Have you been in a class, possibly mine, where the teacher says something along the lines of "If it is in your practice to set an intention, I invite you to do it now." Do you have a practice in that? And what does it really mean? For me it is an invitation to think about your thinking, to be aware of how your metal processes work, and then to be aware and maybe adjust as necessary.
Lets back up a bit. I'm sure if anyone stumbled across my blog, they might expect it to be about posture, and the relief and openness you can find there. I mean, that is part of yoga. But if I have learned anything in the last year and half, is that yoga has little to do with what you do on your mat. The physical practice, or asana really is only to prepare you for a comfortable way to meditate. To prepare your body for stillness. The rest of yoga is a framework for how to live your life. This is what has saved me in the last 18 months. Not child's pose, not warrior 2, definitely not crow pose. But the guide lines for how to live your life, and how to think, how to process the things that are happening to you.
In the last 3 months I have started a practice of weekly intention setting, with some guidance from a great friend. I had no idea how much it would change they way I think, the way I understand what is happening for me, and the way I move forward. Each Monday I set a weekly intention for myself. I think back as to what was the hardest part of the previous week for me, and consider what I have planned for the next week. I try to anticipate what will be a struggle for me. And then I think about how the best version of me would respond. For example, this week my intention is to look for small moments of joy. On Monday, I wasn't feeling well, my husband and I picked up some bug on our trip and had some tummy issues to say the least. I was tired and feeling sorry for myself. That is not who I want to be. There are so many small moments everyday where I can feel alive, and feel connected to the world as a whole. Those small moments are joyful. Like right now I am looking out my dining room window and the bow river in the sunshine. I can see the people walking their dogs at the off leash park. It feels peaceful and it looks beautiful. That is a joy filled moment. At the grocery store I hear a parent and child belly laughing over a small joke between them. That is a joy filed moment. When my husband rolls over the night and touches the back of my head along my scar, I know that he is living out his own gratitude for how things have turned out. That is a joy filled moment. I want to be present for each and every one of these moments that happen. I want to feel them. I want to collect them and hold them in my heart.
Intention setting helps us be aware of our own thought patterns, and primes us to be aware of our possible pitfalls. When my intention for a week was to make more connections with others when I had been feeling lonely, it didn't mean that I creepily went out and tried to befriend a bunch of strangers. What it did was shift my focus to reframe the interactions I was already having. It reminded me of the blessings and fulness that already are in my life. It made the small conversation with the people out on my walk meaningful. It deepened conversations I had with my husband. It reminded me of the fullness of my life already. By setting an intention for yourself, it prepares you for the hard things, and gives you an opportunity to meet them with grace. It makes the less of a shock and they don't knock you over. You have a plan for this. Things happen and you think "hey, my intention was to be gentle with myself this week, why am I being my own hardest critic? This is not who I want to be." And with practice it happens in the moment.
This is what makes us a yogi. Not headstands, not forcing yourself into difficult asana. But being in the moment, choosing your thoughts and emotions and moving forward with grace.
Comments