Posts In: sankalpa

by Jaccy

Illustration: Melina Illustrates

Coming back to news and social media coverage of the fires in our beautiful country after Christmas has made for a very overwhelming and emotional week.  

Especially being so far from the east coast, thoughts of “how can I help?” have been on my mind over the last weeks.  And I know you’ve been thinking this too.  Everyone we speak with feels broken hearted, devastated and at a loss to what to do.

There’s already been so many statistics, updates and sad moments shared that we wanted this to be a proactive post.  

How can I truly make a difference?

I’m not much of a knitter (and my sewing skills need some *major* improvement – you can ask Nick about this one day 😬).  Otherwise I’d be there helping to make joey pouches and blankets for our rescued wildlife. 

So how are we contributing?  

We will be donating part of our profits for January to the Red Cross and World Wide Fund for Nature, Australia.  Both charities have a national focus and are sending resources and support to the places that need them.  Our teachers are also joining our efforts and making contributions of their own to charities close to their hearts. 

We’ll have Mala t-shirts available for purchase at the studio, with 50% from each sale going to our chosen charities.

We’re also contributing our services to the newly established Freo Fire Fund.  This fund has been set up by a group of Fremantle community members in collaboration with Fremantle Foundation to collaborate, share skills and resources and raise money for fire-affected communities.

Here’s a list of ways you can help too.

Donate money

Australian Red Cross Disaster Recovery and Relief

Salvation Army Disaster Appeal

St Vincent de Paul Society Bushfire Appeal (NSW)

NSW Rural Fire Service

Country Fire Authority (CFA), Victoria

CFS Foundation (assistance to volunteer fire fighters), South Australia 

Freo Fire Fund

World Wide Fund for Nature – Australia

WIRES

The Port Macquarie Koala Hospital

Wildlife Victoria

Other ways to assist

It’s My Shout – if you can’t head to East Gippsland to support local businesses, you can buy a virtual coffee or pint online.

Foodbank – donate food or volunteer 

Animal Rescue Craft Guild – donate your crafty skills

Attend fundraising events – there are many events happening locally that you can participate in to show your support.  We’ll be sharing some of these on our Facebook page.

And be there for each other.  Listen and talk to each other.  Hug.  Find your safe place where you can process your emotions and thoughts.  Allow yourself time to become calm, grounded and centered so you can take the next step forward with clarity and purpose.

We’re here for you.  Sending love to everyone ❤️

by Jaccy

Like the end of class, the beginning is always quiet and introspective.  A moment to leave the busyness of the day outside.  Taking deep, nourishing breaths as you allow yourself to arrive on your mat.

After those few minutes of settling into practice, we have the opportunity to connect with our own dedication for practice.  In yoga we call this a sankalpa.

A sankalpa is a positive, life affirming statement, allowing us to create the life we want to live.  It’s similar to a new year’s resolution that we’ve all set at some stage, however a sankalpa starts with “I am…”.  And it doesn’t have to be set on 1 January 😉

Your sankalpa helps to provide a direction for life and honour the deeper meaning of your existence.  When the mind is calm and quiet at the start and end of practice, we connect with this heartfelt desire, that which honours our highest truth.  

I love this quote from Swami Satyananda Saraswati: “The resolve you make at the beginning of the practice is like sowing a seed, and the resolve at the end is like irrigating it”.

Here are three steps to setting your own sankalpa to create a more balanced, happy and fulfilled life.

1 – Keep it short and simple

Choose one short and simple sankalpa, something that you will remember for every practice.  Your sankalpa doesn’t have to be an elaborate affirmation that’s shared with the world!  Your sankalpa is yours to treasure.  For inspiration on what your sankalpa might be, see how these resonate for you:

“I am aware and compassionate”

“I am in perfect health”

“I am radiant and energised”

“I am abundant and successful in all areas of my life”

2 – Stay with the same sankalpa

Once you’ve planted your seed, you want to keep watering it until it germinates and flourishes.  So too with your sankalpa.  Plant the seed at the start of practice, allow the flow of asana, breath and meditation to honour your intent, and feel everything integrate and settle during savasana.  Once your sankalpa has manifested in your life, it’s time to plant a new seed.

3 – Positive language

Repeat to yourself “I will eat healthy” and then “I am caring for my being be eating healthy food” – do you feel the different energy these two statements create in your being?  When setting a sankalpa, it’s important to use positive language, and to state our intention in the present tense.  This helps to remind ourselves that we already hold within us the capacity to transform our life in a most amazing way.

As Wayne Dyer says, “Our intention creates our reality”.  Create a beautiful intention, and you’ll have a beautiful reality.