The Sanskrit term "Abhyasa" (अभ्यास) represents the profound concept of dedicated, constant practice or repetition, particularly within spiritual disciplines. In yogic philosophy, this term is often paired with "Vairagya" (वैराग्य), which means non-attachment or dispassion. Together, these complementary principles form a powerful framework for spiritual growth - Abhyasa being the consistent, devoted practice, while Vairagya represents the ability to let go of attachments that might hinder one's spiritual journey.

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As a fascinating linguistic coincidence, this ancient Sanskrit word bears a phonetic similarity to the Yoruba name Abiose, which carries its own beautiful meaning - "born on the day of the sun" (where "bi" relates to birth and "ose" to Sunday in Yoruba). This serendipitous connection between a name meaning "born of the sun" and a Sanskrit term for spiritual practice creates an interesting bridge between two rich cultural traditions, both of which honour dedication to higher principles, whether through the symbolism of the sun in Yoruba culture or through the dedicated practice emphasized in Sanskrit spiritual teachings.

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Abhyāsa, in Hinduism, is a spiritual practice which is regularly and constantly practised over a long period of time. It has been prescribed by the great sage Patanjali in his Yoga Sutras, and by Krishna in the Bhagavad Gita as an essential means to control the mind, together with Vairāgya.

Sutra 1:12 "Both practice (abhyāsa) and non-reaction (vairāgya) are required to still the patterning of consciousness."

Sutra 1:13 "Practice is the sustained effort to rest in that stillness."—as translated by Chip Hartranft in his work The Yoga Sutra of Patanjali. According to Swami Krishnananda sutra 1:13 means "Abhyasa or practice is the effort to fix one's own self in a given attitude." Prolonged periods of practice within a given attitude to align ourselves with our soul's freedom, this is practice. Our attitude is fixing series of mistakes by ourselves such that we "tend to greater and greater stages of freedom of the soul, and a lessening and decreasing of the intensity of bondage.