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Life and Death in One Breath

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“Death is a cosmic joke. If you get the joke, when you fall on the other side, it will be wonderful. If you don’t get the joke, when you are here you fear the other side, and when the other side comes, you just don’t know what it is about. If death becomes a laughing matter in your life, life becomes an utterly effortless process – there is no need to restrain yourself in the process of life; you can live your life absolutely, totally.” – Sadhguru

For ages, most of humanity has placed 'life' and 'death' at two ends of the existential spectrum – favoring one, fearing the other and continuously floundering between the two. Only when someone who has consciously traversed between both life and death offers to articulate some aspects of it, does humanity get a glimpse of what lies beyond the horizon of its normal perception.

In this book, with his extraordinary insights, coming from a profound inner experience, Sadhguru reveals that life and death are, in fact, two sides of the same coin. It is only by embracing both that we can break the shackles of our self-made struggles and be set free.

155 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 24, 2011

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About the author

Sadhguru

128 books3,309 followers
Sadhguru is a yogi, mystic and visionary. Named one of India's 50 most influential people, Sadhguru's work has touched the lives of millions worldwide through his transformational programs. Sadhguru has a unique ability to make the ancient yogic sciences relevant to contemporary minds. His approach does not ascribe to any belief system but offers methods for self-transformation that are both proven and powerful.

An internationally renowned speaker and author​ of the New York Times Bestseller Inner Engineering, A Yogi's Guide to Joy, Sadhguru has been an influential voice at major global forums including the United Nations and the World Economic Forum, addressing issues as diverse as socioeconomic development, leadership and spirituality. He has also been invited to speak at leading educational institutions, including Oxford, London Business School, IMD, Stanford, Harvard, Yale, Wharton and MIT. In February 2017, Sadhguru was the recipient of the Padma Vibhushan Award by the Government of India, the highest annual civilian award, accorded for exceptional and distinguished service.

Dedicated to the physical, mental and spiritual wellbeing of humanity and gifted with utter clarity of perception, Sadhguru possesses a perspective on life that never fails to intrigue, challenge and surprise all those he encounters. Sadhguru established Isha Foundation, a non-profit, volunteer-run organization operating in more than 300 centers and supported by over 11 million volunteers worldwide. Through powerful yoga programs for inner transformation and inspiring social outreach initiatives, Isha Foundation has created a massive movement dedicated to addressing all aspects of human wellbeing.

Sadhguru has also initiated several projects for social revitalization, education and the environment through which millions of people have been given the means to overcome poverty, improve their quality of life and achieve community-based, sustainable development.

In the fall of 2017, Sadhguru initiated Rally For Rivers, a nationwide campaign aiming to implement sustainable and long-term policy changes to revitalize India's severely depleted rivers, which found great support among India's people and leadership. With over 162 Million individuals pledging their support, Rally for Rivers is the largest ecological movement in the world to date. In the fall of 2019, Sadhguru launched Cauvery Calling, a uniquely modelled project that focuses on enhancing farmer wealth while simultaneously impacting river flow and riverine ecosystems. It will enable farmers in the Cauvery basin spanning Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, to plant 2.42 billion trees.

In the United States, Isha Foundation is headquartered at the Isha Institute of Inner-sciences in the Cumberland Plateau of Tennessee, Isha Institute is established as infrastructure for raising human consciousness and offers a variety of programs that provide methods for anyone to explore and experience the yogic science in its full depth.

About Sadhguru: https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_co...

Visit - https://sadhguru.org/karma

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Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
Profile Image for Seon Ji (Dawn).
1,049 reviews259 followers
February 16, 2021
Being a follower and devotee of Sadhguru, I am probably a little biased lol.

A nice short read, written in a question and answer format.

Having read "Death An Inside Story," I would say this is a summarized version of that book.

If you liked this one and want more, I definitely recommend the above.
Profile Image for Jaideep Khanduja.
Author 3 books157 followers
September 29, 2013
http://pebbleinthestillwaters.blogspo...

Book Review: Life And Death In One Breath By Sadhguru: Catch Every Moment As An Experience In Life

Book related to Religion and Philosophy usually do not have a plot, story, suspense, thrill etc. but such books make you talk to yourself, have a deep insight, perform an introspection and by the end you start finding much more known to yourself, nature, people around along with purpose and reasons of existence. One such kind of book is just released by Jaico Publishing House in September this year titled Life and Death In One Breath by Sadhguru.

The biggest flaw in our lives is looking at Life and Death as two altogether separate entities. We start aspiring more for life and start running away from death. Both are seen as two extreme ends of a long rope. We fear that the moment life is lost, death grabs you. Since nobody who has experienced death is available to explain how it goes, it is only the learned few who achieve that state to experience both life and death and then explain the difference (or similarities) between the two. Sadhguru writes in this book that both life and death are two sides of the same coin. He asserts to take death in as welcoming tone as we accept life.

There are very good insights given by Sadhguru in Life and Death In One Breath on relationship. If it is body searching for a relationship it is termed as sexuality, if it is mind we term it as companionship, if emotions try finding out a relationship it is called as love, if this search for relationship goes with all your energies it is known as yoga. Whatever kind of search we opt for and for whomsoever, it is the fulfillment that we strive for in life, seeking something that we lack and find it in someone else.

Overall Life and Death In One Breath gives you answers of your so many Whats and Hows that keep floating inside your mind and heart. A must read for any seeker of replies to all such questions.
77 reviews3 followers
February 13, 2019
This book is a compilation of various discussions by Sadhguru. Therefore, it covers diverse topics, mostly centered on letting go of worldly identities and living every moment with complete absorption. Sadhguru's style of talking is endearing. He frequently makes good use of humour.

Having read quite a bit of spiritual literature before, I did not find any particularly novel idea in this book. However, the sheer simplicity with which Sadhguru has delivered the ideas and the metaphors used by him made me look forward to reading every next page of the book. I recommend this book to all those who think that spirituality is only for those with a religious bent of mind or for those who have renounced the world. Spirituality is instead, a way of being in this world and Sadhguru puts across this message with power here.
Profile Image for Anil Swarup.
Author 3 books703 followers
October 12, 2017
Such erudite thoughts lucidly narrated. It is indeed life and death in one breath by Sadhguru. What Sadhguru says makes a lot of sense even to the uninitiated like me. Thoughts worth pondering.
Profile Image for Dr. Kashmira Gohil.
Author 3 books22 followers
December 22, 2020
The book throws light on process of life and death in format as question from seekers & answers from Sadguru, the author. It's only in the last chapter, 'death as fiction', he proceeds to explain scientifically, the Vedic knowledge as to what happens when life energy exists body as five elements leave dead body at certain time period one by one, which is explained in more detail in his another book named "death-an inside story", as reviewed by me here earlier" with 5 stars. Death is the only thing that is garunteed in this uncertain life & it's therefore necessary that we understand the science & significance enough to accept it gracefully & with certain awareness, is the profound truth. Since this book is shorter, talks about issues briefly in in format of Q&A style, I give this 3 stars.
Profile Image for Kalpana.
8 reviews24 followers
September 23, 2014
It’s a breathtaking read! another must read book for a seeker. A great deal of detail given about life, death and afterlife, it makes you think if you are doing the right thing to prepare yourself for death. .
As he has said in the book, I don’t want to believe him completely as I haven’t experienced death yet :) but I also don’t want to disbelieve him as the details given makes a lot of sense.
It’s an eye opener for anyone who is into the path. It’s astonishing when you realize how meticulously this tradition has designed the death ritual to assist in the transition.
He also gives simple practices to help in the transition of life to death. I'm not sure if this will help when I die but it definitely helps now in many ways.
To be read again!
Profile Image for Bhakta Kishor.
286 reviews45 followers
July 26, 2020
For ages, most of humanity has placed "life" and "death" at two ends of the existential spectrum -favoring one, fearing the other and continuously floundering between the two. Only when someone who has consciously traversed between both life and death offers to articulate some aspects of it, does humanity get a glimpse of what lies beyond the horizon of its normal perception. With his extraordinary insights, coming from a profound inner experience, sad guru reveals that life and death are, in fact, two sides of the same coin. It is only by embracing both that we can break the shackles of our self-made struggles and be set free.

♋ ♋ ♋ ♋ ♋ ♋ ♋ ♋ ♋ ♋ ♋ ♋ ♋ ♋ ♋ ♋ ♋ ♋ ♋ ♋ ♋ ♋ ♋ ♋ ♋ ♋ ♋ ♋ ♋
Profile Image for MindspaceMatters..
1 review2 followers
February 19, 2020
He moved a few inches
I held him and put him to ease
I sensed it was near
I ask God to give me strength and set him free

Within a moment he puffed air out of his mouth several times over in quick succession and the light in his eyes went off forever.

While I was grieving I read a book
Life and Death in One Breath and this line

"Inhalation is Life
Exhalation is Death
That fragile and potent is your Breath".

by Sadhguru stayed with me as I sought his grace to ease my grief.
The book is not so much about death as much it is about Sadhgurus musing about life and it's varied aspects.
There are lines that resonate if you are in a vulnerable state of mind at the time of reading maybe not otherwise.

I am biased to the author/contributor hence am unable to review it .

I recommend it only if you are in a phase where you are seeking answers at an existential level
Profile Image for Abhilash Ruhela.
619 reviews61 followers
March 29, 2018
Reading and knowing about spirituality and spiritual world is an adventure in itself. For people who believe in spiritualism, knowing about it in deep is their only goal. I am definitely one of them and that’s the reason the most books that I have in my book shelf currently belongs to the same genre. And the one author whom I believe blindly when it comes to this topic is none other than Sadhguru aka. Jaggi Vasudeva. The way he talks about spirituality by making the difficult concepts easy, no other author has still been able to do as per my experience.

I just ended up reading one of his many books named “Life and Death in One Breath” which is again published by Jaico who believes in publishing mostly of this genre. The book is very well designed and the way it is written in the form of questions and answers serve the purpose of the seekers. Every possible question on the topic of life and death has been considered and Sadhguru’s answers to many of them are apt. Sadhguru talks on different topics in this book like how one can live life to the fullest, how should one avoid creating a false identity and then living the whole life with it, how can one transform oneself from being ordinary to extraordinary, how effective or ineffective the whole trap of dream is and lastly, Sadhguru discusses death in detail which is the best climax that the book could have.

Frankly speaking, this is the least rated book of Sadhguru as per my judgment. Sadhguru’s books are wonderful because they speak the complex topics in a very simple language making it easy for the ordinary person to understand the same. But talking about this one, Sadhguru has spoken about the topics in a language which will be understandable only to the people who are well-versed in the genre of spirituality and must be following it regularly with certain devotion. It is very hard to understand what Sadhguru is exactly trying to speak because the complex topics are not normalized and presented in a simplistic manner. Anyone who will start studying spirituality with this book is surely going to run away. Hence, I rate this book as 3* out of 5.

Thanks.

ABHILASH RUHELA!!!
Profile Image for Bhakta Kishor.
286 reviews45 followers
July 26, 2020
For ages, most of humanity has placed "life" and "death" at two ends of the existential spectrum - favouring one, fearing the other and continuously floundering between the two. Only when someone who has consciously traversed between both life and death offers to articulate some aspects of it, does humanity get a glimpse of what lies beyond the horizon of its normal perception. With his extraordinary insights, coming from a profound inner experience, sad guru reveals that life and death are, in fact, two sides of the same coin. It is only by embracing both that we can break the shackles of our self-made struggles and be set free.

✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦
Profile Image for Prateek Parkash.
1 review3 followers
June 7, 2015
inspired from a lot of verses from gita.. but from the big picture, its a very well framed book with explanations of lot of interesting idioms of the indian society. But somehow it feels like he has made to be as clear as a diamond, that is it is only upto the reader's to grasp out the content making some phrases ambiguous and a mystery and albeit sadhguru is self contradictory in my opinion, It still is rises as the best among the lot of other logical spiritual books such as Sophie's world, Plato platypus walks into a bar....
January 9, 2019
Only when you are no longer afraid of death you can live freely, and I think this book prepares you for that by explaining in very layman terms. Eventually every one is going to die, we do not have any option. It is only matter of time when you are on the other side. So it is important to atleast attempt to know what the process is. Must read.
Profile Image for Mehul.
51 reviews5 followers
December 14, 2016
Amazing read. Sadhguru's conversation is full of mysticism with a Tadka of Humour. This book is like a roller coster ride that will only lift you Up with so much wisdom about our own life. A good and must read for all.
July 4, 2018
Death is also life

Death is also life.... Making me seek... Making me experiment...making me Learn tools to know more about life... To be Inclusive is what i need to do
Profile Image for Vijayan Dharmaraj.
Author 1 book1 follower
March 26, 2019
As usual reading Sadhguru books is like skating on a marble floor, it takes u smoothly till the end.. this book is a skate ride between life between life and death ...
40 reviews1 follower
September 7, 2023
还不错,虽然内容上和其他的书有不少重合,但是感觉有讲得更仔细的地方,或许是因为有的话讲得多了,到后来会越来越简略,而早期的发言会说得详细些吧。这本书也许是早期一点之后的发言?

总之适合拿起来随便翻翻吧,反正都是些Q&A。
Profile Image for Shreyash Sill.
23 reviews
January 29, 2023
𒆜 𝕴𝖘𝖓'𝖙 𝖙𝖍𝖊 𝖏𝖔𝖚𝖗𝖓𝖊𝖞 𝖇𝖊𝖙𝖜𝖊𝖊𝖓 𝖙𝖍𝖊 𝖙𝖜𝖔 𝖊𝖓𝖉𝖘 𝖔𝖋 𝖙𝖍𝖊 𝖊𝖝𝖎𝖘𝖙𝖊𝖓𝖙𝖎𝖆𝖑 𝖘𝖕𝖊𝖈𝖙𝖗𝖚𝖒 (ℓιƒє αη∂ ∂єαтн) 𝖜𝖍𝖊𝖗𝖊 𝖜𝖊 𝖙����𝖓𝖉 𝖙𝖔 𝖘𝖕𝖊𝖓𝖉 𝖔𝖚𝖗 𝖊𝖓𝖙𝖎𝖗𝖊 𝖑𝖎𝖋𝖊𝖙𝖎𝖒𝖊 𝖎𝖘 𝖏𝖚𝖘𝖙 𝖙𝖍𝖆𝖙 𝖔𝖋 'σηє ѕιηgℓє вяєαтн'? 𒆜

🔖One needs to keep one's instinct of SELF-PRESERVATION within the ambit of the physical body, while the layer of CONSTANT EXPANSION can be rebuilt over mind, emotion and energy on a continuous note. If one learns to do this, every human being in this planet will naturally be spiritual and will naturally realize his Ultimate nature.

🔖The moment you identify yourself with something limited, you are in a natural conflict with the rest of the existence - termed as "RESTRICTIVE SELF-IDENTIFICATION".

🔖We all live with a FALSE IDENTITY, means that we are just the shadows of the physical realm. We, the self-created "myself", are huge IMPRESSIONS OF MEMORY manipulated into different shapes and forms according to one's thoughts and emotions. The walls for SELF-PRESERVATION unconsciously become the walls of SELF-IMPRISONMENT. What you believe becomes your reality - MAYA or ILLUSION.

🔖People relate spirituality with DETACHMENT (to be free from ENTANGLEMENT), because they are afraid of involvement. People cannot distinguish between involvement and entanglement, hence prefer detachment. Detachment is not a solution for life, it's a way of avoiding life. INVOLVEMENT is necessary for any depth of experience in life.

🔖DEATH is a fiction created by people who live their lives in total unawareness. There is only life, life and life alone, moving from one dimension to another, another dimension to another. The attainment of MUKTI helps one become free from the process of life and death.

🔖BOUNDLESS INCLUSIVENESS is the futuristic path to the conscious traverse between life and death, touching the ULTIMATE DIVINITY.
Profile Image for Rashmi Menon.
22 reviews3 followers
January 15, 2020
As always, Sadhguru talks, in simple terms, how one can choose to live life with total command over the self, by living consciously and mindfully. The concepts of inclusion vs identifying to something, involvement vs entanglement, awareness vs tendencies etc are beautifully put down, with doses of humour all along. He stresses how there is no absolute duality in the world, how extremes are just different degrees of a singular idea subjected to individual perception and opinion.

He talks about the mystic land that India has been since ages, and how, unfortunately, due to unmindful living, we have lost the know-how to a harmonious society and way of life. By making a free decision and choice, in a joyful and non-compulsive state, and by unwaveringly holding on to the same, life can be better lived, he says.

Although it is to be admitted that more often than not, a random reader of this book cannot implement in totality what is spoken about, definitely, there are simple basic things that can be adopted and which can serve to refine the self and help to tide across the world as a better human being.
Profile Image for Caitlin Litz .
238 reviews10 followers
July 11, 2023

The hardest life in the world is to be constantly putting yourself out into the world like you are joyful when you are not. When you are not happy, to show everyone that you are happy, it costs phenomenal amount of life. Have you noticed this? There are some people who, when they are happy, they are happy; when they are not happy, they are not happy. They just show it to everyone, the whole world knows their act of life. Some people manage to pretend all the time, but it takes a phenomenal amount of energy to keep it up like that. You will grow diseases in your body, I am telling you. You will grow lumps and tumors in your body, if you constantly try to put on an act. This is happening all over the world.

Profile Image for Swati Damle.
36 reviews
January 24, 2021
I bought the book long back but couldn't pick it up to read sooner. After reading a lot of his books earlier and watching many videos when I started his book I realised is a compilation of various sessions that Sadguru conducted. Now if you've done that too, then some examples and question answers may seen familiar to you.
Author 2 books
Read
May 14, 2022
A book with the live questions and answers with Sadhguru, in-person, during his sessions. However provides us with lot of basic awareness. Most of them are believable, a few are hard too believe because of lack of its practicality.
The last lession of death, is what I liked the most in this book.
I would recommend people interested in spirituality, should read this.
53 reviews2 followers
May 20, 2020
Everytime I read his book, the longing within increases manifold.
The truth of one's mortality
The truth of this nothingness
The truth of this breathing, this particular moment
Brings magic and mystery,
incomprehensible to mind.

Profile Image for Parag Sahu.
13 reviews
June 14, 2020
Sadhguru explained about life and death in a precise manner.
Very much thought provoking.
The book really emphasizes on looking at untouched aspects of life.
Thoughts of Sadguru have been really explained in alignment with reality.
Must read !!!!
Profile Image for Thabo Ngaka.
8 reviews1 follower
July 31, 2020
I always watch Sadhguru's interviews and discussion on YouTube. I'm a big fan.
Reading the book was really awesome - as expected. The wisdom contained in his answers to the various questions are so simple yet so profound. They make so much sense.
I loved it.
January 24, 2024
Brilliant stuff

Very practical inner improvement of the core self through various approaches. Inner Engineering offers some good insights for follow through if the online course is taken...
This book provides s good overview
2 reviews
September 17, 2020
Elaborates the life of death and the community held belief system.nice book to change the way we perceive including death
3 reviews1 follower
March 30, 2022
Sadhgur answers some of the most intense and fundamental questions that breaks all the myths and beliefs one has in their life And sets a clear to approach life in its totality
Profile Image for Abhishek Mishra.
55 reviews1 follower
February 26, 2024
It's an utter waste of time. No where close to the profound book "Death- An Inside experience" by Sadguru. A drag & a repeat of a lot of things that we have read in other books by Sadguru.
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