01/01/2026
Sankalpa - a Sacred Vow, not a Goal, not a New Years Resolution.
In yoga, we don’t begin with fixing ourselves. We begin with remembering.
This is where Sankalpa comes in.
Sankalpa is often translated as intention, but in the yogic tradition it is something much deeper than that. It is a sacred vow of the heart - a quiet inner resolve that arises when we listen beneath habit, roles, and expectations.
The word itself comes from Sanskrit:
• San- truth, connection to higher awareness
• Kalpa- a vow, rule, or commitment
A Sankalpa is not about becoming someone new.
It is about aligning with what is already true and choosing to live from that place.
Sankalpa in the Yogic Tradition
Classical yoga teaches that much of our suffering comes from unconscious patterns stored deep in the mind.
In the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, these patterns are described as samskaras; impressions formed through past actions, thoughts, and experiences. Over time, they quietly shape how we think, feel, and respond to life.
Sankalpa works at this same subtle level.
Rather than forcing change through effort or discipline, it gently re-patterns the subconscious by planting a clear, truthful seed.
The Upanishads also speak of intention (bhavana) as a creative force - what we repeatedly hold in awareness gradually becomes the ground from which our life unfolds.
This is why Sankalpa is not treated lightly in yoga.
It is not a wish list.
It is a vow.
Why Sankalpa Is Sacred
Traditionally, a Sankalpa is:
• Short and precise
• Spoken in the present tense
• Positive and life-affirming
• Rooted in truth, not aspiration
Once chosen, it is often kept the same for a long time, sometimes for months or even years - allowing it to take root slowly, like a seed planted in good soil.
If a Sankalpa feels forced, clever, or aspirational, it usually means it hasn’t fully ripened yet. A true Sankalpa feels steady, honest, and quietly powerful.
Sankalpa and Yoga Nidra
Sankalpa is most commonly practised within Yoga Nidra, particularly through the teachings of Swami Satyananda Saraswati.
In Yoga Nidra, we enter a state between waking and sleeping - a deeply receptive space where the thinking mind softens and the subconscious opens.
Traditionally, the Sankalpa is:
• Stated once at the beginning, when awareness is clear
• Repeated again after deep relaxation, when the mind is open and impressionable
In this state, the Sankalpa bypasses analysis and effort. It is absorbed quietly, steadily, without force.
This is why Sankalpa doesn’t rely on willpower.
It works through remembrance.
Choosing Your Sankalpa
A Sankalpa doesn’t come from asking “What should I change?”
It comes from asking:
• What quality wants to be lived through me now?
• What feels true beneath the noise of daily life?
• What would I commit to if I trusted myself a little more?
Examples might be:
• I live with steadiness and ease.
• I trust my inner wisdom.
• I meet life with compassion and clarity.
There is no rush.
In yoga, timing matters.
Living With Sankalpa
A Sankalpa is not something you chase.
It is something you return to.
You may repeat it:
• At the start or end of practice
• Before sleep
• In moments of uncertainty
• When you feel disconnected from yourself
Over time, life begins to organise itself around it - not perfectly, not instantly, but gently and truthfully.
Sankalpa is not about self-improvement.
It is a sacred vow to live in closer relationship with your deepest truth.
