Simone Cheryl - Midnights with the Mystic: A Little Guide to Freedom and Bliss

No lofty thoughts, just the truth. Cheryl Simone and Sadhguru not only tell it like it is, they show us how make use of this information to expand, enjoy, and appreciate our lives.

Dr Joe Vitale, author of The Attractor Factor and The Key

Extraordinary wisdom, the insight and clarity of logic, the language of a poet. If you read this powerful book, you will discover who you really are, who we all are.

Neale Donald Walsch, author of Conversations with God

When you read this book, I know you'll resonate with its truths, be touched in ways that can trigger your own transformation, and realize, as I have, that a peaceful, fulfilling, and vibrant life is available for one and all who open themselves to receive the abundant Grace of this unparalleled being.

Richard from Texas (from Eat, Pray, Love)

Sadhguru's piercing logic and wit reveal the true nature of life, while the author's riveting personal journey reveals Sadhguruthe person and the science that frames his life's work. The book makes a compelling argument for why every person should experience what Sadhguru has to offer.

Ravi Venkatesan, CEO, Microsoft India

Meeting Sadhguru has been the most profound experience of my lifeafter intensely searching, I have at last found a being with the clarity and vision to lead me to the ultimate. While no words can fully describe what it means to encounter such a being, this book captures the seeker's predicament and lays bare Sadhguru's mastery over life and his ability to engineer blissfulness. For anyone that has ever questioned the purpose of life, every page in this book will resonate with youit is as if this book was written by you and yet for you.

Indu Jain, Chairperson, Times of India Group

Copyright 2008

by Cheryl Simone and Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev

All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this work in any form whatsoever, without permission in writing from the publisher, except for brief passages in connection with a review.

Cover design by Kathryn Sky-Peck

Cover photographs by Getty Images

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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Simone, Cheryl, 1953

Midnights with the mystic : a little guide to freedom and bliss / Cheryl Simone with Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev.

p. cm.

Summary: A personal recounting of the author's five-day retreat with her guru, Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev, and her journey toward self-enlightenment--Provided by publisher.

ISBN 978-1-57174-561-3 (5.25 x 7.25 tp : alk. paper)

1. Simone, Cheryl, 1953- 2. Vasudev, Jaggi, Sadhguru. 3. Spiritual biography. 4. Yoga. I. Vasudev, Jaggi, Sadhguru. II. Title.

BL1175.S4A35 2008

295.4092--dc22

2008001721

ISBN 978-1-57174-561-3

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3

Printed on acid-free paper in Canada

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Those of you who have read the phenomenal bestseller, Eat, Pray, Love, know of the many so-called pearls of wisdom Richard from Texas directed at the author, Elizabeth Groceries Gilbert. From the pages of her book, I gained, quite unexpectedly, some notoriety. The media dubbed me a remarkable character that with his colloquial one-liners dispels poignant, irreverent, humorous advice. Others have gone so far as to characterize my persona as so wise and possessing such an incredibly unique spirit. Even Oprah (that's the Oprah Winfrey) invited this surprisingly wise cowboy on her show that featured Liz and her runaway hit book.

Her readers also know of my former proclivities as a junkie and a drunk, along with my prior career as a drug dealer, or as Groceries more delicately labeled my line of work, a commodities broker in illegal narcotics. What you don't know is how the transformation occurred from that addict and alcoholic to a Big Texas Yogi, who can emit what is alleged to be sage advice. Certainly the school of hard knocks taught me many lessons. But more importantly, I have been blessed with two remarkable teachers: first, the one Liz chose to keep anonymous (so I will too); and second, Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev.

Even with my flourish and fanfare for memorable one-liners, I have no words that can even come close to describing this exceptionally incredible great being I am now graced to call my guru. I've never been in the presence of anyone like him before. He truly is one-of-akind. One could never label him what we preconceive in the U.S. to be a typical Eastern guru. He's very unorthodox, devoid of conformity, a jokester, frequently dons blue jeans and T-shirts, and loves to toss a Frisbee around. Yet, he epitomizes the very pinnacle of what a fervent seeker searches for in a spiritual guideone who makes all possibilities available.

I first met Sadhguru in 2005 when a very dear friend, who had transformed so much herself, invited me to attend an introductory Inner Engineering Program. Well, to be truthful, she just didn't invite meshe bought my airline ticket and paid for the hotel and the class, so I couldn't say no, I'm too busy, blah, blah, blah, or make some other excuse. So there I was sitting in the hotel meeting room and in walked this presence who actually made my body tingle. Then he turned and faced us.

I looked into his eyes and became dizzy. I was gazing into deep pools of love that just sucked me in and totally enveloped me. I had never had that kind of experience before. All I could think of was, Oooohhhh, I'm in for some wild stuff. And then he opened his mouth and began to speak. When he talked, it resonated so deeply within me that I almost had a physical experience of his words. I felt that I was touched on a cellular level. To be more succinct, I was completely blown away.

At the end of the program, I spoke to him about my heart condition. You remember my prayer to open my heart that Liz wrote about? Resulting in a quadruple bypass? Well it was about five years later and problems had flared up again. I was eating nitroglycerin like it was candy, had suffered a heart attack, and was dodging the grim reaper. The doctors told me there was nothing more they could do and suggested that I get my affairs in order.

I asked Sadhguru if there was anything he could do to help me. He said, Yes, but I don't have the time here, so you'll have to attend another specific program. The thought that ran through my mind was that he was a great salesman and had delivered a closing guaranteeing that I would come back.

So off I went to India for the next program, at the Wellness and Rejuvenation Center in his ashram adjacent to the foothills of the Vellingiri Mountains in Southern India. My treatment, individually designed by Sadhguru (as it was for all participants of the program), consisted of a combination of yogic practices, diet modifications, Ayurvedic therapies, and Siddha medicines.