmanaged or untransformed emotional states, which can lead to an unpleasant life experience. He contrasts bitterness with the sweetness of love and compassion.

💡Transformation

Transformation in the video refers to the process of changing one's emotional state from negative to positive. Sadhguru talks about transforming emotions into sweetness, which he equates with love. He suggests that this transformation is a choice and a practice that can lead to a more pleasant and loving life.

💡Health

Health in the context of the video is not just the absence of disease but also a state of pleasantness in the body. Sadhguru implies that a healthy body is a pleasant body, and this pleasantness contributes to overall well-being and the ability to experience and express love.

💡Compassion

Compassion is defined as a deep awareness of and sympathy for the suffering of others, coupled with a desire to alleviate it. In the video, Sadhguru relates compassion to the pleasantness of one's emotions, suggesting that when emotions are at their most pleasant state, they manifest as love and compassion towards others.

💡Bliss

Bliss in the script is described as a state of extreme happiness or joy that arises from the pleasantness of one's life energies. Sadhguru uses bliss as an example of how pleasantness at the level of life energies can lead to profound states of well-being and joy.

💡Intimacy

Intimacy in the video is discussed in the context of close relationships, where the most significant amount of unpleasantness can occur due to the expectation of others to fit a certain mold. Sadhguru suggests that true intimacy and love come from being pleasant within oneself, rather than trying to manipulate external situations or people.

Highlights

Love is considered relevant in human life because of the strong emotional aspect of being human.

Emotions are the most intense aspect of people's lives, even in an age of perceived intellectualism.

Emotions like anger and irritation are powerful and can be as impactful as love and compassion.

The choice is not whether to have emotions but what type of emotions to cultivate: sweet or bitter.

Love is the sweetness of one's emotions, while hate is the bitterness of the same emotions.

Emotions can quickly shift from love to hate, especially in relationships.

The idea of being in love without emotion is a European concept that contradicts the nature of love as an emotion.

Emotions should be made pleasant, leading to a more pleasant life.

Moments of love are often seen as the most profound experiences because they touch the deepest dimensions of life.

Divine love is a concept that humans often use to describe their own capacity for love.

Dogs are capable of unconditional love, providing a guaranteed love affair.

In yoga, emotions are not categorized as love or hate but as pleasant or unpleasant.

Pleasant emotions are equated with love, while unpleasant emotions lead to hate.

Being pleasant is more important than trying to be loving, as it naturally leads to positive interactions.

If one's emotions are pleasant, they will naturally be pleasant to others without effort.

Attempting to be loving when one is not pleasant can be destructive and lead to bitterness.

It's crucial to maintain pleasantness within oneself, regardless of external situations.

When those around are unpleasant, it becomes even more important to be pleasant as a stabilizing influence.

Transcripts

Sadhguru: Love has become a relevant thing in human life

only because human emotion is a strong aspect of being human being.

In human life, emotion is a very powerful thing.

even in this day and age, though people think they are very intellectual,

even today their emotions are the strongest aspect.

Yes or no?

It’s the most intense aspect of their life.

They claim they are intellectual, but their intellect is never so intense,

but their emotions are intense.

Maybe not love, maybe not compassion,

but maybe anger, maybe irritation

these are all emotions.

So, emotion is a very important aspect of being human.

Now, we are only talking about, what type of emotion do you want to have?

Now if you do you have a mind?

Do you have a mind?

Yes.

Would you want it to be sharp or dull?

Participants: Sharp.

Sadhguru: Hmm?

Participants: Sharp.

Sadhguru: Why?

Sadhguru: It works that way, isn't it?

Similarly, if you have emotions, do you want to have sweet emotions or bitter

emotions?

Participants: Sweet emotions.

Sadhguru: Sweet emotions.

It works better that way, isn't it?

So, love means just that.

You have transformed your emotions into sweetness.

Now, I want to be in love without emotion.

That’s a very European idea.

Love is an emotion.

It is the sweetness of your emotion which we’re referring to as love.

If the same emotion becomes bitter, we call it hate.

Usually, it is the people whom you love that you hate, isn't it?

Some time ago - you loved them, now you hate them.

You don’t hate than man who is just walking on the street, isn't it?

Some love should have happened and now the coin fell another way

and now it's become hate.

Yes?

So, it's just the same coin - if it falls this way, it becomes love;

if it falls that way, it becomes hatred.

Don’t think they’re too far away.

They’re pretty close.

One little thing goes wrong, love becomes hate, isn't it?

So; how to be in love without emotion?

Love is an emotion.

Now the choice is only do you want your emotions to be sweet,

pleasant or unpleasant emotions?

That’s your choice.

It's an obvious choice, isn't it?

But most people are keeping their emotions bitter most of the time.

Bitterness need not necessarily mean they’re in active hatred.

They are in irritation, they are in agitation,

they are in some kind of… fear is also an emotion,

anxiety is an emotion.

It is in some level of unpleasantness.

If you make your emotions very pleasant, then life will be very pleasant.

Even today, most people experience as a moment of love

as the most profound experience of their life.

It is not, but they experience it that way because

that is the most intense thing they’ve touched that is the deepest dimension of life they’ve

touched is a moment of love.

So, they raise it to heaven.

people are transporting it to heaven, people are talking about divine love.

You do not know whether God loves or not.

Human beings are capable of love if they are willing.

Dog is capable of love.

When human beings fail, you get yourself a dog.

If you get a dog, twelve-year guaranteed love affair.

Yes.

Don’t…

do not underestimate this.

You get yourself a dog, every day you come home,

what a welcome you get!

Your wife, she is no good one, one day she is one, one way.

Your children - they are not even interested whether you come home or go.

But your dog, every day what an excited welcome he gives you!

Nobody is capable of this, isn't it?

Every day, without fail.

He’ll never show disinterest in you.

He is such a boost for you, Dog is love for sure.

Maybe it’s just a spelling mistake!

(Laughter) You know, typos can happen.

Now, if you made yourself in such a way nobody around you can love you,

then the only succor you have is somebody must love you, long distance from

there.

It's the unfortunate way to live.

God loves you - it’s the most unfortunate way to live.

That means you made yourself in such a way nobody can even look at you.

If people around you cannot help loving you, that’s a nice way to be, isn't it?

You may not be great, may be at least you are cute.

Yes?

So, in yoga, we don’t look at anything as love, hate,

happiness, misery we don’t look at it that way.

We just look at it this way do you want to be pleasant or unpleasant?

If you become pleasant in your body, we call it health.

If you become very pleasant, we call it pleasure.

If your mind becomes pleasant, we call it peace.

If it becomes very pleasant, we call it joy.

If your emotions become pleasant, we call it love.

If it becomes very pleasant, we call it compassion.

If your very life energies become pleasant, we call this bliss.

If it becomes very pleasant, we call it ecstasy.

If your surroundings become pleasant, we call it success.

So, the other names that you give are just leading to confusion.

Should I be loving?

You don’t have to be loving.

Just be pleasant in your body, pleasant in your mind,

pleasant in your emotions, pleasant in your energies

you’ll be a wonderful being.

If your emotions are pleasant, if somebody comes here,

you can share that pleasantness with them.

If your emotions are unpleasant, for sure, you’ll share that with people,

isn't it?

Yes or no?

So, you cannot you cannot do something that you are not.

If this is feeling pleasant now, it will naturally be pleasant to everything.

If this is feeling unpleasant right now, it will be nasty to everything.

So instead of seeing how to make this pleasant, you want to be pleasant to somebody -

that is being loving.

You don’t have to be loving.

If everything within you has become pleasant, whatever is needed in that moment, you will

do.

If you need to say pleasant things, you will say that.

If you need to say some hard things, you will say that,

but without any unpleasantness in you.

That’s important, isn't it?

If you’ll have to fight a war, you’ll fight it

without any unpleasantness in you.

That’s important.

Then you will do everything only to the extent it's necessary.

You will not do… overdo anything.

If you say ‘I love somebody’, you’ll exaggerate things about the people

whom you love.

You’ll exaggerate good things about them.

If you say ‘I hate somebody’, you’ll exaggerate bad things about them.

You’ll never say anything the way it is.

People go blind with things that they love, isn't it?

They have no sense, they’ll lose all their sense.

If they hate also, they’ll lose sense.

If you like, you’ll lose sense; if you dislike, you’ll lose sense.

The doorway of life is in being equanimous that you’re able to see everything just

the way it is.

Now you are pleasant to somebody not because somebody is nice.

You’re pleasant to somebody because you’re pleasant, that's all.

This is more guaranteed it's a more guaranteed love affair, isn't

it?

You’re being pleasant to somebody because you’re pleasant.

If I am being pleasant to you because you are nice,

tomorrow if you are not so nice, something else will happen, isn't it?

if you mortgage your pleasantness to something outside of you,

you being pleasant or unpleasant is only by chance.

Keeping this one pleasant is your business.

If this one is pleasant what… with whatever it interacts, it will

generate pleasantness.

Now, you have not managed to make this pleasant, you are trying to be pleasant to somebody

and that is subject to so many things.

If you have to be pleasant, they have to be fixed the way you want them

and that’s not possible.

Nobody can be fixed the way you want them.

You’re not able to do that even with one person, isn't it?

You cannot even fix one person the way you want them,

forget about the whole world.

The more you try this, the more bitterness and unpleasantness will happen.

That is why in the so-called most intimate relationships,

maximum amount of unpleasantness happens.

So, this is because you’re trying to do something that you are not.

You’re trying to be loving when you are not pleasant.

When you’re feeling bitter, you try to be loving and see,

it’ll destroy you, isn't it?

Yes or no?

You’ve tried all these things, isn't it?

It's destructive.

When you’re feeling pleasant, it is effortless.

So, you just have to look at why is it you being pleasant or unpleasant

is mortgaged to external situations.

‘If everybody around me is unpleasant, how can I be pleasant?’

Especially if everybody around you is unpleasant, it's all the more important that you’re

pleasant, isn't it?

Yes or no?

If everybody around you is in a mess, is it not all the more important that you’re

pleasant?

If everybody around you is unhealthy, is it not very important at least you’re

healthy, even if you want to take care of them?

Is there any logic to ‘everybody is unhealthy, so let me also

get sick?’

What is the logic behind this?

So, if people around you are unpleasant, it becomes even more important that you’re

pleasant.