Struggling with Your Sadhana?

I often hear from many that it's hard to commit to a daily sadhana or spirtual practice.  That makes sense to me.

We have many demands on the path of the householder. Our lives go though many stages from studying, starting a career, growing in our career, relationships, perhaps raising children, community responsibilities, sometimes illness and so on.

Many of us were not raised to create a daily self-care ritual.  In other cultures, it's quite common to start your day doing your morning prayers, exercises or the harvesting and preparing of cooking the day's food for you and your family.

Committing to some sort of daily ritual for yourself will come back to you ten-fold. Not to mention your family, loved ones, friends, business, co-workers.  The list goes on and on.

Daily sadhana can look your way.  It doesn't have to be some big, long drawn-out vision that seems so overwhelming you never start.  The ego will talk you right out of it. The ego will tell you you have way too many other things to do.

Start small.

Start with what you like to do!  What are you drawn to?  What feels good? What connects your soul?

For some it can be the "yoga" of a walk in nature.  So balancing for your energy and mental bodies.

Others may like the "yoga" of going to the gym, the tennis court, the golf course.  You get my point. Everyone has a different "yoga."  Yoga = union, to merge with one's Higher Self.  The finite human self merging with the Infinite Self.

Lighting a candle and a 10-minute prayer, a reading from your favorite spiritual text or journaling. It's profound way to start or end your day or both!

Listening to relaxing music or mantra while you make breakfast or get dressed is a great way to fit in your inner-connecting time.

A guided meditation (there are many out there), a walking meditation or maybe a formal seated mantra meditation. 3 minutes up to 20 minutes once or twice a day.  A great way to start calming the nervous system and mind.

A pranayam (breath exercise), a few yoga poses, a small or medium set of poses or a full out class at the studio.

Look at your schedule each day and adjust accordingly.  Just don't skip your "me" time.

I've been on this path a long time, so I can attest to the ebb and flow of sadhana depending on my life's flow.  Some days, I just don't have the energy or I feel down (in my human side).  Those are the hardest days to keep up.  I know, though, if I keep up my sadhana, I'll be kept up!

I always recommend a sadhana buddy!  I have one.  She and I check in everyday.  It's a beautiful way to be accountable to myself, and it's a great support to have a friend on the same path.

Do sadhana for yourself.  Nobody else.

You will naturally glow and grow into a desire for more "soul connection" time as you keep up this daily self-love time. Let it happen gradually.

As you are attracted to more sadhana space you will find yourself adjusting your schedule around your practices, not trying to fit THEM into your life.

Trust me, you'll never be sorry you took time for your SOUL.  It's the best time you'll ever spend.  In the end we won't wished we worked more; we'll wished we connected to Love more......

xoKatherine

Owner, Karma Yoga Inc.