Optimize your potential with sankalpa
/We live in a society with constant pressure to perform. We set quarterly goals at work, new years resolutions, and intentions. If left unchecked the constant pressure to perform to meet the expectations of others will lead to burnout. One thing that is missing from all of these is understanding the importance of WHY?
“On this path you must first awaken your sankalpa shakti, the power of will and determination to overcome your resistance.” - Swami Rama
Yoga provides us a roadmap to look beyond external performance markers and begin to explore our personal potential. It provides a systematic process to remove ego as we settle into stillness and witness our truest, highest self. And from this experience we gain insight into what’s important, where we are headed and perhaps most importantly, why.
A sankalpa is declarative statement, resolution, or intention formed at the heart in which you vow to commit a specific goal. Translated from sanskrit :
san - concept or idea formed at the heart
kalpa - a way of proceeding
There are 4 types of sankalpas :
Dharma - life purpose.
Artha - material means (to fulfilling your purpose)
Kama - pleasure.
Moksha - freedom.
It’s great to have a lot of goals. But the truth is you can’t be working on everything all at once and expect to see sustainable results. By taking a step back and evaluating what season you’re in you can better determine the type of resolution is best fit to be as efficient as possible working with the wisdom of this particular season. Consider what you have going on for the next 6 months…
Which of the 4 areas needs the most attention?
What would be the best use of your time / what do you have the bandwidth for?
What is your north star for (this season of) life?
I remember waking up one day after living in Boston for 4 years realizing I’d been so focused on pursuing my dharma (teaching) and artha (rent, groceries, this city is expensive!) that I had been completely neglecting kama (developing friendships + pursuing hobbies). That realization offered the opportunity to begin envisioning a more fulfilling, balanced life and I made the suddenly easy decision to stop teaching weekends. A few months in I was hosting friends for brunch at my apartment and planning a week long trip to one of my bucket list places - Joshua Tree.
When you know where you’re headed it will become easier to make the right choices to keep you on your path. This clear direction helps you be more efficient + effective in realizing your sankalpa as it eliminates decision fatigue and determines where to put your time, energy and resources.
4 tips for staying accountable to your sankalpa :
Establish a daily practice that allows you to return (even if just for a moment) to your truest self.
Be specific - understand what it looks like, feels like.
Progression (Vinyasa krama) - wise progression. It’s not going to happen over night. Have a plan that progressively introduces this into your life in a way that will be sustainable for years to come.
Write it down in present tense - as if it has already happened, as if it is already true.
Further reading recommendations :
Path of Fire and Light (Swami Rama)
The Four Desires (Rod Stryker)
Radiant Rest (Tracee Stanley)