The practice of Yoga creates the space for us to reconnect with our innermost being, our true nature. As our mind calms, we hear the whispers from the depths of our core without being distracted by external voices or even our inner critic. We know what aspect of our core we need to bring forward, to strengthen, what attitude we need to cultivate, to deal with whatever we need to deal with. As we get clear of our need, we are ready to set our Sankalpa or Intention. A Sanskrit word, where “San” means to connect with our highest truth, and “kalpa” means a vow. Setting a Sankalpa, is sowing the seeds of change. A Sankalpa resonates with our entire being. It feels right, it excites our soul and we feel the faith and conviction to manifest it. It also guides our actions, if we allow it too.

Sankalpa

Let’s take an example, this week for me continues to be about “being in service”. Given Covid crisis in India, a lot of my time daily is spent talking to my friends and family, finding ways to alleviate suffering there. And now with my Labrador dog going for her operation tomorrow, this week is focussed on her healing and comfort. My Sankalpa of “being in service” is inspiring my actions, where my time is spent and when I am distracted. It guides me back to where I should be channelling my energy. Nothing else matters right now but being in service. My energy goes where my attention goes.

Every Yoga practice generally starts with an intention setting. The act of listening to our inner self and being able to articulate our intention is not easy. It requires the mind to be calm, to have courage to accept our need and the faith that it is possible. It’s not easy but practice makes perfect.

Set Your Intentions Step by Step

So, I encourage you to get better at setting your intentions. Few steps to follow whilst setting your intention:

1. The Sankalpa or intention is like an affirmation, it is in the present tense as if it is already true. E,g, I am strong, or I am feeling stronger day by day.
2. You can set your intention daily or have the same intention for a period of time. The most important thing is that it should resonate with you. 
3. Keep reminding yourself of your intention, repeat it like a mantra till it is ingrained into your sub conscious mind
4. When you practice Yoga on the mat, we bring it forward in every asana (posture) you do, every breath you take, practice your intention on the mat, so that when you step off the mat, you carry this energy into your day. 

The Power of Intentions!

Your intention will be the seeds of change you will sow to shape your life. So as you step on your mat tomorrow, be ready to set your intention, when you wake up in the morning set your intention. Find your best moment, when you can quiet your mind and listen to your soul. Set your intention and let it inspire your thoughts, words and actions.

To set your intentions, reflect on:

• What aspects of your inner being you wish to bring forward?
• Which attitude do you need to cultivate for the life situations you face?
• What will serve you the most?

I challenge you to commit to setting your intention for the next 7 days and observe what happens next.

AUTHOR: ANITA

Having grown up in India, I encountered yoga very early on joining morning walkers in the neighbourhood for yoga or later as a teen being stretched by a long bearded, white robed Indian yogi. However, I truly fell in love with Yoga in Switzerland, when my inquisitiveness and curiosity led to a teacher’s certificate in my hands.

The post Sankalpa: The Power of Intention appeared first on Beyond Yoga Academy.

Sage Patanjali compiled the 196 sutras or sentences of wisdom. Somewhere between 500BC and 400AD, where in the second sutra itself, Yoga is defined as that which stops the fluctuations of the mind. Most of us have experienced the torment from our own monkey mind, can you just imagine if our mind is calmer and stiller? The clarity of thought, peace and better awareness it could bring to us in our daily life. Whilst the end goal of Yoga is Samadhi, a very deep prolonged state of meditation, requiring relentless practice of all aspects of Yoga. Even beginners can reap the benefits of Yoga at a physical, mental and emotional level through a regular practice.

So for all the beginners and curious ones, here is my take on the ABC of Yoga.

A for Awareness

Simply speaking, when we do anything with awareness, we are practicing Yoga. Awareness means being fully in the present moment, right here, right now, with all our attention on the task at hand. It is the nature of the mind to swing between the past and the future often ignoring the present moment, and Yoga reminds us to bring awareness in every breath we take, every move we make. There is one main difference between Yoga on the mat and any other physical exercise. The latter can be done whilst being engaged in other activities such as listening to music, watching a screen or having a conversation. On the other hand, Yoga needs complete withdrawal from the external world and with full awareness of the mind on the breath.

The A of Yoga can also stand for Asana and Alignment however Awareness is the first step and with awareness we can focus on the asana and our alignment.

B for Breath

Our breath or our life force, is what differentiates us from a dead body. With a big gasp of air or an inhale we are born and with an exhale we leave our body and it dies. The breath is an involuntary action which performed by our nervous system. The quality of our breath decreases as we go through emotions and stress in our lives and especially if we don’t pay attention to manage our stress. Practice of Yoga brings our awareness back on our breath, teaches us to breathe deeply and more efficiently impacting our lung capacity, calming the nervous system and uplifting our emotions and mood. A steady, stronger, deeper breath helps to cultivate a calmer mind and enables us to make healthier decisions and respond better to the triggers in our life.

C for Change

As you become curious about Yoga, deepen your understanding of the philosophy and putting it into practice in your life, you will start to notice a change in the way you look at your life situations. Yoga doesn’t encourage one to change the situations we are in. Such as difficult relationships or unfulfilling careers. Rather it enables us to change our perspective and look at the same relationship, career but with a different pair of eyes. It encourages us to make changes at a deeper level which impacts the way we feel about our situations. This inner change eventually becomes infectious, and one starts noticing people around us also changing gradually. One would not imagine at the beginning that the practice of Yoga could bring changes at such a deep level, but that’s exactly why Yoga is not a work-out but a work-in.

Yoga for Beginners

The ABC of Yoga inspired me to begin my journey with Yoga and I haven’t looked back since. I encourage you to give it a try for yourself, notice how you respond to what it offers. Be curious and explore more in depth,. Then one day maybe you will explain your version of ABC of Yoga to inspire someone else.

Click to read the benefits of doing Yoga: Top 10 Benefits of Yoga

AUTHOR: ANITA

Having grown up in India, I encountered yoga very early on joining morning walkers in the neighbourhood for yoga or later as a teen being stretched by a long bearded, white robed Indian yogi. However, I truly fell in love with Yoga in Switzerland, when my inquisitiveness and curiosity led to a teacher’s certificate in my hands.

The post Yoga For Beginners appeared first on Beyond Yoga Academy.