A R I A D N E / / K A P S A L I
How to set an intention (+ a meditation ritual)
Did you know that 80% of us do not achieve our New Year’s resolutions and that 4 out 5 resolutions made will be broken? If you think that a resolution is little more than a wish, even one you think many times a day, it actually has little or no impact on the course of your life. Yogis believe that in order to progress we need to cultivate the power of resolve. To use the power of our minds, of will and determination. Whereas a resolution or goal tends to be intellectually developed, a sankalpa is said to originate from deeper layers of the true Self.
Resolutions come from a lack mentality, of not being good enough, of needing to somehow change, alter, improve ourselves or of missing something that would make us whole. Resolutions therefore come with negative connotations, they are often a form of judgement, of comparison and are said to ultimately be a distraction to the mind’s power.
An intention or a yogic sankalpa comes from the basis that your true Self is perfect.
Consider that for a moment:: You are already perfect.
Sankalpa संकल्प
= resolution/intention combined with determination
kalpa = a way of proceeding
san = a concept or idea formed in the heart
Your only job is to clear the fog of your mind to be able to see that perfection. As the mind is distracted and overactive most of the time, we are unable to access this sense of perfection and peace within us. Our minds are said to only process 10% of our current reality – can you believe that? That means that at any given time we might be missing out on 90% of our experience as the mind is absorbed with worrying about the future or ruminating about the past. Meditating and practicing yoga allows us to experience that inner peace, the part of ourselves that is always at peace. With practice, we learn to let go more and more of the mind’s distracting noise and tune into this sense of peace. From that space, we can draw on what is important and with great conviction live from intention.
The reason why most of us forget we even made new year’s resolutions or started Monday diets, is because we don’t actually want to make these changes. We are not ultimately interested in the goal itself and therefore not willing to do the work required to achieve it. Most likely what we are really drawn to is the perceived reward, the feeling that we think will come with being the person who is better than we were yesterday. So if you flip that on its head, we seem to believe that our current self, body and life is not worthy of our full acceptance unless we make the x, y or z change. Unless we lose 5 kgs, eat only organic, have a smaller ass or make more money. With resolutions that stem from being unhappy with yourself and a need to fix who you are, we cultivate a sense of unhappiness with our current reality, leading to feeling stressed, on edge and agitated as we are never satisfied with the present.
I say screw all that! Honestly, screw the diet. Screw eating organic. Screw even taking better care of yourself, if it means that if you don’t do the things on your January to-do resolution list, you are not willing to be happy right now. Anyone who’s made a lasting change will tell you that it does not come from punishment, it does not come from hatred of your body. Sure the initial push or the final punch might be fuelled by anger, confusion or feeling fed up, but what keeps people going is an authentic desire to honour who they are already and to create changes that are in line with that. There is a spanking difference between a change that is triggered out of self awareness, self acceptance and self love and one that comes out of denial and fear. I’m all for personal development and stretching your boundaries, but I fully and wholly believe that how you choose to do that needs to originate in the heart – not the head. The heart knows (just like the ancient wise yogis did) that you are already perfect and that all you need to do to be at peace is to clear out the obstacles you are putting in your way. The end result might still be that you lose weight or start eating better if that aligns with being in your mojo! The motivation behind the change will be intrinsically different if it originates in the heart.
I find that quite liberating, don’t you? It kind of lets me off the hook, but in a very self-empowering way! I am responsible for my own happiness and you can only be happy, right now. Not in the future, not if you have more money, if you have more time, less pressure, more children, less children, less fat, more muscle, less spots, more boob. You can only be happy and at peace in your current reality, by making a choice to focus on the now and ask yourself –
:: If there is a part of me that is always at peace, what can I do right now to tap into that?
:: Would that choice, that action, that behaviour, bring me closer to this or add yet another layer of fog?
:: Do I really want to make this change?
:: What is my motivation; does it stem from a lack mindset? If yes, what is it that I’m really looking for?
Circling back to setting a sankalpa, an intention setting ritual is the process of focusing the mind on a heartfelt goal. Each thought we have influences us and creates a vibration that is said to affect our life and our destiny. Using meditation and reflection, we can draw on the power of the mind to focus our mental and energetic resources and, in this process, the forces of the Universe to support an authentic intention.
The mind is everything. What you think you become.
Buddha
An intention setting ritual + meditation for the New Year
Before you begin setting an intention, I’d recommend doing some movement (yoga, run, jump up + down, dance, do a handstand, etc.) to change your energy. I also urge you to begin with a letting go ritual to release the past year before you tap into your intentions for the New Year. You can do my letting go meditation ritual I recently shared on the blog.
Preparation::
Create a space that feels clean and clear of clutter. The fresher, the better.
Burn some incense, essential oils or light some candles. Use any props you want to help you get into the mood of getting ready for the New.
Some of my favourites include::
// My little Ganesha statue – Ganesh, the Hindu deity said to represent the God of new beginnings and the remover of obstacles.
// Clear quartz (the most powerful healing crystal, that amplifies energy and unlocks blockages), Citrine (to release old beliefs, invite abundance and an expanded view of oneself), Amethyst (a transition stone, bridging physical with spiritual consciousness), Rose quartz (love and relationship crystal, clearing out blockages in the heart chakra) and Black Tourmaline (for grounding).
// My journal – to take notes.
When you are ready to begin::
Start with doing 3 minutes of Alternate Nostril Breathing to help you calm and center the mind, bring you into the present moment. This pranayama technique is my favourite when I feel mental confusion and stagnant energy as it helps clear out energetic blockages to improve the flow of Prana through the body.
With your eyes closed, continue breathing through both nostrils, following the flow of the breath as it moves through the body.
Begin to visualise yourself in the New Year – meditate on the following questions for a few minutes
:: What do I wish to attract for myself and my life in 2015?
:: What do I want 2015 to feel like?
Allow thoughts, words, images and feelings to rise without filtering or judging them.
Keep focusing on what you wish to attract, as if it is happening now.
If you are finding it difficult, you could visualise yourself in 12 months’ time and see what pops up then.
Open your eyes and on a blank page write down as many of the words as you can. Don’t overthink this process, just write down what came to you. Focus on what you want to invite, so use positive, helpful wording. Some of mine were health, peace, abundance, creativity, love, balance, belly laughs, connection. Take about 3-5 minutes writing them down in no particular order.
Put your journal to the side and return to a breath meditation for another 3 minutes, either focusing on the breath or doing an alternate nostril breathing again, before returning to your journal and turning to a new page to come up with your intention for the year.
Some advice for setting your intention
:: Keep it simple + specific
:: Use positive, motivating wording (e.g. I make healthy choices for my body vs I will not eat sugar anymore)
:: Make it sound like something you would say (i.e. use your own words)
:: Keep it in the present tense (you are already perfect, remember?)
:: Make it authentic (if it does not feel authentic, go back to the meditation and take your time)
:: Don’t overthink it and definitely do not overcomplicate it!
Take some time to mould it into a statement that feels right and sits well within you.
Close your eyes and meditate on your intention for a few minutes, silently repeating it to yourself. Every time your mind gets distracted, softly return to the intention.
My favourite thing to do to mark the significance of this ritual is to write my intention on a separate piece of paper, fold it and then place it under the Buddha statue in the living room. You could also burn it, or keep it in your wallet or organiser. This way I am confident my intention is safely held and heard by the Universe and I can focus on embodying it with my daily thoughts, decisions and actions (which is where the juice is at, isn’t it?)!
Happy 2015 curious ones!
If you’d like some extra help in the process of setting intentions and making conscious decisions, I wholeheartedly recommend the following resources
:: Danielle LaPorte‘s The Desire Map and Fire Starter Sessions (I am a proud affiliate for Danielle’s work)
:: The Four Desires – Creating a Life of Purpose, Happiness, Prosperity and Freedom by Rod Stryker.
++ Over to you, my lovelies. Do you set New Year intentions or resolutions?
I’d love to know how you found this way of setting intentions.
Share with me in the comments below and let’s create some accountability!
Thank you for being here in 2015 xx
