Coming soon to YogaFresh in Woodbury, Minnesota: my ‘Uncover Your Sankalpa’ workshop on January 15!
I previously hosted a weekly yoga nidra practice, and the role of this unique dharma in that practice is close to my heart. I love the idea of tapping into one’s heartfelt desire to become the person they want to be. And what better time to do it than the new year?
What is a Sankalpa?
Sankalpa is the Sanskrit word for intention. San means “to become one with” and kalpa means “time” and “subconscious mind.” I use the term as a way to set an intention, to connect with your heart’s deepest desire.
Setting a Sankalpa is similar to setting a goal or intention, heartfelt mission, resolution…But it’s not the same thing.
With this kind of intention-setting, we assume that you already have the thing that you’re striving to achieve. Yes, it sounds contradicting, but this is the essence of non-dualistic teachings: that you already are whole, yet at the same time, you are constantly growing and becoming.
And so, when you state your Sankalpa, you state it in the present tense, not in the future. Contrast this with goal setting, you’ll usually say something like “I will lose 10 pounds. But your Sankalpa may sound more like “my body feels fit, strong, and healthy”.
What’s Included in this Yoga Workshop
In this mixed-methods workshop, we’re going to move a bit, meditation a bit, and of course, practice yoga nidra. But we’ll also journal and talk about the magic of words.
January 15, noon – 1:30pm (90 minute workshop)
Basic props needed + workbooks/journals, pens for writing
In this workshop, you will use the elements of practice, meditation, and journaling to identify your deepest heartfelt desire, put it into words and use it to inspire your practice.
The energy of a new year can inspire us to become the best version of ourselves. But this usually takes the form of a new year’s resolution, which tends to focus on the negative. Resolutions start with the assumption that there’s something we need to change about ourselves. But the guiding principle of the Sankalpa – Sanskrit for an intention formed by the heart and mind, most commonly used in Yoga Nidra practices – is that you are perfect as you are, and just need reinforcement to uncover those parts that you want to bring forth.
Join Meghan and fellow practitioners in a mixed-methods journey that ties together elements of yogic philosophy, neuroscience, cross-lateral movement, and more to create a Sankalpa that fits where you are now. We’ll close with a Yoga Nidra practice to gain a final sense for how your Sankalpa resonates.
Participants should bring a journal and writing instrument as well as their yoga mat. Yoga Nidra lowers the body temperature; dressing in layers, with socks, is recommended.
YogaFresh
This workshop is an iteration of the one I did at River Valley Yoga Festival. I’ll introduce a few newer elements, and can’t wait to connect with a whole new group of participants. YogaFresh has all the props and vibe that will make this workshop amazing.
Suggestions, questions, comments? Let me know below!
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