PRACTICE & REFLECTION
What is sādhanā? How to begin a personal practice
A personal practice begins with something you can return to: a time, a place and an intention. You do not need to design the perfect routine before you begin.
By Cuadernos Purnata · Leer en español
A word with a wider context
Sādhanā is a Sanskrit term often used for spiritual practice. In yoga traditions, it can refer to an ongoing discipline directed towards a spiritual purpose. Its meaning is richer than a productivity routine, and the specific practices depend on the tradition and teacher.
The Himalayan Institute describes sadhana as consistent practice in support of a spiritual goal. This guide offers a simple way to reflect on a practice you already know; it does not prescribe a traditional training or replace guidance from your teacher. You may also keep a practice journal without adopting a religious identity.
Begin with an intention you can recognise
Before deciding how many minutes to practise, write one sentence about what you wish to bring attention to. For example: I want to notice how I respond when I am in a hurry. An intention gives you something to revisit without promising a particular feeling after every session.
Keep the sentence close to your own experience. Words such as presence or balance may matter to you, but it can help to ask what they mean in one ordinary moment: listening to someone, beginning a task or allowing yourself to rest.
Choose one familiar practice
Start with a practice you have learned and can do comfortably. That might be a short period of meditation, a familiar yoga sequence or quiet contemplation. A journal accompanies the practice; it does not need to become a second, demanding assignment.
Choose a realistic place in your day. Instead of creating a long list of activities, decide what you will do, when you might do it and where your notebook will be. Let the arrangement be simple enough to try tomorrow.
Make room for an ordinary day
Write down a usual version and a shorter version of your practice. The shorter version should still make sense to you, rather than exist only to preserve a streak. Rest can also be a considered choice. Keep a note of what you chose and why.
If you miss several days, begin from today. You do not have to recreate entries you cannot remember. A note such as I am returning after a busy week is a truthful starting point. The gap is part of the record, not a debt.
Record three moments
Before practising, note how you arrive and what you intend to explore. Afterwards, describe one thing you remember. Finally, choose one small way to carry that attention into the day. Two or three sentences can be enough.
For example: I arrived thinking about work. I noticed myself planning during the practice. Before answering my next message, I want to pause long enough to read it carefully. This is an invented example, not a model of how a session should feel.
Review without grading yourself
After a week, read a few entries. Which conditions made it easier to begin? Which part felt unnecessarily complicated? Choose one adjustment, or keep the arrangement that already works. You do not need to conclude that every week was better than the last.
If writing itself becomes a burden, reduce it to one question. A journal can hold uncertainty, repetition and unfinished thoughts. Its usefulness lies in what you can recognise in your own notes, not in how impressive they sound.
Context for the term: Himalayan Institute: sadhana in the yoga tradition. The journaling suggestions and examples above are our own.