User:Achilles' spiel/Hinduism in the West

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** will add the following as a new section ('Impact in the West'), after 'Isha Foundation' section on the Sadhguru article, rather than on the Hinduism in the West article** ***was going to add to the Sadhguru article, but it is locked to outside edits, edited sandbox draft to add to Hinduism in the West article***

Sadhguru's appeal to the South Asian diaspora
'''Sadhguru presents himself to Western followers as no more knowledgeable than any of them of the ancient Hindu texts. In his article ‘The Meaning of ‘Sadhguru’’ on the website for the Isha foundation, Sadhguru states that his name means ‘uneducated guru’. He has not read the classic Hindu texts: the Vedas or the Bhagavad Gita , neither has he learned Sanskrit . His example, he suggests, shows that scholarly knowledge of Hindu texts is not necessary for self-realization. By marketing himself as an ordinary individual who can guide others, he has gained a following among those who believe they can reach his level by listening to his teachings.'''

By diverging from traditional ways of teaching Hinduism, Sadhguru offers a New Age Hinduism which resonates with second-generation South-Asian Americans who are navigating the intersection of their Indian roots and Western identity '''. Like Sadhguru, South Asian Americans are unlikely to have been exposed to in-depth reading of Hindu texts.'''

Sadhguru's appeal to the global middle class
'''Sadhguru's teachings appeal to the middle class because of their emphasis on materialism and how to counteract it. He has stated that "wanting more" is a sentiment shared among the general population. He highlights the importance of making sure that material accumulations do not define one's self-identity. Everything a person accumulates, Sadhguru states, is theirs but it does not make up the person themselves. Through this constant pursuit of accumulation of material goods, he points out that an individual may forget to focus on their own identity. This appeals to the global middle class since it focuses on the concept of having enough money to feel secure while simultaneously striving for upward mobility and securing the wealth that they currently have.'''