Whether we are centered on surviving or thriving – each day we cultivate a certain skill-set as we go about living. That skill-set includes everything from going to the bathroom (ask my 3yr old) to spirituality and/or religion. We are what we practice. Simple as that.
In yoga, this concept is referred to as Sadhana. Think about what you do in just the first 3 minutes alone of your day. What is your attitude, your pace, and your breath like? How does this set the tone for the rest of your day. This is where your true Sadhana begins…. at the moment of awakening. Yogi Bhajan spoke about waking up once, saying he would allow himself to awake and go back to sleep 3 times – each time paying gratitude upon awakening in some way… such as ‘Thank You God for the opportunity to serve again today’…
LIFE is a daily practice, and bringing the concept of sacredness into YOUR life doesn’t have to be an overwhelming 2 and 1/2 hrs of excruciating physical exercise and mental restraint. In fact, it can be more fun if you GO SLOW. Cultivating the physical aspects of our daily practice (like diet and exercise) is what we often think of when we are ready to begin a formal Sadhana practice. However, there is work to be done EACH DAY on cultivating the emotional and spiritual aspects of life as well. Kindness, Compassion, Love, and Gratitude… each and every day…. for not only ourselves, but also FOR EACH OTHER… is part of the work! And that is why Seva, the concept of selfless service, is so important to the Yogi. As Yogiji would say – “Live FOR each other, not at or with each other.”
The great Buddhist teacher Thich Nhat Hanh has been quoted as saying “if the next Buddha is a Sangha, then facilitative leaders will be its convenors.” As modern yogis, I believe it is important to serve this moment in time and not isolate as ascetics or outsiders. In fact, our community may give birth to the next great Buddha!! Selflessly lending a hand not only elevates us as spiritual beings, it takes the yogi outside themselves and into the community.
Seva is so fundamental in Kundalini Yoga, that it’s included in our Summer and Winter Solstice Celebration programs. Each participant is given the opportunity to selflessly serve in some part of the camp as a way to build community and keep in mind that we are all in this together!!
Remember, Everything is Sacred. Easy enough to read on a bumper sticker, hard to accomplish in each and every moment of each and every day. Sometimes I get lost, sometimes you get lost, sometimes we get lost together. And that brings us to our third concept of the day – Simran. Because remembering the divine in every moment is HARD WORK. That’s why they call it a practice and have a name for it. It is called Simran.
Having said that, many of us are lost – a lot of the time. It is hard to navigate the spiritual waters. So we get angry, lash out, hurt and kill others. Or we are victim to, oppressed, subjugated, and addicted. And that’s why life is a meditation… and “Meditation is Navigation” is what i always say!! Simran helps us to navigate the waters by providing us with a sort of spiritual map. Until we see everything as Sacred, we cannot see the spiritual terrain of life. “See God in All, or Not at All” Yogiji said.
And that, my friends, are 3 more reasons why I chant – Sadhana, Seva, and Simran. Chanting helps me to regulate my mind and breath, keep my heart open, and remember the divine as I navigate this life. Hope you’ll join me sometime.
Stay blessed, Stay Grateful, All Ways.
Life is a garden, dig it!