The New Year is fast approaching. A new year often offers new opportunities. At least, many people feel a sense of new possibilities. January is a good time to make plans and explore dreams for the coming year.

At the turn of the year, many people feel a restlessness, a budding unease, or a desire to make changes.

We may feel a need to lift ourselves up amidst the darkness of winter. It is very good to use this energy constructively to create the changes we want for ourselves.

Before you dive into all the new things, it might be worth considering how January, with its quiet winter energy, can be used as a time for reflection and preparation for the changes you desire.

It is still bladder and kidney season in traditional Chinese medicine, which is associated with winter's energy – a time to hibernate, rest, and reflect.

It is only when spring's energy emerges, and the energy in the gallbladder and liver is at its peak, that we have the greatest power and strength to take lasting steps towards change.

This doesn't mean we can't start little by little, but just remember to lower your expectations a bit and take it easy.

In January, it's ideal to use the quiet of winter to reflect on the changes we want. This is where we can take the time to feel what truly makes sense in our lives and what lies behind our desires for change. In yoga, this is called "Sankalpa," which is about finding the reason behind the desire.

Do you want to delve deeper into the seasons and learn about the different energies throughout the year? In my book The Energy of the 5 Seasons, you can read much more about how to work with the energies of the seasons to create balance and harmony in your life.

What is Sankalpa?

Sankalpa is Sanskrit and means "an intention or a positive purpose." It is part of the positive approach found in Vedic philosophy, where one seeks understanding and insight into life – to expand consciousness so that desires can unfold from the heart or soul rather than from the head or reason.

Sankalpa is thus used in yoga and meditation to create direction, clarity, and awareness.

Sankalpa is about creating clarity about our desires and finding the reason for them, whereas New Year's resolutions often stem from something we want to change or let go of – perhaps without fully considering why.

It could be something as simple as wanting to lose weight. From Sankalpa's perspective, one would investigate why one desires weight loss and what it should actually contribute to or add to one's life.

While New Year's resolutions often stem from a negative focus on what we want to change or avoid, Sankalpa is based on the positive – what we want to add to our lives.

It's about understanding what underlies our desires and how they can create value and joy for us. Sankalpa is not just a way to reach a goal, but a method to become aware of our deeper desires, which can actually be a much greater motivator for us to create change. And since motivation is the fuel, it's important that we have enough of it.

With Sankalpa, we shift focus from results to the process. Instead of focusing on how many times you exercise a week, it's about finding joy in moving and feeling good in and with your body.

When we work with Sankalpa, it's not just about the goal itself, but also about the value we want to add to our lives.

If the desire is to feel happier with one's body, Sankalpa can help us realize that there are many ways to get there. Perhaps a diet isn't the best solution. Instead, it might be that we can find joy in, for example, practicing yoga, taking long walks in nature, or something entirely different. Sankalpa offers the opportunity to see beyond the goal and discover the small steps that make the journey meaningful and rewarding.

Sankalpa creates meaning

Sankalpa helps us connect our desires with the reasons why we even have them. By asking questions like "Why do I want to achieve this?" and "What will it give me?", we can create an intention that is rooted in our deeper needs and desires. We communicate with ourselves and perhaps understand where the need comes from and thus also what achieving a goal will give us.

Sankalpa creates meaning for us, which strengthens motivation and purpose. It's about listening to your heart and feeling what feels right and good for you, and understanding the reason behind it.

For example, a desire to start running might stem from a need to take care of the body and gain more energy. It could be about new healthy habits, or giving yourself a natural detox.

But if you don't love running and it even drains you of joy, the same need might be fulfilled through swimming, yoga, a daily walk in nature, or perhaps you need to spend more time with your family.

By understanding the reason behind the desire, we can find a path that truly makes sense to us.

Sometimes there can also be several needs underlying a desire. For example, you might want to join a running club because you want to feel healthier and happier with your body, and at the same time gain a new social network.

It could very well be that the running club is the right path for you, and by being aware of the value you gain, you might feel a greater degree of motivation.

Sankalpa - how to do it

Creating your Sankalpa is about finding what truly makes sense to you and setting an intention that strengthens your life and inner balance.

Find a quiet and undisturbed time where you can immerse yourself and work with the topic at your own pace.

Get your journal, diary, or a notepad ready so you can write down everything that comes to mind.

How to create Sankalpa:

1. Reflect on your desires
   Sit in a quiet place where you can turn your gaze inward. Ask yourself what you truly want to add to your life. Is it joy, balance, energy, or something else? Consider what lies behind your desires and what they will give you. If it's difficult, you can start with a New Year's resolution and delve into it.
   
   
2. Find the reason behind the desire
   Ask questions like: "Why do I want this?" and "What will it give me?" This can help you uncover the value or feeling you are seeking and make your desire more genuine.
   
   
3. Formulate your Sankalpa
   Keep your Sankalpa short and positive. Avoid negative phrasing like "I don't want to be stressed" and instead focus on what you want to achieve, e.g., "I want to create more peace and balance in my life."
   
   
4. Repeat and integrate
   Try to make your Sankalpa a part of your daily life. Repeat it to yourself during meditation, yoga, on a daily walk, or something else. The more you work with it and repeat it, the stronger the intention will be anchored in your mind. The stronger you will also feel it. And also feel if it is actually important to you.
   
   
5. Be open to the process
   Remember that Sankalpa is about finding joy on the way to your goal, not just by reaching it. Be patient and let the process unfold naturally – small steps create big changes over time.

Sankalpa can be used all year round

I use Sankalpa as a regular part of my daily practice throughout the year. The most important part of my practice is that I communicate aloud with the universe.

When I walk my dogs, I often mumble a little and give thanks for all the good things in my life, then turn my focus to all that I wish more of in my life – as if it is already part of all the good things I already have.

My focus is very much on my own inner state; that I wish myself happiness, that I wish health and well-being, etc.

The path to this often reveals itself in ways I couldn't plan or foresee. Therefore, trust and openness are an important part of it – and it's about embracing what comes without expectations or necessarily controlling the process. That in itself is difficult – but not impossible – and very rewarding.

Sankalpa therefore doesn't have to be limited to the turn of the year, but should very much be something we try to implement into our daily lives on a regular basis.

Sankalpa and the energy of the seasons

Spring is often associated with proactivity, courage, and change, while winter allows us to reflect and deepen.

Sankalpa fits perfectly with the winter energy, where we can turn our gaze inwards and gain clarity about our desires. When spring's more outward and proactive energy arrives, we are better equipped to act on our intentions.

Winter is ideal for writing down all your wishes and sensing what feels right and, not least, important to you. So, feel free to use winter's energy to reflect and note down what you want for yourself.

In my book The Energy of the 5 Seasons, you can find more inspiration to understand and work with the energies of the seasons.

What gives you energy and joy?

Perhaps you can use the winter time to reflect, consider, and feel into what is good for you and what could be good for you in the coming year.

Notice what gives you energy and joy. Notice where you need to put your efforts. Notice the reason for any need for change. And here, the introspective nature of winter energy can be useful when we combine feelings and the heart's desires with reflection.

Because the reason is far more essential than the wish itself, although we must certainly not underestimate the wish. The wish is there for a reason. Often we must start with the wish to find the reason.

Sometimes we start with the wish, but along the way, we find the underlying reason. It is often the path towards the goal that is most rewarding, and Sankalpa helps us find joy in the process.

Lovingly,

Isabelle