Day 29 • Shrine & Meditation Guidelines
We’re nearing the end of this journey—just two days to go. Today, you’ll explore the Shrine and Meditation Guidelines, which offer practical ways to arrive in the shrine and settle into a space of inner focus and reverence.
You’ll also be guided through a special pranayama medley using Candlestick Breath and Ujjayi Breath, leading seamlessly into a longer meditation practice. This session is actually an unabridged version of our weekly morning meditation at the ashram. While our daily morning sits are typically 30 minutes, we extend our practice once a week with a longer session like this. Evening meditations at the ashram can be even more extensive.
This practice offers a great opportunity to experience the kind of deeper sitting you’ll be engaging in when you arrive—and to stretch just a little past your usual limit. In many ways, that gentle stretch is the ashram way.
Shrine & Meditation Guidelines
How to Arrive in the Shrine Ready to Shine
Shrine & Meditation Guidelines
Please always arrive a few minutes early for classes and use this time to settle in and prepare mentally, similar to preparing for an important meeting. Arrive 15 minutes early for any class with Babaji.
When inside the shrine, it's important to adhere to a modest and reserved dress code, ensuring comfort for extended meditation sessions while reflecting the sacredness of the practice. If needed, we offer assistance to obtain suitable attire.
It’s essential to participate fully in our sacred practices with respect and dedication, following instructions without modification and refraining from blending practices from other traditions to maintain the integrity of our lineage.
Achieving stillness in meditation requires both a sustainable physical posture, often aided by props and adjustments suggested by teachers, and inner calm to minimize distractions like fidgeting or unnecessary movements, supporting a deeper meditation practice over time.
You're encouraged to explore traditional floor postures for meditation at the ashram, although using a chair is also welcomed; maintaining an upright posture, whether on the floor or in a chair, supports spinal health and enhances overall well-being with the support and guidance of our managers and teachers available to assist.
During your ashram stay, commit to regular individual meditation sessions, scheduling 20 to 30 minutes several evenings a week in designated or natural settings like the shrine or under the Bodhi tree, fostering personal growth and spiritual discipline essential for ongoing mindfulness beyond the ashram.
Regarding water consumption in the shrine, only closed-lid containers are allowed, and drinking during practices like the Ganesha mantra or Guru Gita sessions should be minimized to maintain deep presence and mindfulness, with refraining altogether during classes with Babaji to respect the sacred atmosphere.
During meditation, kriyas, sudden movements like a hand jerking or deep gasp, are natural energetic releases within the body, akin to a hose unkinking and briefly flipping, and should be observed with detachment.
Part of the yogic tradition involves bowing in sacred spaces, with "namaste" and "namaha" expressing respect towards the divine. While bowing is not mandatory at our ashram and may not align with Western norms, it's encouraged to be genuine and comfortable in your expressions of respect, whether through a nod, placing hands at the heart, or a formal bow.
During Meditation you may use a chair or sit on the floor in the shrine, but maintain an upright posture, and ensure your feet do not point directly towards the shrine out of respect.
Individual meditation sessions are crucial at the ashram; practice consistently, choose serene locations, balance group and solo sessions, and integrate the discipline into your daily life for ongoing spiritual growth.
Only closed-lid containers are allowed in the shrine, and drinking water during meditation or classes is discouraged to maintain focus and respect the sacred atmosphere.
Starting your spiritual practice at Konalani Yoga Ashram in Hawaii offers a unique karmic opportunity to closely interact with Sri Shambhavananda and Faith Stone, making it important to be polite, present, and your best self in their presence to harness the exceptional energy available for your growth and transformation.