I entered the back door of our tiny rental to find my roommate over the stove, intently whisking again. This time, it was going to work. The emulsification would be perfect, egg yolk and butter suspended in sublime harmony – no separation, no clumps.
Not that either of us actually liked to eat hollandaise sauce.
That wasn’t the point. The point was passing her next chef school exam, which included flawlessly making hollandaise sauce on the spot.
“Recipes are rituals that promise transformation.” – Kate Lebo
Watching her, it felt like the activity was deeper than successfully making a sauce. It was as though the process symbolized her transformation from someone who enjoys cooking to a masterful chef worthy of the title. It was more than food. It felt like alchemy of food and soul.
Well, alchemy in the works….
So far, we only had gallons of oily messes and containers of egg whites to show for her efforts. Something about the temperature, whisking speed, timing of the melted butter—something wasn’t quite consistent, she explained.
“Good cooking is about being completely present with an experience as it unfolds.” – Samin Nosrat
She was determined. That whole month, I knew where to find her if she were home: deep in her “kitchen sadhana”, as I called it.
Sadhana
Sadhana is a daily practice with the intent of growing your connection with something larger than yourself, whether you call it the Divine, Light, universe, God.
Broadly, anything that is living consciously can be one’s sadhana: what and how you eat, each breath, how you act, think, speak…and make hollandaise.
Most often sadhana is associated with a daily morning activity, like yoga, meditation, prayers, or an intentional walk with the purpose of setting the intention for your day, aligning all thoughts, emotions, and actions with a higher truth.
Sadhana is a reminder (mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual) of your intention for your life. It acknowledges that a connection with something greater than yourself is a process, a decision made in each moment.
Sadhana practices typically take on two lengths: ongoing or practices of 40 days. In yogic traditions, 40 days is the symbolic duration of important transformation.
You’ll notice that sadhana practice is not typically something novel, changing every day. That’s because repetition builds mastery.
Repeating the same sequence grows your experience each time. You start with learning something new, then find you’re able to intently focus without thinking about it, and then eventually move through your practice with the fluidity of grace, connecting to something greater than yourself.
By repeating the same practice with intention, sadhana helps you build:
- An adaptable nervous system that responds to stressors and returns to balance easily afterwards, with greater heart rate variability (HRV), lower stress hormones, and a stronger immune system
- Emotional regulation by learning to observe thoughts and sensations as they arise, instead of reacting
- Greater self-awareness and focus that helps you view challenges as opportunities for growth
- Improved physical health, if the practice includes mindful movement
- A deeper connection with inner guidance, creativity, and a connection with the divine
Sadhana Sundays
I share 22-minute sadhanas that support seasonal integration and wellness on Sadhana Sunday every 6 weeks (42 days). Each sadhana incorporates guided breath work, breath-led movement, relaxation, and space to set the tone for your day.
Try the Sadhana for deep winter
I also create 5-minute meditations that focus on a specific seasonal theme.
My goal is to make transformational tools accessible so you can deeply connect to the truth and well-being already within you.
Try this season’s sadhana. Make it yours. And let me know how it shifts things for you, one day at a time.
And if, instead, it’s unparalleled hollandaise you’re seeking, I know a chef….
Image credits all from Unsplash, in order: Debby Hudson and Artem Kovalev.
Recent Posts
- Meditation 05: Heart Over Head
Connect with your soul body, your connection with Spirit, in this guided meditation. - Of Course It’s Somatic | Trauma
Learning to let go and return to the present by tuning into the felt experiences of the body. - Meditation 04: Breath of Fire
Boost your energy, increase your lung capacity, and clear away anything you no longer need with this breath work paired with a candle gazing meditation. - Meditation 03: Warming Energy
Improve mental clarity, cleanse your sinuses, and invite warmth into your body with this guided meditation and kapalbhati pranayam (skull-shining breath). - Just Knowing the Way | Intuition
Intuition can sound a little magical or out-of-reach for us mere mortals. Here’s how you can identify and encourage the deeper knowing you already have.
Leave a Reply