Skip to content 
Search

Latest Stories

Sadhguru: 'Systems that were once protective can also restrict people from opening up'

QUESTION: How do we become more open to spiritual possibilities?

Sadhguru: Before we look at how to become open, we must look at what is it that closes you up? There are four dimensions which, for so many reasons, could have closed. Your mind could be closed because of the influences it is subject to. Once the mind is closed, the emotions will also be within the closed circle of what the thoughts are, because your emotions are always guided by your thoughts – the way you think is the way you feel. They may not be conscious for most people, but it is so.


Also, your physical body itself may be closed and your energies may be closed. If you take two people who do not know anything about spiritual processes into a certain atmosphere or into a certain initiation, you will see that one person may respond with absolute openness and the other person, even though he mentally wants it, even if he is praying for it to happen to him, it does not happen to him. The closed-ness could be on the physical body level, or on the energy level, of which he has no awareness.

This closed-ness has happened because of the structures we have built over a period of time. These structures are what we call karmas. In India, we call them vasanas or samskaras. It means you build limited structures around you. These structures were essential for your survival, but because your whole focus was on survival, you strengthened these structures so much that after some time this structure which protected you is restricting you. You do not want it now, but you do not know how to get rid of it. It is just like closing the window to protect yourself from the sun and dust. Once the weather changes, you want to open the window but if the bolts are stuck, you cannot open it. Now it becomes desperation.

This is the situation of almost every human being in the world. Simply because of their security concerns, by responding to their own basic sense of survival in the world, their body, mind, emotions and energy created certain cocoons.

In limited atmospheres, these cocoons helped them protect themselves, but when your longing reaches for other dimensions, the same things which were protecting you are a huge restriction. When you were a little kid, your parents protected you. It was nice and you enjoyed the protection and comfort of being hugged and held in their lap, but once you grew up a little, you wanted to get off their lap and run around.

If they had continued to hold you on their lap, you would have started struggling and hating that which held you down. Karma is just like this. This is not a question of right or wrong. This was created with a certain understanding of a certain sense of wellbeing, which is limited. When that is fulfilled and your being naturally longs for the next thing, that becomes a restriction.

Whatever the spiritual processes, we start on all the levels of body, mind, emotion, and energy – so that slowly all these dimensions are handled.

But one thing easily at hand for you is the mind and emotion. Making yourself mentally open is fundamental and crucial because this is something that is immediately in your hands. Your energy is not in your hands; you do not know how to open it. Even your physical body, you do not know how to keep it open. But mind is something you can consciously open. That is why there is a lot of talk about opening the mind, not because it is the most important but because right now, that is what is most available for people.

Ranked among the 50 most influential people in India, Sadhguru is a yogi, mystic, visionary and bestselling author. Sadhguru was been conferred the “Padma Vibhushan”, the Indian government’s highest annual civilian award, in 2017, for exceptional and distinguished service.

More For You

Barbie with type 1 diabetes

This is also part of Mattel’s mission to extend the boundaries of imaginative play

Mattel

Mattel introduces first Barbie doll with type 1 diabetes to promote inclusion

Highlights

  • Mattel launches new Barbie with type 1 diabetes
  • The doll features a glucose monitor, insulin pump and CGM app
  • Created in collaboration with type 1 diabetes charity Breakthrough T1D
  • Part of Mattel’s broader push for inclusivity and representation in toys

Barbie with type 1 diabetes joins inclusive fashionistas range

Mattel has launched its first diabetes Barbie doll, designed to represent children with type 1 diabetes and promote greater inclusivity in children’s toys.

The new addition to the Barbie Fashionistas line comes with realistic medical features including a continuous glucose monitor (CGM) on her arm, secured with heart-shaped medical tape, and an insulin pump to help manage her blood sugar levels. She also carries a smartphone with a CGM app to monitor glucose throughout the day, and a bag large enough to store snacks and other essentials.

Keep ReadingShow less
Schiaparelli exhibition UK

Italian-born French fashion designer Elsa Schiaparelli

Getty Images

V&A announces UK’s first Schiaparelli exhibition as Natasha Poonawalla’s Met Gala looks make a comeback

“In difficult times fashion is always outrageous.” – Elsa Schiaparelli.

The Victoria & Albert Museum has announced its first ever UK exhibition dedicated to Elsa Schiaparelli, the visionary designer who blurred the boundaries between fashion, art and performance. Titled Schiaparelli: Fashion Becomes Art, it runs from 21 March to 1 November 2026 in the Sainsbury Gallery and will draw on the V&A’s status as home to Britain’s National Collection of Dress and its foremost collection of Schiaparelli garments.

Keep ReadingShow less
Martin Lewis warns shoppers

Lewis clarifies legal rights for online and in-store purchases

iStock

Martin Lewis warns shoppers about misleading return policies at 30 UK retailers

Highlights

  • Martin Lewis flags incorrect return rights information on 30 retail websites
  • Retailers include New Look, The Range, and Selfridges
  • Lewis clarifies legal rights for online and in-store purchases
  • Trading Standards to be alerted following MoneySavingExpert.com investigation

Martin Lewis highlights return rights confusion

Money-saving expert Martin Lewis has issued a warning to UK consumers after uncovering misleading returns information on the websites of 30 major retailers, including New Look, The Range, and Selfridges.

Speaking on ITV1's Good Morning Britain, Lewis explained that several retailers are presenting incorrect information about return rights for online shoppers — in some cases, underplaying the legal protections customers are entitled to.

Keep ReadingShow less
Gemma Collins Instagram ban

Collins accepted the findings of the ASA’s investigation

Getty Images

Gemma Collins’ Instagram post banned over weight-loss drug promotion

Highlights

  • Instagram post by Gemma Collins promoting Yazen weight-loss service banned
  • ASA rules it breached regulations on promoting prescription-only medication
  • Eight other weight-loss ads also banned in regulatory crackdown

ASA bans Collins' Instagram advert

An Instagram post by TV personality Gemma Collins promoting a weight-loss drug and digital service has been banned by the UK’s advertising watchdog for breaching regulations around prescription-only medicines.

Collins had shared a promotional video on 6 January 2025, stating: “I’m starting this year two sizes down, thanks to Yazen’s weight loss app and medication.” The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) ruled that the post unlawfully promoted prescription-only medication to the public.

Keep ReadingShow less
5 secret beaches

Barafundle Bay, Pembrokeshire, Wales

iStock

5 secret beaches in the UK that feel like the tropics

Key points

  • Discover hidden UK beaches with turquoise waters and golden sands
  • Ideal for summer staycations without the cost of long-haul travel
  • Includes lesser-known spots in Wales, Scotland, Cornwall, and more
  • Perfect for quiet escapes, coastal walks, and Instagram-worthy views

Escape to paradise – no passport required

Think you need to fly halfway across the world for clear blue water and white sand? Think again. The UK is home to a surprising number of secluded beaches that look straight out of the Caribbean – without the crowds or jet lag. From hidden coves in Cornwall to windswept bays in the Scottish Highlands, here are some of the most tropical-looking beaches on British soil.

1. Barafundle Bay, Pembrokeshire, Wales

Often dubbed the UK’s answer to the Caribbean, this National Trust-owned gem boasts golden sand, crystal-clear waters, and dramatic cliffs. Accessed by a half-mile walk from Stackpole Quay, it remains blissfully untouched by development.

Keep ReadingShow less