Seven Sadhanas for the Soul

Sadhana is a sanskrit term for systematized practices that bring spiritual development and liberation of the soul. Through the sadhana one can gain understanding of Self and find enlightenment. Proper sadhana is performed with pure intention and precise action. If you are considering this path, you will learn that each moment of each day requires proper sadhana. Though the practice may seem rigorous, the rewards of the sadhana is many.

There are many disciplines that are considered sadhana. Yoga offers plenty of practices that, with great focus, can lead to spiritual enlightenment. As a yogini and learner of Spirit, I have discovered some sadhanas that bring peace and wellness into lives. These practices offer evolution to the soul, create focus in your dharma (life purpose), and releases karmic ties. 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. 

Seven Sadhanas for the Soul:

1) Let your food be your medicine. The yogi knows that diet is the foundation for a healthy physical, mental and emotional body. This is the prerequisite for spiritual evolution. We incarnated into our bodies, our temples, so that it can transport us in the world. 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. Finding God through practices that heal our physical body is the path of Hatha Yoga. 

2) Live life in love. Love is a powerful conduit. It is a channel for Spirit that emits from the heart. It is a discipline that requires non-attachment, devotion, compassion and forgiveness. Through loving a neighbor as close as your family or a stranger as close as a friend, you are submitting to the highest force of the universe and surrendering your ego. Pure love is unconditional. It is not dependant on a person, a situation, or a thing. The reward for loving is its own reward. It opens you up to the bliss inside yourself. Devoting your practice to love is the way of Bhakti Yoga. 

3) Conscious communication. While we may have the ability to use words, we don't always use them effectively. Affirmations and positive self-talk are forms of conscious communication. Honesty, integrity, and clarity are other ways to speak from your highest Self. Choose to watch your speech, and pay attention to how your world shifts. You will eventually be able to discern and monitor the thoughts in your head. This will allow you to consciously create your reality, as everything in your world is a manifestation of what you think and speak. It will also bring you closer to God. This is the practice of Mantra Yoga. 

4) Release the chitta (mental chatter). Our minds are overstimulated, overcrowded, and way too intense. While we only use a small part of our brains, we manage to busy it up with a whole lot of nonsense! Stress, disease, and unhappiness is the result of an overactive mind. By practicing meditation and discernment of thoughts, we can release the blockages caused by mental haphazard. A silent mind is the most enlightened because it is able to hear the pulse of the universe. This is the path of Kriya Yoga. 

5) Laugh, and laugh often!!! Laughter is an exercise for optimism (and, if I may add, a nice exercise for the gut).  When we are laughing we are bringing freedom to our spirits and creating oneness in our soul. True laughter can only remedy our lives and bring us to wholeness. It brings us into a state of surrender. You don't need to hear a joke to laugh. Practice making laughter an all-day activity and watch your perspective shift. This is the way of the Buddha. 

6) Self study as a spiritual practice. How much do we know of ourselves? It doesn't matter if you are a loner or always around company, if you are young or old, if you are independent or not, self-reflection is an important gateway into ourselves. By learning ourselves on a profound level, we are able to make the best decisions and live on purpose. We would be doing what is for our highest good. We would be lead to selfless service. We would be full of vitality and love. This requires us confronting our shadow side and knowing our light. This is the practice of Jnana Yoga. 

7) Pay attention to subtle energy. All things are made of energy, and by opening yourself up to the energy in yourself and the universe, you are opening yourself up to God. By learning how to move and manipulate the breath, heal through energy, and expand your prana, you are learning how to engage fully in the universe. A sensitivity to energy can develop into a deep understanding of God and an appreciation for life. This is the way of Tantra Yoga and Kundalini Yoga. 

Choose the sadhana practices that resonate with you and allow them to lead you into wellness. While continuous efforts is key to the full results, you may notice a great difference at the start of your sadhanas. Enjoy the path.

Helina Metaferia is a visual artist and holistic practitioner of Yoga, Meditation and Thai Massage, and is a Reiki Master. She is the founder of The Meta Experience, a visual and healing arts company. Visit http://www.themetaexperience.com for more information on her work. 

Befriending Our Fears: A Journey Into Oneness

Recently I, like many others, have been feeling pulled toward a sense of oneness; an indescribable state of supreme intelligence where nothing is separate and all is God. In oneness, there is no difference between you or I, a tree or my arm, a car or a cat. There is only the divine omnipresence. This causes the elimination of polar opposites, of good or bad, right or wrong, negative and positive. Everything that separates us is an illusion, a perception of a void that does not exist.

What a confusing paradox to be in! Once my awakening into oneness began, I started questioning everything. So if there is only one, and all of reality is an illusion, why do I work? Why do I eat? Why do I sleep? Why do we experience duality? The only answer I could find within myself is that our incarnation into physical earthbound form is a total experience, an opportunity, for individual and collective growth. Our existence in a multifaceted world of polarities is so that we may transcend, grow, and evolve our universe.

Although I am beginning to feel one with everything, a big part of the duality I feel is my fears. My fears offer stark contrast to love and joy, the more pleasant part of my existence. Once I realized that my fears are a large part of the illusion of separation, I decided to confront them.

"Keep thy friends close and your enemies even closer" goes a wise saying. The best way to release our fears is to befriend them. By being a friend to what scares us the most, we are releasing the power it has over us. If our fears do not have power over us, then the negative energy has no place to hide and will have to leave our aura altogether. It is hard for the boogie man under the bed to haunt you if you are crouching next to him with a flashlight and offering him tea and cookies. Either you will find comfort in your fears or they won't have a reason to stay.

Follow these steps to befriending your fears in a simple active meditation:

1) Create sacred space: Any type of soul work you do should be honored. Find some peaceful alone time in an uncluttered, safe environment, such as in front of an alter, by a quiet lake, or in a calm restful area. Avoid doing this type of work in a messy room or in a space that is distracting.

2) Make a list of all of the things you are afraid of. It helps to put it all on paper. Start with the most obvious, such as "I am afraid of death" or "I am afraid that there is never enough money." After you've feel like you've got the obvious fears out the way, start to scan yourself for fears that are not as immediately obvious. Notice what clues your body gives when it is acting from fear and notice when you get those reactions. For example, if you get a knot in your stomach when you see someone accomplish something wonderful, you may realize that you feel fear when you see others successful because you are afraid that everyone will be successful but you. Write all your fears on your list until you are confident there is nothing left to write.

3) Read over your list and spend a moment with each fear. This can feel unnerving, but do not hold back any emotion or sensation during this process. As you come across each fear, shift your response so that you are smiling and laughing as if it was an old friend being silly. Approach the fear as if it had the innocence of a child and as if it meant no harm. Treat it like a well-meaning sister or brother. Personify it until you can see a being that you love and can forgive. As you are doing this you are taking away the fears power. You are treating it as if it has no negative intentions. You are allowing the fear to melt into a friend.

4) After you have spent time with each individual fear, visualize yourself at a tea party (or having a few beers, whatever you prefer) with all of your fears in one room. With your minds eye, imagine them all at a long table with you at the head. Give all your fears silly faces and have them stare back with innocence at you. If you have listed twelve fears, make sure all twelve of them are invited to your party. Now imagine yourself kickin' it with your fears, having a great time. Imagine "fear of death" telling jokes and you patting "there is never enough money" on the back.

5) Now that all of your fears are your friends, you really have nothing overpowering you. Send love and light to all the areas where there was once tension, where the fears used to hide. You no longer have resistance. You no longer are ashamed and scared because even that which scares you is freed. You now have the chance to move into oneness.

It may be strange not to have any fears. Sometimes, we are addicted to our fears and cling to them because we have grown comfortable using them as excuses. We may find it easier to cover them up and create a false sense of victory then to confront them, bring them into the light and make them our friends. Whatever path you choose, realize that we will never move past pain, suffering, and turmoil until we let them go. We are holding our fears prisoners in our lives, not the other way around.

Helina Metaferia is a visual artist and holistic practitioner of Thai Massage, Yoga, Meditation, and Reiki. She is also the founder of The Meta Experience, a visual and healing arts company. This technique, and others like it, are taught in her Light Consciousness workshop. The next class begins May 22 at The Baltimore Yoga Village. Visit http://www.themetaexperience.com for more information. 

How to Love Yourself

Loving is the process of radiating with the energy of higher consciousness and directing it to a living or non-living thing. Loving is medicinal. It is a powerful transmitter for good. It is the savior for humanity.

Self-love is a beautiful thing. It is the ability to revere all parts of yourself, even the shadow. By channeling deep affection and directing it inward, you are allowing a sacred connection to cultivate inside yourself. In this way, you are allowing supreme forgiveness, respect, honor, and care to be a part of your system. Through self-acceptance and value, you can open your heart to others and release your fears.

I hear people all the time declaring that they needed to "love themselves". They are searching for something greater - perhaps a purpose, the meaning of life, or God. They are most likely going through a change - maybe a job, relationship, or health issue. They are in need of their soul's medicine. And although they are ready to take an internal journey, often times they don't know where to begin.

Just as there are many paths to God, there are many paths in loving yourself. Here is a heart-filled suggestion on ways to develop healthy self-love.

* Taking Care of the Body - Part of loving yourself is honoring your physical temple. Find ways to feel good about your exterior and interior body. Take good care of it by giving it healthy diet, exercise, and plenty of rest. Adorn it with clothing that is comfortable and makes you happy. Find ways to connect with your body, perhaps through yoga, meditation, or holistic practices.

* Create Sacred Time - In our busy world, we must reserve time for peaceful contemplation. Centering your mind, body, and spirit is vital in loving yourself. Gift yourself time and space to relax and focus on you. Consider it a date with yourself.

* Do What Makes You Happy - Follow your heart when it comes to your occupation and leisure activities. Discover what is meaningful to you and integrate it into your lifestyle. Part of loving yourself is feeling free to do exactly who you want to. Make sure that you are playing and laughing as easily as you did in your youth.

* Let Go of Your Fears - Our fears keep us from opening our heart completely. Release the illusions that our mind projects on us so that we can enter a higher state of love and awareness. Take courage and let go.

* Honor Your Reflections - Everyone around you is a reflection of some aspect of yourself. Each person is your personal teacher. By choosing to honor others you are choosing to humble yourself to their lessons. In this way, you are then loving and respect yourself.

By doing the above suggestions, you are choosing to value yourself and live a life full of self-love. In this process, you may feel tested and challenged. This just means you are growing. As your reality begins to shift, loving yourself becomes as natural as breathing. Continue loving and gift someone else with a lesson in self-love.

Helina Metaferia is a visual artist, holistic practitioner, and founding director of The Meta Experience. She is the founder of The Love MySelf Program, a set of workshops in Meditation, Light Consciousness, and Intuitive Painting, all designed to create wellness in the participant. The next Love MySelf Program classes begin May 20, 2010 in Baltimore, MD. For more information on The Love MySelf Program or her private holistic services, visit http://www.themetaexperience.com.

Yoga -- From an Ethiopian Yogini's Perspective

With the success of commercial advertisements and offerings at local gyms, the term yoga has become common language. To some it is a fashionable way to tuck that tummy. To others it is an obscure image of foreign figures sitting with their legs crossed neatly next to their ears. And to some, it is perceived as a religion, a cult, or a thing that requires a new god or goddess.

Let’s put all of those misconceptions to rest. Yoga (which is the Sanskrit root of the word “yoke,” meaning to unite) is the union of mind, body, and spirit through the practice of an ancient science and art. Yoga brings the body to wholeness on all levels through postures, breath exercises, moral codes, concentration, withdrawal of the senses, and meditation. It is a humbling practice that may incorporate mantras (sound vibrations), mudras (hand gestures), and diet to bring a person into balance with the universe.

Yoga’s roots lay in ancient African culture, and it was notably practiced by the Nubians and people of Kemet (ancient Egypt). According to Caroline Shola Arewa’s book Opening to Spirit, Opening to Spirit, the Dravidians, the early settlers of India who are descendents of Ethiopia, introduced the practice of yoga to pre-Aryan India. Yoga is strongly affiliated with India, and most of the yoga taught in the West stems from the Indian schools of yoga. Yoga is independent of religion and may be practiced by anyone regardless of religious affiliation. It is, however, a spiritual path of Healing.

Yoga is embedded in our way of life. From our first yawns and stretches when we get out of bed, to the deep breaths we may take before making a public speech, to uttering the sound “um” (similar to the yogi’s sound OM) when trying to clear our mind. It is when the Muslim makes salat, the artist looses sense of time while painting, and the jogger feels that “runner’s high.” Yoga is our natural state of being.

Ethiopia has its share of dedicated yogis. Committed to a path of self-realization and enlightenment, the modest nuns, monks, and priests of Lalibella and other monasteries spend their lives in spiritual development. They use postures, mantras, meditation, moral codes, holistic teachings, and life force building techniques to discover themselves and their connection to the Creator. Their devotion to life service fulfills karma yoga, and their goal of Christ-compassion is the practice of bhakti yoga. The hermits in the hills are known for sporting their long locks, standing on their head for lengths of time, standing on one leg, and engaging in hours of meditation and prayer (tselot).

Yoga practices are not far from the common people as well. Ethiopian culture pays particular attention to sound and movement, both components of the state of yoga. The rapid movements of the neck, shoulders, and upper torso in the eskista dance release old prana (life force energy) and restore health to the areas of the thyroid, thymus gland, respiratory system, and breasts. The conscious alignment of the country woman’s spine as she gracefully carries baskets on her head and the meditative state of trance guided by traditional drum playing are more examples of yoga practice.

The benefits of yoga are numerous. On the physical level, yoga is an excellent way of reducing stress, and assisting with issues such as diabetes, obesity, hypertension, heart disease, and osteoporosis. Yoga is key in balancing emotions and reducing mental chatter in the mind. It promotes a healthy diet, vitality, inner strength, wisdom, and spiritual bliss.

Here are some yoga practices you may try at home:

Technique 1: Cat and Cow Stretch - An exercise for opening the chest, heart, and massaging the spine. Come to a comfortable table position, with your hands directly underneath your shoulders, your knees under your hips, and your spine neutral. Make sure the back is flat and the arms are not over extended. Upon inhalation, slowly drop the belly toward the floor and gaze up toward the ceiling, creating a natural curve in the spine. Upon exhalation, round the spine and let the head drop toward the floor, gazing toward the navel. Moving with the breath, repeat the Cat and Cow stretch for five to ten breaths.

Technique 2: Alternate Nostril Breathing - An exercise that promotes clarity and relaxation by balancing the left and right hemisphere of the brain. Sit in a comfortable seated position; make sure your posture is straight. Form the fingers on your right hand into a mudra by releasing the index and middle finger to the palm, placing the right thumb on the outside of the right nostril and the right ring finger on the left side of the nostril. Pinch the right nostril closed with the right thumb, and take a slow and deep inhalation through the left nostril. Release the breath through the left nostril. Close off the left nostril with the right ring finger, release the thumb, and take a slow, deep inhalation through the right nostril. Exhale through the right nostril. Repeat this exercise for five to ten breaths, making sure that there has been an even amount of breaths from the left and right nostrils.

Technique 3: Mantra Meditation - An exercise for whole body balance and relaxation through sound vibration healing. Sit in a comfortable seated position; make sure the posture is straight. Place the hands on the knees with the palms up if you need an energy boost or the palms facing the knees if you need to feel more grounded. Closing the eyes and focus on the area between the brows, known as the third eye center. Repeat the sound for universal union, OM continuously for two minutes out loud, elongating the “m” sound. Next, repeat the sound OM internally for two minutes. Next, allow the sound OM to float on the mind, feeling the essence of the mantra for several minutes.



Helina teaches hot vinyasa flow yoga at Spiritual Essence Yoga in Upper Marlboro, Maryland on Wednesdays at 8:15pm. She also sees clients for private yoga therapy. For more information, visit http://www.themetaexperience.com.

Discovering Our True Power

My whole life I viewed power as a struggle, a conflict, for authority and influence. Power implied greed, competition, wars, and forces at battle. If you wanted power, you needed to join the sea of others that were stepping over each other for wealth and control. You'd need to look past humility, love, and gentle kindness, a much nobler path, but one that was for the weak. If you wanted power, you'd have to separate and distinguish yourself, as it required proving yourself over others to achieve domination. 

The real source of power involves no separation. Power is a state of oneness. While conflict creates chaos, unification brings strength. Our pure power and potential is created when we are internally sound, clear, and whole. We can find our true magic when the different parts of ourselves find resolution and when we are no longer separated by our polarities -- the good and the bad, our pleasures and our pain. 

Similarly, when we as people are no longer divided by our egos and our identities, we realize that we are all reflections of each other and that there is no seperation. As a people, our connection and bond is stronger, and our true collective power can be realized. A divided consciousness creates a divided world, and division can only lead to conflict and destruction, which can hold no real power. 

We can discover the power in ourselves and create true power as a people by beginning to live a life of oneness. And what better way to remain in a state of solidarity than to experience life through love. True love is the bond that glues all together and offers no separation or conflict. Open your love channel and stay tuned. Love each moment, each experience, each breath. Love the person next to you, and the person far away. Love them because they are just a reflection of the same energy that is you, that is all things on this planet. 

Love will guide you to a complete sense of self and connection to all things. It is the answer to the void and the disconnection we may feel. It is the key to your true power potential. 

The Art of Meditation

Our minds are composed of perspectives, beliefs, impressions and thoughts. There are layers of consciousness that dwell within each of us, and most of us maintain minimum awareness on only the shallowest level of our being. Meditation is an ancient art of stilling mental activity so that one can discover the depths of their being.

I had only a faint conceptual understanding of meditation when I began to practice years back. I would read yoga and new age texts and attempt sitting with closed eyes and crossed legs, searching for mental stillness - only to find that my mind was a mental chatter box! I would think about running errands, think about my work, think about something a friend said, think about something I should have done. I felt defeated by distracting thoughts, and the world of peace and tranquility that meditation promised felt worlds away.

Somewhere in my daily meditation practice, I observed a strange occurrence. I had found a pause, a hesitation between the mental chatter, almost like a comma in a sentence. I began to look for the pause each time I would sit and meditate. I would look for it when I was going about my daily business. Each time I found the pause I would breath deeper and carry it out for longer stretches of time, until the comma in the sentence became a period, and the period extended into an ellipses.

The art of meditation is finding the space between the thoughts and cultivating a suspension of the mind. In this beautiful state of mental emptiness, the real power begins. A mind wiped clean of incessant thoughts gives an opportunity to instill a new consciousness and awaken to the fullest potential. Once our minds become a blank canvas, it can develop into a beautiful masterpiece created by our connection to the cosmos. Here, we can enjoy the fruits of our practice. Our world may appear more vivid, deliberate, and harmonious.

Exercise: Mental Housekeeping
Like all art forms, meditation requires practice and perfection. Here is an exercise that can help you build a peaceful mind.

1) Sit quietly and comfortably in a chair or on the floor in a simple cross legged position. It is important to feel comfortable in your posture, so be sure to find a posture that you can maintain for a period of time. Make certain that your backs is straight, your shoulders are relaxed, and the top of your head is facing the heavens.

2) Begin to notice your natural breathing. Feel the breath flow in and out of the lunges. Begin to take in longer and deeper inhalations and exhalations. Focusing on the breath is a basic meditation technique that allows you to relax and bring your attention inward. It is difficult for the body to perform deep breaths and for the mind to become very active at the same time.

3) Notice the content of the mind. Notice any thoughts, but in a compassionate and non-judgmental way. Imagine your mind as a beautiful special room in your life. With each breath you take, imagine a breeze blowing out the thoughts in your head. Have them fly out opened windows and dissolve as they leave your mental home. Begin to feel lighter and lighter in your mind with each breath. After several breaths your mental room becomes clean and clear. Now, fill it with protective radiant light. The light can be rainbow colored, white, or any vibrant color you imagine. Fill your mental body with this protective layer until all you feel is the warmth and love of the color(s).

4) You may now begin to sit in peace, relaxing in this new joy. Sit this way for five, ten, twenty, or thirty minutes. If new thoughts enter your mind or you become distracted, invite the vibrant color you imagined to sweep through your mental home and carry the thought out the window.

5) Bring yourself our of meditation very gently. Place a gentle smile on your face. The smile is a way of sealing your practice and inviting closure, sort of like a bow after a martial arts practice. Practice a mental housekeeping as often as desired, and at least once a day.


Helina Metaferia is a holistic practitioner and visual artist and teaches a Meditation Intensive class through a company she founded called The Meta Experience. Visit www.themetaexperience.com and click on The Love MySelf Program for more information.

Raising Our Vibrations to Realize Our Potential

Each day gives us the opportunity to awaken to our fullest potential. It is how we choose to think, feel, and act that determines what we do with our day. It is what we choose to do with our day that creates the series of events that become our circumstances. All of this is a reflection of our vibrational state.

Our vibrational state is the energy frequency at which we radiate - abundance or lack, love or fear, peace or turmoil, agitation or contentment, and so on. Vibration is not New Age terminology. It is science as well as the content of various forms of spirituality. Some may refer to it as the Ka and Ba in ancient Egypt, Prana in India, or Chi in China. It is the makeup of our energetic fields and the substance of our being.

Our breath, food, water, rest, exercise and knowledge contribute to our vibrations. This affects every part of our existence, from our health to our capabilities. Whether we choose to take the deepest breath, eat the healthiest food, drink several ounces of water, get the fullest rest, practice exercise, or deepen our consciousness is up to us. Some may feel limited by their circumstances (they cannot access the healthiest food, etc) or are ignorant to the ways in which one can enhance their life force. Again, everything, in essence, is a choice. The one thing we are always able to access is our will, our thoughts, and our actions. Perhaps all we need is to shift these things in order to create the domino effect that determines our lives.

Choice is at the heart of shifting our vibrations so that we may live the life of our dreams. If we feel stagnant, stifled, or scattered, choose to lift your vibration and watch your world change. Cleanse yourself through diet and exercise, engage in conscious discussion or books, and begin to take time to rest - not just through sleep but through relaxation time. Drink plenty of water and discover breathing exercises. And most of all, shift your thought patterns to reflect your purest worth.

Don't worry about the "how." Just choose to shift and the rest will unfold for you. Raising our vibrations is a constant practice. The more you practice, the more you will discover that your life will become more fulfilling than you have ever imagined it to be.


Love Light,
Helina Metaferia

** Helina Metaferia is a holistic practitioner and visual artist living in Maryland. Visit the website: http://www.themetaexperience.com