The heart of Self Practice
One of the most powerful things we can do as practitioners of yoga is take our practice into our own hands. To become educated on how yoga asana may impact our daily lives, create rituals that embody what you are striving towards and feel empowered to cultivate a daily practice that aligns you to your highest self.
Daily sadhana does not have to look like a 60 minute asana practice or creating a cosmic portal in your meditation to be impactful. Our daily practice should ultimately aim to create equanimity of mind and invite balance with our outer pursuits and inner pursuits. Traditionally Sadhana translates as a daily spiritual practice that ultimately leads to enlightenment. There are many definitions of enlightenment and trying to define the limitless to the limited mind can be very tricky to understand. Patanjali defines enlightenment as reaching a state where the self, the mind, and the object of meditation merge together into one. In tantra they define Moksha as becoming a beacon of light that lives in the world but not a product of the world. In buddhism they define enlightenment as one who has escaped the cycle of birth and death and no longer in a state of suffering.
For most of us enlightenment is not something that suddenly turns on one day, but rather is something that we grow into more and more.
The heart of a self practice that leads to transformation of both mind and body requires attentiveness, intention and guidance from someone who has walked the path before. This someone does not have to be the highest living guru that lives or someone who claims to have all of the answers but someone who is just a little further than you on the path of freedom. If you are serious about becoming free the best thing you can do is become educated and take your practice into your OWN HANDS! Craft a daily sadhana that is unique to you, seek mentorship when you hit roadblocks and continue to learn not because you have to but because you have evolved and you're ready to!
A daily practice has many shapes and forms of which some parts may be non-negotiable and other parts more flexible. Here are some tips and ideas of where to start.
Connected to earth this may be a practice of watching the sunrise offering salutations to Surya and the great mother for another day.
Connect to breath a daily pranayama practice may be 5 minutes, 15 minutes or taking 3 mindful breaths many times throughout the day.
Connect to body through movement that be asana, running, swimming, walking but make the movement intentional and as a sacred connection to the vessel that carries you.
Connect to spirit through mediation we access parts of our being that hides beneath the layers of the busy mind. We quiet the mind and drop into place that has always been there, one that feel like home.
Over time and consistency your Sadhana will naturally deepen. Create a ritual around what you do, when you do it and the intention as to why you do it. Through mindfulness we foster a better relationship with ourself and in turn a better relationship to spirit.
If you're ready to take your Sadhana to the next level and deepen your understanding on the practices and philosophies of yoga join our next Yoga Teacher Training and Ayurvedic Studies January 2024.