Sankalpa
Sadhana Of Intention

Sankalpa
San - clear, strong, effective
Kalpa - forming something for a purpose or aim

Sankalpa is to focus your energies, thoughts, actions, will, commitment and best wishes to what you want to manifest.

With a focused intention, your sadhana includes a spiritual connection with your verbal thinking mind and physical body to your true Self, your individual consciousness.

Clear Intention is...

• creative power
  
• keeps us on track
  
• focuses our energies

When there is NO clear intention, our life is run by our desires, fears, intentions from other people and circumstances.

3 Powers In Universal Consciousness

1. Iccha Shakti - power of intention and will

2. Jnana Shakti - power in knowledge and knowing

3. Kriya Shakti - power to do action

Same 3 Powers Exist In Each One Of Us And Our Lives

1. Iccha Shakti - we have a clear intention about something

2. Jnana Shakti - we learn what we need to know to complete that intention

3. Kriya Shakti - we put into action what needs to be done

Recall when you had a clear intention about something, even if it was just a feeling. Was your purpose and aim a success?

Recall when you didn't have a clear intention about something. What was the outcome?

Creating and establishing an intention, sankalpa, is not something you think about in the moment or "on the spot."

It involves the focusing of your thoughts, energies, commitments and best wishes to what you want to manifest for a specific project, activity or your whole life.

Sankalpa is connecting your thinking mind and your body to your true Self, your individual consciousness.

With our intention in the forefront of our mind, we act and gain knowledge with the accordance with our intention.

We remain open to actions and knowledge that will emerge to further us along the path to our Sankalpa.

How To Form Your Intention

It is recommended that your intention be just one sentence long containing the essence of what you want. This will help you to remember it, and make it a "living creative energy" that has a powerful influence in your life.

State your intention in positive language. State what you want, not what you don't want.

I begin my intention with...

For long-term aspirations, write your intention down and keep it with you.

Read your intention out load several times a day with focus and awareness.

Here are some examples and ideas of when to set your Sankalpa...

• preparing food, cooking and eating

• making phone calls, text or updating your Facebook page

• performing a project at work or at home

• shopping at the grocery store

• when you are about to concentrate on something, in a classroom, may be

• before you chant or practice a hatha yoga pose exercise

• just before you practice a yoga nidra meditation

• when making a decision

• before you watch TV

How To Put Your Intention Into Practice

Before you begin an activity, pause and take a deep breath.

Mentally or out loud, state your intention...

It's very useful to look back at your intentions...

Recall when you had a clear intention about something, even if it was just a feeling. Was your purpose and aim a success?

Recall when you didn't have a clear intention about something. What was the outcome?

Quotes

"When there is a clear intention, there is a clear attainment as well."
Gurumayi Chidvilasananda

"Sankalpa is the essence of a person's aim or purpose."
Ancient Indian Scripture

"A person wins the worlds patterned after his intention."
Chandogya Upanishad

"Concerning all acts of initiative and creation, there is one elementary truth, the ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans: that the moment one definitely commits oneself, the Providence moves too. All sorts of things occur to help one that would never otherwise have occurred. A whole stream of events issue from the decision, raising in one's favor all manner of unforeseen incidents and meetings and material assistance,which no man could have dreamed would come his way."
W. H. Murray. Scottish Himalayan Expedition

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