by guest author Kelly Fisher, Urban Yoga, Wellington
From a yogic point of view, the process of setting a sankalpa (an intention) goes a little like this.
Step one: Set a positive intention, focusing on the results you want, rather than thinking about what you don’t want (as tends to be the case when we set New Year’s resolutions).
Step two: Let it go. The Universe conspires on our behalf. Where energy is placed, the Universe augments it.
At a workshop I recently attended, Anusara teacher Sianna Sherman told a story from Mary Poppins to illustrate this point.
The two children in the story were putting together their wish-list of characteristics for the new nanny their father was seeking for them. They poured their heart and soul into the list and gave it to their father. Of course, the characteristics that were important to the children “rosy cheeks, pleasing disposition, etc” did not feature in their father’s priorities and so the list ended up torn to shreds in the fireplace.
As luck would have it, a fierce wind picked up the bits of paper and carried them all the way to Mary Poppins where they were reassembled so she could read it. She then sought out the family and much to the children’s delight, went on to become their nanny.
As this rather simple story illustrates, we need to set our intention with all the positive energy and fervor we can muster and then step back to let the winds of grace lift it.
We humans try to muscle our way towards New Year’s resolutions, to make something happen by sheer force of will. And if it doesn’t happen, we give up. Hence we see the old familiar pattern of setting New Year’s resolutions only to abandon them three weeks later.
When you set a sankalpa, you let go of the fruits of your actions.
Letting go of the results doesn’t mean you aren’t working towards goals. It means knowing where you’re heading, then identifying your edge, where your human capabilities end and riding that edge, making small adjustments in response to the ever-changing circumstances. In effect you simply invest in the process, rather than clinging to the outcomes.
The Universe supports us in whatever path we take, whether that’s positive or negative. If we choose a positive direction, we can trust that the Universe will respond in kind, creating an exponential effect on our energy. We just have to choose our direction, make a sincere but sustainable effort and then wait for the updraft to augment our efforts.
Kelly Fisher is a former IT specialist and now owns Urban Yoga in Wellington.
great article kelly!
the logical side of my brain resisted the idea of sankalpa for soooo long. rationally speaking it just sounds so… out-there. but time and time again i’ve been surprised at how effective it is. my favourite part about the whole thing is that it works for anything – from transient things like finding a parking spot all the way through to those big life challenges.
Hey Taisuke,
I’m with you!
I didn’t get it either, paid lip service to it for awhile… and then one day, after setting a sankalpa for a practice, had the most amazing release and experience later on in the day directly related to my intention.
Great to see you! Can’t wait for our classes to start!
KL
So how exactly do you go about setting one?
I’m a little confused about the whole thing.. 😛
Hey Tash,
It depends what you’re setting your sankalpa for – a meditation, a yoga practice, the day, the month, an experience?
All you need do is take a moment before starting any of those things, centre yourself, and silently state your sankalpa using positive, inspiring language. Say it three times, and feel those words penetrate right into the core of your being. And then let it go… forget about it.
An example could be “I open into joy”, or “I release all fear”.
Does that make it clearer?
Blessings,
KL
Hey,
It was actually mentioned on Tyag’s yoga nidra cd, but I had no idea what it was!
It’s a lot more clearer now. Do I make it up or does it like come to me?? lol
Thanks
Tash xoo
Good question – and it’s a very fine line!
I would suggest finding silence within, and seeing what is the first thought that comes to mind.
If nothing does… then choose something that feels good to you.
Also, it’s really useful to use the same sankalpa for a long period of time. There’s far less power when you’re chopping and changing all the time!
Blessings,
KL
Thank you! That cleared up a whole lot of confusion!
A Sankalpa is only as powerful as the energy you put into it. I’d recommend The Four Desires by Rod Stryker if you are really interested in a process to develop a sankalpa that will dramatically improve your life. Then pick up the practice of yoga nidra to keep it energized.
Hey Bradd,
Thanks for the recommendation, will look up Rod Stryker. I’m doing Yoga Nidra regularly right now in an effort to keep up with my toddler and business, so would be great to intensify the power of the sankalpa.