Why Practice Daily Sadhana? “One part of sadhana should stay constant long enough for you to master, or at least experience, the changes evoked by a single technique. Each kriya and mantra has its individual effects, although they all elevate you toward 22 a cosmic consciousness. Learn to value the pricelessness of one kriya, and all others will be understood in a clearer light.” ~Yogi Bhajan Before I begin explaining the importance of a Sadhana it is important you understand the original Sanskirt meaning along with other important as-pects surrounding it and their meanings. Sadhana literally “a means of accomplishing some-thing”, is an ego-transcending spiritual practice. It refers to a tantric liturgy or liturgical manual, that is, the instructions to carry out a ritual. I want to share with you why Sadhana is a significant part of your daily practice in your development as a yogi and as a human being. This practice is not something to check off a list, and it is very different than asana or meditation. Sadhana is done with specific intention to grow and awaken to the Flow. There is a common saying, “You are what you eat.” In yoga, there is another saying. “Your hab-its define you.” There is nothing to redeem or purify at the soul-level, isn’t this great news? The soul is complete and beautiful as it is. But this reality “life” is based on our habits. Our habits define us to ourselves and to other people. By our habits, we live in peace, joy and happiness. By our habits, we create suffering and pain. When we change our habits, everything around us can change. For many years, I held a forty day spiritual prac-tice over Lent (a Sadhana, as I now know). The first thing I ever did for a spiritual practice was simply to give up sugar for 40 days. The depth of my practices have definitely deepened, but the intention is always to do the Sadhana as an intention to connect to something greater than ourselves. In this article, I have listed some ideas for you and many important details on this topic to get you started on your daily practice. My hope is that you begin this journey, or deepen one you already have and continue to develop this practice daily until your life in this Earth realm is complete! Let me answer some commonly asked questions from yoga students on the topic. What is this Sadhana thing anyway? A Sadhana is simply a daily spiritual practice designed to allow oneself to turn inward and perceive life as it truly is. But I’m not religious at all, why would I want to do a spiritual practice? Being spiritual is not about religion at all – although it might mean you have a personal relationship to God, the Divine, the Universe, the Infinite, Consciousness, Allah, the Divine, Source, The Great Mystery, Goddess, Shiva, Shakti... whatever word you like to use to describe some-thing that is omniscient. Many people find connecting with nature is an innately spiritual experience, it makes them feel more in tune with life, and with themselves. A spiritual practice is simply a practice that connects you to your Highest Self. That is – your ego self, which is small, limited and separate from everything else, to your Higher Self, which is infinite and connected to the great I AM. Ideas for a daily of 40 day Sadhana: A mantra A chant A specific daily meditation A specific yogic asana practice like surya namaskar (sun salutation) A particular kriya (set yoga practice which can include asana, pranayama, meditation, asana, mantra, mudra...) Creative visualization Affirmations...said with intention Reading a spiritual text A daily walk in nature Why do we practice a Sadhana for forty days? A Sadhana doesn’t have to be for forty days, it may be just every single day for an indeterminate length of time, or it may be a set time that you decide. Forty days is usually the minimum, it’s a number with significance in many spiritual texts, including the Bible, as Lent is for forty days. One reason for this is when you do something every single day for forty days, it ingrains the new discipline into our brains; this is the study of neuroplasticity. By: Lisa Ware, Nutrition, Yoga Instructor Training & Reiki
DALLASYOGAdemo
To see the actual publication please follow the link above