Let's start with a bit of explanation of what a Sadhana is. According to Wikipedia it is "an ego-transcending spiritual practice" which is a reasonable definition but really what does that actually mean?
I have my own Sadhana and it is something I do everyday and for me it is about a connection with myself. It is taking the time to learn who the real you is, behind all the crap and all the layers we put on for everyone else. It is a way to help you live an authentic life and get more of what you want. It is all about learning the difference between your ego and your inner being. When you do this it allows you to make the decisions that will help you create a fulfilling life.
It has taken me many years to get something that works for me and it is an ever changing process and something that I need to adapt to fit into my life. As my situation and goals change so does my Sadhana. The most important thing is that I do something everyday and never ignore my soul. These are the steps I recommend to setting up your own soulful daily practice:
1. Create Some Time
This might seem like the hardest step but it is vital. We all lead busy lives and so fitting in time to connect with yourself can seem a challenge but it is probably the most important thing you can do. The amount of time you dedicate to your Sadhana will vary from person to person but making sure you have a small amount everyday is vital so whether you decide to get up a bit earlier, stay up a bit later or use your lunch hour will depend on you and will change as your life changes.
2. Work Out What Time of Day is Best for You
Working out when you will get the most of your practice is vital. If you are the type of person that cannot get up in the morning then deciding to meditate in the morning is just setting yourself up for failure. This is the beginning of a connection with yourself and your inner being as you start to learn what works for you.
3. Start Small
I am a yoga teacher and I have been involved in a spiritual practice for many years and so yes of course I now meditate daily, write a journal and have a daily yoga practice but it has taken a while to get there. The more pressure you put on yourself the harder it is to stick to something. So start with a daily 10 minute meditation or start a journal. As you add this to your routine you will gradually expand and change your practice.
4. Create a Habit
This is what will keep your growth going. It actually takes about 3 months to create a lasting habit although it can take as little as 2 weeks for something to become part of your routine. This is really important as you need to start something and then do it everyday to seal it as a habit. You might not do the same thing everyday but you need to dedicate some time everyday to self exploration.
5. Develop Your Practice
Once you have a regular practice now is the time for the hard work. Start to study how you respond to different practices and different techniques and see where you are getting progress. Start to make changes to your practice so that you actually have the opportunity to grow and do this all with the knowledge that you know what is best for you and be guided by your inner light. For example with my yoga practice I will often change how I approach this, sometimes I need a dynamic practice to fire myself up or if I am finding my life demanding I may do more restorative yoga and rest my body. The only way I can know this is to listen to my body and how it is responding.
The above steps are just my advice and what works for me but it is important to remember that the whole point is you develop a personal practice and grow the connection with yourself. As you learn more and more about you then your inner self will be guiding you and you will know just what to do.
Let me know what your daily spiritual practice is like and what works for you.​
Image courtesy of Stuart Miles at FreeDigitalPhotos.net
