Sankalpa (Sanskrit: संकल्प) means an intention formed by the heart and mind — a solemn vow, determination, or will.^[1] In practical terms a Sankalpa means a one-pointed resolve to focus both psychologically and philosophically on a specific goal. A sankalpa is a tool meant to harness the will, and to focus and harmonize mind and body.

I’ve been using the Insight Timer app to close out the day and prepare for a good night’s sleep and one of the guided meditations has an instruction that I really, really like:

“Set your sankalpa. Ask yourself,  in your life right now what is your deepest most heartfelt desire. Think of your sankalpa as a little seed you’re planting into your time in the world of sleep. State your sankalpa 3 times aloud, give thanks, and then let it go”.

I also love the concept of “being breathed”, I’ve never considered a distinction between my inhalation and exhalation and “being breathed” by something larger.

It’s Yoga Nindra for Sleep by Jennifer Piercy and it’s great. I tried to listen to it on my run earlier in the week and it didn’t quite work.