By Leena Patel
The term sadhana in Sanskrit means practice. Committing to practicing yoga on a regular, if not daily, basis, reaps immeasurable benefits. Students often tell me that they cannot commit to an hour a day- they simply do not have the time. In such cases, I recommend deciding the time frame you can realistically commit to each day, even if it is just five minutes. Much better to do this than to practice for two hours twice a week. Experts say build a routine and you are more likely to stick to it. I agree. After a while, missing a practice begins to feel like neglecting to brush your teeth or shower daily. It just does not feel right if you do not do it.
As the classic 15th century Sanskrit text The Hatha Yoga Pradipika tells us:"The young, the old, the extremely aged, even the sick and the infirm obtain perfection in Yoga by constant practice. Success will follow him who practices, not him who practices not. Success in yoga is not obtained by the mere theoretical reading of sacred texts. Success is not obtained by wearing the dress of a yogi or sanyasi (a recluse), nor by talking about it. Constant practice alone is the secret of success." (Ch.1, v. 64-6)
... by the way, do not belittle the value of doing 'flossingyourteethasana'. Anything that you do mindfully and with your full attention is yoga. If you are thinking about something else, you might as well be doing that something else.
Practice staying fully present in each moment. Whether you are driving, washing the dishes or doing a Sun Salutation- be fully engaged in the task at hand. Then you are truly in Yoga, in union, with the Self.
Leena Patel is currently based in Las Vegas where she teaches yoga and meditation to Celine Dion and the cast of A New Day. She has written numerous articles on health, yoga and spirituality and has taught across the US, Canada and in France, Italy, Germany, Spain, Austria and the UK. For more information, visit http://www.leenapatel.net
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posted by Cheryl Levesque @ 3:36 PM
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