Śraddha

Śraddha

Is pronounced shrad…dha and comes out of the root word shrat (shrad), which means “truth” or “faithfulness,” and dha, which is “to put or place or to direct one’s mind toward.”
Śraddha is not simply a blind faith, it is much deeper and is something that has continually supported me throughout my time of change and discovery in Yoga.

Śraddha has held a sincere conviction that what was occurring in my life and where I was headed had meaning and purpose and it continues to be the rock that is my foundation; the corner stone of where I find myself  today. 

Śraddha supported me when the ground was shaky, when at times a lot of what I knew or thought I knew was changing.

This “thing”, this faith, has been pivotal to an unspoken perseverance and courage that continues to grows. 

Śraddha & Virya – Hand In Hand They Go

In TKV Desikachar’s lectures in the book Religiousness in Yoga, (pg 110), Sir discusses the concept of virya (vitality or courage) found within the Patanjali’s Yoga Sutra and its importance in the movement towards, and in seeking truth.

He says “Śraddha means love or faith; we have inspired passion to do something. The Yoga Sutra states the more śraddha present, the more strength to pursue our goal of the yoga sutras”.

In this discourse TKV Desikachar discusses the linking of śraddha and virya; the more faith the more strength to pursue our goal.

Yoga Sutra 1:20 śraddhāvīryasmṛtisamādiprajñāpūrvakaitareṣām

“Through faith, which will give sufficient energy to achieve success against all odds, direction will be maintained. The realisation of Yoga is a matter of time.”

T.K.V. Desikachar; The Heart of Yoga: Developing a Personal Practice, (pg 155).

Sri Desikachar goes on to say “Faith is the unshakable conviction that we can arrive at that goal,” (that object or goal which the mind has been directed towards, so as to bring correct understanding). This faith is “unshakeable” and we need to have perseverance to move past all distractions to enable us to move towards the goal.

It has been faith that has sustained and nurtured me as I studied; faith in the teachings, trust and faith in the teacher and faith in myself…..all of which has been a process in and of itself

There have been challenges, much fun and playfulness, and many changes along the way and as with life there will be many more experiences to come. 

It has been this strong belief in the process that has allowed me to achieve goals. Over time it has been a growing capacity to understand the meaning and purpose in the experiences of this life that has kept me moving forward.