Youth and Truth – When Gossip Goes Cosmic

This September, Sadhguru will interact with youth at universities and colleges across India, where youth can seek clarity from him on any topics they choose – no restrictions. Below, Sadhguru answers questions on the purpose of this “Youth and Truth” movement, and describes the issues facing today’s youth as well as the tremendous possibility they hold if they put their energy to use in a positive way.

Q: The driving force of a nation is in the hands of youth. They lack a role model in their daily life. The youth are agitated, disappointed, and lacking jobs. What is your advice to youth?

Sadhguru: Youth means humanity in the making. They are not as conceited as the grown-up humanity, so there is still a chance for them to create a new possibility in the world. But expecting the youth to do something miraculous when the older generation is unwilling to make any changes with themselves is an empty dream. 

Generally, the nature of youth is such that though they are high energy, they are also reactionary. So if the older generation does not show sense and inspiration towards proper, sensible living on this planet, then the youth will do worse than us. It is extremely important that whatever your age, you youthfully go about and show them that you can make a difference. 

Threshold of Possibility

Over 50% of India is youth. An unhealthy, unfocused, untrained half a billion youth is a recipe for disaster. But this same half a billion youth could be a tremendous possibility if only they are healthy, trained and focused toward something. 

Right now, this nation is poised on the threshold of a possibility. For generations, people have lived in the same conditions. Now, for the first time we can take a large mass of population from one level of living to another. 

How well we facilitate the youth will determine whether we use this possibility to the full extent. How healthy they are, how focused they are, how trained and capable they are will decide where the country goes. 

Launching “Youth and Truth”

Youth are capable of either immense destruction, or if they have the necessary stability to use their energy in a positive and constructive way, they are capable of immense construction. The most important thing that needs to happen to youth on the planet is that they need to become meditative. Whether they are in academics, vocational training, or they are simply doing whatever they wish in their lives, if they are a little more stable, this energy which we call as youth could be put to better use, for their own wellbeing and for everyone else’s wellbeing. 

As a step towards this, we will be unfolding “Youth and Truth” – a nationwide movement to inspire and empower our youth. This will begin on September 3^rd, and we will be meeting with students at a large number of universities and institutions in various states, inviting them to ask questions about the issues they are facing and offering them simple tools for their wellbeing. 

Gossip Goes Cosmic

This is going to be gossipy! Right from ancient times, whenever someone wanted to know the truth about something, they always relied on gossip, not the official version that is given out. Something comes out in the newspaper, you don’t go by that, you go and ask around. Someone says something, that becomes the truth. So gossip has always been a conveyer of truth, not the Gospel. Gossip gets exaggerated and multiplied, but people learn how to listen to and filter gossip and get the truth out of it.

With the advent of social media, gossip has gone global. It is no longer just local gossip. So I thought, let us raise it to the next level. When you gossip with the mystic, your gossip goes cosmic. 

People keep saying to me, “Sadhguru, if I had only met you when I was twenty-five, I would have done so many things.” So I thought let us engage with youth and see how close to truth we can bring them. 

Life meanders around a bit, but truth is like a straight line. The question is only, how close to the truth are you? How many times in a day or in your life do you touch it? That will determine the quality, the content and the profoundness of your life.  Every time you touch it, something phenomenal will happen within you which will keep you running.

Editor's Note: Whether you're struggling with a controversial query, feeling puzzled about a taboo topic, or just burning with a question that no one else is willing to answer, now is your chance to ask! Ask Sadhguru your questions at UnplugWithSadhguru.org.