We often think about what we eat as being important to our health but not about the practice of how we eat. Ayurveda gives some great guidance for eating, especially when it comes to digestion, but first lets let us talk about sadhanas.
The word sadhana is a sanskrit term simply defined as a daily spiritual practice designed to allow oneself to turn inward, a special practice that brings spiritual development and liberation of the soul. Sadhana means your participation with everything. An example of a sadhana could be the expression of gratitude for a meal before we eat. By being thankful and grateful while we eat, we have peace of mind, which leads to a more peaceful digestion.
Sadhanas can be practiced in many ways such as a mantra meditation, a specific yoga pose, a visualization, reading a spiritual text, or a daily walk in nature. Through sadhana we can better connect to the earth and to our own internal and external environment. According to Maya Tiwari, sadhana awakens our cognitive memory and replenishes the lost art of beauty, grace, and accommodation.
Ayurveda gives some great guidance when it comes to eating and digesting your food. Eating in a calm, comfortable place, eating only when you are hungry, eating the right quantity of food, eating at regular times every day, eating quality wholesome foods, taking time to chew your food really well, and most importantly being present when you eat. When you are able to participate and embrace these habits on a daily basis your digestion will strengthen.
The food that we choose to eat is the foundation for a healthy physical, mental and emotional body. The simple act of cooking and eating can inspire and rejuvenate our body’s cognitive memory. We must be good to our bodies by treating it with love. Balanced and healthy foods, pure water, and respectful prayer while cooking and eating helps transform the simple and mundane task of food consumption into a spiritual experience. Each sadhana serves as a gateway to spiritual evolution. Practice them individually or collectively. Be sure to be in joy while performing your sadhanas and live consciously in the moment.