As we commence the new year, there is so much we may want to do and achieve.
Setting intentions, and realizing them is an important part of moving forward.
In the normal course of life, we try to come up with intentions from a conscious state of being. The follow through is also done from this state, which may be why the success rate of follow through with intentions is always challenging. Additionally, we also need an anchor to the intentions, to ensure that we stay on course.
In a Yogic path, our intentions are pulled from a subconscious state of mind.
When we are in a meditative state of heightened awareness, and we pose the questions about intentions, what the mind shows us may be something different from a conscious mental ntention. It is not merely intention setting but also visualizing how to realize the intention. Lastly, setting intention is a dynamic form of energy, when we do this it is also important to see the other side which is a grounding or still energy to balance the dynamism. If we move with only dynamism and no grounding to back it, then we may get lost along the way.
So as an exercise, before going to bed, try sitting still for a few moments. Visualize how you want the year ahead to pan out and your goal or intention for the year. Pause. Take a moment to also note the steps or changes you might have to make to realize this intention. (In the classes I offer, I often invite students to come up with three intentions: a personal, a professional and one that is family/community related.)
Then think about your grounding force to provide balance through the movement. This is completely personal, and maybe through daily meditations, silent walking, journaling or something else that you resonate with.
Document all of this in an easy to understand manner. Keeping a visual of this handy in the morning upon waking and in the night upon going to bed, will reaffirm the intention in the subconscious mind, thereby getting the conscious mind to act on it.
Take weekly stock through your meditations or journaling to see how you are progressing with your intentions, and the tweaks you can make along the way. We may feel the need to shift these intentions if they are not quite representing what our true goals are, and that is ok.
Think of intention setting as a painting on blank canvas. An artist visualizing the result, the paints needed to achieve that result, and finally progressing with the painting itself with awareness and silence, making changes or shifts along the way if needed.
At the end of the day, it is our painting, and we can choose to create and edit it as we want. The result either way is beautiful…Happy New Year!
