The New Year is upon us and with it comes renewed possibilities, resolutions, and pledges on areas in our life we would like to improve or bad habits we would like to eliminate. But often our good intentions fade with failure of our first attempt. Deepak Chopra suggests an accessible alternative to setting New Year’s resolutions instead in the form of intentions offered to the universe. These intentions move from body, emotions, and mind to spirit. He explains that there is a natural flow to life and that we are trying to replace disorder and resistance with this natural flow. He suggests sitting quietly for a few minutes each morning to offer these intentions: I want a joyful, energetic body. I want a loving & compassionate heart. I want a restful alert mind. I want lightness of being… and between each intension pause and listen for a response. Don’t judge the response – be it negative or positive. And if you feel troubled or stressed throughout the day, repeat one or all of these intentions again.
I find this approach much more in alignment with the yoga practice. Setting these universal intentions will help clarify how you want to live your life – more fully, in love with life, without fear. Sit quietly in stillness, offer the intention out to the universe, listen with your inner ear, and non-judgment of response. This is similar to Erich Schiffmann’s approach to meditation – sitting quietly, getting still, opening your mind to Big Mind (the universe), asking a question and waiting for a response, with no judgment of the response. Whatever method of intention or resolutions you may practice, be forgiving of your stumbles on the way. Let your stumbles make you stronger, more determined, and more fearless.
(REF: www.chopra.com , http://erichschiffmann.com/)
NOTE: Erich Schiffmann will be in Sorrento, BC this June for the Annual SOYA Conference. Check it out at SOYAYOGA.com
Interested in yoga and yoga philosophy? Check out SOYA 200-hour Yoga Teacher Training extended program this spring out of the Creston Valley Yoga & Movement Studio.
SOYA Yoga Teacher Training 200 HOUR Extended program : Feb 27-June 21, 2015. Weekend meetings twice a month
South Okanagan Yoga Academy is a Registered School with Yoga Alliance and the Canadian Affiliate for the International Yoga Teachers Association (IYTA)
For more information: www.soyayoga.com
And Gail Thompson at https://smilingheartyoga.wordpress.com/ and smilingheart@shaw.ca
Gail Thompson 