Sadhanapada at Isha Yoga Center – An Opportunity to Offer Yourself

Life in Sadhanapada - All Articles

Sadhguru: This body is nothing other than earth, and so, the moods and changes that the Earth experiences, the human system also goes through. In the yogic system, the time between the summer solstice and winter solstice is generally referred to as sadhanapada. Particularly, the period from Guru Purnima, the first full moon after summer solstice, till a few days after the winter solstice – approximately the fourth or fifth of January – is considered the time to do sadhana. At this time, sadhana yields its best results, particularly in the northern hemisphere.

The Start of Adiyogi’s Teaching

This period, also known as Dakshinayana, is the time when the Sun begins to trace a southward movement in the Earth’s sky in the northern hemisphere of the planet. This southern run of the sun became significant because this marked the first phase of Adiyogi’s teaching, when he taught the Saptarishis what they should do. He turned south and became a Dakshinamurti. He did this not by whim, but because the sun turned south and that is the best way to do things at this time. 

The sadhanapada is significant in the life of anyone who is doing any kind of yoga. In the process of making anything happen, the most important thing is to do the right things with whatever is in our hands. If something is not in our hands, we can only wait. When we say sadhana, we are talking about things that are in our hands. We can do something about them – we can make it happen.

Sinking Your Roots In

The sadhanapada is just like this – these six months are important because now, you can do the right things. If you do the right things, when harvest time arrives, the right kind of harvest will come. For example, when a flower happens, it is not your doing. A flower will happen as a consequence of watering and manuring the plant. This is just like that.

I am like manure. If you sink your roots into me, for sure you will flower. Do not try to pray to manure – it does not work. You just have to sink your roots in tight. Manure does not look like a flower, and it does not smell like a flower, but for sure a plant will flower. That is all you have to do. 

What is the Significance of Volunteering during Sadhanapada?

This needs to be understood, sadhana is not just closing your eyes. If you want to become meditative by your own nature, you have to expend certain things. If you do not dismantle certain karmic structures, you will not meditate in your life. You have to create a situation for it. All the walls must be beaten down and activity is the best way to do that. Intensely focused activity will beat down karmic walls much more easily than trying to do it with eyes closed. 

Why Should We Do Sadhana in the Ashram? 

There are some people who can grow anywhere, but most human beings need the right kind of atmosphere. If you can create it in your own home, that’s great, but I do not believe most homes can create that. Once you smell the sambhar, sadhana will be forgotten! The reason why we are building so much infrastructure in the ashram is so that you can come and make use of it. 

A consecrated space is created to ensure that, no matter whether you are awake or asleep, whether you are eating food or sitting in the toilet, still your spiritual process is always on. It should not rest. Rest is only for the body, but the rest of it should be on all the time.

Editor’s Note: Find out more about Sadhanapada and pre-register for the upcoming batch here.