Reframing Intentions in our Yoga Practice
If you’ve been to class with me over the last week you’ll have noticed we started our practice with a little time to contemplate on the word ‘intention’ and gave space to set an intention for the practice ahead. This is something I often appreciate in the classes I attend - but have rarely built into the classes I teach, finding my teaching around it feeling rigid and forced, the words sounding like someone else’s.
This week I’ve been approaching intentions with an open and somatic approach - allowing the quality to be felt in the body, considering where it arises and how it might feel (imagery helps here, think texture, colour, shape) and then receiving it with each inhale before releasing the grip with each exhale. This pairing with the breath is powerful work and I can feel the difference in the room. This is the nature of intention, where there is no regard for the outcome, rather, the value is placed on the experience of present noticing. It is designed to be let go, in order to flourish and grow naturally.
After a very helpful conversation with my mentor Mark, I’ve also been reframing the language I use to talk about intention. If it feels sticky to me, chances are some of my students are feeling the same. Instead of ‘setting an intention’ we’ve been contemplating on what we would like to cultivate through the practice, or what qualities we would like to nurture. The words ‘cultivate’ and ‘nurture’ feel far less absolute and allow for a natural unfolding of that which we pay our focus to. Here we step away from any sense of goals, targets or objectives and instead trust in the natural way of things, with our intentions being a kind nod in the right direction.
In line with this, in my own practice I’ve been looking to cultivate a greater sense of presence. How can I show up with full awareness to each present moment on the mat? Maybe this involves paying attention to the smallest noticings, the details of movement and an acknowledgement of when my mind has wandered. Off the mat, how can I truly, deeply listen when spending time with others? How do I come back to presence when I notice the mind drifting down the rabbit hole? It is in the multiple, daily acts of coming back that I begin to nurture greater presence.
Working this way in our practice can be hugely empowering. Through the process of acknowledging a quality or attribute you would like to bring to the practice it becomes deeply personal and meaningful, allowing you to integrate your experiences in the wider world into your yoga, as well as noticing the positive repercussions of the practice in your day to day life.
If you’re struggling to choose a quality to cultivate, begin with a baseline check in as you start the practice. Are you feeling dissatisfied or frustrated by something in your life? Perhaps aim to nurture your sense of gratitude. Are you feeling flighty or anxious? Consider an intention to feel the ground beneath your feet. Choose just one quality and keep it as simple and repeatable as possible. Repeat in your mind as you practise, perhaps each time you return to a familiar pose such as mountain or downward dog. Notice how the intention resonates through the body.
“Xiu yang (pronounced ‘sheow yaang) is the ancient Chinese art of self-cultivation… At it’s core xiu yang asks us: what positive qualities do we wish to cultivate in our lives? It shows us that what we plant and grow can be the best in ourselves, which can also reflect overall goodness and well-being within society, nature and the universe.”
Mimi Kuo Deemer in Xiu Yang Self Cultivation for a Happier, Healthier and Balanced Life.