Question

What’s my sadhana (practice)?

Answer
By Aimee Hughes | Published: November 1, 2016 | Last updated: November 1, 2016

Let’s first define the yoga term, sadhana. Your sadhana is your personal spiritual practice; it’s a set of rituals you do each and every day. Establishing sadhana is crucial to your spiritual growth. In creating your own sadhana practice, you get to have clear expectations as to what you are going to do every single day. (How do the chakras help us understand our spiritual growth?)

Not unlike a daily exercise regimen, sadhana practice is a way of building a set routine to fulfill your spiritual goals. We have so many distractions that threaten to pull us away from any kind of regular, committed spiritual practice. Who has time for sadhana? (What does your practice (sadhana) look like if you’re too busy?)

You do, because you know how essential it is to your well-being and your path as an evolving yogi. Ancient yogis created the sadhana practice because they knew just how important a personal practice was. They also knew just how crucial discipline and commitment were for one’s spiritual growth.

To create your sadhana practice, you’ll want to spend some time getting really clear and identifying what your spiritual goals are. What are the areas you’d like to focus on? Meditation? Pranayama? Journaling? Prayer? Asana? What are your strengths and what are your weaknesses? Where could you use a boost? These are all questions you might want to journal about before setting a daily routine into place.

Maybe you rise early and meditate. Drink a cup of chai before doing an hour of yoga. Perhaps you chant on the weekends and read spiritual literature before bed. These are all examples of ways to create your sadhana. (Learn more about The Benefits of Chai Spices.)

It may take some time to set your personal sadhana into place, but, with time, it will come. Be patient and explore all the various possibilities. Start small and build slowly. Your sadhana will become a sacred part of your day–one that will nourish you all through life. (How do I evolve my sadhana?)

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Written by Aimee Hughes

Aimee Hughes

Aimee is a yogi and writer who's been practicing yoga daily for more than 21 years. Since a journey to India when she was 20, the practice has been her constant companion. She loves exploring the vast and seemingly endless worlds of yoga. Aimee has also written a book titled, "The Sexy Vegan Kitchen: Culinary Adventures in Love & Sex." You can find her at her new site: https://natura.yoga

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