Find your Sankalpa in Yoga Nidra

As I explained in this blogpost about yoga nidra we aim to imprint a new intention in each session. This intention is called the sankalpa. In this post you will read a more about what a sankalpa is and how you can discover your own.

Sankalpa is a heartfelt intention

In each yoga nidra session you are guided inward through all layers of your being, the kosha’s. This way we try to reach deeper layers of the consciousness by coming into hypnogogic state (between waking and sleeping) where the mind is more susceptible to new ideas. When you take away the clouds of consciousness you also take away the clouds of your old habits, experiences and thoughts making room for new and healthier intentions: the sankalpa. A sankalpa is your personal resolve, an intention or affirmation that you mentally repeat to yourself at the start and end of each session. It comes from the sanskrit words san, an idea from the heart and kalpa, meaning a committed intention. This means that your sankalpa is a heartfelt and determined decision and so in every yoga nidra session you commit yourself to achieve, become or experience something that you personally feel connected to.

How to find your personal sankalpa

As the sankalpa is a personal intention it’s important that you find one that suits you at this point in your life. When thinking about formulating your sankalpa think about your personal improvement and the goals you want to achieve in, say, 6 to 12 months. To help you along here’s a list of questions you can ask yourself to get some more perspective:

What is my life goal?
Who do I want be in the world?
What do I want to be for the world?
What is holding me back?
What circumstances can help me reach my goals?

Of course this list of questions is not exhaustive but it can give you the inspiration to formulate your personal intention. Finding the perfect sankalpa is not the goal, sometimes one will just come to you when you don’t even think about it. Whenever you have chosen your sankalpa however, stick with it (throughout multiple yoga nidra sessions and in daily life) and keep working until you feel like you have reached your goal.

How to formulate your sankalpa

A sankalpa is always a short and positive statement in the present tense, that you repeat mentally to yourself at the start and end of each yoga nidra session (and of course as often as you want in daily life). Because people often find it difficult to formulate their sankalpa, here’s some suggested sentences you could use:

I let go of everything I don’t need
I accept help when I need it
I am present in every moment
I work to create peace in the world
I am content with whatever comes my way

If you find this type of sankalpa’s still a little difficult to find or visualise, you can also choose to formulate it as a positive affirmation towards yourself:

I am confident
I am enough
I matter
I am a good friend/partner/parent/employee/…

You can take some time before a yoga nidra session to formulate your sankalpa or you can let one appear in the moment, whatever you prefer. But in any case, when you think about your sankalpa: focus on the result you are seeking, truly feel it and decide it will happen.