We live in a world that encourages constant movement, momentum, distraction and external validation. The focus is often on planning what we need to achieve, finding the quickest way to get there, how we appear to others and what our plan of action is for what comes next.

All of this feels a bit like fast fashion and consuming fast food, with a constant chase for the next milestone. Don’t get me wrong, I love a good action plan, making to-do lists and that feeling of achievement when I’ve completed a project or reached a goal. But I feel like the intention and deeper meaning behind how we go about all of this have somehow been lost along the way.

We’ve all become accustomed to this fast way of living, hence the importance of Sadhana as a beautiful and intentional reminder of why.

Sadhana invites us to turn our attention inward. It gives us a place to meet ourselves honestly, including the parts that are still learning and unlearning. Sadhana is where our physical yoga practice moves from something we do on the mat to something we embody in the way we live, moment to moment and breath by breath.

Sadhana, in Sanskrit, refers to spiritual practice, disciplined practice or a means of working intentionally towards a particular goal, without the goal itself being the main focus. In yogic and Indian spiritual traditions, Sadhana refers to the practices we undertake consistently to cultivate awareness, understanding, self-discipline, spiritual growth and evolution.

Sadhana isn’t necessarily one particular technique, style or practice. It can include asana (yoga poses), pranayama (breathwork), meditation, mantra, chanting, self-study, dance, prayer and other practices that help us deepen our connection to ourselves, layer by layer, through each stage of our lives.

Sadhana isn’t about doing more or less. It’s about consistent practice with mindful intention.

Sadhana is the commitment to show up, to observe ourselves honestly and to keep returning to the work of knowing ourselves more deeply. Sometimes that practice happens on the yoga mat at home, online or in a studio. Sometimes it happens in the middle of a difficult conversation, when we pause before reacting, or when we recognise an old pattern and consciously choose a different response.

Sadhana creates space to pause, listen and become aware of what is happening beneath the surface. Through consistent practice, we begin to recognise our habits, our reactions, our attachments and the stories we tell ourselves.

This doesn’t mean that a regular practice makes us permanently calm, positive or free from anxiety, confusion or difficulty! Instead, it can help us develop a different relationship with our experiences and how we respond to them, both on and off the yoga mat.

We learn to sit with discomfort instead of always trying to escape it. We become more familiar with our own minds and more conscious of the choices available to us.

Sadhana gives us an opportunity to practise these qualities repeatedly, so they become more accessible when life challenges us.

A dedicated and consistent practice can help us develop greater body-mind awareness, refine our concentration, cultivate patience and build a more intimate relationship with the breath. We begin to notice where we hold tension, when we push beyond our limits and where we habitually avoid discomfort.

As yoga teachers, we spend our time holding space for others. We create sequences, study anatomy, become versed in philosophy, upskill, advertise and market our classes, and support our communities and students of all ages and levels – all of the time.

In the middle of all this giving, it’s easy to lose touch with our own practice. We can become very good at teaching yoga while unknowingly moving away from the personal inquiry and curiosity that brought us to yoga in the first place.

Sadhana reminds us that, first and foremost, we are practitioners and students of embodiment. Our learning doesn’t end when we complete a teacher training, and our self-practice shouldn’t take a back seat simply because we’ve already taught multiple classes that week.

Sadhana encourages us to remain students. It helps us notice our blind spots, question assumptions and stay open to learning. Rather than presenting ourselves as people who have it all figured out, we can teach from a place of inquisitiveness and continued personal development.

Our students learn from our words and actions, but they also experience how we listen, respond, acknowledge our own mistakes and treat others. We don’t need to be perfect to teach yoga or embody every yogic principle at every moment. We do need to be willing to keep practising, reflecting, refining and growing.

The awareness we cultivate in our practice can be carried into everyday life. We may become more conscious of our words, more patient with ourselves and others, and better able to recognise when we are acting from habit rather than intention.

Sadhana invites us to bring mindfulness and intentionality into all the extraordinary and ordinary moments that make up our lives.

Through reflection, contemplation and self-study, we can become more familiar with our inner world. We start to see recurring patterns, question assumptions and create space between an impulse and our response.

Yoga philosophy asks us to consider how we relate to others, not just how we relate to our own physical embodied practice. Practising qualities such as kindness, truthfulness, non-harming and contentment can influence the way we communicate, set boundaries and navigate conflict.

If learning more about having a dedicated, consistent and intentional practice speaks to you, join us at the Be Collective Sussex 30, 31 October and 1 November for our Embodiment Sadhana workshops! There will be something for every yogi, dancer, mover and shaker! From somatic to ecstatic, dynamic asana to restorative flows. Regardless if you’re a long time seasoned practitioner or teacher or just at the beginning of your yoga journey, I’m positive you’ll find a workshop here for you.

For full details visit the Be Collective Sussex website here and I look forward to deepening into practice with you.