Sadhanapada

I had no idea about consecrated spaces or how they support one's inner growth until I came to the Isha Yoga Center. As part of the program schedule, we frequently sat in Dhyanalinga and spent time around energized spaces like Suryakund and Linga Bhairavi. It felt like having the invisible hand of Grace to assist me at all times. After some time,I began to experience the ashram as a living space with an intelligence that was guiding all of us,gently reminding whenever we went astray. Being in such a powerful space for my inner growth was invaluable.

This place, this program, this Yoga has given me what I was always looking for. I signed up for Sadhanapada with trepidation, but found the entrance to a world within that begs to be explored.The ease with which all the practices happen now and the power and depth that I experience with each of them is something I would never have imagined.Being able to work on stimulating,socially relevant, fast-moving projects that touch on the very pulse of our planet in an atmosphere of fun and ease is something that I will cherish very highly.

I decided to go to Sadhanapada just after my graduation, so I didn't attend any campus placement program in the college. Many people advised me not to risk my career, but I decided to go for it and I think this was one of the best decisions I have taken so far. Before coming here, I was irregular with my sadhana, but these 7 months have brought discipline into it. Doing sadhana here in the consecrated spaces is so wonderful and effortless.I have become more balanced in terms of my mind and emotion.

The whole journey of Sadhanapada was beautiful, and I loved the volunteering part most. In Tree Care seva, I connected with Mother Earth, the open air, the vastness of the sky, and the most beautiful thing – rain that came anytime.When my seva changed to Cauvery Calling accounts department, I was reluctant. I was short-tempered initially and got easily irritated. It bothered me when others weren’t giving their best. With my seva coordinators’ guidance, soon my anger was gone and I started accepting people without judgment.Volunteering started giving me internal satisfaction and a constant, natural kind of happiness.

The Ashram and the many consecrated spaces have impacted my mind, body and emotions. Sadhana here has been more fluid, effortless and magical. Whenever I felt low, sitting in front of Devi has comforted me. Dhyanalinga calmed the restlessness in me and Pradakshina always helped me stop the internal chatter, leading to more vibrancy and focus thereafter.

During Sadhanapada, I got the opportunity to coordinate the Upasaka silence program and support the 21-day Tamil Upasaka training webinar! Both helped me break a lot of limitations within, leading to stillness and lifting of the veil of ignorance in some way.

Sadhanapada was a very enriching and fantastic experience. After Sadhanapada, my focus and energy have increased so much. I'm able to handle much more activity and do much more quality work, in a way that I didn't expect was possible for me.

Also, spending time in consecrated spaces is giving me a lot of energy and a sense of joy and lightness. At the end of the day, taking a dip in Suryakund and going to Dhyanalinga is a fantastic experience that recharges me in a big way! Meditation happens so effortlessly. For me, it is an indescribable experience!

When I arrived to Sadhanapada, I really avoided the Dhyanalinga and Linga Bhairavi. But after some time, my perception and awareness increased and I became naturally drawn to them. Linga Seva really changed the way I looked at Dhyanalinga. Once, I got the opportunity of playing the singing bowl during Nada Aradhana. I sat down to play and after some time the movement started happening by itself. Falling into a very different kind of meditative state by focusing so intensely on the sound, it was an experience I will never forget.

Dedicating time to sadhana and staying in the ashram has brought freedom, peace and joy into my life. Everything in the program was crafted in a supportive way for growth, like the daily schedule, monthly meetings and food. Sadhana has made me conscious of myself and now, even if things go haywire, I know I need to fix myself first and then the situations around.

Doing sadhana in the consecrated spaces makes the process of growth very rapid. It would take me years to reach this level of personal and spiritual development that happened in such a short period.

Sadhanapada has left a deep impact on me and it took my practices to another level. All my colleagues at work tell me that I am more energetic, stable and efficient than before. A day doesn't go by without my mother expressing her gratitude to Sadhguru for the way I am at home. But what they are seeing is only the surface. Within me, the kind of balance I am experiencing is just incomprehensible. Day after day, I just keep doing sadhana, and every day I see a new me! It's a new high! It's a new level of living!

Before coming to Sadhanapada last year, I'd been working in IT for 12 years. I thought I'll get to do something different in Sadhanapada – but I was put in IT again. But here, I felt a certain energy every morning after the practices. Many issues stopped bothering me and my ideas started flowing without a restriction. Sadhanapada took away so many of my limitations. I am no longer intimidated by big work. I no longer think, "Oh, if this doesn't work, what will happen?" All problems became solutions. I am always raring to go, "Yes, let's do it! What next?"

Staying at home for 8 months after Sadhanapada, I can clearly see the difference in myself. Situations do not have the same impact on me as they used to. I feel like a new person and find it amusing how I reacted to them before. I can see I could have done better, but this change is very refreshing. Life is much lighter now. The only important thing is to do the daily sadhana and everything else fits in effortlessly. My focus and my decision-making ability have improved. This is helping me do things faster and more efficiently.