Daily Practice: Why Bother? Know the Crown Jewel of Consciousness

Why bother to have a daily yoga and meditation practice? My practice is the crown jewel of my day and my life. Morning practice is the one thing I try never to miss. For at least 43 of the last 45 years of practice, morning sadhana (spiritual practice) has taken the top priority in my personal care routines. Not only does morning practice help to center me, clear my head, open my heart, and prepare me for the day, it also fills me with spiritual energy that cleanses, nourishes, and expands my subtle body and chakras to be able to embrace the “full catastrophe” of life more easily. 

I’ll never forget how much emphasis there was on practice during my tenure at Kripalu as a resident and teacher. The guru used to admonish us to “Practice, practice, practice.” It was a community-wide mantra and affirmation about the power of creating a consistent, regular, daily practice.

Patanjali touts the importance of consistent practice for those who wish to experience the highest goal of yoga – Samadhi (super-consciousness, enlightenment). In sutra, 1.12, Abhyasa vairagyabhyam tannirodhah, Patanjali says that practice and detachment are the means to still the movements of consciousness. Without a practice that’s regular, consistent, intense, combined with non-attachment, meaning without self-criticism, comparison to others, or judgment, the mind will never become still. 

But regularity is very hard to come by in today’s world. There are so many distractions and many of us have stretched ourselves thin with way too many to-do’s on our agenda.  These to-do’s don’t allow time for a consistent practice. 

Now, remember what time is?

Time is the thing we need most to fulfill the desires of the heart.

If you tell yourself that you don’t have time to practice, perhaps you’ve become a victim of today’s disconnected, frenetic, stressful world of suffering. “I don’t have time” is really the victim’s call for help: Please help extract me from my addiction to staying busy 100% of the time. 

I would say that not practicing sadhana might be the result of all of the media’s success at stealing our attention. How often do we turn our phone off, take our eyes off the screen, or stop listening to the news, podcasts, entertainment shows, etc.? Of course, there’s nothing inherently wrong with using any of these outlets. But I believe we need to ask ourselves, what are we valuing? And if we value our spiritual evolution, good health, clear mind, soft heart, and service to the world, then we would not use the excuse that we don’t have time to practice.

Practice is a choice, weighted by desire, discernment, and sacrifice.

The less consistent you are in practicing, the harder it is to find consistency again. Consistency takes a deeper commitment. You need to discern the value of practice. Remember the three Tantric questions? 

1. What does your heart most deeply desire? 

2. What value is that to you? 

3. What are you prepared to do about it?

If your heart knows the value of practice and wants to do it, but you still can’t prioritize it, then maybe you’re not prepared to do anything about it. That’s fine. Maybe now’s not the right time for you. 

However, when our heart desires something and we know it’s good for us, especially spiritually, then if we don’t do it, we often judge ourselves as undisciplined and a failure. Tremendous shame and diminishment result from not doing what our heart most deeply desires.

What’s a yogi to do?

Well, you first need to find your heart’s deepest desire. And if it’s to establish a regular daily practice, then discern the value of it. It’s immeasurably important to set aside the time needed to fulfill your heart’s desire to practice.

Especially today, we need a way to let go and let grace. 

In Tantra, we are co-participators with the Shakti. Your effort is required. But to receive the gift of Shakti, we must also surrender and let go. Surrender is the only way to let the Shakti in. We need to lower our shield and become vulnerable and open. 

Practice becomes one of the best ways to develop yourself, expand your spirituality which leads to joy. In addition, the morning practice is perfect time to practice and refine the art of surrendering to the bigger energy.

Spiritual practice is vital for making changes in life.

If you feel that you have to do it all yourself, chances are you’ll become overwhelmed very quickly. But, when you surrender, you allow grace to help you. You allow grace to do her part while you do yours. It’s a dance for sure.

 If you’re working on letting go of anger or sadness or any pattern that gets in the way of your joy, I believe that working with all aspects of yourself, body, mind, heart, and spirit is necessary to free yourself of the limiting pattern.

Remember that surrender isn’t submission. It’s the complete and total acceptance of what is as it is. Surrender is a power we all have.

I invite you to make a commitment or renew your commitment to establish a daily practice in your life by joining the Ashaya Membership. For the members who’ve been with me for a long time, you know the value of the practice. For those considering joining the membership for the first time, we have a huge incentive for you for the month of September. Click here for details. In brief, you get 14 days free with no commitment. But if you join after your free trial, you get the membership for 50% off your first month. That’s six weeks of practice for $49.50! 

What also helps establish a daily practice is community.

When you’re connected to other spiritual seekers who show up day after day, just like you, there’s a kind of bonding energy that uplifts your heart and inspires you to practice even on the days you feel tired or distracted. 

Often those are the days you really need the practice, to shift your energy. We don’t practice alone. When we see the others online or in the video, we recognize that we are part of something bigger than ourselves. We belong to something larger that holds meaning for us and inspires to stay with it.

The comments I get from the members are amazing. They often tell me that in practice, it was the one word I said, or the way I said it, or the way the mantra was chanted that completely shifted their energy. 

More often than not, what we need most for the Shakti to be received is to let go. Letting go is never easy to do alone. But within a community of like-minded beings, accompanied by meaningful teachings that spark our creativity, letting go can become the crown jewel of our day. The more we practice letting go, the easier it becomes, on and off the mat.

"Your daily meditations have given me a reason to get up in the morning and a sangha to invite into my heart."

-Sandy C.

" Even though it was virtual, I felt a spiritual connection among us all."

-Betsy G.

In the membership, all you need to do is show up. I’ll do the rest. Then the Shakti will do what she needs to do through you!

I want to acknowledge all of the Ashaya members for the intense commitment and dedication to their sadhana that they show me each time they participate either in class live or through the video recordings. I am so grateful for your practice, support, and your open hearts. 

If you long to establish a regular practice, I invite you to join us, try it out, and see what happens! You’ll then be able to answer the question of “why bother” from the core of your being.

I hope to see you on the mat!

Namaste,

Todd

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