Moving Beyond the Ego’s Desires
Setting an intention doesn’t have to feel overwhelming or daunting. While it may take a little time and reflection, following these steps can help you discover your own sankalpa—a heartfelt intention. In this post, I’ll share my personal sankalpa for the year as an example. Lately, I’ve noticed that by saying ‘yes’ to most job offers, I’ve been spending less time on myself. This imbalance has affected my motivation and the quality of my work.
Once you set your sankalpa, write down in your journal and share it with a trusted friend or partner for support if you like. And remember, practicing your sankalpa with faith and sincerity is key to making it truly transformative!
Steps to Discovering Sankalpa
Embarking on the journey to discover your sankalpa begins with a simple yet profound question:
“What do I REALLY want?”
This question serves as a gateway to differentiate between surface-level desires and heartfelt, soul-driven aspirations. Surface-level or selfish desires often revolve around material possessions and fleeting pleasures. In contrast, heartfelt desires reflect the deeper yearnings of your heart, rooted in a desire to contribute positively to the world while enhancing the quality of life for yourself and others.
What is NOT a Sankalpa?
Intentions driven by the ego, senses, or limited mind typically manifest as materialistic or surface-level goals. For example:
- I want a new car.
- I want a better-paying job.
- I want to lose weight.
Where to Begin
To uncover your sankalpa, start by identifying intentions that enhance your quality of life while aligning with your nature and characteristics. These intentions may still reflect personal goals but shift toward inner growth. For instance:
Example: “I tend to take on too much work. I want to make more time for myself.”
This initial reflection is a step in the right direction, as it involves self-awareness and a desire to improve your current situation. However, the true power of a sankalpa lies in how you act on these intentions and explore the motivations behind them.
From Want to Action: Responding to Your Intentions
It’s not enough to simply state what you want. To bring your intentions to life, you must ask yourself how you will act to make them a reality. Consider the example:
Want: “I tend to take on too much work. I want to make more time for myself.”
How: “I understand that I seek satisfaction from overworking. From now on, I won’t take on more work than I can handle. I will reduce my workload when necessary and refrain from responding to work emails after hours.”
Why Does This Matter?
The next step is to reflect on why these intentions are meaningful. Connecting your actions to a deeper emotional or spiritual longing helps align them with your true purpose.
Why: Why does making more time for yourself matter?
Answer: “It matters because by doing less, I can focus on self-care, reduce stress, and improve my overall well-being and performance.”
Identifying the “why” imbues your actions with heartfelt significance and connects them to a deeper purpose.
Transforming Your Heartfelt Desire into a Sankalpa
The final step is to uncover the heartfelt desire behind your intention and express it as a sankalpa. This statement should be positive, present-tense, and aligned with your highest self. It transforms your goal into a declaration of truth.
Want: “I tend to take on too much work. I want to make more time for myself.”
How: “I understand that I seek satisfaction from overworking. From now on, I won’t take on more work than I can handle. I will reduce my workload when necessary and refrain from responding to work emails after hours.”
Why: “It matters because by doing less, I can focus on self-care, reduce stress, and improve my overall well-being and performance.”
Sankalpa: “I am enough and worthy of care. Self-care is valuable for my well-being.”
Why a Sankalpa Matters
A sankalpa is not merely a resolution or goal. It is a profound declaration of truth, anchored in faith, that reflects your inner light and aligns you with your true self. Practicing sankalpa helps you transcend superficial desires, guiding you toward greater harmony, fulfillment, and self-realization.
By listening to your heart and transforming your wants into a sankalpa, you take a powerful step toward realizing your highest potential. Let your sankalpa serve as a beacon, illuminating your path with clarity, purpose, and inner peace.