Since childhood, I have been fascinated by fire.
As I became more aware and began meditating, I developed a simple habit. Whenever something disturbed my peace or did not serve me, I would imagine putting it into a pit of fire.
Anything negative. Any thought that was taking me away from what mattered. Anything I felt I needed to let go of.
Over time, I started calling this imaginary fire my “Dhuni.”
I often hear my teacher say that anything meaningful in life demands some kind of sacrifice.
The more I think about it, the more I understand what that really means.
A sportsperson who wants to excel may have to wake up at 5 a.m., train when they don’t feel like it, eat differently and remain consistent. Someone building a business may sacrifice comfort, leisure and countless weekends. Someone seeking peace may have to walk away from conversations, habits or even relationships that constantly disturb it.
Sacrifice, then, is not necessarily about suffering.
It is about giving up what is not helping you move towards what you have chosen.
Imagine wanting to become a great footballer while spending your days at home, eating whatever you want and never practising. You can pray for the dream every day, but prayer cannot replace practice.
And sometimes, perhaps, what we call a “loss” is actually removing something that was keeping us from moving forward.
Yet this is where discrimination becomes important.
Not everything difficult is automatically good for us. And not everything pleasurable is bad.
The Upanishads speak of Shreyas and Preyas — the good and the merely pleasant. Preyas is what feels attractive now. Shreyas is what is truly beneficial, even when choosing it is difficult.
Perhaps real sacrifice begins with knowing the difference.
So when something repeatedly pulls me away from my purpose, my peace or what I know is right for me, I imagine placing it in my Dhuni.
And I say, “Swaha.”
Not because fire has magical powers. Not because letting go guarantees that life will give me what I want.
But because the act reminds me of a choice.
This is not helping me. I am willing to let it go.
Maybe we all have our own Dhuni.
A habit. A distraction. An attachment. A comfort. Sometimes even something or someone we desperately want to hold on to.
The question is not whether we can sacrifice.
The question is:
What is worth sacrificing for?
And perhaps, before we say “Swaha”, we should sit quietly and ask ourselves one more thing:
Am I giving up what is merely pleasant for what is truly good for me?
Maybe that is the sacrifice that matters.
*Very philosophical post. Loved how you connected Swaaha with mindful letting go*
When we offer something unpleasant, such as a grudge, a habit, or an old hurt, saying Swaaha is a ritual of conscious release. We don’t suppress it or deny it. We name it, hand it over, and let it go. Fire changes whatever it touches, so the heaviness becomes ash, and ash is where new growth begins.
Psychologically, it works as a mindful letting go. A physical act with a spoken word helps the mind accept that something is finished.
Thank you Sir, this adds on to what I wanted to say.
Superb presentation🙏. There is something deeply poetical about this idea of a personal Dhuni. Perhaps every soul needs a little sacred fire of its own — a place where we can offer our fears, ego, expectations, attachments and all those little things that quietly steal our inner sunshine. What makes your reflection even more beautiful is the wisdom of Shreyas and Preyas. The mind is often seduced by what sparkles, while the soul recognises what truly illuminates. And perhaps the real test of surrender comes when we have to offer something to the fire that our heart still wishes to hold on to.
I love to think that Swaha is not merely an offering; it is a conversation between our present self and the person we are aspiring to become. We don’t always need the fire to destroy something; sometimes we need it to transform us.
After all, not everything we hold close is meant to stay, and not everything we let burn is a loss. Sometimes, the fire that consumes our attachments becomes the light that guides our evolution. 🪔
Thanks for the lightening up the same🙏.
Thank you, you have understood this so profoundly.
Beautifully expressed.
It’s deep yet so simple!
Thank you Captain
This is deep! The philosophy comes with an action.
I like the line – the act reminds me of a choice.
Glad you shared your thoughts. ❣️
Coming from you Mam, means a lot…