Our words and thoughts have power. They have the power to change our mood and our mindset. Generating a positive thought in the morning can change your whole day. Setting an intention is more than wishful thinking. It is a purposeful mental act to envision results and take aim, guiding our actions.
Follow the Sun is currently one of my favorite songs that inspires me during yoga and my workouts. Take a moment and contemplate the lyrics or, better yet, listen to the song.
Follow the Sun by Xavier Rudd
Follow, follow the sun
And which way the wind blows
When this day is done
Breathe, breathe in the air
Set your intentions
Dream with care
The Sanskrit word for intention is Sankalpa. Kalpa means vow and San means connection with our highest truth. A Sankalpa, then, is a promise that we make to support our highest truth. As such, any intention that we set should be something that has deep personal meaning – not just something we think we should do.
Think of an intention as a focal point – something that you want to structure your day around. An intention is a statement used to amplify your mental clarity and focus as well as shape your mindset and perspective. Before the day begins, ask yourself what you want to achieve. Think about it and visualize it. When we identify our intentions and think about them and, better still, speak them and write them, they have the power to become reality.
The more you practice intention setting, the stronger and more capable you become. Setting and living your intentions allows you to focus on who you are in the moment, to recognize and live your values, and to raise your emotional energy, which in turn raises your physical energy.
In the book The Intention Experiment, Lynne McTaggart explores the science of intention, drawing on the findings from scholars around the world. The data from numerous empirical studies demonstrates that intent affects our actions and profoundly impacts all aspects of our lives.
In yoga, we often pause to set an intention for the practice early in the sequence. Many people find it helpful to formulate a mantra or affirmation that they repeat. For example, you might think and repeat to yourself “I seek to understand and learn from my life experiences” or “I will let go of the past and forgive myself and others.” Here’s my mantra that greets me every morning and night! It’s written on my mirror in our bathroom.
Be FEARLESS in the Pursuit of What Sets Your Soul on FIRE!
Like seeds on the wind our intentions spread far and wide unfurling their power as they go until they find the environment balanced just right for our dreams to take root and begin to grow.
-Cristen Rodgers
Consider the following intention setting exercises by completing the following statements:
Today, I stand for _________ (what values can you bring to this day?)
Today, I show up as _______ (what strengths do you want to use today?)
Today, I choose to be ______ (what commitments do you want to make today?)
Today, I will ____ for _______ (what group/cause can you make a positive impact on today?)
The more aware of your intentions and your experiences you become, the more you will be able to connect the two, and the more you will be able to create the experiences of your life consciously. This is the development of mastery. It is the creation of authentic power.
-Gary Zukav
So today and every day, I invite you to set your intention – something that will motivate you to achieve your goals and master your life.
Check out our Home Yoga Flow I = Intention, part of the Yoga Apothecary series Wellbeing from A to Z.
Cheers-
Seena
Dr. Seena L. Haines
Professor of Pharmacy Practice
Yoga Instructor (Certified)
Health and Wellness Coach (Certified)
Chief Fitness Officer (CFO)