One of the key yogic texts, The Yoga Sutras, discusses Sadhana - designated spiritual practices which yogis consider a pathway to liberation. Sadhana represents a disciplined surrendering of the ego, in which the practitioner uses tools such as asana, pranayama, meditation and chanting to quiet the mind and go within.
If Spiritual Liberation feels a little too woo-woo for you, then think of Sadhana as something you do for yourself, I like to think of it as soul work that is essential for our overall health and wellbeing, a means to living better in the body we've been gifted, acknowledging the ancient philosophy that dis-ease is often the result of unprocessed experiences accumulated in the body.
One of the ways I like to think of Sadhana is a means to nourishing and exploring our emotions, thoughts, and feelings (which can be hard to look at and process at times). The more we practice, the stronger and more balanced we become in our subtle body as it's receiving more of our attention on a regular basis. This helps us to better navigate our inner landscape and provides a doorway for growth, expanded awareness, and harmony.
Although Sadhana can is a personal practice, I believe that the practice is more powerful - particularly if you're recommitting to practice - as a community experience with the support of fellow students and a yoga teacher:
“Sadhana aims to expand the limitations, and break the boundaries of ones energy. As humans we have two fundamental forces that are constantly functioning — one being the instinct of self-preservation and the other being the longing to become boundless — When we are able to merge the two into one, we can find success in our Sadhana.”(Sadhguru, 2)
If you're seeking a greater sense of purpose in your personal yoga practice, this is your invitation to join my specially created yoga series, giving you the opportunity to move beyond asana to explore the more subtle aspects of yoga: meditation, mudra, pranayama and mantra to nourish your soul from the inside out.
See you on the mat,
Sara
