Thoughts on Intentions (seeds, Karma, & Yoga)

This post started in January 2021 - As is the case with most firsts, especially the first of a new year, we reach a natural point of reflection. We review where we have been, where we want to go and many set goals, new year resolutions, of things we want to achieve, of places we want to go.

Five years later, I found myself reviewing this post and reflecting on the thoughts around intentions then, as well as the current internal processes.

Quite naturally this connects to intention and the seeds we consciously or unconsciously plant along the way.

They say that actions speak louder than words but actions are but manifestations of words from the past, as if they have a life of their own, once spoken or thought of, they start to grow into real manifested actions.

Yoga provides us with a safe space to experiment being present. The more we become accustomed, experienced in the process of coming back to ourselves, fully present, the more we start to acknowledge and accept what is presently arising. From this starting point we can observe how thoughts of this very moment, intentions brought forward, begin to manifest into our realities. Whether these are our wishes or our fears - I believe it works both ways.

Patanjali prompts us that we create our experience and plant seeds, cultivated through observing the yamas and niyamas, so that these may be truthful and uncluttered, in service and contentment, with discrimination and discipline. With earnest will to understand ourselves and equal wish and readiness to surrender our selves to the whole.

Yoga gives us tools to support this process. One of these is the conscious process of intention, of Bhavana. The conscious process of practising becoming - bhu=to be, ana=an instrument of - of bringing consideration to what we want to become, how we might want to show up in the world, in this very moment, what qualities to we want to cultivate and bring forth into the world?

From that space some of us, make new year resolutions, and then judge and criticise ourselves when a month later we fall short. Perhaps it might be more useful if we focused on the here and now and making daily intentions, daily resolutions. Giving ourselves the opportunity to begin again, every day, in every moment, creating space and opportunity to make decisions as to which door we want to walk through in the moment to moment unfoldment of life.

Life begins now, they say - may yours be true to your hearts and bring you closer to the home within. Be your authentic self they say - what does that mean to you, in this moment? How best can we serve ourselves, in this moment?