You’ve made it half way through the 40 Day Sadhana. How are you feeling as you’ve dedicated yourself to a practice each day? Today’s practice is to refresh your sacred space and choose the practice that has spoken to you the most in the past 20 days. Practice this practice again. If you are open to it - comment below on what your favorite practice has been so far.
Day 19 - 40 Day Sadhana
Today our practice is to work with mantra! Below I’ve listed some mantras to give you an idea of a mantra you could use as part of your practice. Please look through the mantras below and listen to which one speaks to you.
Today we will practice One Point Meditation with mantra. Much like we did on day 1, but this time your one point will be the mantra. If you already have a personal mantra that you feel deeply connected to, please use that one. My teacher Arora says, “Hum it, listen to it or simply contemplate it.” Some of these mantras are chanted in song (a few examples below), these you could play and listen to with while in your practice or try it with a walking meditation. Allow the practice to guide you instead of you guiding the practice. When working with mantra, it often will come to you vs. you trying to find it. Allow this organic process to begin today.
Mantras
Here is the one we used yesterday: Just breathe, it’s okay, I love you, Everything is okay , I am still here
OM - the universal sound
So Hum - I am that which is everything within the universe
Om Ananda - bliss, joy in everything
Love
Peace
Grace
I am loving kindness
All love resides within my heart.
I deeply and completely love and accept myself.
I nurture my inner child. I am wanted and loved.
I live in balance, in a state of gracefulness and gratitude.
I am connected with other human beings.
I accept things as they are.
I am peaceful.
I am divinely guided
I trust the process of life
Om Gam Ganapatayai Namah - The primary Ganesh (elephant deiti) for clearing obstacles and awaking consciousness
Aham Prema - invoke the living energy of the highest Love within our hearts and lives
Lokaah Samasthaah Sukhino Bhavantu - A mantra to express loving-kindness (here is a song)
Om Mani Padme Hum - This powerful mantra, which has deep roots in India and in Tibet, is one of the most commonly chanted mantras in the world. Its meaning, as translated by the Dalai Lama, is: “The jewel is in the lotus, or praise to the jewel in the lotus.” Beautiful song here
Gayatri Mantra - O Divine mother, our hearts are filled with darkness. Please make this darkness distant from us and promote illumination within us. (here is a song)
Have a beautiful joyous day!
Much Love,
Ange
Day 18 - 40 Day Sadhana
Practice today - Create a time capsule, this is a fun practice I do in my google calendar each year. You can create as many as you’d like but for this practice I’m going to give you the instructions on a particular date.
Create a Google or Apple calendar appointment for yourself - Label it Time Capsule. (We have one rule here, NO PEEKING after you create it). You’ll miss out on all the fun if you do.
Date: 5/1/23
Pick a time
Write in the notes of your Time Capsule appointment - a little note to yourself in the future with your manifestations, intentions and goals, reminder of a practice you enjoy.
Save the appointment and don't look back.
On 5/1/23 - You’ll receive your calendar reminder, open your appointment to read what you wrote, reflect on how your past few months have been and how your intentions played out.
Have fun!
Ange
Day 17 - 40 Day Sadhana
Today’s practice is to journal what this practice has been like for you. How have these practices helped you in the past 20 days? Which practice resonated with you the most? What practices would you like to carry on with you after the 40 Day Sadhana.
Sending you all love
Ange
Day 16 - 40 Day Sadhana
Forgiveness is an important practice when we are ending and beginning cyclings. I understand that everyone practices forgiveness at their own time in their own ways, so I’ve listed a few practices below. Is there a space in your life where you can forgive?
Write a forgiveness letter
Practice the Hawaiian Ho’oponopono prayer
Prayer - I love you, I am sorry, please forgive me, thank you
Here is the prayer in song
There are many forgiveness meditations on insight timer. Here are a few
Forgiveness Meditation with one of my teachers Jack Kornfield
Loving Kindness Mantra is a great way to practice forgiveness
May you be happy. May you be well. May you be safe. May you find freedom from suffering.
May I be happy. May I be well. May I be safe. May I find freedom from suffering.
Sending you all love,
A
Day 15 - 40 Day Sadhana
Love yourself a little extra right now. You're evolving, learning, healing, growing, and discovering yourself all at once. Today is the simple practice of doing something you love.
Journal about what you love to do and make time today to do that!
Much Love,
A
Day 14 - 40 Day Sadhana
Who can I serve today?
Seva is a Sanskrit word that describes the act of selfless service. Seva is an act of compassion and care for others above oneself. The sacred Hindu text, the Bhagavad Gita, encourages selfless service as a way to develop spiritually; thus, it is closely linked to the concept of Karma yoga; performing seva is said to transform the personality.
Today’s practice is to listen to your heart, who needs you? Make one soulful connection today and give solely to spread more love, expecting nothing in return.
Much Love,
A
Day 13 - 40 Day Sadhana
Today’s practice is called Trataka (Candle Gazing) Cleansing Technique. This simple technique has a purifying, invigorating effect on the mind and improves concentration, paving the way for a deeper meditation practice. Yoga International quotes, “This practices improves concentration and memory, trataka cleanses both the eyes and the cerebral cortex, balances the nervous system, and relieves depression, anxiety, and insomnia.” Another yogic text, the Gheranda Samhita, states that the practice cultivates clairvoyance and inner vision.
Let’s begin:
Come to a comfortable seat, meditative posture with your head, neck, and trunk aligned. Set a candle two feet in front of you, with the flame positioned at eye level. Make sure the room is dark and draft-free.
Begin with your eyes closed. Watch your breath, like we’ve been practicing with one point meditation.
Open your eyes and rest your gaze on the middle part of the flame, right above the tip of the wick.
Observe any thoughts that arise, watching them come and go. Try not to attach to the thought, acknowledge the thought and bring your awareness back to your breath and gaze on the flame.
Close your eyes only when they begin to strain and water. Tears are good, they help shed and carry away impurities.
When you feel complete with the practice, find an image to gaze upon other than the flame.
Close your eyes and bring your hands to prayer
Namaste
Have a beautiful day!
Ange
Day 12 - 40 Day Sadhana
Today’s practice is the practice of Loving Kindness. I had the amazing opportunity to study and work with Ram Dass and his colleague Sharon Salzburg who created Loving Kindness meditation from a Buddhist practice called Metta which means appreciation and joy. I’ve recorded a loving kindness meditation that you can listen to or you can repeat the words I’ve typed below.
Loving Kindness Practice
To yourself:
May I be held in lovingkindness.
May I be happy and safe.
May I be healthy in body and in mind.
May I always have enough.
May my heart know peace.
To another:
May you be held in lovingkindness.
May you be happy and safe.
May you be healthy in body and in mind.
May you always have enough.
May your heart know peace.
Have a beautiful day!
Love, A
Day 11 - 40 Day Sadhana
Today’s practice is a Chakra Meditation. You can listen to this meditation by sitting in your sacred practice space or lying down.
Day 10 - 40 Day Sadhana
Do you have a Sacred Prayer that you say to yourself? Today’s practice is to establish one. Below are a few examples that may resonate with you or write your own. One of my favorite Sacred Prayers is the Gayatri Mantra. If you feel called to listen and learn it, I’ve set some links below.
Prayer Examples
I trust the process of life and spread divine light
Thank you for the miracles, all in perfect ways and all in perfect timing
Divine health, wealth and abundance flows to me in all ways
I fully and freely release that which no longer serves me. All is well
I love my body and my body loves me in return
The divine speaks through me
I live in the frequency of peace, harmony and love
I call upon divine grace and unconditional love to show me truth and wisdom
Gayatri Mantra - This has been one of the most healing and sacred prayers that I’ve practiced.
Meaning - O Divine mother, our hearts are filled with darkness. Please make this darkness distant from us and promote illumination within us.
Here is an article about the Gayatri Mantra
Here is a YouTube video on how to pronounce it.
The Mantra
Aum
Bhuh Bhuvah Svah
Tat Savitur Varenyam
Bhargo Devasya Dheemahi
Dhiyo Yo nah Prachodayat
Much Love,
A
Day 9 - 40 Day Sadhana
Sending you all much gratitude - Today’s practice is to bow in reverence of what you are grateful for. Bowing is sacred in many traditions. To touch your forehead to the earth and give thanks. In India it’s called pranam, in Yoga - we practice the Sun Salutation; within one Sun Salutation there are 7 bows. Bow in a way that feels sacred and comfortable for you.
Our practice for today is to bow and to journal (written or verbal) what you are grateful for.
Below is an image of Sun Salutation A, if you’d like to practice this as your bow. You can also bow at your sacred practice space or come into child’s pose on your mat. As you bow, say what you are grateful for.
Also below is a beautiful prayer that I found in the book To Bless the Space Between Us by John O’Donohue, which is a great way to give thanks for the food that nourishes your body today.
Prayer before meal
As we begin this meal with grace,
Let us become aware of the memory
Carried inside the food before us:
The quiver of the seed
Awakening in the earth,
Unfolding in a trust of roots
And slender stems of growth,
On its voyage toward harvest,
The kiss of the rain and surge of sun;
The innocence of animal soul
That never spoke a word,
Nourished by the earth
To become today our food;
The work of all the strangers
Whose hands prepared it,
The privilege of wealth and health
That enables us to feast and celebrate.
I am beyond grateful for all of you
Love,
A
Day 8 - 40 Day Sadhana
Good Morning - Here is your morning practice!
Blessings,
A
Day 7 - 40 Day Sadhana
You’ve completed one week of the 40 Day Sadhana! How are you feeling?
Today’s practice - take 5-15 minutes in reflection, sit in your quiet sacred space. Put on your ear buds and tune into some relaxing music. I’ve curated a playlist on spotify for you with a mix of mantra and relaxing tones.
Take this time out of your day for you, honor this time and space for your practice.
Blessings,
A
Day 6 - 40 Day Sadhana
Friday’s practice is for the evening. What is your sleep routine or ritual? Do you have one? Think about how you’d like to tuck yourself into bed. Our evening practices are just as important as our morning and afternoon ones. Here are a couple ideas. If you’re looking for a morning practice - you can do any of the practices that you completed over the past few days.
Yoga Nidra for sleep (recording below)
Try vetiver essential oil on the bottoms of your feet, back of your neck and lower back. Vetiver is a root, which the oil of this root helps your nervous system ground before bed.
Drink a calming tea an hour before bedtime, like Chamomile or Sleepy Time Tea.
Take time away from all electronic devices at least one hour before bed.
Take a warm bath with epsom salt.
Read before bed.
Journal about your day and what’s on your mind,
1-2 Restorative yoga poses
Meditation
Blessings!
A
Day 5 - 40 Day Sadhana
Today we will work on the practice of Pranayama (breath attention). This specific Pranayama is called Alternate Nostril Breathing. In this practice Ange will walk you through the benefits of this breath work and how to do it. Take a moment, find a seat and enjoy this practice.
Have a beautiful day!
Ang
Day 4 - 40 Day Sadhana
Let’s talk about Mantra as a part of our practice. What is Mantra?
One of my teacher Indu Arora says, “Mantra is like the solar energy in syllable form. Hum it, listen to it or simply contemplate it.” A mantra is a repeated prayer, words, holy names or sacred sound.
Our practice today is inspired by these simple statements which come from a practice by Sister Dang Nghiem MD, who has studied with Thich Nhat Hahn a Zen Master and global teacher and leader for over 20 years. She mentions, “These become cherished mantras, effectively calming my nervous system and helping me to be kinder to myself and feel safe in my mind and body.”
You can say these statements to yourself as many times as you’d like. Repeating them throughout the day when you need them. You can also listen to the guided meditation below with these mantras included.
Our practice is:
Sit comfortably
Place your hands on your heart
Say to yourself:
Just breathe, it’s okay
I love you
Everything is okay
I am still here
Blessings,
A
Day 3 - 40 Day Sadhana
Reflection is apart of our practice. Recording, sharing, and writing about your experience is an invaluable tool. Whether you are taking a Yoga class and reflecting on how your body feels, or completing meditation and reflecting on the practice, even reflecting after a conversation with someone in your life. In this practice of life, we take baby steps in understanding ourselves. A great practice for this area in our lives are journal prompts. I’ve listed a few journal prompts below. Your practice today is to sit in your space, grab a cup of tea or coffee, light a candle and practice either a written or record a voice memo journal prompts.
Journal Prompts
In the past year, I’ve have learned ________________ about myself.
I am committed to giving myself the opportunity to experience_________________
I am centering joy by _________________
I am healing by ________________
I experience grace by ________________
Have a beautiful day!
Blessings,
A
Day 2 - 40 Day Sadhana
Welcome to Day #2. How did yesterday go with setting up your sacred space or item? Comment below if you’d like to share! Today we will practice one point meditation together. The audio recording is below, my hope is that you can revisit these guided meditations whenever you’d like. Take a moment to sit in your sacred space or grab your sacred item. Find a comfortable seat and meditate.
Blessings,
A
Day 1 - 40 Day Sadhana
Welcome to day #1 of the 40 Day Sadhana! Below is an audio recording to help you bring the practice! Feel open to leave a comment below!
Have a beautiful day!
Blessings,
A