Setting an Intention or Sankalpa for your Yoga or Meditation Practice

An intention or Sankalpa (resolve) is a positive statement, usually beginning with “I am,” “I feel,” or “My true nature is.” This affirmation, resolve, or heartfelt desire should be short, in the present tense, positive, and feel attainable.

Below are a few examples…

I am calm
I am content
I am grateful
I am enough
I am at peace
I am innately kind and compassionate
I am present in the moment
I am at one with humanity
I am listening to my body
I feel connected to my Divine nature
I feel God’s presence
My true nature is loving

Now to explain the difference between the intention that we use in yoga and a Sankalpa that is used in Yoga Nidra or deep meditation. An intention during yoga is something you focus on when you are awake and alert during your practice. The primary benefit is that it keeps your mind from wandering so much. During Yoga Nidra, a Sankalpa is repeated three times at the beginning and the end of the practice. In this case, you are operating in a state between waking and asleep where your subconscious is active and you have access to memories from recent all the way into distant past. In this space, you have more power to transform destructive thinking patterns to ways of thinking and living that better serve your emotional and physical well-being.

Many people have been able to let go of destructive habits – such as overeating, alcohol and drug abuse, as well as uncomfortable mental states – such as depression, anxiety, and insomnia – through meditation practices. f you want to begin reaping the benefits of Yoga Nidra, you can dowload the Insight Timer app on your smartphone. There are many free Yoga Nidra scripts you can listen to for free. Establish a resolve you can work with until it feels like it is well-established in your life. At that stage, you can progress to another one.