by William Bilodeau
Yoga is transformation, transformation from a life of spiritual ignorance to one of spiritual knowledge. Transformation is change, and change requires a means or technology to effect it. In the yogic context, the means to effect transformation is called sadhana. Sadhana is the Sanskrit term which designates the way in which the practical application of yoga to daily life is made. Since yoga is essentially a way of living, the goal is to integrate the yogic principles learned in the ashram classes, meditations, lectures, etc., into every aspect of daily living, even in the most ordinary activities such as brushing the teeth, driving the car or petting a dog. In other words, yoga is to be embodied, i.e., to become a way of perceiving, of thinking, and of acting in everyday situations. This requires practice or sadhana done earnestly and uninterruptedly over a long period of time. (Yoga Sutra I.14)
One may ask why? Why is this transformation desirable? Yoga is based on the understanding that life lived from customary and conventional viewpoints, no matter what cultural context or historical time period, is intrinsically painful and unsatisfying. The pain may manifest as tension, worry, discontent, frustration, selfishness, difficulty in relationships, etc.; the whole spectrum of daily disturbances we have come to expect as “normal” in daily living. The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, the classical work on yoga, claims that these disturbances are the manifestation of a condition of ignorance (avidya), a not-knowing of the true nature of reality and subsequently a not-knowing how to live without causing unnecessary difficulty and pain to oneself and others. Right knowledge is the antidote for the poison of ignorance, and right knowledge is developed and embodied through diligent training in yoga. As stated at the outset, sadhana is the means by which this is accomplished.
There are two general types of sadhana practiced by students in the ashram, formal and informal or circumstantial sadhana. Formal sadhana is that practice done in a period of time devoted exclusively to yoga, usually at sunrise and sunset, also at noon, if possible. This is best done at a place set aside especially for this activity, e.g., a comer of the bedroom, the living room, or a separate room entirely if space is ample. The place should be kept clean at all times and it is recommended that a havan be set up there. A havan can be a special tray, an arrangement of bricks, or something similar where a flame from a candle or an oil lamp is kept burning during the period of formal sadhana. Next to the flame an offering of fruits, flowers, and incense is customarily made. The flame is the reminder of the sacredness of life, and of pure consciousness, which is the essential ground of all of our experience. It is not other than what we fundamentally are. It is the goal of yoga practice for the student to experientially realize this dimension. During the period of formal sadhana, the yoga student may practice asanas or yoga postures. These postures developed over a period of thousands of years are intended to bring body and mind into a harmonious balance thus improving physical health by acting on all the major systems of the body, e.g., circulatory, nervous, musculatory, etc. and calming the mind which is typically overactive. ostures such as the plow (halasana), the shoulder stand (sarvangasana), the cobra (nagasana), the bow (dhanurasana), the sun salutation (surya namaskar), and many more provide the opportunity to release both body and mind into beautiful movements which have a transformative impact on the practitioner. During formal sadhana, the student may also do pranayama or breath control. There are numerous specific techniques of pranayama and they all have a tremendous effect on quieting the mind and preparing the yoga student for concentration (dharana) and meditation (dhyana). A deep sense of calm and centeredness often follows the practices of asana and pranayama, and one may be open to experience the senses in new and delightfully surprising ways. Dharana or concentration is also a practice frequently done by yoga students. In its simplest form, one may look at a fruit or a flower for some time, fixing the mind to a single place, inhibiting the chaotic impulsive internal dialogue with which we are all familiar. The practice of concentration (dharana) may lead to meditation (dhyana) wherein there is an effonless, steady, and prolonged concentration on a single object, a single thought, or the breath. Reading is also an important part of formal sadhana. Reading of such sacred texts as the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, the Bhagavad Gita, the Upanisads and many more, provide both considerable inspiration and a period of activity wherein the mind is directed toward the sacred. Reading about the lives of sages, sacred philosophies and spiritual wisdom from all great religious traditions helps one keep the compass of his/her intention pointed toward spiritual unfoldment.
All of the techniques of formal sadhana outlined above represent only some of the possibilities of practice done by students of the ashram, practices which bring one to a quieter, more open way of being. Developing the habit of daily formal sadhana is extremely important to any practitioner’s progress on the yoga path, and it is through the commitment to formal sadhana that the energy and resolve to do informal sadhana arises.
Informal or circumstantial sadhana is yoga practice done within daily circumstances. Wherever one might be, whether at work, on a train, playing a sport, cooking or going to school, one can practice yoga. At any time of the day and with whomever we find ourselves, yoga can be practiced. Whether we find ourselves in painful or pleasurable circumstances, whether we are experiencing happiness or sadness, success or failure, yoga can be practiced. How can yoga be practiced in all the diverse situations of living? It is done through the application of yamas and niyamas or abstinences and observances. Yamas are abstinences from violence, untruth, possessiveness, theft, and inappropriate conduct. Niyamas are the observances or practice of purity, contentment, austerity and study. Through the practice of yama and niyama we come to see two critical points: first, the degree to which we are conditioned to repeat patterns of thought and behavior which are painful to ourselves and others; second, that the only practical alternative is to replace them with yogic viewpoints and embodiments, those which are liberating and ultimately non-afflicted. Assignment of yama and/or niyama comes in sadhana class and is given by an experienced teacher who will outline the meaning and specific orientation of the practice. It may continue over a considerable period in order to give the student a real situational grasp of the power and effectiveness of these disciplines. It is often a source of inspiration to hear another student speak of their experience with a particular yama or niyama. It is not claimed that these practices are easy. Our ignorance is such that it is deeply embodied (conditioned) and old habits and patterns of behavior take time to unknot. But just a little serious practice will show one the great potential for expanded freedom that yamas and niyamas offer. Practicing non violence in thought, word, and deed in the midst of difficult and frustrating circumstances is a great lesson in learning to live in peace. Practicing contentment with what you have in the midst of a society that favors the continual excitation of desire is a real lesson to be learned. Practicing non-possessiveness of people, places, things is a strong movement away from selfishness. The more the yamas and niyamas are practiced, the more subtle they become, possibly opening to the condition of samlidhi (the state of non-duality). Yamas and niyamas are not only tools to freedom, they are the actual practice of freedom, of liberation from the binding conditions of spiritual ignorance.
Thus we have given a brief outline of some of the aspects of formal and circumstantial sadhana as taught at Yoga Anand Ashram. This description is only meant to offer a sampling of some of the practices. It is important to note that all of the training offered in the ashram is directed by one who lives in yogic freedom; Gurani Anjali has structured the sadhana and oversees its embodiment. This is crucial for those students who wish to pursue yoga practice to its fullest and sublime completion. As with athletes, musicians, and those in any profession, training and practice are the means to success, of perfecting skill-in-action. Yoga training is also a transformation towards greater and greater skill-in-action. The yoga student’s scope of action is every moment of living. He or she trains for liberation, for freedom to act appropriately and spontaneously in all daily circumstances while upholding the dignity and sacredness of life. This is the great opportunity and challenge offered to the yoga student by the beautiful system of yoga sadhana.
Namaste,
Bill Bilodeau