a reflection of your hearts desire

We hear the word "intention" quite often in yoga, and most likely you are being invited to set an intention for your practice. It wasn't until I was going through teacher training that I started to look deeply into what this meant to me. I have come up with my own definition  and I encourage you to look within to define it for yourself.

Setting intentions, like yoga, like life,  is a practice. There is no right or wrong, there is only you and your understanding and viewpoint.

I am pure soul.... I am human. I am divine....I am imperfect.

There exists within me these entities, separate at times, but continually yearning to join as one. I am striving to experience the world, and life, as my true and highest self. I have an idea of the kind of person I want to be, and  there are times when I do not live up to that ideal. It is not that I am asking too much of myself, or judging myself for my mistakes, I am simply striving to continually self reflect.

My intentions, are vows to my highest self about how I want to live in each and every moment.  When setting an intention for my practice, I first listen intently inward for the answer to this question : How can I be a better reflection of my highest self?

Offering up an intention for our practice is what allows us to take our yoga off our mat and into our daily lives.  Every day we choose to  practice with intention we empower and illuminate ourselves from within. In choosing to practice yoga with intention, and therefore live within that intention, we are not binding ourselves to being morally perfect. Instead we are connecting to our own sense of kindness and divinity.  Being clear about our intentions will allow us to see them actualize in our lives.

During my practice, I plant my intention like a seed in my heart and let it shine out from within. Bring awareness to your actions, be willing to lead from your heart. Only though carrying our intentions with us in this way can we reconnect with ourselves during those emotional storms that cause us to lose touch with our highest self.

Every intention is a choice. By holding an intention  throughout our practice we align ourselves with the body of the universe.  If we accept, or as we begin to accept that our personal bodies are not separate from the body of the universe, then by releasing and surrendering our intentions, nature rallies to help us fulfill them. We open ourselves to the limitless possibilities life offers. It doesn't matter how many times our focus wanders, or how many times we stray from our intention or our practice. What matters is how many times we return. 
Inhale, invite your intention into your heart.  Exhale, surrender. 






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