Setting an Intention, Mantra or Sankalpa
We often get asked about how to pick your own mantra or how to set an intetion in your yoga class. In yoga you hear a lot about setting your intention. We thought we would give you some tips and more information about creating your own intention, mantra or sankalpa.
Sankalpa in sanskrit breaks into “Kalpa” meaning vow and “San” refering to a connection with the highest truth… Sankalpa would then be a vow or a commitment we make to support our highest truth.
A sankalpa is different from a resolution. Your sankalpa should come from a place of connection, it should be your heartfelt desire, you can even think of your sankalpa as channeling the energy from within.
Your sankalpa should be a statement you use to remind yourself of your true nature and to help guide your choices. When setting your intention or mantra it should come from a place where you have let go of the ego, and conditioning. You don’t want to start with the assumption that who you are not good enough, and reinforce the mistaken belief that your happiness depends on acquiring what you don’t have or what you want.
So how do we choose our sankalpa… we listen! Listen and it will come to you, it is already present. Ask yourself what is the feeling I am striving for? Generally we will identify a desire as “I want” or “I will”, but these lack commitment and connection. Our intention should be true in the present moment, so our sankalpa should be in the present tense. Try using “I am”. It should also remind you that whatever is required is already in you.