21 Mar Where Attention Goes, Energy Flows
I believe in the art of attention. At the beginning of class I draw students’ attention inward using a quiet moment like Tadasana or Child’s Pose. I ask everyone to close their eyes, take pause and set an intention directed to how they want to feel for the duration of the class and beyond. Where we focus our awareness in the body, mind and spirit, our energy flows.
In my own practice of yoga and in my life outside of the yoga room, I have discovered how powerful this habit can be. What I choose to direct my attention towards is what I choose to give power to. Can you be conscious of what you focus on for an entire day? Have you ever noticed that what you focus on shows up in your life in some form or another? We have all experienced the serendipity of thinking about a friend and soon after they are in our thoughts they call us or we run into them.
There is a wonderful meditation called Yoga Nidra by internationally renowned yoga teacher Rod Stryker. In this meditation the yoga tradition offers us an alternative to what some consider a resolution. In other words if you have an intention or a goal in mind, something specific you want to achieve in the next few months you create what’s called a Sankalpa or a resolve to reaching your hearts desire through the art of attention.
I have personally experienced the success of many Sankalpas in the last few years and I can promise you it’s remarkable how effective this practice can be.
Whatever the resolve is in your life, whether it is to mend a broken heart, a sore body part, find a new job, or to reach a more ambitious life goal, give it a try sometimes and experience the magic that ensues.
For further Sankalpa details, visit:
http://www.yogainternational.com/article/view/how-to-create-a-sankalpa
Namaste