I remember when I first started my yoga practice and really struggled with this concept. How do I set my intention? Setting your intention isn’t just something you do at the beginning of your yoga practice it can be done at any time. It’s especially good to do first thing in the morning and after a few moments of meditation and reflection. You can set one intention or numerous intentions and you can change your intentions as you move through the day depending on what’s happening within that day and how you feel you’re responding to it. Remember

You have the freedom and the power to become whoever you want to be

Intentions can help you to become clear about what you want to think, feel and achieve. They can bring awareness to what is important to you and can bring clarity on how you can achieve the responses you value as being authentic to who you are. Of course life can often be challenging and we don’t always respond well initially to life’s daily challenges but becoming more grounded and centred on your intentions can prepare you to respond rather than react. Your intentions can also help you to attract the outcomes you would like to experience for yourself as you have prepared yourself mentally and emotionally in advance which sets in motion opportunities to fulfill your intention.

Intentions need to be supported by belief and although are better to be clear and direct they also need to be set in a restful, relaxed and open state. Always supporting your growth and development. Always supporting your desire to offer more of your inner beauty and creative expression into the world. Intentions are like seeds ~ if you hold on to seeds then they won’t grow. You need to throw them out and plant them and as they hit fertile ground then they’ll grow. And they’ll grow whatever the intention of the seed is. If you throw out flower seeds then you’ll get flowers! If you throw out weed seeds then the wind will carry them and they too will grow.

Reflect for a moment on how you enter each day. What seeds (thoughts) are you having? What seeds (thoughts) are you sending out today? Will they produce flowers or weeds in your life and the lives of those around you? Don’t waste ANY time feeling bad about it as every time we gain some more awareness of ourselves, our thoughts and our actions then we have a wonderful opportunity for further growth which leads to more meaning and fulfilment in our lives. Release your good intentions into the fertile soil of your consciousness so they can grow and you can flourish. Intentions are further empowered in our lives when they are set from a place of having learnt to be content in all situations, rather than from a place of lack. It embraces hope and faith as we refuse to allow doubts or negative experiences to rob us of our good intentions.

Lastly, as antithetical as it sounds, keep a loose grip on them, as those things we tightly and intensely hold onto tend can cause us more stress and anxiety rather than less. So, set your good intentions and then let them go and be at peace believing that everything will work out for your good. If something unpleasant or unhelpful does happen then you’ll be better able to respond to it and you would have had a happier day leading up to that point.

So, let’s complete this by a few examples of intentions;

• I set an intention to see the good all around me today
• I set an intention to accept myself as being enough
• I set an intention to express gratitude at least 7 times today
• I set an intention to be kind to everyone I meet
• I set an intention to be generous with my time
• I set an intention to forgive others and myself
• I set an intention to choose to be at peace with everyone
• I set an intention to not take offense and be more understanding
• I set an intention today to approach everything calmly, even when it’s stressful

Be at peace my friends, and smile as you reflect on your good intentions from a place of inner peace and belief that you loved. I’ll see you next week. I’ve set that intention!! Love & blessings, Sam