Sadhana: The Way to Infinity

At the core, we’re all one, but how much do we experience this oneness? Very little, almost all would say.

Covered with innumerable layers of desires, afflictions and attachments, our core is lost from our sight. The darkness of our ignorance hides it like the darkness of the deep sea hides the jems it contains.

A great churning (Samundra Manthan) is therefore required to extract the jems out of the sea of our consciousness. Jems like contentment, peace and bliss.

The source is the core. Despite the thick covering, it’s the powerhouse – the whole existance couldn’t last a second without the energy our core is emiting constantly, iternaly.

Let’s connect to our core. Directly. consciously. Let’s not be bothered about the covering, the darkness, the impurities. If these can survive by the power of the core, we can utilize the same power to get rid of them.

Sadhana is the way. Which sadhana? One may ask.

The one that connects one to the core. And, since we’re all unique individuals, each one of us has one’s own unique method, or a set of methods, which makes up our daily sadhana.

Powerful Methods

Are You Losing Track on the Path of Sadhana: In this post wrapped with self-reflection, Raghav compares a thought with a bouncing football and mind with a field. By being a silent spectator, he realizes, one can avoid getting hurt from this bouncing football-of-thought. His method to connect with the core is revealed further in his concluding thoughts: “to be mindful and alert always. For that, I need to work upon my meditation sessions routinely. I need to be kind and grateful all the time.”

Sri Suktam Sadhana: It’s been almost 2 decades since Pari has been initiated and performing spiritual practices, yet there was something amiss. In October 2022, by doing Sri Suktam Sadhana guided by Swamiji, Pari realizes the missing pieces in his sadhana: sankalpa and satvik food and mindset (purity). Sadhana experience in his words “for the first time, I experienced a calmness as intense as a thunderbolt. Unwavering stillness and unalloyed joy like never before.” Pari’s experience again confirms that sadhana Learnt from the God-realized souls like Swamiji is a surest way to connect to the source within.

Sadhana App: Like many seekers, Shailu has also discovered Sadhana App as the finest method to connect with the source (divine) within, amongst the chaos that this world is. It has helped her do yagna, abhishekam, sadhana and japa, and made her “more disciplined, focused and most importantly helped me to make a strong connection with the Divine. It is like an Oasis in the desert of life.” in her own words.

If you’re Krishna’s Bhakta, Abhishek’s post has a stotra of Krishna’s 108 names that can help you connect with Krishna – the Purna Avatara of the supreme that resides in all.

Mansik Yajna: A technique to perform the entire yajna mentally I share in this post, which I’ve been using for years. Mansik or manas pooja is a powerful method to directly connect to the source within, without any external resources and from wherever you are.

The Power of Lineage: Akshay’s post under ‘SD For Work’ series reminds us the importance of initiation and lineage in our self-discovery. In Sanatana Dharma, we’re blessed with unbroken spiritual lineage from the beginning of time and a sincere seeker is protected by the lineage in unimaginable ways.

Reflection or contemplation on sacred words like Srimad Bhagavat Gita is important to live in the world without loosing our connection to the core. In his post, Vinay shares that how he got inspired from Swamiji’s words on the same and incorporated reflection on Bhagavat Gita in his daily post-meditation routine. He also shares a solution to find its right translation.

Shiva, Kashi, Sadhana and Guru: Snigdha shares several important teachings based on her experience and Guru’s grace, that one should keep in mind on the path of sadhana otherwise it only boosts the ego. Ego is what keeps us ignorant to our true nature (pure, eternal and blissful).

Selfless acts is the fastest way to feel the presence of divine (the eternal core within). Read how God himself came walking to Meera’s home to help her carry out a selfless act, and how a small act of kindness brought Infinite happiness to Raghav.

A simple Practice

यो मां पश्यति सर्वत्र सर्वं च मयि पश्यति ।
तस्याहं न प्रणश्यामि स च मे न प्रणश्यति ॥ ३० ॥

yo māṁ paśyati sarvatra
sarvaṁ ca mayi paśyati
tasyāhaṁ na praṇaśyāmi
sa ca me na praṇaśyati

For one who sees Me everywhere and sees everything in Me, I am never lost, nor is he ever lost to Me.

(BG 6.30)

At the outset of a new year, let’s commit ourselves to get back to the source. Whichever divine form we pray to, let’s try to see that in everyone we come across.

Let me share one simple practice I’ve been following for about couple of years on this platform.

Every time I write an answer or a comment in reply to someone, I end it with ‘Jai Sri Hari 🙏’. Immediately after I write these three words followed by the folding hands emoji, I attempt to visualize that person and then transforms him/her into My Lord‘s form. My hands are physically folded in the form of namaste (even if commenting while lying on the bed)

I experience a blissful joy in my heart when I do it (provided I’m not doing it in a hurry).

It takes only a few seconds with complete mindfulness to do this. But the reward is wonderful – a mere act of commenting becomes divine.

I was made to start this practice by divine grace when I was thinking of stopping commenting as I felt I was more drawn towards it for material purpose (to gain more views for my post – name and fame).

What is that one sadhana which makes you feel connected to the core.

The one that gives you peace, joy and love?

Keep sharing your methods and experiences. You can also follow me to get update on interesting developments in the world of sadhana on OS.ME.

Sriman Narayan

Image: From Time