Milli

A mere speck of dust in this vast universe.

[Isha Foundation USA @IshaUSA]

A heartening glimpse into life at Isha! @MSJmcminnville has featured the place we call home.
Beyond Rumors: Life Inside Isha Community

https://t.co/viUGZ0zX8Q

[Toishi Sharma, MD FACC @drsharmatoishi]

Much of this argument rests on confusing yoga with religion, while modern medicine already recognizes yoga and meditation practices as therapeutic TOOLS.

1. Their clinical utility is already recognized. As a practicing physician, I find it puzzling that describing yoga as a tool for inner transformation is presented as suspicious. These are clinical applications, not professions of faith.

* American College of Physicians: Recommends yoga and mindfulness-based stress reduction among initial treatments for chronic low back pain, before medication. (https://t.co/ItwJzdgqp4⁠)
* American Psychological Association: Highlights research supporting reduced stress, rumination, and emotional reactivity, alongside improvements in attention and working memory. It also describes changes in brain structure and activity associated with attention and emotional regulation. (https://t.co/VsJ1LCPyc6⁠, https://t.co/VsJ1LCPyc6⁠)
* American Psychiatric Association: explicitly describes mindfulness as an evidence-based TOOL, discussing its effects on attention, emotional regulation, and neuroplasticity. Separately, clinical trials support mindfulness-based cognitive therapy for preventing recurrent depression. (https://t.co/ym2Y8RlyW8⁠, https://t.co/3BrExZxqvR⁠)
* American Heart Association: States that meditation may be considered alongside established cardiovascular prevention, with potential benefits for blood pressure and stress-related physiology. (https://t.co/YRcTH63PhO⁠)
* NIH’s National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health: Summarizes evidence for benefits in anxiety, depression, and some pain conditions, and funds research into how mindfulness affects the brain. (https://t.co/PIXCeRf4Hl⁠)

These are measurable clinical and neurobiological outcomes. Their spiritual origins do not erase their therapeutic value.

2. Modern research did not invent these practices. Yoga has longstanding roots in Indian philosophy and spiritual practice. Finding traditional symbols in a yogic center is hardly surprising. Their presence does not invalidate measurable benefits or establish that wellness is a disguise for religion. Spiritual heritage and scientific utility are entirely compatible.

Moreover, modern research is investigating practices that these traditions have cultivated for thousands of years. Within those traditions, lingas and consecrated forms are understood as instruments supporting inner exploration. Their proposed mechanisms remain scientifically unestablished, but unfamiliarity alone is not a rebuttal. The appropriate response is rigorous inquiry, not automatic dismissal. Spiritual heritage and scientific utility are entirely compatible; what remains unverified is an invitation to investigate.

3. Serious practice deserves responsible instruction. Meditation is not simply an interchangeable, feel-good exercise; adverse experiences can occur, and instructor competence matters. A community’s emphasis on disciplined practice is not inherently suspicious, although that alone does not establish the necessity of its residency requirements.

4. Isha practices have themselves undergone scientific investigation. Studies involving Harvard-affiliated researchers have reported improvements in anxiety, depressive symptoms, and negative mood. An observational Isha retreat study also documented increased circulating endocannabinoids. These are findings to examine on their methodological merits, rather than dismiss through religious association. (https://t.co/YRcTH63PhO, https://t.co/YRcTH63PhO, https://t.co/3BrExZxqvR)

Sacred imagery, conference appearances, and acreage do not, by themselves, establish deception or misconduct.

[Milli @SaveSoil112]

@Kay84650600 @PlumbNick Thank you for taking the time to reach out to all those who are trying to peddle fears and isolate or show Isha Foundation in poor light. The Tennessee ashram is such a diverse and inclusive group of the most gentle and mild mannered folk from around the world.

[Kay @Kay84650600]

There are legitimate questions one can ask about any large yogic organisation, including Isha. But this thread is a good example of how a collection of facts can be arranged to imply something much more sinister than the evidence actually establishes.

Yes, Isha owns a very large property in Tennessee. Yes, it is developing residential accommodation. Yes, some residences involve 99-year ground leases, and yes, certain types of residence have prerequisites connected with Isha’s spiritual practices and culture. None of this is hidden: Isha publishes the arrangements itself, and the residential development and its utilities appear openly in Tennessee regulatory filings.

But what exactly is the allegation?

The repeated emphasis on “17,000 acres” needs context. That number describes the broader landholding, not 17,000 acres being turned into houses and apartments. Isha has publicly stated that roughly 70% of the land is intended to remain under conservation. Much of it is forest, bluffs, waterways and wildlife habitat rather than a giant residential development.

Having spent time there myself, one of the most striking things is actually how much wildlife thrives on the property. Nature has been left largely undisturbed, and you see animals flourishing everywhere.

What is actually being taught and practiced there? Primarily yoga, meditation and a way of living centered on the science of well-being. Isha does not require residents to convert, adopt a religious or political identity, or renounce their existing faith.

It is not particularly unusual that some people who value this way of life would choose to live near others who share those interests. People everywhere choose residential environments that reflect how they want to live: around nature, wellness, sustainability, retirement, or simply shared interests. For example in Georgia, Deerlick Astronomy Village was created specifically for people who share a passion for astronomy and want to live under genuinely dark skies. The development has no streetlights and imposes strict limits on outdoor lighting, building and land use specifically to protect the night sky for everyone who chooses to live there. These shared expectations are not sinister or separatist.

Living in a setting conducive to yoga and meditation is no more a withdrawal from wider American society than choosing to live in an astronomy village or an eco-community. People there still live under the same laws, pay taxes and participate in the world like everyone else. Wanting to live around people who share some of your values is hardly separatism.

And what’s actually expected of people living there is pretty ordinary: avoiding drugs and alcohol, and maintaining a peaceful atmosphere conducive to yoga and meditation. They are not aggressively policed rules, but part of the basic ethos people are expected to respect when choosing to live there.

The practice requirements make more sense in that context. Yoga and meditation have well-documented scientific evidences for physical and psychological benefits, and at Isha they are part of a broader way of life centered on health, awareness and inner well-being. It is not a requirement to adopt a particular religious identity. Asking prospective residents to have actually experienced these practices simply ensures they understand what they are choosing to be part of. Before labeling it “religious,” “separatist” or something more sinister, it might be worth first understanding what is actually practiced there and why.

Isha’s programs are open to people across religious backgrounds and do not demand exclusive religious allegiance; someone can remain Christian, Muslim, Jewish, Hindu, atheist or anything else while practicing yoga and meditation. For more than 30 years, these practices have been taught globally to people of different cultures and faiths, by teachers who themselves come from diverse backgrounds.

The Tennessee center is also open to visitors and hosts events intended for the wider public, from Christmas lights and celebrations to Earth Day and World Peace Day. That hardly fits the picture of a closed religious enclave separating itself from the outside world.

So the relevant question is not, “Why are they building a separate society?” They aren’t. A more meaningful question is: what is inherently sinister about people who value yoga, meditation, nature and a quieter way of life choosing to live near one another in an environment designed to support those interests, while remaining part of the wider society around them?

The same problem appears in the attempt to draw ideological conclusions from the organisations Isha has interacted with. Cooperation or engagement with groups, such as Sewa, ITServe, HSS or RSS, does not, by itself, establish ideological alignment. Isha has engaged with an extraordinarily diverse range of institutions and leaders globally, particularly through its ecological and humanitarian initiatives, including Muslim leaders, Jewish rabbis, Vatican representatives, Buddhist monks, various governments, NGOs and people from widely differing cultural, religious and political backgrounds.

That breadth of engagement is exactly what one would expect when addressing issues such as soil degradation, rivers and ecological restoration, which transcend religion, nationality and politics. Cooperation with one organisation on a particular project no more implies endorsement of that organisation’s wider affiliations than cooperation with the Vatican makes Isha Catholic. Collaboration on a shared objective establishes common ground on that objective. Nothing more.

What concerns me more in many of the comments on this thread is the amount of misinformation, half-truths and unsupported allegations being repeated as established fact. I have seen this pattern before: legitimate questions become mixed with ideological hostility, selective facts and guilt by association until a predetermined narrative begins to masquerade as evidence.

Given the complex political and religious dynamics surrounding these issues in India, there are groups with sharply competing interests and interpretations. That does not make every criticism malicious, nor should Isha or any large organisation be beyond scrutiny. But scrutiny should make us more rigorous about evidence, not less. Accusations should not become facts simply through repetition, and associations should not become conspiracies through insinuation.

If the concern is genuinely accountability, then the standard should remain the same for everyone: evidence, context and intellectual honesty. Not selective facts, guilt by association or hostility dressed up as investigation.

[The Telegraph @Telegraph]

A British psychiatrist is among hundreds of people still missing in Tibet and Nepal after deadly flash floods swept through the region on Wednesday.

Pravin Atmakur, 54, was leading a group of 77 pilgrims to Mount Kailash in Tibet when the floods struck, killing at least 475 people.

His wife, Manjula Atmakur, arrived in Kathmandu on Friday morning after travelling from Britain to search for her husband, who has not been heard from since the flood⤵️

https://t.co/AMRvObbsIu

[Mona Patel 🇮🇳🐅🌳 @MonaPatelT]

🚨NEVER FOUND A CHRISTIAN ..
👉Who Opposed the
Conversion done by Missionaries !!

🚨NEVER FOUND EVEN A SINGL MUSLIM
👉Who Opposed Love J!had !!

🚨But In Every Street & lane, There are Hindus
👉 Who Oppose Our Guru !

[Milli @SaveSoil112]

@0xmarginman Video and audio quality need to be way better

[Sanjeev Sanyal @sanjeevsanyal]

Wow. Did not know that the Pareto Principal works in battery charging

[Conor Rogers @conorjrogers]

This might be the most insane footage of anything I've ever seen in my life

[Nikhil saini @iNikhilsaini]

This is seriously scary. CCTV footage from Gyirong Port in Tibet, China, directly opposite Nepal’s Rasuwa district. This flash flood hit here first and later caused massive havoc in Nepal. Can’t even imagine someone surviving this. Prayers for everyone affected. 🙏

[Sadhguru @SadhguruJV]

A terrible and tragic flash flood has taken place at Gyirong in Tibet - China, and one of our Kailash groups was caught in it. While on their way back, they were at the immigration office when the flood occurred and the building and much of the town seems to have been flooded.

All of us, including the volunteers and support teams are deeply anguished and are doing our utmost to assist in the rescue. There has been no official information on the whereabouts of any of the people who were at the immigration office. We are working with the authorities to see if we can get to the location and stand ready to be part of the rescue efforts, regardless of the risk involved.

Of the 21 groups who are part of our Sojourn, 495 people have already returned safely. 743 people are currently in Tibet, 148 people are in Nepal, and 77 people were at the immigration center, and 3 volunteers in Timure, Nepal.

To the families and loved ones of those in our group and hundreds of others who are affected in the region, I share your pain and we are sparing no effort during this profoundly difficult time. I am personally in the region to ensure the best can be done in the given circumstances 🙏🏽- Sg

[Anuj @anujcodes_21]

Anthropic just showed a 24-minute workshop on how to actually do prompts for Claude.

Taught by the people who built it.

Free. No registration. No paywall.

I've seen $300 courses that don't cover what they teach in the first 8 minutes.

Watch it and bookmark it now.

[Rohit @heyrohitai]

🚨 Anthropic just showed a 27-minute workshop on how to actually do prompts for Claude.

Taught by the people who built it.

Free. No registration. No paywall.

I've seen $300 courses that don't cover what they teach in the first 8 minutes.

Watch it and bookmark it now.

[Isha Sacred Walks @IshaSacredWalks]

The southern face of Mount Kailash.

#ishasacredwalks #kailashmanasarovarsojourn

[Chidanand Tripathi @thetripathi58]

I don't understand why people don't use CLAUDE for stock trading.

It analyzes charts, digests earnings reports, and spots trends in seconds.

Here are 16 prompts to turn it into your personal hedge fund analyst:

[Tehxi @yajnshri]

Why Himalaya yogis refused to teach this ancient breathing techniques.

[The Shift Journal @TheShiftJournal]

Malcolm Gladwell explaining why some people succeed and some don't.

[Swami Ekapada @SEkapada]

Duh!
Yoga, bruh.
This is thousands of years old known fact.

[Bharat Ki Beti 🇮🇳👧🏻 @PratibhaPriyad3]

Mr. Prashant Bhushan, your mask of "activism" has slipped again.

In Supreme Court, you argued AGAINST a crematorium near Isha Yoga Centre, Coimbatore. You claimed local tribals "do not burn but bury" and Isha is "bringing bodies to burn" for moksha.

CJI Surya Kant rightly called Isha's work "pious" and "good work".
But you? You cried about "stench" and "fundamental rights".

Cremation is our 5000-year-old Sanatan Antyesti sanskar. Moksha through agni is core to Bharat's civilizational ethos.
Why are you so hell-bent on stopping Hindus from practicing their dharma on their own land???

This is the same Prashant Bhushan whom Sadhguru exposed in 2018:
"It is obvious Shri @pbhushan1 lacks in Intelligence & Integrity but it saddens to see there is deficit in Civilizational aspects too. A case of Trash getting to the Top." -Sg https://t.co/QccOhmLf2i

His "greatest hits" of anti-Bharat, anti-Sanatan deeds:

🔻Openly opposed death penalty for Ajmal Kasab, the 26/11 Pakistani terrorist who massacred 166 Indians. While the nation demanded justice, Bhushan stood with the enemy.

🔻Submitted FAKE affidavits in the Bihar SIR case (2025). Supreme Court caught him red-handed, expressed "displeasure", flagged perjury. Even ECI called it out.

🔻Serial attacks on Sadhguru & Isha Foundation, spreading slander, amplifying fake narratives, now legally opposing their pious infrastructure. Why so much hatred for a man reviving yoga, ecology and Sanatan globally?

🔻Convicted for criminal contempt by Supreme Court for tweets calling CJIs "murderers of democracy", blatant attempt to undermine the very institution he claims to serve.

🔻Long history of defending "human rights" of terrorists (Afzal Guru, Yakub Memon) while branding every nationalist voice "fascist".

Mr Bhushan,
You don't fight for the Constitution.
You weaponise it against Bharat and Sanatan Dharma.The same civilizational roots that produced Rishis, yogis, and warriors, the roots you mock and litigate against, are what keep this nation alive.

Bharat is waking up.
Your era of unchecked anti-national "activism" is over.Jai Hind.
Jai Sanatan.
#ExposePrashantBhushan #SanatanUnderAttack

[Sadhguru @SadhguruJV]

It is obvious Shri @pbhushan1 lacks in Intelligence & Integrity but it saddens to see there is deficit in Civilizational aspects too. A case of Trash getting to the Top. -Sg