Meditation Steps

💬 “I practice… but sometimes it feels like a path walked alone.”

Familiar? When you go alone, it’s easy to hit a ceiling: questions pile up, there’s no feedback, motivation drops. The routine holds for a week, then breakdowns happen. It seems others are succeeding, but I’m not. In such periods, practice turns from a living process into just another item on the to-do list.

Yoga is a path of relationships: with yourself, with the teacher, and with the people around you. Shared stories remove the feeling of “something is wrong with me,” give simple solutions, and bring back the taste for practice. When you share your experience, your intention grows stronger.

We invite you to share your story: how did you come to meditation? What challenges did you face, and how did you overcome them?

4 days ago | [YT] | 51

Meditation Steps

Hundreds of tricky and provocative questions were sent to Dada Sadananda by our followers. He chose the 8 most interesting ones for today’s video.
No canned answers or common knowledge—only deep insights gained over 30 years of continuous spiritual practice. As always: witty, heartfelt, and penetrating.
This video will change how you see many aspects of life and help you break out of habitual thinking.

4 days ago | [YT] | 10

Meditation Steps

What is better — to help relatives or to donate money to charity? 🤔

❓Question: If there is an opportunity to help family members or external charity projects, but resources are limited, whom should one choose?

❗️Answer by Dada Sadananda: There should be balance. When we help our immediate family, this is our group egoism. It is very natural for us to support our family, there is no austerity in that. You should divide your budget, allocate from 2% and higher, 10% if possible, and if you have a very high income, much more than you need, then it can be 50%, even 80%, depending on your situation — you should dedicate some portion exactly to external causes, that is, to what helps the world, and the rest — to family, etc. And when you start practicing financial service, your financial muscle grows, more money appears, then you can adjust this proportion: “I can give more.”

1 week ago | [YT] | 19

Meditation Steps

They say a single candle can light thousands of others — and it does not lose its own flame. On the contrary, the fire grows stronger, and the darkness recedes.

This is how the "Meditation Steps" project works.

11 years ago, we had one goal — to ignite at least a small spark of spirituality in people’s hearts. Today, there are already thousands who have tried meditation, returned to it again, and shared the practice with their friends and loved ones. Our free courses and donation-based classes continue to kindle new sparks every day.

The project exists thanks to the enthusiasm of our team — and the support of those who share the value of meditation. If you would like to add your flame to the common fire, you can support *Meditation Steps* with any contribution. All the ways to do so are available at the link: meditationsteps.org/donation

1 week ago | [YT] | 68

Meditation Steps

The first step to overcoming anxiety is to notice that you are anxious. In other words, to recognize that the vague inner buzzing is actually anxiety, and that it arose in response to some event or thought. 🔻

➡ Next, identify what exactly worries you in that foggy perspective, bring it “to the light,” and put it into words. Even if you don’t like what comes out, it’s okay — the important thing is not to dismiss it as “nonsense,” “unworthy,” or “not serious.” 🔻

➡ Then compare your concerns with reality and determine which ones are truly rational and which have little to do with the circumstances of your life. Usually, at this stage, it already starts to feel easier.

🤔 It all seems clear, but without mindfulness it’s impossible to move beyond the discovery of that vague, uncomfortable inner buzzing and the inability to deal with it.

❗️For this whole process, a high degree of mindfulness, honesty, and courage to be imperfect is needed. And there’s no better way to train mindfulness than sitting down twice a day, setting aside all external distractions, becoming aware of what’s happening inside the mind, and then gently guiding the mind in a constructive direction. That is meditation.

Have you ever tried noticing your anxiety in this way and working with it through mindfulness?

1 week ago | [YT] | 25

Meditation Steps

Water for health: 5 tips from a nutritionist

We asked Anfisa Mavrina — an integrative nutritionist — to answer popular questions about water:

1. Why should we drink it regularly?

— It’s the foundation of our body. Even mild dehydration lowers mental performance and raises cortisol levels — the stress hormone. In addition, water is involved in transporting nutrients and regulating different body systems.

2. How can you tell that your body lacks water?

— Dry skin and lips, dark urine, constipation, and headaches. Your face may look more wrinkled in the morning than usual. You might also crave sweets or salty foods, since thirst is often mistaken for hunger.

3. How to calculate the amount of water your body needs?

– 30 ml per 1 kg of body weight
– 40 ml per 1 kg in hot weather or during intense training

4. How to drink water properly?

— In the morning, on an empty stomach, drink a glass of warm or slightly hot water to activate digestion and improve lymph flow.
— Then, drink between meals: an hour after and 30 minutes before eating.
— During meals, you can drink water if the food is not liquid or if you need to take medication, but it’s better to avoid it so as not to overload the digestive system.
— Before sleep, it’s better not to drink water — stop intake a few hours before bedtime.

5. What kind of water is the healthiest?

— Room temperature water; if there are gallbladder issues — slightly hot. It’s better to drink filtered or bottled water, as well as water enriched with electrolytes or alkaline water.

Would you say you drink enough water every day, or is it something you still struggle with?

2 weeks ago | [YT] | 29

Meditation Steps

How do early risings affect the body’s biochemistry?

🧬 Cortisol

Harvard scientists have found that stress hormone production peaks in the morning hours. This helps the body prepare for an active day, regulates metabolism, and reduces the risk of depression by 40%.

🧬 Melatonin and somatotropin

Studies from the Sleep Medicine Center at Moscow State University show that the hormones responsible for regeneration, overall health, and longevity are produced mainly at night. Authors from Sleep Medicine Reviews state that if you go to bed before 10 p.m. and wake up between 5 and 7 a.m., their levels remain stable. Early rising helps you fall asleep on time and gain maximum benefits.

🧬 Serotonin and dopamine

Research published in Nature Neuroscience and Nature Communications confirms that early rising increases happiness hormones and improves our concentration. This is linked to morning light activating dopamine receptors in the brain, as well as synchronizing our schedule with natural daylight.

🧬 Testosterone

According to the Journal of Biological Rhythms, early rising helps maintain normal levels of this male hormone.

🧬 Ghrelin

Chronobiology professor Till Roenneberg claims that early rising lowers the hunger hormone, which makes us less drawn to high-calorie foods.

➡ Thus, early rising combined with a proper sleep routine improves the hormonal system, strengthens immunity, boosts energy, mood, and cognitive functions.

What about you — are you more of an early riser or a night owl?

2 weeks ago | [YT] | 34

Meditation Steps

Why Transform Yourself?

According to yogic philosophy, we are either progressing or regressing — there is no third option. That’s why, to grow and move from imperfection toward perfection, we need to transform ourselves on the physical, mental, and spiritual levels:

– Discover new facets of your personality;

– Let go of old grudges, limiting beliefs, and harmful habits;

– Ask yourself philosophical questions and realize your true goals and values;

– Listen to and understand the needs of your soul and body;

– Develop inner flexibility and resilience;

– Accept changes as opportunities rather than obstacles;

– Stay ready for transformation.

Yogic practices help to ignite this process: collective dynamic and silent meditations, Kaoshiki and Tandava dances, Rajadhiraja yoga asanas, Avarta Kiirtan, and deep dynamic meditation.

If you feel ready to take the next step in your transformation journey, we invite you to join one of our upcoming retreats. These immersive programs offer a unique chance to deepen your practice, recharge your energy, and connect with a supportive community on the same path.

See the nearest retreats here:

September 25–28 Yoga Retreat by the sea in Bulgaria “Green Island”
retreat2025bulgaria.tilda.ws/eng

October 16-19 Yoga and Meditation retreat with Dada Sadananda in Cyprus
docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfNU-kc_Ymjtjh2B3…

October 22-26 Training in a Yoga Monastery
yogamonastery.org/yogatraining

October 30 - November 2 Golden Flow - Yoga & Music Retreat in England
meditationstepsuk.org/autumnretreat2025

November 7-9 - Sattva Festival in Germany
ms.meditationsteps-germany.de/sattvafest/en

3 weeks ago | [YT] | 21

Meditation Steps

Retreat is a time when a person focuses on spiritual practice. Retreats usually take place outside the city — in the mountains, by a lake, or in the forest — somewhere with fewer distractions. This helps shift away from everyday busyness and turn inward, focusing on oneself and the practice.

The format may vary, but the essence is the same: we structure the day so that it includes more meditation, communication with like-minded people, and time spent in silence. Often there are 3–4 meditations a day, lectures, and conversations with teachers. This creates a sense of structure, support, and inner clarity.

Retreats can be group-based — from small gatherings to large-scale events with 200–300 participants. For example, the “Heroic Retreat” with Dada Sadananda brought together people from all over the world who had previously completed preparatory courses.

There are also more specialized formats:

— Silent retreat — no talking, no phones, no external noise;

— Yoga detox — a combination of practice, rest, healthy food, and rejuvenation;

— Art retreats — focused on creativity and inspiration;

— Yoga camps — with an emphasis on asanas and physical practice;

— Men’s and women’s retreats — with themes important to a specific audience.

Ideally, there should be no more than 3–6 months between retreats. That time is enough to integrate practices into daily life, keep the inspiration alive, and avoid burnout. And then — another meeting, another reset.

✨ If you’ve ever been on a retreat — share the most inspiring insight or experience you had there 🙂🔻

3 weeks ago | [YT] | 30

Meditation Steps

What’s Really Stopping You from Being Happy and Successful?

How did Helen Keller, born blind and deaf, become a world-renowned writer?
How did Nick Vujicic, born without arms and legs, become a motivational speaker with a loving family?

And why does the path to transforming your life not lie in changing your surroundings, but in working with your beliefs?

In this new video, Dada Sadananda — a practitioner with 30 years of experience — explains the principles of Jñana Yoga (“the yoga of knowledge”), an ancient path to freedom from suffering. He reveals how inner beliefs and complexes shape the boundaries of our reality and shows two ways to break free: by uncovering the root of the problem, and by embracing liberating new knowledge.

You’ll also discover the three crucial stages of working with any knowledge:
- How to listen in a way that avoids resistance,
- How to deeply analyze ideas,
- And why willpower — strengthened through meditation — is essential for lasting transformation.

3 weeks ago | [YT] | 16