Actress Manisha Koirala asks Sadhguru about the importance of meditation for those in the field of performing arts. Sadhguru explains that, no matter what field, if you can find space between yourself and the body and mind, you can.

Full Transcript:

Manisha Koirala: Me, being an actor and coming from performing arts and creative field, how important is meditation in performing arts, in direction, acting, theater?

Sadhguru: See, I think people go into art and music because unconsciously, somewhere, they touch moments of meditativeness in what they’re doing. If that element is not there, I don’t think music, art, all these things, would be worthwhile. Somewhere, there are moments of meditativeness. So, let me take away the word meditation because the word meditation in English language doesn’t mean anything. If I sit with my eyes closed, I can do japa, tapa, dharana, dhyana, samadhi, shoonya, any number of things (Laughs). But in English language, if I sit with my eyes closed, they will say, “He is meditating.” By closing my eyes, I could be doing any one of those things, or you might have just mastered the art of sleeping in vertical postures (Laughter), you know. People learn this in conferences (Laughter). That’s why the lighting is kept like this, you know (Laughter).

Manisha Koirala: Yeah, so that they can't see.

Sadhguru: …to not to disturb the rear section of the hall (Laughter). So, meditativeness means in some way, if you sit here, your mind is out here (Gestures), your body is here (Gestures), what you experience as myself is little away from these two things. That means you found a little space between yourself and your body, between yourself and your mind. There are only two problems… There are two kinds of sufferings in your life – physical and mental. Do you know of any other kind of suffering? No. Once there is a space between you and your body, between you and your mind, this is the end of suffering. Once there is no fear of suffering, that, “No matter what happens, this is how I will be,” once that assurance is there within you, then you will walk your life full stride. Whether creativity, or industry, or business, or whatever kind of life, you will walk full stride. When there is fear of suffering, you will take only half-steps and it’s… Time 72:35

Manisha Koirala: When do… How do I become that, Guruji (Both laugh)? How…?

Sadhguru: Start… Start a simple process called Inner Engineering. What we need is thirty hours of focused time. We format it in different ways – in seven days, in three days, three full days and many different ways – but we actually need is thirty hours of focused time. We create a… a vehicle for you, so that you can turn inward. Why I’m saying you need a vehicle to turn inward is – right now, the five sense organs, which are the only means of perception you have… Seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting, touching – this’s the only way you know life, this is the only way you exist right now. You know that you exist only because you can see, hear, smell, taste and touch. Suppose you fell asleep, you don’t know whether the world exists or not, or you exist or not, isn't it? So, these sense organs are essentially outward bound, in the sense – you can see what is around you, you can never roll your eyeballs inward and scan yourself. You can hear this (Snaps his fingers), so much activity, you cannot hear this. If an ant crawls upon this hand, you can feel it, so much blood flowing, you cannot feel it. In the very nature of things, sense organs are outward bound. But your experience entirely happens within you. Right now, do you see where I am?

Manisha Koirala: Guruji, I saw you on YouTube. I know the conversation (Both laugh).

Sadhguru: No, no, no, do you see me now?

Manisha Koirala: I know in my head (Laughs).

Sadhguru: You have already seen that, yes (Laughs). So, this image is a reflection and happening in your mind, within yourself. You hear me within you, you see me within you, you have seen the world within you. You have never seen, heard, tasted, touched anything outside of you. It all happens only within you, never happens outside of you. Or in other words, the entire experience of life is being generated from within. When entire experience of life is being generated fithe... within, at least what is happening within you must happen the way you want it, isn't it (Laughs)? The clamor in the world will not happen your way because it's all of us put together, this clamor. Little bit will happen my way, little your way, little somebody’s way, it's fine. But this calm is my way because this is an internal thing. What happens within you must be hundred percent your way, nobody else’s way, isn't it? What happens outside everybody has a stake.

Manisha Koirala: But that’s the most difficult part, to be able to…

Sadhguru: It is not difficult. Right now, suppose I ask you to unscrew a screw in this furniture with your hands, what will happen? You’ll use your nails, you will lose them. You’ll use your teeth and you’ll lose them, but the screw won't come. But if I give you a screwdriver, effortlessly you will do it, isn't it? So what is needed is a tool. That’s why I said a vehicle to turn inward. There are no tools, that’s why people think it's so difficult. So Inner Engineering is a tool. It's not a teaching, it's not a philosophy, it's not an ideology or belief system. It's a tool that you learn to use.