Annadhanam - A Sacred Offering of Food

“We owe our spiritual wealth not just to the sages, seers, masters and enlightened beings who walked the path, but also to the community that nurtured them. In our tradition, serving spiritual seekers and monks was of utmost importance. In fact for many, this was a path in itself. The most beautiful expression of this was the Annadhanam, the offering of food.”
- Sadhguru

Isha as a non-profit organization is involved in a variety of projects and undertakings, the aim of which is the physical, social and spiritual upliftment of all. To sustain these endeavors, the most fundamental aspect is food. At the Isha Yoga Center, Annadhanam, the sacred offering of food, is offered twice a day to over a thousand people including residents, Sanyasis, volunteers, Bramhacharis, students and all daily visitors. This vital offering sustains the work of the Isha Sadhakas who have dedicated their lives to working in the various spiritual, social, environmental and educational initiatives of Isha.

The Annadhanam is served in Biksha Hall at the Isha Yoga Center, biksha traditionally meaning “alms” or “food which is offered”. Taken in complete silence, the meal is preceded by an invocation, a powerful arrangement of sounds, which are designed to make a person more receptive to the life process. One aspect of taking to the spiritual path is to make every aspect of life conscious, which is why offering food in a certain way is given so much importance at the Yoga Center.

“Now in our day-to-day life we are only having two meals or sometimes only one meal. If you’re having only one or two meals a day, naturally you are very hungry by the time the meal comes. When the food comes, you don’t immediately eat. You wait for everybody to sit. You wait for something to go onto everybody’s plate, then you utter the invocation, and then you slowly eat. This needs consciousness. Just to give that break when you’re hungry, just to wait for those three to four minutes, it takes enormous amount of awareness for a person. To grab and eat would be very simple, but you will become more and more unconscious.” – Sadhguru

Over the last few years, Isha has grown phenomenally and Sadhguru has reached a great number of people. As more people are touched by this divine possibility, Isha Yoga Center is seeing a steady inflow of men and women seeking to intensify their spiritual quest and take the powerful possibility that Isha represents to the world. And as the ashram grows, the resources required to support it grow too.

Important occasions in your life such as a birthdays, anniversaries or any other day of your choice, can be an opportunity to offer Annadanam, and be a part of Sadhguru’s endeavour to spread joy, health and wellbeing. For more information, please send a mail to donations@ishafoundation.org or call 94425 04672 / 98948 92193.