 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
| CenterPoint News and Reflections Sadhana A student in one of my classes once asked me about my own personal yoga practice (sadhana). When did I practice? What did I do in my practice? I replied that my yoga sadhana is usually in the morning. My yoga flow often begins with Surya Namaskar (Sun Salutation) and ends with Sirsasana (Headstand) followed by a short meditation. What else shows up varies with the day and the moment. For me, sadhana continues off the mat and throughout the day. To me, sadhana is about being on a path of mindfulness and consciousness. I can practice at my computer and in my car. It takes many forms. Not all of them, at first glance, spiritual. A short while back, I spent a number of months living at the Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health - a place where the dietary fare does not include coffee. Some of my friends and co workers, longtime Kripalu residents and staff members would surreptitiously and gleefully refer to their weekly sojourns to the coffee shop in town as their Coffee Sadhana. When I first heard their flexible use of what I saw as a sacred word, I began to judge it as disrespectful. Upon further reflection, I came to see it as refreshingly real. After all, what is sadhana- if not a mindful, focussed practice along the path to self-realization? If making a conscious journey to the coffee shop for a much appreciated "cup o’ jo", helps out along the way- so be it. Georg Feuerstein, the yogic scholar and author of many widely referenced books on yoga including The Shambala Encyclopaedia of Yoga and The Yoga Tradition defines Sadhana as the "means of realization", the spiritual path, that leads to perfection (siddhi). With great respect for Dr. Feuerstein, I also conclude that sadhana is about the quality of intention along this path. Who knows what new understanding may unfold from a little buzz topped off with steamed milk. In Kripalu yoga, we are taught to Breathe, Relax, Feel, Watch and Allow. Part of my sadhana is remembering the "Allow" part. (CenterPoint News and Reflections is a forum for expressing ideas and thoughts about yoga . We welcome yours. If you have an article (not more than 350 words please) that you’d like to submit for inclusion on the News and Reflections page, please email it , as an attached Text or Word file, to centerpoint1@mindspring.com. CenterPoint reserves the right to edit any content that is submitted. We will ask your permission before publishing the edited version
|
