After I had kids I threw out all new year’s resolutions. Why? Because I had no time to dedicate to them and they were increasingly set in a negative manner, which made me feel really down when I couldn’t even accomplish a few steps to progress. When I looked up the definition of resolution, the dictionary said “a firm decision to do or not to do something”. I needed a different approach, a more positive, flexible and patient one.

I changed my perspective to make new intentions at the new year.

I needed to be softer and more patient with myself. We talk a lot about intentions in yoga class, we may have a dharma talk to create an intention or we set our intention before class. I looked up the definition for intention and it said “a determination to act in a certain way, what one intends to do or bring about.”

Do you know what it also said? "Intention is a process or manner of healing wounds.” Wow, healing wounds. To me, this is stating a powerful mind body connection. I could see how I am healing a wound within me by making a new intention for the year. My new intention this year is to bring more joyful movement to my daily life. I have always looked at movement as a way to lose weight. How sad. I am a victim of dominant cultural influence, thinking that movement is only for weight loss. It is for health of course, but instead of looking at it in a negative way, I decided to make it joyful. What makes me feel good when moving my body?

I love biking to run errands, riding trails with my kids, and road biking. I love swimming, hiking, long walks, tennis, dancing, playing drums, jumping on the trampoline. Joy! All of it makes my heart sing and I intend to add more to my life, the added benefit is better health. One way I want to check in with my new intention is through a class I designed specifically for processing and meditative movement. This class has been on my mind for a year and I have tested it out personally on myself.

Consistency is key to new intentions and seeing results.

My new Thursday morning class will be from 6-7am MT. You can sign up to join live on Zoom or get the recording to practice on your time. It is called Joyful Movement and is a monthly meditative movement series. The class will be the same each week, except a change in the pranayama practice monthly. Each student will designate a journal for the class they can write in, take notes, observations, anything on their mind about their new intention.

Class Agenda:

1. Check in on your new intention. Maybe write the date in your journal and thoughts before class.

2. Pranayama (breathwork). Basic Awareness Breath for January, Ujjayi for February, and changes monthly. The new month will be announced a week prior.

3. Warm up. Typically cat/cow, wrist/feet/ ankle stretches, calves, shoulders.

4. 27 Slow Intentional Sun Salutations. Why 27? It is a derivative of the sacred number 108 and they typically take about 30 minutes to do. Nervous about completing 27? Totally ok! Do 5, then focus on your own natural movement the rest of class. Observe each week to see how much stronger you get and add more on as you desire.

5. Cool down and savasana.

6. Check in with your intention again, write in your journal what came up during class.

This is a progressive meditation class to witness the changes in your mindy, body and spirit. The reason we keep it the same is to check in on progress, through repetitive movement and breath. You will start to notice beneficial subtle changes when you do that same thing over and over. You take this off the mat and notice the progress with your new intention. We will meet in community the last Thursday of the month from 6-7pm to check in on our intentions, chat about classes, discuss progress and get support. You can decide to share or just take the time to listen. January is FREE! Come try it out, see what you think!

New Intention through a Yogi Lens

Yoga has 8 limbs and acts as a wonderful guide in life and for new intentions. I wanted to offer a reflection on new intentions through the lens of the Yamas and Niyamas. Here are some insightful questions you can ask yourself on your first month’s journey.

Yamas - Social Ethics, How we treat others and also ourselves

• Ahimsa is kindness: are you being kind to yourself as you traverse this first month and the steps you are setting up and taking?

• Satya is truthfulness: are you being honest with yourself about your new intention, is it attainable? doable? adjustable?

• Asteya is non-stealing: are you stealing time from yourself binge watching Netflix, scrolling through social media, reading too much negative news or allowing yourself time in the day to work on your new intention?

• Brahmacharya is moderation: are you working on progress in moderation, or doing too much or too little, getting burned out or not getting anywhere at all?

• Aparigraha is non-attachment: are you attached solely to the outcome and ignoring everything else along your journey?

Niyamas - personal practices

• Saucha is cleanliness: in yoga we would typically talk about this having to do with cleanliness of the food we are eating, washing our bodies and cleaning our homes, however I think of this Niyama, in regards to a new intention, as orderliness. Is your home or work environment set up in such a way that it supports you new intention? For example, mine is joyful movement, do I have clothes ready to bike, sturdy shoes ready to hike, sports bras for running, alarms set and water bottles at the ready to wake up early and take a long walk?

• Santosha is contentment: are you able to find contentment in the journey, at the celebration of milestones and the pain of challenges?

• Tapas is passion, inner zeal: do you feel the fiery passion within to progress and practice your new intention? If not, it may be the wrong choice!

• Svadhyaya is self-study or self-observation: are you taking the time to go within and understand your actions and reactions on the path of your new intention? What are your triggers? Shadows? Big wins? Emotions? Set backs? Easy steps?

• Ishvara Pranidhana is surrender: are you willing to surrender to the process, the flow of life and put it in the hands of the universe?

Support is here, you don’t have to go it alone, join the community and see how much progress you make in 2021!! Consistency is key. We arrive when we realize it is a constant journey.

Much Love,

Sirena