Sadhana - yoga - consciousness

[Guest guest]

Dear Sue,

 

yes, we do yoga in order to unite and to balance all aspects of body, soul

and mind. This raises the level of awareness and consciousness - that is

the reason, why KY is called the Yoga of Awareness.

 

Ultimately everything what you do, can become a conscious act or experience

- means everything can serve the goal of yoga - e.g. conscious breathing,

riding the subway and mentally chanting Sat Nam, listening to some spiritual

CD's in a car or lovingly volunteering for the good of the neighborhood.

You are raising your consciousness and you become automatically a 'better',

more lovingly and loveable person.

 

Kundalini Yoga is now a spiritual practice, which helps boosting this

consciousness pretty fast. Simply through breathing exercises, dynamic asanas,

kriyas, meditations and mantras you are changing your energy level, you are

strengthening your body, immune and glandular system, clearing the

subconsciousness, help calming the mind and resolving old emotional

injuries. In KY the practice is done by starting with the Adi-Mantra (Ong

Namo Guru...) and to be ended with the Bij-Mantra (Sat Nam). Within this

two mantras do not blend or mix or do anything else besides KY. This also

means, that the conscious riding of the subway is unfortunately not

regarded as a KY exercise ;-)

 

Sadhana now means literally ‘discipline’. It is a daily spiritual routine

consisting of yoga exercises, relaxation, meditation and chanting of

mantras to be done in the so-called Amrit Vela – the ambrosial hours –

before sun rise. Ideally Sadhana lasts for 2 ½ hours. Background is the

karma (or univeral) law: whatever you give (here 1/10 of day) will come

back to you ten-fold. This means: with a Sadhana of 2,5 hours you have done

enough good for your body, soul and mind to survive the day unharmed ;-)

 

Also ideally Sadhana is done in a group, best outside in the nature facing

east towards the rising sun. Sadhana should be done with an open, receptive

heart and not with a clock as guideline. You could do even 5 hours of

Sadhana and have no gain, if you are taking it as a 'stupid' repetition and

working-off of exercises. 10 min meditation with an open heart are much

more 'worth' than that! So watch your mind-set and ask yourself why you are

doing yoga or sadhana. I saw yogis doing the right exercises for the wrong

intentions...

 

Doing Sadhana is not an easy thing - it takes discipline and will-power to

get up and step under the cold shower. It is also true, that for many

students (and teachers !) or yogis in general it is difficult to maintain

the regular practise to this extent - you are working, having a family, are

travelling, having a social life, etc. A lot of things can and will

distract you from sticking to your daily practise. Living in an ashram with

the main focus on spiritual development is pretty helpful. Anyway: it is

better to do less on a regular basis (eg. 30 mins daily), than doing a lot

(2,5 hours) on a random basis.

 

In order to benefit most of Sadhana, it is recommendable to stick with a

routine for a couple of time – e.g. 40 days, 90 days, or even 1000 days.

Then Sadhana (discipline) will become Radhana (inner mindset). If practiced

long enough Radhana again will alter to Prabhupati (mastering).

 

By then you don't need an alarm clock any more - you simply wake up on time

and doing Sadhana is no more act of will-power - it is your desire and joy.

A looooong way to go. By then you have completely changed yourself to a

being with a high spiritual consciousness with a strong radiance. You are a

light in the darkness for the people around you and your pure presence

makes people feeling safe and comfortable. Don't stop halfways....

 

Sending blessings and light from Shanghai,

 

Adarsh S.