the power of sadhana
As a Quad Left with a Virgo North Node, routine is pretty important for me, but even for those who need flexibility in their routine, a Sadhana practice can be a game changer. When we found ourselves in lockdown I was starting to feel lost after so many days at home. I was struggling to keep up with my practices, to motivate, to take care of work, to take care of myself the way I needed to, and creating a 40 day Sadhana was what pulled me out of it + completely shifted my energy in addition to bringing more prosperity, ease + synchronicity into my life even in the midst of everything that was going on (and not going on). And when I found myself inside a flair up of anxiety more recently, I realized the ways in which I had drifted. I was meditating but it was lacking a formal structure + intention, the practices I was doing were not serving me anymore.
“Always do some sadhana no matter how short, because every effort of the individual mind to meet the Universal Self is reciprocated a thousand-fold.”
So, what is a Sadhana?
It is basically your own personal at home practice or wherever you are in the moment.
Sadhana is derived from Kundalini Yoga which is particularly aligned for 2 line placements. I have found it to be one of the most potent practices for alignment + co-creation in my life, especially when I work with 40 day practices that are in resonance with where I desire to go, whether that be greater health, personal growth, more abundance, prosperity, a more neutral mind, guidance, connecting with your higher mind + guides, protection, freedom, self-compassion, direction, etc.. etc..
This is a practice that you personalize for you + that may mean it remains the same for 3 years, for forever, or the that you shake things up every 40 days or 120 when it’s time to evolve a bit to support something new while keeping some staples + foundational elements that really serve you constitutionally. It is recommended for 40 days because it is said that it takes 40 days to break a habit and it can take 90 to build a new one. I often create 40 day (minimum) practices for clients and I always recommend at least starting here, but as I said it’s your experiment, see what feels good.
what makes up a sadhana?
There are many practices you can include in your Sadhana to connect with your higher self, to decondition, to release shadow, to be more present. Sadhana has a way of naturally grounding us and bringing us into alignment with our truth.
Some of the practices are:
meditation
kriyas + postures
mantra + chanting
pranayama + breathwork
It’s great to have different elements, creating your own unique sequence. You can utilize your bodygraph + natal chart to see what may be particularly aligned constitutionally + for this moment, as well as thinking about it from a focus of what you want to bring more of into your life at this time. I often change mine every 40 days but there are some practices I always do, that carry over and are foundational for me. Some folks practice for 10 minutes, others for 30 and many for an hour or two. Mine varies, but is usually between the half hour and one hour mark. I wanted to share with you the Sadhana I am currently working with (below).
When do I practice?
The short answer is anytime you can.
You may however find it is most powerful to do your Sadhana before you face your day. This is where the special sauce really lies and I love to get up and do it before I interact with anyone else. It is time just for me, before I face my day. I don’t always make the golden hours but I do always try to do it first thing. The Golden or Ambrosial Horus are the two hours before sunrise and can be a really powerful time for stillness. The Sun at this time is making a 60 degrees angle from the Earth and means the electromagnetic energy of the Earth is optimal for practice in these quiet hours of the morning. I definitely recommend giving it a try to experience it firsthand.
However if you cannot practice at this time, or even in the morning at all, you will still reap ample benefits from your Sadhana.
“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence then is not an act but a habit.”
where do I practice?
The short answer is anywhere you can.
It can be really advantageous to have a space in your home dedicated to your practice, a space just for you where you can be undisturbed. Having a dedicated space also sends signals to our brain + body to settle + tune in. This space can be anywhere you can fit it in + which feels aligned for you. You can also look to your local space astrology for some insights as well as Feng Shui. I currently have my make shift altar in the Wisdom + Self Knowledge Gua which is the bottom left corner (on the same wall as the entrance), and also happens to be closest to my Neptune local space line for connecting spiritually. You can do this for your whole house or for one room, for instance mine is in this sector in the bedroom. This Gua is also aligned with the Earth element and my altar is always heavy with rocks and gemstones, flowers and other Earth findings so it is very aligned here.
That being said, you can practice anywhere and one of the great aspects of a consistent Sadhana practice is that you can take it anywhere. Even when I travel, one of the first things I typically do is set up a little place to practice even if it’s just setting a crystal on my nightstand and popping up in bed each morning.
My current morning practice
I get up and make a big room temp lemon water that I drink before and during the beginning of my practice so that I can make a celery juice when I’m finished.
I sit front of my makeshift altar (cause still wandering) and light a candle. I always begin with the Adi Mantra to tune me in to higher guidance and Aad Guray Nameh (for protection), 3 recitations each.
*I create a timer with bells in Insight Timer since I do several different practices.
One Minute Seated Cat Cow
One Minute Spine Circles
One Minute Washing Machine
Three Minutes Addictions/Habituation Meditation
Three Minutes Releasing Negative Thoughts
Three Minutes Blessings - Humee Hum
Three Minutes Left Nostril Breathing
I then have 22 minutes of stillness. Often times this is kind of a Joe Dispenza vibe, other times I’m inviting in guidance, watching my thoughts or meditating on sensation. It really depends on what I need in the moment and I like having time to just be with what is. It may even include some morning movement if that’s what I need (opening up my lymphatic system, thymus taps, energy work, etc.. )
11 recitations Bahota Karam (which I sometimes do as part of Sadhana or if I’m feeling hungry then I save this to do while I walk), always playing a mind movie while I chant of what I am creating for my future self.
And then I close out with 3 Sat Nam’s which is a powerful seed mantra for aligning with and expressing your truth (both individual + Universal), balancing your chakras + closing out your practice.
““It is small and potent. Great things grow from it.”
It is the things we do every day that shape our life and the life of our future self, how we bookend our days is something I have always focused on with clients because of its simplicity and its magnitude of influence. If you would like some guidance, creating a SADHANA practice based on your natal chart + bodygraph, as well as the season you’re in, ie’ needs, desires, and dreams… it is something I LOVE doing. Members can also find one of my Sadhana practice’s inside the Space module inside The Collective.
Many blessings on your journey!
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