From Past to Present to Future; Review the Past to create your New Year.
Yes, yes, it is the time of the year for reflection. Of course, it doesn't matter when we reflect. Still, the nature of the new year being just around the corner and bringing something to an end and something new to begin is a suitable time for both looking back and ahead.
Yoga is a mental discipline that aims to bring our mind back into a state of peace, balance or harmony.
Bringing us back is essential because Yoga assumes that our original state is balanced. We fall out of this state during our lives due to our upbringing, past lives, wishes and desires born from our place in society, chosen careers, and so forth. Our mental and emotional lives are complex.
Our desires keep our mind busy: we want to go on holiday, have a better job, house, car, have children or not. Our senses dictate these desires, which are always short-lived. As soon as we return from our desired holiday, we see something else we want or hear something we should for an outcome that we desire, and so, a new desire is born.
These fleeting desires often feature in our New Year's resolutions. The ones last from January 1st to 15th or 20th the most. We adopt a new regime full steam, and after a couple of weeks, we run out of steam, and that's it.
But there's another Way!
When I started to practise Yoga nearly 30 years ago, I was introduced to the Yoga intentions or Sankalpa.
Sankalpa is a Sanskrit word that combines the word "san", which indicates a connection with the highest truth, and "kalpa" is a sacred vow.
This technique connects us to our wishes relating to our higher truth, the purpose of our lives, and why we are here. It can bring profound personal transformation. Our purpose results from our past lives and what has stayed unfulfilled or actions that brought us into trouble.
Our deep-seated wishes and dreams connect us to our highest truth. Being able to quieten our minds and breathe deeply helps us to look behind its daily chitter-chatter, enabling us to look deeper into the roots of our desires. Often, wanting something, like a new house or car, for instance, expresses our feeling of not being enough the way we are. Health-related regimes that we feel the need to adopt can express a more profound desire to live healthier or more in tune with nature.
Understanding the why behind superficial desires gives them a different meaning, which we can phrase differently, creating a different energy or vibration.
A Sankalpa is a sentence formulated as if it has already happened, already being manifested.
We repeat this short, concise, positive phrase for a minute daily. The power of this sentence highlights areas in our lives that we need to work on. So, instead of browsing estate agents' websites for our new dream home, we learn to love and accept ourselves more. We might still buy a new house at the end of the process, but the motivation will be different, and our expectations of what this new house will help us achieve will definitely have changed.
How do we formulate a Sankalpa?
This process is twofold. Our past actions inform our future ones.
In this instant, by looking at how the year past has worked out for us, we can see what doesn't serve us any longer (activities, former friendships, jobs, for example) and who or what helped us along. This process highlights what needs to happen to reach our goal and what keeps us from it.
Then, we need to look ahead and check in again with our highest truth and formulate a new Sankalpa if necessary. The final goal might remain the same for us, but the milestones on the way do. Like in every process, we need to work at the level that we are at, not the one we want to be at 😊
Then, at our pace, we move towards our goal. Our final goal might be significant, so we need to grow slowly and steadily.
If you want to give it a go:
Practise a few minutes of Yoga, like cat and cow, downward facing dog, a seated twist or some warrior poses, and salute to the sun. Lie down and practise deep belly breathing for a few minutes or sitting alternate nostril breathing.
Have pen and paper ready, take any seated position, and sit tall. Close your eyes and focus on your breathing.
Start to listen to whatever comes up: a thought, a feeling in your body, an image, a colour.
Repeat the process until you notice repetition.
Look at your notes and ask yourself what they mean. What association surfaces with that feeling? Keep asking why until you have the primary feeling, which is very simple.
For example:
I want a new house.
Why do I want a new house?
I don't like the old one; It is too small, and the area could be nicer.
Why is it too small? My friend Lina's house is so lovely; I want one like hers.
Why is hers better?
Her kitchen is so much bigger and nicer. If I had such a kitchen, I would invite my friends over.
Why does it matter, would my friends mind?
Probably not, but I would feel better.
Why does your situation make you feel bad?
I grew up in a small house, and I always felt ashamed.
Why? I don't feel enough to be liked the way I am.
Sankalpa: I am enough. - I love/accept myself as I am.
It might be logical when you read this. It might be trickier when you are alone with your thoughts. The trick is to be totally truthful with yourself and keep asking why.
Enjoy the process.
As mentioned before, I have been working with this technique for nearly 30 years. It has brought me to where I am now. I trust this process day and day again.
If you are interested in a guided approach, join my annual free Sankalpa session on Saturday, January 13th, from 3 to 4 pm. The session will be recorded and available for another week after the live session.
Read how this post on why this should be your daily practice.
Are you practising this technique already? Does it sound intriguing? You can leave a message on Instagram, Facebook or even good old email.
I love hearing from you!
Katja x
P.S. Remember to book your spot above if you would like to join the free live session.
