Commit to a Daily Sadhana Practice
Sat Nam and Welcome back for the last posting of this series.
Here are the Three Ways to Find Peace & Joy Everyday:
Committing to a daily practice is the most important of these three suggestions. The reason is that our lives and world are ever-changing, shifting, evolving, and we have very little control over those changes. As a result, many people are living in a subtle but perpetual state of fear and anxiety – of feeling out of control over what happens that affects the quality of their lives. Partners cheat, a friend betrays us, we get fired from our job after many years of loyal service, we get evicted or lose our home, we lose some one we love, inexplicably bad things happen to good people - obviously greatly impact our lives and our sense of security. But is or was there anything we could have done to prevent these dreadful and life changing events - even if we spent considerable amounts of valuable time worrying and fretting? Probably not.
Here are the Three Ways to Find Peace & Joy Everyday:
- Create a Sacred Space for Stillness
- Commit to a Daily Sadhana Practice
Committing to a daily practice is the most important of these three suggestions. The reason is that our lives and world are ever-changing, shifting, evolving, and we have very little control over those changes. As a result, many people are living in a subtle but perpetual state of fear and anxiety – of feeling out of control over what happens that affects the quality of their lives. Partners cheat, a friend betrays us, we get fired from our job after many years of loyal service, we get evicted or lose our home, we lose some one we love, inexplicably bad things happen to good people - obviously greatly impact our lives and our sense of security. But is or was there anything we could have done to prevent these dreadful and life changing events - even if we spent considerable amounts of valuable time worrying and fretting? Probably not.
What we can do is to commit to OURSELVES, and to That Which Never Changes, and that can Never be taken away from you – YOU. Doesn’t it make sense to commit time to something that can never be taken away from us rather than to struggle, strain, fret and spend great amounts of time and energy on things that will inevitably change?
If we commit this time daily, it empowers and enables us to handle all of the challenges and changes with more peace, grace and acceptance. More importantly, we humans need an anchor, some consistency that we can actually count on that is our safe haven, place of respite, safety-net, peace and protection when everything on the outside is falling apart all around us. That is why we commit to a daily Sadhana practice. We need something to look forward to every day that is sacred. Sadhana is the pause button in our lives, allowing us space and time to breathe and gain perspective. It is a blessing we give ourselves.
Yogi Bhajan, our beloved teacher and master of Kundalini yoga says that Commitment is the first step to Happiness. And let’s be real here, if we can’t even commit a small amount of time each day to supporting ourselves, then how can we expect anything in life to support us? Can we commit to ourselves?
If we commit this time daily, it empowers and enables us to handle all of the challenges and changes with more peace, grace and acceptance. More importantly, we humans need an anchor, some consistency that we can actually count on that is our safe haven, place of respite, safety-net, peace and protection when everything on the outside is falling apart all around us. That is why we commit to a daily Sadhana practice. We need something to look forward to every day that is sacred. Sadhana is the pause button in our lives, allowing us space and time to breathe and gain perspective. It is a blessing we give ourselves.
Yogi Bhajan, our beloved teacher and master of Kundalini yoga says that Commitment is the first step to Happiness. And let’s be real here, if we can’t even commit a small amount of time each day to supporting ourselves, then how can we expect anything in life to support us? Can we commit to ourselves?
What is Sadhana and why is it so important?
Sadhana is a sanskrit word: Sa meaning all or infinite and dhana meaning blessings. If we want Infinite Blessings, we need Sadhana.
Sadhana is a spiritual discipline, a commitment to take time each day to relate to our authentic self, clean out the closets of our minds. It is an act of profound self love and of cleansing ourself so that our soul can shine and radiate the truth of who we are. Again, if we can’t commit to love ourselves, how can we expect anyone else to love us.
Sadhana helps us to face challenges that come our way and meet the challenges with love, compassion and grace. Regular and consistent Sadhana practice purifies and refines our consciousness, and connect us to our Highest Good. It brings blessings and sacredness into our lives. Sadhana is a self disciple of the mind and body to serve the soul. It provides that sacred space, place and time and that anchor to That Which Never Changes.
Sadhana is a sanskrit word: Sa meaning all or infinite and dhana meaning blessings. If we want Infinite Blessings, we need Sadhana.
Sadhana is a spiritual discipline, a commitment to take time each day to relate to our authentic self, clean out the closets of our minds. It is an act of profound self love and of cleansing ourself so that our soul can shine and radiate the truth of who we are. Again, if we can’t commit to love ourselves, how can we expect anyone else to love us.
Sadhana helps us to face challenges that come our way and meet the challenges with love, compassion and grace. Regular and consistent Sadhana practice purifies and refines our consciousness, and connect us to our Highest Good. It brings blessings and sacredness into our lives. Sadhana is a self disciple of the mind and body to serve the soul. It provides that sacred space, place and time and that anchor to That Which Never Changes.
What if I'm not religious – 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, Source, Allah, the Goddess, Shiva, Shakti… whatever word you like to use to describe something that is omniscient.
- Many people find simply connecting with nature is a 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 you. That is – your ego self, which is small, limited and separate from everything else, to your Higher Self, which is infinite, unlimited and connected to All that Is.
What will I gain by practicing a Sadhana?
My personal experience of Sadhana is that when I was going through training to become a Kundalini Yoga teacher, we had to commit to our own personal Sadhana. I was very resistant and found this extremely difficult. Two things propelled me to get over myself and all of my excuses. One was that I wanted to be a Kundalini yoga teacher more than anything – and this was a requirement! I trusted that my desire to become a teacher would be stronger than my ego. The second thing was a quote from Yogi Bhajan, “If your sadhana is more important than your neurosis, you are fine. If your neurosis is more important than your sadhana you are not.” WHOA.. that stopped me dead in my tracks. How in the world could I ignore this message?? I put that quote on my bathroom mirror because I did not want my neurosis to be more important than becoming Who I was meant to be. This commitment and practice profoundly changed me and my life in ways that I could never have imagined.
- Commitment – a Sadhana may only be ten minutes a day, but just doing it every single day no matter what says that you care about your spiritual evolution. You are putting yourself first and you are growing.
- Discipline – the mind and ego are wild, unpredictable things and will use all kinds of excuses to try and keep you from doing your Sadhana. Doing it every single day builds discipline as we learn not to listen to the mind and the ego, and to just DO what feels good because we know we truly want it.
- Evolution – you’re either changing and growing as a person, or you’re stagnating. Do you want life to get better, or not? Doing a daily Sadhana is one small way to make sure that every single day is just a little bit better than the last one, no matter what else is going on in your life.
- Foundation – at just 10 minutes, a Sadhana is like planting a tiny little seed in the garden. Every day you practice you water it and it grows… and as you get used to dedicating ten minutes a day to your evolution and growth, you’ll naturally discover you want to make more and more time for yourself. That tiny seed blossoms and grows and bears fruit and one day you turn around and discover your whole life has become a Sadhana.
My personal experience of Sadhana is that when I was going through training to become a Kundalini Yoga teacher, we had to commit to our own personal Sadhana. I was very resistant and found this extremely difficult. Two things propelled me to get over myself and all of my excuses. One was that I wanted to be a Kundalini yoga teacher more than anything – and this was a requirement! I trusted that my desire to become a teacher would be stronger than my ego. The second thing was a quote from Yogi Bhajan, “If your sadhana is more important than your neurosis, you are fine. If your neurosis is more important than your sadhana you are not.” WHOA.. that stopped me dead in my tracks. How in the world could I ignore this message?? I put that quote on my bathroom mirror because I did not want my neurosis to be more important than becoming Who I was meant to be. This commitment and practice profoundly changed me and my life in ways that I could never have imagined.
How to Start a Sadhana Practice
Those of you who know me and/or follow my posts know that I am NOT one to suggest something that is not realistic in our busy lives – or something that is so overwhelming that we are defeated before we begin. I truly believe that a little goes a long way – that if we start small, then we will naturally and organically grow to the exact place we need to be in perfect and Divine Timing.
A Sadhana could be:
Those of you who know me and/or follow my posts know that I am NOT one to suggest something that is not realistic in our busy lives – or something that is so overwhelming that we are defeated before we begin. I truly believe that a little goes a long way – that if we start small, then we will naturally and organically grow to the exact place we need to be in perfect and Divine Timing.
A Sadhana could be:
- A mantra meditation
- A specific yogic asana practice like surya namaskar (sun salutations)
- A particular kriya (set yoga practice which can include asana, pranayama, meditation, asana, mantra, mudra…)
- A visualization
- Reading a spiritual or inspirational text
- A daily walk in Nature (link to my article)
- Spending quiet in your garden
- Practicing Stillness (link to my article)
Here are just a few suggestions of simple meditations, kriyas and mantras that are my personal favorites:
- Adi Mantra: Ong Namo Guru Dev Namo. It means, “I bow to the divine wisdom – the divine teacher within”. This mantra truly centers us in the Higher Self. It establishes a strong and clear connection so that you can receive the highest guidance, energy and inspiration. (My personal favorite and staple of my Sahana practice). Click HERE for further information and instructions, music, pronunciation, etc . This is the mantra we use to "tune in" before every Kundalini Yoga class.
- Sat Nam Mantra: It means “Truth is my Identity”. Simple and small but potent. It connects you with your Higher consciousness. More information, music and instructions HERE
- Adi Shakti Mantra: Ek Ong Kaar Sat Nam Siree Wahe Guru. It means, “The creator and all creation are one. This is our true Identity. The ecstasy of this wisdom is Great beyond words”. The eight part mantra corresponds to the body’s eight chakras (energy centers). This mantra creates a responsive interrelationship between you and the universal creative energy. For music, more information and to listen, click HERE.
- Sat Kriya: One of the most powerful kriyas in all of Kundalini Yoga. If you have time to do only 1 thing – this is it – 3 minutes will shift everything in your mind and body. A few of the many things it does is to calm emotional disarray and calm the nervous system. It is a direct stimulant to the Kundalini energy (the blueprint of your soul). More instructions and information HERE.
The important thing is simply to Start ...where ever you are – 5 minutes or 10 minutes or whatever you can commit to do. If none of my suggestions resonate with you, find your own. Plant the seed, water and feed it daily and allow it to grow! If you open your heart to yourself, I promise that the results will be no less than miraculous! When you have made this commitment, you will feel it, and the Universe will unleash floods of opportunity, carrying you to the fulfillment of your intentions with ease, grace and joy.
The ultimate freedom is to commit to being fully alive, present and YOU.Find your moment today.
Commit and create just one moment to pause, to find the small voice of the Divine in the stillness at the center of the whirlwind.
The ultimate freedom is to commit to being fully alive, present and YOU.Find your moment today.
Commit and create just one moment to pause, to find the small voice of the Divine in the stillness at the center of the whirlwind.
Please contact me if you have questions about Sadhana, or any other subject. It is my honor to be of assistance to you on your journey!
Wishing you all a bountiful, blissful and beautiful weekend. Please go out and meditate on the Full Moon and Manifest your Hearts Desire!
See you next week.
Love and Blessings,
Vikki
Wishing you all a bountiful, blissful and beautiful weekend. Please go out and meditate on the Full Moon and Manifest your Hearts Desire!
See you next week.
Love and Blessings,
Vikki
