In olden days the aspirants were required to live with the Guru for a number of years, so that the Guru could study the students thoroughly. The food during practice, what to practise and how, whether the students are qualified for the path of Yoga, and the temperament of the aspirants and other important items have to be considered and judged by the Guru.

Read more here: » Yogic Guru: Necessity For A Yogic Guru

The following exercises are for changing the flow from Ida to Pingala. Select any one of the methods that suits you best. For changing the flow from Pingala to Ida, just do the same exercise on the opposite side.

Read more here: » Nadis: How To Change The Flow In Nadis

The nature of the mind is to accumulate. A gross mind wants to accumulate things; an evolved mind wants to accumulate knowledge. When emotion becomes dominant, it wants to accumulate people.

The mind’s basic nature is to accumulate. The mind is a gatherer - always wanting to gather something. The mind of a person on the spiritual path starts accumulating 'spiritual’ wisdom. Maybe it starts gathering the guru’s words but until one goes beyond the need to accumulate - whether it is food, things, people, knowledge or wisdom - it does not matter what you accumulate.

(See also: The Mind, God and Religion, Peace on Earth, Peace of Mind, Love and Happiness, Life and Beyond, Body Mind and Soul)

One should become perfectly desireless and should be full of Vairagya before attempting to awaken Kundalini. It can be awakened only when a man rises above Kama, Krodha, Lobha, Moha, Mada and other impurities. Kundalini can be awakened through rising above desires of the senses. The Yogi, who has got a pure heart and a mind free from passions and desires will be benefited by awakening Kundalini. If a man with a lot of impurities in the mind awakens the Sakti by sheer force through Asanas, Pranayamas and Mudras, he will break his legs and stumble down. He will not be able to ascend the Yogic ladder.

Excerpt from the book Kundalini Yoga by Sri Swami Sivananda.

Read more here: » Awaken The Kundalini: How To Awaken The Kundalini

Raja Yoga mentions nothing about this Kundalini, but propounds a still subtle, higher path, philosophical and rational, and asks the aspirant to control the mind, to withdraw all the senses and to plunge in meditation. Unlike Hatha Yoga which is mechanical and mystical, Raja Yoga teaches a technique with eight limbs, appealing to the heart and intellect of aspirants.

Read more here: » Kundalini: Raja Yoga and Kundalini

No nada-yogi has, to this day, been able to say that he has 'completed' his sadhana in music. Sadhana can complete us, but is in itself beyond completion. Through sadhana, siddhi and samadhi, we merge into the ocean of music, but we never 'cross' it.

(See also: Spiritual Music, Faith and Belief, Spiritual Guidance, God and Religion, Peace on Earth, Peace of Mind, Love and Happiness, Life and Beyond, Body Mind and Soul)

Karma is the most widely used term in popular spirituality (with an exception of Semitic religions; Christianity, Judaism and Islam). Karma is believed to decide ones progress or failure both in the material as well as spiritual spheres, in terms of health, wealth and even attainment of enlightenment. Karma is one of the cosmic or natural laws governing the universe. Though cosmic laws cannot be defined and can only be understood through application and observation, we will try to define it as much as possible.

Read more here: » Karma: Creating Sat Karma

A Sadhaka should observe perfect discipline. He must be civil, polite, courteous, gentle, noble and gracious in his behaviour. He must have perseverance, adamantine will, asinine patience and leech-like tenacity in Sadhana. He must be perfectly self-controlled, pure and devoted to the Guru.

Read more here: » Yogic Diet: Diet for a Yogi

Many aspirants fail to enter into Samadhi or Brahmic Bliss on account of restlessness of any one of the Indriyas (senses). Control of Indriyas is indispensably requisite for spiritual Sadhana.

From "Easy Steps to Yoga" by Sri Swami Sivananda.

Read more here: » Senses: Control of the Senses

Osho has used every opportunity for meditation, says Amrit Sadhana. According to him, the moments before going to sleep are crucial, as the last thoughts run through the sleeping state like an undercurrent.

This meditation is useful for those who feel a block inside.

(See also: Meditation Techniques, Meditation, Meditation for Beginners, Meditation Techniques)

Brahmacharya is very very essential Even in dreams you must be free from lustful thoughts. It requires long practice and careful watch over the mind and Indriyas. Foolish people hastily jump up to the higher courses in Yoga in vain without having this important item which is very useful for spiritual Sadhana.

From "Kundalini Yoga" by Sri Swami Sivananda

Read more here: » Yoga: Hints On Yoga

Meditation Experiences by Sarasvati Buhrman PhD - Part II

Sometime after 350 B.C. a great yogi sage wrote the "Yoga Sutra". This brief translation should wet your appetite. This describes the transformation of mind that will unfold over a course of sadhana (spiritual practice), focusing on the relationship between the mind and the object of meditation.

Read more here: » Meditation Experiences: Meditation Experiences According to the Ashtanga Yoga Tradition with Commentary on Patanjali's Yoga Sutra - Part II

Shruti Vedas Rig Veda Sama Veda Yajur Veda Atharva Veda Brahmanas Aranyakas Upanishads Smriti Itihāsas Mahābhārata Bhagavad Gītā Ramayana Puranas (List) Tantras Sutras (List) Stotras Ashtavakra Gita Gita Govinda Hatha Yoga Pradipika This is an article about the Yoga Sutras of ...

Including:

• Yoga Sutras of Patanjali - Introduction
• Yoga Sutras of Patanjali - Authorship
• Yoga Sutras of Patanjali - Philosophical Roots and Influences
• Yoga Sutras of Patanjali - The Eight Limbs of Raja Yoga
• Yoga Sutras of Patanjali - Bibliography
• Yoga Sutras of Patanjali - Appendix: English Translation of the Yoga Sutras
• Yoga Sutras of Patanjali - Book I : Consciousness and Superconsciousness Samadhi Pada
• Yoga Sutras of Patanjali - Book II : Ways To Attain Yoga Sadhana Pada
• Yoga Sutras of Patanjali - Book III : Powers Vibhuti Pada
• Yoga Sutras of Patanjali - Book IV : Liberation Kaivalya Pada

Read more here: » Yoga Sutras of Patanjali: Encyclopedia - Yoga Sutras of Patanjali

SADHANA: Spiritual practice.

(See also: SADHANA, Yoga, Yoga Dictionary)

Sadhana - Spiritual practice.

(See also: Sadhana, Yoga, Yoga Dictionary)

sadhana: (Sanskrit) "Means of attainment."

Self-effort, spiritual discipline; the way." Religious or spiritual disciplines, such as puja, yoga, meditation, japa, fasting and austerity. The effect of sadhana is the building of willpower, faith and confidence in oneself and in God, Gods and guru.

The effect of sadhana is the building of willpower, faith and confidence in oneself and in God, Gods and guru. Sadhana harnesses and transmutes the instinctive-intellectual nature, allowing progressive spiritual unfoldment into the superconscious realizations and innate abilities of the soul.

See: purity-impurity, pada, raja yoga, sadhana marga, spiritual unfoldment.

(See also: Sadhana, Hinduism, Body Mind and Soul)

sadhana

Practices for achieving pure devotional service; more generally, the means for achieving any goal.

(See also: sadhana, Bhakti, Bhakti Yoga, Bhakti Dictionary, Body Mind and Soul)

sadhana:

sadhana - practice, a quest

(See also: sadhana, Hinduism, Hinduism Dictionary, Sanskrit Dictionary, Body Mind and Soul)

Sadhana:

Sadhana: spiritual practice.

(See also: Sadhana, Hinduism, Hinduism Dictionary, Sanskrit Dictionary, Body Mind and Soul)

Sadhana

Intense, disciplined, and regular practice or learning for spiritualism, religion, art and craft, e.g. music. Mostly it refers to intense spiritual practice to get enlightment -derived from Sanskrit sadhana 'dedication to an aim', from sadh 'bring about'. [The word is accepted in Britannica]. A person who performs sadhana is a Sadhak.€€€

(See also: Sadhana, Hinduism, Yoga, Body Mind and Soul)

sadhana:

"Direct way". a ritual. a spiritual discipline.

(See also: sadhana, Hinduism, Hinduism Dictionary, Sanskrit Dictionary, Body Mind and Soul)