Sadhana: what it is and why it changes everything
Most of us just keep going. We manage, we function, we get through the day. And at some point we notice, quietly, without drama, that something is missing. Not a crisis. Just a whisper: there's more.
Sadhana. It's a word that gets thrown around a lot in yoga spaces. But what does it actually mean, and why do so many people say it changed their life more than they expected?
I'm not the most disciplined person. But Sadhana changed something in me that I couldn't change with willpower alone. And I've seen it change others too.
Table of contents
What is sadhana?
Where sadhana comes from
What happens when you practice every day
Why sadhana in community is different
How to start
Monday morning sadhana at Gobinde
Frequently asked questions
What is Sadhana?
Sadhana literally means: daily spiritual practice. But what that really means can't easily be pressed into a definition.
For me, Sadhana is anything that pulls me out of the spinning of my mind. Anything that connects me inward. That reminds me where I come from. It's about remembering that I am part of something greater, that I am nature, not just thoughts going in circles.
A complete Aquarian Sadhana includes Japji, a Kundalini Yoga Kriya, and 60 minutes of chanting the Aquarian Mantras. It's practiced before sunrise, when the Earth's electromagnetic field is still quiet, the world is not yet active, and access to the subconscious comes more easily.
It's not a workout. Not a productivity ritual. It's a return to yourself, before the day pulls you back into your habitual patterns.
Where Sadhana comes from
Sadhana as a concept exists in many spiritual traditions, the word comes from Sanskrit and appears in Hindu, Buddhist, Islamic and Sikh practices. The core idea is the same everywhere: a consistent daily practice, practiced over time, creates a transformation that no single workshop can replace.
In Kundalini Yoga, Sadhana is deeply rooted in the Sikh tradition, through the Japji, through the Aquarian Mantras. Keeping that connection alive, rather than simplifying or westernising it, is part of what gives the practice its depth.
What happens when we practice daily
When we do something every single day, it has a profound impact on our being. We shape our mind. We shape our habits. And when our habits change, our life changes.
We all have patterns. Reactions we learned at some point, to survive, or simply because they were comfortable. Sadhana brings us face to face with exactly those patterns. Not through analysis. Through experience.
Getting up early means going to bed early. It means reconsidering your diet. Anyone who tries to rise at 4am after a night of fondue, drinks and little sleep quickly realises: the practice doesn't just change the morning. It changes everything.
Sometimes it's genuinely not easy. There can be this strange feeling, lost, different, alone, while the whole world is still sleeping. And yet: when you sit down and practice anyway, something happens. Something I can't quite put into words. Something that has to be experienced.
Why Sadhana in community is different
Practicing alone has real value. But practicing together is a different quality entirely.
When we chant and meditate together early in the morning, we lift each other up. That's not a spiritual statement, it's what I experience every time we do it together. The group creates a field. What none of us could create alone comes alive in the space between us.
Sometimes Sadhana can be deeply moving. Especially when something is going on in our lives that impacts us emotionally. I had many Sadhanas feeling like sitting in a small boat in turbulent waters, where great rolling waves pulled me back and forth. And I sit there and chant, Wahe Guru, Wahe Guru, Wahe Guru… it becomes a light I can focus on, and I pull myself back, again and again, to what truly matters.
How to start
The full Aquarian Sadhana is two and a half hours. Sticking with that alone takes a lot of commitment. If you're a bit of a discipline-skeptic, like me, start small.
Really small. Three minutes. Five minutes. A practice you can actually follow through with, so that a sense of success can grow. Build up gradually to something that's realistic for you. Consistency matters more than duration.
And one more thing: be really honest with yourself. It's not about it always feeling beautiful. It's about learning, about growing. Sometimes you feel wonderful and full of love. Sometimes something comes up that doesn't feel good at all. Both are fine. What comes to the light loses its power. Every troll is less frightening when you look it in the eye.
A few practical starting points:
Begin with 3 to 11 minutes, a mantra or a simple meditation
Practice at the same time every day, consistency matters more than duration
Build up at your own pace
Practice with others whenever you can
Monday Morning Sadhana at Gobinde Yoga in Zurich
On Mondays, we hold Sadhana at Gobinde Yoga in Zurich, from 6:00 to 8:00am. We come together and start the day as one. For me, that's something special every single week.
The Sadhana is donation-based (typically 5 to 20 CHF) and takes place when at least three people sign up. The format follows the Aquarian Sadhana: Japji, warm-up, a Kundalini Yoga Kriya, and 40 to 50 minutes of chanting. It's not a guided class, whoever leads is fully practicing alongside everyone else.
The practice begins before sunrise. That's part of the point.
If you'd like to join, you can be added to the Telegram group where dates are announced. You'll find the link on the website.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Sadhana is the daily spiritual practice performed before sunrise. It includes the Japji, a Kundalini Yoga Kriya, and the Aquarian Mantras. It is considered the cornerstone of the Kundalini Yoga lifestyle.
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The traditional Aquarian Sadhana is two and a half hours. But any honest, consistent practice has value. Starting with three minutes is a meaningful beginning. Consistency matters more than duration.
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Yes. There's no wrong way to arrive. Practicing with others is often more accessible than starting alone from scratch.
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Traditionally before sunrise, between 3:30 and 6:00am. When the Earth's electromagnetic field is still quiet and access to the subconscious comes more easily. In practice, consistency matters more than the exact hour.
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Meditation is one part of Sadhana. A complete Sadhana includes mantra, movement, breathwork, and chanting, it is a complete morning practice, not a single technique.
Sadhana can't be described. It has to be experienced. What comes out of it is as individual as you are. But one thing is certain: it builds something in us. A strength. A new way of responding. A new way of orienting yourself.
Does any of this feel familiar, that quiet sense that more is available than most days seem to offer?
At Gobinde Yoga in Zurich, we practice together every week. Monday mornings we hold Sadhana for everyone who wants to go deeper. Come as you are.
Come and feel it for yourself.
Check schedule and register
This article was written by Judith Ender, founder of Gobinde Yoga in Zurich and a Kundalini Yoga teacher with over 15 years of practice and teaching. She works with people who are ready to step out of the loops of the mind and discover what a committed practice can open up.