Year End Reflections + New Year Intentions
We made it! Another year of pandemic life in the books and what a year it’s been. With the support, collaboration, and understanding from this community we were able to practice together again in-person and that has truly been a gift, especially given the current state of our world.
The journey to opening the studio that was once Be Well Yoga to what is now Mountain Kula Yoga has been, and continues to be, a process not an event. This is a phrase that can also be attributed to our relationship with the various practices of yoga and living a yogic lifestyle.
Yoga is not something we do every now and then or as a quick fix. It’s not an event, but a way of life that is ongoing and always evolving, just as our studio and community continue to grow and evolve as well.
To move the needle, we need only show up consistently.
Though no easy feat, cultivating a practice that works for your lifestyle and unique needs takes time, curiosity, willingness, and devotion. How can you show up in devotion to your highest Self in the coming year?
The Sanskrit word that describes devotion is Bhakti. A few examples of the path to Bhakti yoga are meditation, prayer, mantras, being of service, and even spending time in nature, something that we have abundantly in the Mount Washington Valley.
If devoting yourself to a daily yoga practice is something you are ready to cultivate, consider setting a sankalpa for the new year. In Sanskrit, the word sankalpa is a heartfelt desire, resolution, or intention. Oftentimes your teacher will prompt you to set an intention for your practice, or they may even offer the whole class an intention as a theme for that practice.
Setting a sankalpa is like planting a seed in the garden of your mind.
It may be consciously reminding yourself to stay present and come back to your breath. Or you may set the intention that you will be kinder and gentler with yourself as you flow through your practice. And always remember that the intention to simply arrive on your mat and show up for your practice and yourself, is enough. The commitment to show up is a sankalpa. Let that be enough.
When you contemplate your sankalpa, it directs your mind to focus on the here and now, knowing you are exactly where you are meant to be.
In the coming days and weeks, consider using your time at the studio to reflect on your sankalpa for 2022. What do you want more of and what are you ready to let go of? These can be hefty questions, so take your time and allow the answers to reveal themselves from within versus seeking answers from the mind.
We have seen great changes this year both in our local yoga kula (community) and collectively. And with change comes strength and resilience, preparing us for more growth and expansion to come. We look forward to having you join us, growing and strengthening our kula as we support each other, cultivate our practices, and commit to the process in devotion to the highest good of all concerned.
