Every morning, I cleanse myself of my own negative energy. I cleanse myself of my stress, my to-do list mind, my fears, and my insecurities. I let go of other people’s negative energy that I’m carrying with me. I reset my mood. I empower myself to deal with whatever the day has in store—both the good and bad—with a stable mind and equanimity.
I do all this through my sadhana: my daily spiritual practice.
Sadhana is not any one particular exercise or custom. For me, it happens to look like yoga and chanting. For others it looks like a daily hike in the woods or a swim in the ocean. Some people’s sadhana is going to church, while for others it’s a personal tea ceremony. Or it might be continuous mindfulness.
What it is doesn’t really matter; a sadhana is simply something that helps us connect to our spirit. It reminds us on a regular basis that we are divine and that we’re surrounded by divinity.
This is what spirituality really is; recognizing a divine force and an energy bigger and far beyond our own individual energy. It is not religion. Having grown up in a devoutly Catholic family, it took me a long time to arrive at this understanding. Religion didn’t resonate with me and I intuitively wanted to be spiritual, but I didn’t really know what that meant. My sadhana gave me this clarity, just through doing, and reinforces, every day, that I am a spiritual being.
We all are, actually. Each of us is a soul living out a human experience. To forget that makes life really sad and purposeless. To remember brings inspiration and motivation to become a better person.
My sadhana definitely makes me a better human being. I know this because on the mornings that I skip my sadhana for whatever reason, be it business or laziness, I’m not my best self. I might be a little edgy, a little foggy, or all too easily affected by other people’s negativity. My sadhana is that powerful.
If you don’t have a sadhana, get one. To find any real, non-materialistic, non-ego related happiness and purpose in life we must connect with our spirit regularly, ideally once or more a day. Even if we simply want to be more peaceful, even-keeled human beings, we should adopt a sadhana as part of our daily life.
Again, what that sadhana looks like doesn’t matter. What makes you feel more connected to yourself? Is it nature, creativity, meditation? If you’re not sure where to start, create a small altar in your home. Fill it with whatever inspires you—seashells, rocks, crystals, photos of people you look up to. Every morning, sage your altar and adorn it with fresh flowers. You’ll be reminded of spirit each time it catches your eye.
Then, slowly, explore other practices that invite quietude and inward reflection, whether that’s being in nature or yoga. Make these practices just as habitual as brushing your teeth. See how they shift you. Empower yourself to become more peaceful, more positive, and a better human being.
