Daily Sadhana

Both the kids are out of the house and in college. They both have their own struggles and successes with this new and challenging semester. (How Paul and I are doing is a whole other story!) While my boy is four hours away and just starting his college experience, my girl has been on her own for a few years now. Covid and all things tumultuous have really shaken her world and after a few weeks of living with us between semesters, I finally captured all the knowledge I have been trying to impart in words and in my own example: the importance of sleeping well and waking clearly and having a rhythm with the day, especially when times are trying. Here goes... Maybe it's useful for others as well.

Purpose: to offer my daughter, who is equal parts a disciplined Warrior Spirit and receptive Sensitive Creature, a basic practice to help with sleeping, studying and living the best possible life “during these times” or anytime, really.

What is a sadhana? Quite simply, a sadhana is the daily (spiritual) practice that informs and enhances your life to one of purpose and detachment. A sadhana requires real discipline and the ability to “show up” for yourself day after day, week in and week out. The one outlined in this document has no religious or overtly "spiritual" aspects to it. Please know that my personal sadhana is much  more robust. This is merely a trustworthy and firm foundation full of practicality and “mom-sense” to help you wake a little clearer and sleep a little deeper.
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Upon waking:

• Wake at a consistent time everyday and only very occasionally sleep in. A consistent clock for yourself naturally gives the rest of your life consistency. Most mornings I get up at 6:45am, nonnegotiable. Unless I’m getting up at 6am that is. Some of my personal practices require an earlier start time on some days.
• DO NOT LOOK AT YOUR PHONE. Those first impressionable moments of the day are mega important. Harness this time by meditating for a few minutes, first thing. We meditate for 20 minutes every morning but 5 minutes will absolutely do the trick. Even just 5 minutes will work to stabilize your morning and whole day. Dedicate a “spot” in your house for this activity. Sit there every time you sit if possible. It builds a certain “charge” in that area that will actually help you continue to meditate as time goes on.
• Stretch for a few minutes. I personally do 9 sun salutations but you can do just 5 minutes of basic stretching. This wakes you up and gets breath and blood moving. Papa does an hour-long hot yoga class 3 times a week just to give you a sense. Real exercise everyday is important.
• Coffee (or tea) and the news. Read KERA app (for local news), NPR app (for national perspective) and BBC app (for global perspective). It’s good to know what’s going on in the world. It makes you a better, informed citizen. Occasionally I look at other sources because it’s good to know the dangerous and slanted perspectives too. Above all, do not read bullshit news on Facebook. Ever.
• Shower (if you do the morning shower thing - I personally do not) and get fully get dressed. Completely, like what you’ll be wearing for the whole day.
• Make your bed. This is nonnegotiable every single day.
• Eat something, ideally something easy to digest like fruit.
• Fuss with your plants: water them, talk to them, dedicate time to them. 
• Write down three unique things you’re grateful for in your journal. Studies show that this practice literally grows new brain neurons. Oprah taught me this and I’ve been doing it for well over six years now. And besides, carrying a journal all the time is very handy you’ll find.

Live your day:

• Look at your calendar and get oriented. This is when I draw a daily card that serves as a companion to my schedule. After seeing my schedule, who is it that walks with me and offers me wisdom today? And then I draw a card. 
• Drink lots of water and aside from bedtime tea, that should be all you drink the rest of the day.
• Stay off the social media if you can, it’s seriously not relevant to a productive day. It’s all about training focus in your work, your work ethic and your art.
• Eat a good, healthy lunch. Lunch should be your largest meal of the day. It’s important.
• If you take any vitamins do it during the day so they’re sure not to interfere with sleep.
• No caffeine after 4pm. Period.

Winding down your day:

• Eat dinner together and if possible at a consistent time, ideally earlier than later.
• Do the dishes. Do not let dishes sit overnight. This will sabotage you over time.
• Check in on the socials but don’t get dragged down.
• If you watch a show, evening is a good time to do that.
• Alcohol only once or twice a week, max. Alcohol is notorious for interfering with sleep.

Time for bed:

• Shower, if you shower. Or take a hot bath. Wind down with water.
• Drink warm tea, no caffeine. I prefer Sleepy Time but Smooth Move occasionally keeps things moving along in a really satisfying way ifyouknowwhatimean.
• Read, knit, do something that naturally isn’t on a screen and lets your mind burn off any extra steam.
• Meditate for 9 minutes, non-negotiable. (Do not look at a screen after meditation.)
• Sprinkle lavender on the pillow.
• Go to bed and genuinely ask of your Higher Self to untangle and heal your anxiety through dreams.

Weekly:

• Do an hour yoga restorative yoga class at least twice a week. Use gravity and deep stretches to channel physical and mental anxiety into the earth itself.
• Clean your house and do laundry. It seems obvious but making it part of your weekly sadhana lets your space “talk back to you” in a positive way, reinforcing good habits in a beautiful environment that you like to be in. You will find yourself inspired over and over with a weekly clean.
• Plan your meals once a week and shop only once or twice at the store per week. Time put in for planning makes for a very easy week when you’re busy. You’ll also save a F-ton of money.
• Get in nature somehow, someway. Even if it’s coffee on the patio at sunset on Sunday evening. Go for a walk a few times a week. Make it a THING in your life.
• Have a weekly meeting with your partner where you review the upcoming week with regards to food, schedules and more. It’s also a good time to reflect on the previous week – to become self-aware of that argument you had on Tuesday or whatever. It’s also a safe time to once-a-week bring up things that can be hard to bring up. If you have a standing meeting that’s practical in nature, it becomes a natural time to bring forth some of that awkward stuff and be thoughtful, kind and conscious about introducing it into the mix. Sit in the place where you meditate daily to have this meeting, harness the “charge” you’ve been building in that spot. This is THE secret to a 22-year marriage we’ve found.

Sanity Sadhana:

• Borrow feng shui books from the library and study them at length over time making little tweaks in your home as you’re able.
• Space Clear your home at least once a semester.
• Build a master list of accounts with contact information and account numbers for internet, electricity, etc.
• Buy a metal bank box to store your bills and important documents, insurance, titles and so on. This is immense peace of mind if something happens and you have to move fast. 

​May it be so.