Sankalpa: Setting an intention

Sankalpa: Setting an intention 

 Marigold Om created and photographed by me.

Sankalpa is a sanskrit word describing an 'intention' or 'resolution' that informs practice and life. A resolution strongly suggests the desire to be firm, unwavering and purposeful and conveys the power of sankalpa. The idea of a resolution is familiar to those in the West - the infamous New Year resolutions, note the plural, that many people espouse at the start of a new year only to discover that they are unable to sustain their enthusiasm for life change. 

To find my sankalpa for the year or for however long I choose, I wait to see what naturally pops up sometimes  meditation is useful as the quiet peace of the cushion reveals the inner wisdom of the spirit. This year, my sankalpa popped up during my asana yoga practice. So there you go! Some years it has come up while gardening or cooking. Wait and see! And you choose when to let go of the sankalpha perhaps it has come true or you may need to change it to better represent where you are in your path.

Some ideas about how to go about setting a sankalpa

1. Make in affirmative e.g I respond to life with grace rather than I will not be so anxious
2. Use the present tense as if it is already true. e.g I am healthy and peaceful or I live in the present.
3. Keep it reasonably short and pithy. Don't over complicate.

When to use your sankalpa

A Sankalpa is powerful and can influence and transform your life along positive lines. Traditionally, a sankalpa is used in Yoga Nidra - the meditative heart of yoga. I love Yoga Nidra.

Yoga means “union” or “one-pointed awareness”. “Nidra” means sleep. During Yoga Nidra you appear to be asleep but the consciousness is functioning at a deeper level of awareness. It is a state of mind between wakefulness and dream. When you practice Yoga Nidra you are opening to deeper phases of your mind.

Modern neurologists have been able to demonstrate an obvious relationship between the body and the brain. The brain is the physical mediator of consciousness linking mind, body and emotions into one harmonious unit. The neurosurgeon affects the body by stimulating the brain. The practitioner of Yoga Nidra begins the other end of the pathway by heightening awareness of the body in order to stimulate the brain. The progressive movement of awareness through the parts of the body not only induces physical relaxation but also clears all the nerve pathways to the brain, both those governing the physical activity and those concerned with incoming information. In this way, Yoga Nidra relaxes the mind by relaxing the body. 

New to yoga nidra - try

Are you new to Yoga Nidra? There are many podcasts available just plug in Yoga Nidra to your search engine. How did I get started, I was originally introduced to Yoga Nidra through the work of Swami Satyananda Saraswati. His work was incredibly important and we are lucky to have his writings on the topic and transcripts to work from. Some yoga teachers include a short Yoga Nidra at the end of class, but it is simple to download one and enjoy in the privacy of your own home.

Try a sample of Swami Satyananda Saraswati 

The style is very much in the Indian tradition and may not suit everyone's taste. however, as with everything in the modern world there is much to choose from. I moved on to the Richard Miller who teaches very much in the Vedanta style and is the creator of irest.

Further to using it during yoga nidra, you can use it in other practices - I repeat my intent at the start to yoga practices: asana, pranayama, meditation as well as starting my day by repeating in with feeling and awareness when I wake up and before I go to bed - in this way it is similar to using a mantra.

My intention for last year was lighten up - forgive.
This year or longer is surrender to the divine - trust the flow.

Turn on your ipod or stereo, pop on your eye pillow and relax.