Spiritual Yoga Sadhana

Spiritual Yoga

Spiritual Yoga Sadhana has three parts.  The first part includes twelve asanas that serve as "warm-ups" for the traditional yoga postures included in the second part of the practice routine.  These asanas stretch and warm the body and they establish a pattern of deep rhythmic breathing to circulate prana to increase and balance the energy flowing through the chakras and the body.

Affirmations and prayers to accompany the twelve asanas are suggested to help practitioners open their individual consciousness to spiritual consciousness.  These prayers and affirmations may be added to your sadhana routine as your practice becomes more advanced and focused on the integration of spiritual consciousness with body and mind. 

The third part of Spiritual Yoga Sadhana is devoted to meditation.

Sadhana Part I

1.  Centering, Prayer &  Heart Opening

• Sit on the floor in the middle of your yoga space.  Close your eyes and soften your breath as you begin to center your awareness in yourself.  Release any thoughts or concerns about the day.  This is the time for yoga sadhana - the time to integrate body, mind and spirit.  When you are centered in peacefulness, begin your yoga practice with personal prayers and affirmations to open your individual consciousness to higher consciousness and spirit. These are my prayers, affirmations and mantras to begin  my yoga sadhana:

Daily Prayer
A Prayer of Saint Francis of Assisi
OM
 The Gayatri Mantra
 OM
Kripalu Sadhana Prayer

2.  Complete Yogic Breath Standing

• Stand with arms at sides.  As you slowly inhale for the Complete Yogic Breath raise your arms outward from your sides with palms turned upward until your hands meet in the prayer position high above your head.  Your spine is elongated.  If you can maintain your balance (opening the eyes will help), continue the upward stretch by raising up on your toes during the inhalation.  As you slowly exhale all breath lower your arms to your sides and your feet to the ground. 

• Repeat three times. Accompany each repetition with one of the following affirmations as you inhale:

   Affirmations:
  "I lift up my heart to God and to all life in love, compassion and kindness."
  "I lift up my hands to God and to all life in loving service and helpfulness and
     I lift up my mind to the highest and best thoughts of all people."
  "I lift up my heart, hands, mind and will to divine will so I may be of use in this world."

• Continue breathing in the Complete Yogic Breath through the rest of your yoga practice until you prepare for meditation by practicing Nadi Shodhana Pranayama.  To help you focus in any of the asanas you can substitute Ujjayi Pranayama for the Complete Yogic Breath.

3.  Standing Yoga Mudra with side leg movements

• Standing Yoga Mudra is a wonderful inversion posture to practice as an alternative to head stands which are difficult for many people and are not included in the Spiritual Yoga sadhana routine.  Many of the same physical benefits are achieved.  I practice Standing Yoga Mudra by visualizing a white light energy field with affirmations as follows:

• Begin with hands in prayer position in front of your heart and inhale.  As you exhale extend your hands out in front of you until your arms are straight.  Inhale slowly as you separate your hands and bring your arms around behind you.  As you separate your hands visualize that you are separating two veils that represent the boundaries and limitations of this world.  Visualize a bright white light flood upon you as you push the veils away.  Breathe deeply as you affirm silently: "I push aside the veils of this world and I stand in the eternal light of truth and spirit."  Interlace your fingers behind your back before bending forward and raising your arms over your head in Standing Yoga Mudra.  Hold this main posture for one minute as you practice Complete Yogic or Ujjayi breathing with a mantra to focus concentration if desired. 

• Inhale and slowly raise your torso to standing.  Continue to keep hands clasped behind you and extend your right leg outward at a 45 degree angle.  As you exhale slowly bend over your right leg, stretching your back and legs.  Hold the stretch and then slowly lift your torso and return to standing with both legs together. Repeat on the left side by extending the left leg, bending deeply over it and holding.  Inhale, rise to standing and unclasp your hands.

4.  Light Purification with Side Bends (Nitambasana) &  Energy Spirals

• Like others I often experience spirituality and energy as light.  Light is an ancient symbol for Spirit, for illumination through spirituality, for enlightenment through ancient wisdom and for healing and purifying energy.  Yoga includes several ancient practices for purification by agni, the sacred fire, and tapas, the practice of discipline.  According to the Rig-Veda the Vedic seers considered themselves children of light and their desire was to experience the heavenly light.  The following asana series unites us with spirit through light and purifies us through light and fire. 

• Stand with arms at sides.  Inhale slowly and raise your arms out to the sides with palms up until your arms are parallel above your shoulders.  Exhale and then inhale deeply as you visualize yourself drawing a pillar of white light down over your hands and body.  As the light touches the ground a flame arises around the pillar of light to your heart chakra.  As you stand in the white light with the gold, blue and violet flame practice deep breathing with the following affirmation:

• Affirmation:

"Lord, make me a light being.  Let me absorb the light and love from the heavens.  As I stand in this pillar of white light with the flame of fire to cleanse, purify, balance and heal, let me affirm what I am."

"I am one with all life.  I am one with every man, woman and child.  I am one with every animal, with every plant and with the earth itself.
 I am one with all life and I am one with Spirit.
 I am one with thee and one with all spiritual beings. I am a ray in thy divine sun and a drop in thy divine ocean.
I stand in unity with all life and all spirit.
Let me open my heart to all life.
Let me live in service with an open heart and open hands."

• With raised arms, begin side bends. Inhale and as you exhale, slowly bend to the left.  Inhale to center and exhale as you bend to the right.  Repeat five times or more as desired to stretch your sides and back.

• Lower hands to hips and begin a spiral of white light energy.  Slowly bend forward about six inches, then spiral to the right, to the back in a back bend, and then to the left.  As you spiral to the forward bend in each repetition, deepen the bend by several more inches. As you slowly circle, visualize your light energy spiraling out into the world and into the universe like a spiral nebula.  Feel the power of your energy that is spiraling out into eternity. Just like the light of stars, your spiral of light is eternal. After seven spiral repetitions, lower your arms in the forward bend so your hands touch the floor by the sides of your feet.  With a deep inhalation slowly stand and bring your awareness to each chakra as you inhale into the standing position.  Bring your arms above your head for Uttanasana, the Standing Forward Bend.

5.  Standing Forward Bend (Uttanasana)

• Uttanasana is an excellent inversion to practice in place of head stands.  Hold for one minute and practice deep Ujjayi breathing with the Light Visualization and mantra if desired.

6.  Mountain (Tadasana)

• Feel your eternal strength in Tadasana with this Affirmation:

(Inhale):  "I stand in Tadasana the Mountain.  I am the Mountain.
(Exhale):  Like the Mountain, I am firmly grounded to the core of the earth.
(Inhale):  Like the Mountain, I rise to the heavens and feel the still timeless universe of God.
(Exhale):  Like the Mountain I stand through all life and all time.
(Inhale):  Like the Mountain I am strong and solid.
(Exhale):  Like the Mountain I stand as witness.
(Inhale):  Like the Mountain I stand in God's eternal presence.
(Exhale):  Like the Mountain I am eternal.  Like the Mountain I am forever.

7.  Divine Core Star with Auric Boundaries

• From Tadasana spread your feet and lower your arms to shoulder height to stand in a five pointed star.  Visualize yourself as a great shining star surrounded by the cosmos.  As you inhale visualize a stream of white light energy being drawn through your crown chakra down to your heart.  At the same time visualize two streams of white light energy being drawn into your feet and legs through a violet arc of light in the earth three feet below your feet.  This light energy flows up your legs and body to your heart to join the white light flowing down through your crown chakra.  This visualization combined with the following affirmation and deep Yogic breathing brings light, prana and energy to open and activate your chakras, to clear and balance your aura and to raise your energy vibrations. 

After practicing the following affirmation to clear and charge your auric field with white light, set the boundaries of your aura for the day by visualizing a flame of light starting at the outer edge of your auric field above your head and encircling the boundary of your aura.  Auric boundaries are established with gold light that vibrates with the spirit of God, blue light that brings spiritual peace and truth, and violet light that transforms the energy you encounter during the day to higher vibrations to harmonize with your energy field and vibrations.

• Affirmation:

"I am a divine core star.
I inhale cosmic white light energy through the crown of my head and sacred white light energy through the violet arc of the earth.
These white light energies meet in my heart and illuminate the eternal star of my soul.
I inhale these white light energies and this star grows, illuminating my entire being and radiating light into my auric field and into the entire universe.
I inhale these white light energies into my heart and breathe the energy out through my hands for helpfulness and healing.
I inhale these white light energies into my heart and breathe the energy out through my chakras for opening and balancing.
I inhale these white light energies into my heart and breathe the energy out into my entire auric field to clear and brighten my aura.
This white light energy radiates and fills my entire auric field,  pushing out any blocks and filling the vibrations and colors of my aura with light and energy.
This is the white light aura I will move in today.  And around this aura I place the golden flame of God, the blue flame of Spirit and the violet flame to raise all energies I encounter today to their highest spiritual vibration."

Your energy field has been cleared, balanced and charged for today!

8.  Warrior 2/Triangle (Virabhadrasana/Trikonasana)

• From the Divine Core Star position pivot your feet, torso and head to the right to stand in Virabhadrasana 2 - the Warrior. This asana combines two postures: Warrior 2 and the Triangle.  Facing the right, after holding Warrior 2, straighten your legs to move into the Triangle.  After holding Triangle, lower your right arm by your right leg as you raise your left arm straight up and turn your head to look beyond your raised hand.  After holding move back into the core star position; pivot your feet, torso and head to the left and repeat Warrior 2 and the Triangle as you face the left.

• These affirmations accompany the movements into Warrior 2, into the Triangle and into the raised arm position as you turn your head and look up beyond your hand:

Affirmation facing right:

"I stand in Virabhadrasana the Warrior.  I am the Warrior.  What do I battle today?"

This answer is totally up to you.  What challenges do you face today?  What issues are you trying to work with today? These are often my answers and only serve as an example:

"I battle my lower self.  I battle my preoccupation with ego.  I battle the lower and rise to the higher and take the long view of life.
I move forward into this day and into all the opportunities and challenges of this day for through these opportunities and challenges I will grow. 
I turn and give thanks for this day and  for all the days of my life and I ask for spiritual help and strength today."

After practicing the posture facing right, pivot to practice facing left and affirm:

Affirmation facing left:

"I stand in Virabhadrasana the Warrior.  I am the Warrior.
The day is done.  It has been a beautiful day, filled with opportunities and challenges.  I have done well today and I stand strong, confident and full of joy.
I move into tomorrow and all my tomorrows and all my lives.
I turn and give thanks for this life, for all my lives and for all my blessings."

9.  Salutation to the Sun (Surya Namaskar)

• Surya Namaskar is an excellent series of asanas that link bodily movement with the breath.  Repeat as many times as desired to stretch your body for the asana routine that follows in Part II.

• I begin the Surya Namaskar series by standing with eyes closed and hands in prayer position in front of my heart while I visualize the radiant light of the sun surrounding me. The Yoga Sutras say that one way we can achieve yoga is by meditating on the heart of an illumined soul to whom we personally feel a spiritual and heart connection - a deity, a saint, a bodhisattva or a spiritual person we love.  In the mirror of light created by visualizing the sunlight in Surya Namaskar we sometimes see this illumined soul as a mirror image from our heart.  This is a lovely way to connect to spiritual ones who are examples for us before we bow in the salutation to the sun, the symbol of enlightenment and illumination. This is the affirmation for this visualization:

• Affirmation:
   "I stand in Surya Namaskar, the Salutation to the Sun, and I see the sun, symbol of light and love that shines on me and on all life.  And in this radiant mirror of light from the sun I see... (with eyes closed what do you see reflected from your heart?).   I bow in Surya Namaskar."

10.  Vajrasana to Receive Blessings and to Express Gratitude

• "No gratitude, no grace" is one of the universal laws.  In this asana we sit on our heels with hands folded in our lap with right palm on top of left palm. The focus is on receiving blessings in your sixth chakra of wisdom, in your heart and in your hands.  You may perceive these blessings as rays of white or gold light to these three centers.  After a few moments, raise your torso to a kneeling position and continue to receive blessings into your hands as you express gratitude with the following affirmation or your own expression of thankfulness:
  

• Affirmation:  
  "Thank you Lord for these blessings.  I receive these blessings with gratitude and I promise to give them to others." 

11.  Sitting Yoga Mudra

• As in standing Yoga Mudra, in sitting Yoga Mudra I begin with my hands in prayer position in front of my heart and inhale. As I exhale I extend my hands and arms in front of me and as I separate my hands I again visualize that I am parting two veils.  These are veils of white light and as they separate gold light radiates over me as I bring my hands behind my back and interlace my fingers.  I bow in this gold light with the following affirmations.  The affirmation to devote your words, deeds and thoughts to God is a significant spiritual commitment and it should only be offered if one feels that it is possible to fully honor it today.

• Affirmations:
  "I bow in Yoga Mudra, the symbol of Yoga.  As I bow on this golden path I give thanks for the eight limbed path of the yoga sutras, the noble eightfold path of the Buddha, the path of Christ Consciousness and all spiritual paths, for all spiritual paths lead to thee.  Let me open my heart to all spiritual paths and to all people.  Let me live in thy service.  Let me devote my life to thee.  Let me devote every word, deed and thought to thee today.  May my words, deeds and thoughts be worthy as gifts to thee today.  Amen."

"Discipline, study of the self and dedication of the fruits of one's work to God: these are the preliminary steps toward yoga."  Patanjali's Yoga Sutras

12.  Camel (Ushtrasana) or Backward Bend (Supta-Vajrasana)

• These asanas are heart openers. Feel your chest and heart expand in either of these postures.  Accompany the posture with a heart opening affirmation:

• Affirmation:
  "Let me open my heart in love to thee and to all life today."

Sadhana Part II

The heart opening completes the first part of Spiritual Yoga Sadhana.  The second part of the practice focuses on the traditional asanas linked with the breath and accompanied by occasional affirmations to maintain the connection with higher consciousness.  Most of these basic asanas are taught in any yoga class and the unique postures in the sequence are explained in detail.  To increase concentration during the asanas the Complete Yogic Breath and Ujjayi Pranayama may be combined with a mantra and the Light Visualization.  

13.  Cat & Dog Stretches/Runner's Stretch/Downward Facing Dog (Adho Mukha Shvanasana)

• Practice Ujjayi Pranayama during this series.

14.  Prana Pumps

• Prana Pumps totally energize the body by combining breath and bodily movement to pump oxygen, prana and energy through your system.

• Hold your hands in the Downward Facing Dog position and move your torso forward until your shoulders are above your hands.  Keep your arms straight and drop your knees and hips to the floor so you are in a high cobra posture. The knees are together.  Inhale deeply and as you exhale move your buttocks and body back into the straight-armed Child's pose (Garbhasana) in a wave of exhalation.

As you inhale, lift your buttocks and arch your body into the cat position with head facing down.  In a wave of forward movement coordinated with the inhalation, lift your head and chest and drop your knees and hips to move back into the straight armed cobra posture.  As you begin the exhalation repeat the backward movement into Child's pose.

• In Prana Pumps the body moves forward into raised Cobra on a complete inhalation and moves back into Child's Pose on a complete exhalation.  The movement of the body is like a wave coordinated with the breath.  Repeat five to ten times.  Then inhale and move into raised cobra and as you slowly exhale, lower your body, arms and face to the floor into position for Navasana, the Boat. 

15.  Boat (Navasana)

• Practice the three positions of the boat: arms raised by your sides, arms stretched in a "T" formation and arms stretched in front of you.

16.  Cobra (Bhujangasana)

• Practice the Cobra once without the support of hands and then practice a second time using hands and arms to raise the torso higher to increase the spinal stretch. 

17.  Locust (Ardha/Shalabasana)

• Practice the half locust, raising and holding the right leg and then the left leg.  Then practice the full locust posture.

18.  Bow (Dhanurasana)

• The bow may be followed by spinal rocking coordinated with breath.

19.  Child's Pose (Garbhasana)

• Affirmation for resting in the child's pose:
  "Thank you Lord for being our eternal father-mother.  Thank you for our lives, for your love and for your teachings.  Please help us to live in your service.  And thank you for our earthly parents, families and friends who love and support us each day." 

20.  Bound Angle (Baddha Konasana) preceded by Dolphin Swims

• Bound Angle, Head to Knee and the Posterior Stretch are most successfully practiced with deep Yogic or Ujjayi breathing and the visualization of Light to open the chakras and to maximize the flow of prana and energy.  You often can feel the prana flowing through your hands and fingertips as you lower your arms in these positions.  When holding each position your awareness should be focused on activating each chakra as you breathe deeply.

• Before Bound Angle I often practice Dolphin Swims to stretch my spine and to make me happy.  Think of yourself as a playful dolphin swimming in the beautiful blue water near a beach you love with the warm sun shining overhead.  As in Baddha Konasana bend your knees and clasp your feet with your hands.  Inhale and as you exhale slowly dive into the ocean by rounding your back and lowering your chin and head to your chest.  In a forward motion inhale as you raise your head up and out of the water while stretching your spine and neck.  Repeat this circular motion of diving while exhaling and rising while inhaling. 

21.  Head to Knee (Janu Shirshasana)

• Practice Janu Shirshasana twice with the right leg extended and the left foot tucked by your right inner thigh.  The first time the hands are joined in temple position (interlaced fingers with index fingers straight up and together) and the back is rounded as you bend forward to clasp your right foot.  The second time the arms are parallel with palms facing and the back is held straight as far as possible as you bend over the right leg.  At your maximum stretch bend the back and lower your arms and hands beside your right foot.  After holding, raise your parallel arms above your head again, extend your left leg, and tuck your right foot by your left inner thigh.  Repeat the sequence bending over the extended left leg.  

22.  Posterior Stretch (Paschimottanasana)

• Hold for one minute and breathe deeply.

23.  Inclined Plane (Purvottanasana)

• This asana opens the heart.  Accompany it with an affirmation of the heart:

• Affirmation:
  "Let me open my heart in love to thee and to all life today."

24.  Supine Child with Spinal Rocking (Supta Garbhasana)

• After the Inclined Plane lie down on your back and stretch your arms above your head and to the floor, fully elongating your spine.  Alternate stretching each side of your body by reaching each arm up along the floor.  After stretching bend your knees and bring your open knees with feet together to your chest and bring your hands down to hold your knees.  Rock side to side in the Supine Child position.  

25.  Knee Down Twist (Supta Matsyendrasana)

• Lie on your back on the floor and bring your arms to a "T" position for the Knee Down Twist accompanied by deep breathing.  Begin the asana with a body twist to the left and your head turned to the right.  Then twist your body to the right and turn your head to the left.

26.  Shoulder Stand (Ardha/ Sarvangasana)

• The Shoulder Stand, Plough, Bridge and Fish should all be accompanied by Complete Yogic or Ujjayi breathing.  The eyes are closed and the internal focus is on the third eye (Ajna) chakra.  Hold each posture for at least one minute.

• Practice either the Half Shoulderstand or the Full Shoulderstand.  Return to the floor before moving into the Plough posture.

27.  Plough (Halasana)

• Practice any variation of the Plough for one minute.

28.  Bridge (Setu Bandhasana)

• Practice spinal rocking before raising the lower torso to the holding position in the Bridge.  For this version of the Bridge, the hands should be together with fingers interlaced on the floor under your raised torso.  After holding the posture, open your hands and place your palms down on the floor next to each other under your back.  Release the Bridge by lowering your buttocks to rest on the back of your hands.  From this position you will move into the Fish after a brief pause.

29.  Fish (Matsyasana)

• The Fish is a heart opening asana.  With arms straight under you and your buttocks resting on the back of your hands, raise and open your chest and shoulders into the Fish.  Accompany the opening of your heart chakra with an affirmation:

• Affirmation:
  "Let me open my heart in love to thee and to all life today."

30.  Wind Relieving Pose (Pavana Muktasana)

• Release the Fish by slowly moving your hands from under you to your sides as you lower your torso to the floor. After a brief pause begin the Wind Relieving Pose accompanied by deep smooth inhalations and exhalations and the Light Visualization.  Slowly practice the asana three times with the right knee brought to the chest; then three times with the left knee brought to the chest; and then three times with both knees brought to the chest. 

• If I am completely centered in yoga I enjoy this asana by focusing on the rhythm of my breathing.  If I need help concentrating because my mind is still restless I accompany the postures with one of several affirmations during the inhalations and exhalations of breath:

• Affirmations:
  "I breathe in peace and joy.  I breathe out all cares and fears."
  "I breathe in the light and love of God.  I release all cares and concerns to God."
  "I have arrived. I am home."  Thich Nhat Hanh

31.  Chakra Opening and Energy Balancing 

• This practice uses breath and the visualization of light to open and activate each chakra and to increase and balance the flow of prana and energy.

• Lie on your back with eyes closed.  Totally relax your body and mind and begin deep Yogic breathing.  On the inhalation visualize a stream of white light energy being brought in through your crown chakra and down to your feet with your incoming breath.  On the exhalation visualize the white light energy rising with your exhaled breath.  The stream of white light energy is released through your crown  chakra and rises through your auric field and then separates like a cascading fountain.  The energy streams fall down the sides of your body to your feet as you complete your exhalation of breath.  

As you begin your next inhalation to bring white light energy through your crown to your feet visualize the energy that cascaded to your feet as reentering your feet to meet the downward inhalation of new white light energy and prana.  As you inhale completely from your feet to your crown visualize the joined energy streams as activating each of your chakras with a gold beam of light as the rising breath reaches each chakra.  Chakras are activated with gold light, breath and prana in this order:

• Feet Chakras, Ankle Chakras and Knee Chakras

• Seven Major Chakras: Root, Abdominal, Solar Plexus, Heart, Throat, Third Eye, and Crown Chakras

• Transpersonal Point at the outer boundary of your Auric Field

As you begin a slow exhalation, the raised white light energy separates at the transpersonal point and cascades down the sides of your body to the area below your feet.  Repeat the inhalation of white light energy and the activation of each chakra with beams of gold light three times.

32.  Sivasana (Relaxation Pose)

• After three repetitions of chakra activation and energy balancing, slow the breath and move into complete relaxation in Sivasana for several minutes.

33.  Spinal Twist (Matsyendrasana)

• The Spinal Twist is practiced as the last asana to rotate and fully extend the spine to prepare for sitting in pranayama and meditation.

Sadhana Part III

The third part of Spiritual Yoga Sadhana is devoted to meditation, the experience of awareness and  a closing ritual.  As with opening prayers each individual develops their own meaningful prayers and rituals to close sadhana.

34.  Pranayama: Nadi Shodhana

• Nadi Shodhana is a very effective breathing technique to prepare for sitting meditation because it immediately centers and calms the body, mind and emotions.

35.  Meditation

• Sit in the meditation practice of your choice for as long as you desire. 

36.  Closing Prayers and Rituals

• Closing prayers and rituals are your personal expression to end your sadhana  practice.  These are mine:

    After sitting in meditation I offer the following prayer:

    "Hari Om, Shanti, Shanti, Shanti, Shalom, Peace!
      May Peace be in our hearts today.
      May all Life know Peace as I have known Peace.
      May all Life know Love as I have known Love.
      May all life know Blessings and Abundance
      As I have known Blessings and Abundance."

 I sit quietly for a few moments and feel inner peace and joy.

• I perform an Arati ritual with an affirmation before blowing out the white candle.  Namaste to the dear woman at the Sivananda Ashram in Rishikesh who taught us her ritual.  With hands folded in prayer I say:

  "Thank you Lord for the divine light."

Reach your hands with palms down to a few inches above the candle flame and symbolically pull the light towards your heart several times and then towards your third eye several times as you say:

 "Please open my heart to spiritual love and my eyes to spiritual vision."

OM TAT SAT

I extinguish the candle, recite "OM TAT SAT" three times and strike the Tibetan singing bowl to end sadhana.  The Bhagavad-Gita closes its chapters with the mantra "OM TAT SAT" - Divine Absolute Reality - the consciousness we achieve in yoga sadhana.

Peace, Love, Blessings and Abundance!

Namaste!

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