Recently, I had the chance to help someone structure their Sadhana; not in an ashram, not on a mountain, but smack in the middle of a wildly unpredictable daily schedule.
You know the kind. Meetings that breed overnight. Commutes that eat hours.
Energy levels that come and go like unreliable friends.
And yet, Sadhana can be built here. If we stop lying to ourselves.
The first and most uncomfortable step is radical honesty. Ask yourself: What is the absolute minimum I can offer daily to my spiritual practice without resentment?
Five minutes? Ten? Start there. Not where you should be. Where you actually are. Then, every month or two, gently raise the bar.
Sadhana grows like a muscle: slowly, through consistency, not heroic bursts.
Next, even if your main work is something seemingly “non-devotional”: Kriya, Kundalini, breath-based Tantra; build a relationship with a Devata. This is not optional in the long run. Devata Sadhana softens the path, removes friction, and quietly rearranges life in ways no technique ever can. Think of it as divine infrastructure.
Now, a necessary truth bomb. There’s a reason Mantra Sadhana is prescribed for a fixed time and place. If you cannot currently offer that stability, forcing mantra will only create guilt and dropouts. Instead, turn to Nama Japa.
Carry a japa mala. Chant Rama Rama Rama while commuting. Siva Siva Siva between meetings. Karuppa Karuppa Karuppa while walking. Five minutes before lunch. Five minutes before work begins or ends.
And no; Nama Japa is not inferior. Done daily, done sincerely, it works wonders for Chitta Shuddhi and devotion. Over time, the Devata itself begins to carve out proper Sadhana time for you.
Another overlooked pillar is Vrata. Ask yourself what you can fix regularly. Daily is ideal, but even twice a month is powerful. Chathurthis, Pradoshas, Ashtamis; there are always sacred tithis available. Choose your Devata. Commit.
Don’t underestimate this. I’ve seen lives quietly transform through Sankashti Chathurthi alone.
Finally sleep. You cannot out-will chronic exhaustion. Forget waking up early. Go to sleep early instead.
Sadhana thrives on rested awareness, not spiritual bravado.
If these reflections stirred something familiar within you, perhaps it’s time to deepen practice in shared space. Many seekers discover that walking alongside others within a grounded Tantra circle: https://shorturl.at/6gxgH helps discipline become devotion, and effort become grace. When you feel ready, that doorway is already open.
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