What is a Sankalpa and how to create your own

Understanding what a Sankalpa is, and how to create one

Sankalpa, a Sanskrit term translating to "intention" or "resolve", holds a deep significance in yogic and Vedic traditions. It is a powerful practice of setting a positive and affirmative intention aligned with one's true purpose to manifest change and transformation. Sounds wonderful right? You might be asking yourself ‘how can I create a sankalpa?’ & I am here to show you how!

When creating a Sankalpa, it is crucial to adhere to some essential guidelines.
Creating a Sankalpa
1. It is a long term goal: Instead of wishing for a nice new pair of designer shoes for this weekend its something wholesome & that you work towards over a longer term.

2. Concise and Positive Language: Craft your Sankalpa using clear and positive language. Avoid ambiguity and embrace unwavering confidence in your desire. For instance, "I am joyful and at peace" holds more power than "I want to be happier."
3. Present Tense: Frame your Sankalpa in the present tense to reinforce the idea that your intention is already unfolding in the present moment, such as "I am living a healthy and balanced life."
4. Confidence in Purpose: Eliminate any uncertainties and be assured of your Sankalpa's purpose. This unwavering conviction forms an integral part of the Sankalpa's potency.
Things to Remember

• Flexibility in Change: A Sankalpa is not set in stone. You are free to modify and refine your Sankalpa at any time as your needs and aspirations evolve. Take some time to create your sankalpa, perhaps writing down a few variations & refining it using the guidelines above

• Word Power: Remember that the words you choose for your Sankalpa hold potent energy. Select them wisely, for they have the potential to shape your reality.

• Pledge: This is a vow to yourself what is your deepest hope, dream & desire

• Its personal: Don’t try and copy anyone else’s sankalpa as it won’t be authentic to you

• It’s private: How you use it is up to you. You can keep it private if it contains things you wouldn’t normally say to others. Or you can shout it from the rooftops & write it all over your journal & post it notes around the house. Choose what is best for you

Examples of a sankalpa

• I trust in my ability to be a present, patient & loving parent to my children

• I see blessings everyday

• I am safe, healthy & fulfilled

• My body is strong & capable to climb a mountain

Comparison between a New Years resolution & Sankalpa

New Years Resolution = I am going to give up booze

Sankalpa = I nourish my body with the foods & drinks that sustain me & help me to thrive

How do i know if i have created a good sankalpa?

Each person is individual as are their wants, needs & desires. When you create your sankalpa it should be easy to say and feel right both to your mind & body. When you say & think it it should cause you to feel the joy & gratitude as if the thing is already happening within your life. Sometimes at first you may need to intentionally evoke the feelings within you but with time the words & feelings will become so well associated that they will easily flow together.

Practising Your Sankalpa

There is no limit as to when and how often you should say your sankalpa. If you practise yoga nidra or meditation you can naturally include it in those practises. Aim to say it at least 3 times per day. Here are some examples of times you can say your sankalpa.

When you are sad - Use it to ground you in the moment & remind you you are on the right path.
Before starting your day - Use it to keep you on track and to remind you that every action you take is a step closer to your goal

During happy moments - Such as during meals, gatherings with loved ones, or moments of intimacy, to reinforce your Sankalpa and align your mind with your purpose.

Can I Go Wrong?

While there is no inherently wrong way to create a Sankalpa, it is vital to approach it with sincerity and clarity. Trust in your intention and stay open to refining it for your higher good.
Embracing the practice of Sankalpa involves a profound understanding of the influence of language, the power of intention, and the ability to integrate it seamlessly into various aspects of your life.

Being more confident with your own voice through voice activation techniques.

Being more confident with your own voice through voice activation techniques. 

12 techniques to unblock your throat chakra 

AFRICAN PROVERB - if you can talk you can sing if you can walk you can dance

With over 7 Billion people in the world, nearly everyone has a voice. A unique collection of sounds that are individual to the person. Our voice is a tool we can use for greatness, to teach, to lead, to inspire and also lesser known is to heal. I’ll speak more on that in a moment. 

There are times in life when we use our voice to its full potential, a crying newborn, a child’s infectious giggle, a roaring woman during childbirth. But so many of us struggle to use our voice to its full potential on a day to day basis. Such as:

• Speaking as our authentic self.

• Standing up for ourselves, others and things we believe.

• Feeling heard and understood by others.

• Being able to vocalise what we want & what we do not want. 

• Public speaking. 

• Singing in front of others. 

Why is this?

Time after time I hear people saying they were silenced as a child, told things like ‘children should be seen and not heard’ or ridiculed for being ‘too much’. Can comments from our childhood really have a detrimental effect on us and cause other health issues later in life?

The answer is, YES! Absolutely yes it can.

If you are told something enough times you will begin to believe it. Even on a subconscious level you’ll know that you need to be quiet, consider others, ’be a good girl/boy’ and take other people's feelings into account. Now this isn’t about blaming others or feeling bad, this blog is to inspire, motivate and hopefully get you using your authentic voice in a healing way from today (if you aren’t already doing so of course).

The Throat Chakra

On a spiritual level the voice is connected to the Throat Chakra. The 5th of the 7 main chakras - energy centres in the body that relate to organs and emotions. If you’re having problems with your throat chakra that could manifest into other issues such as:

Physical ailments 

• Sore throat

• Sinus issues

• Ear infections and ache

• Jaw clenching or pain e.g. TMJ

• Neck pain 

• Constant colds

• Thyroid issues 

• Tonsillitis 

• Toothache

• Breathing difficulties 

• Weak/underpowered voice 

Psychological ailments 

• Inability to express yourself

• Tell lies

• Be extremely shy

• Have difficulty communicating 1-2-1

If chakras are blocked, over or under powered this can affect all of the chakras as there needs to be a clear channel for energy (prana) to flow up and down the body. I imagine the chakras like cogs with glitter (you can also envision other things like sand, water etc) and the cogs need to move & spin as they are supposed to in order for energy to effectively move up and down the body. If any of the cogs are out of time this affects and disrupts the overall flow of energy. 

Some people go as far to say that if you’re unable to use your voice to its full potential this could be a witch wound - an inherited trauma from a past life or inherited trauma from your family. 

What does all this mean for you? 

If you’re unable to speak up, say what’s really on your mind, if public speaking fills you with fear, if you feel misunderstood or not listened to then this is already affecting you. The good news is there is definitely action you can take to help you feel better and step into your power. Applying these techniques could help you:

• Feel more confident

• Increase self worth

• Get that job 

• End that unhealthy relationship

• Start receiving more pleasure by getting exactly what you want! 

• Heal yourself from the inside out

• Bring your body into a state of flow and harmony. Improving your overall well being.

• Heal relationships

How can you start stepping into your power and using your authentic voice?

There are so many techniques you can tap into. Find the ones that resonate and work best for you and use them generously, liberally and regularly. 

This is a long term self care project so you may overcome one challenge but then find you need to refine your skills to accomplish another challenge. 

Watch out for triggers E.g. a parent telling you to be quiet, as these can bring those feelings right back. 

There is no voice in the world like yours!! £0

Your voice is a powerful tool, an instrument created perfectly to heal your body. We may not always like the sound of our voice ESPECIALLY when we hear it played on a video ‘eeew cringe’ but, getting to love our own unique sound is one of the first steps in total world domination, or at least, confidently speaking up when necessary. 

Watch how you are speaking to yourself or about situations. Listen out of negativity and tweak your language to reflect your more empowered, loving self. 

Humming -£0

Everything is vibration, all sounds, including our voices. Take a deep breath in and on the exhale, keeping the lips closed hum. It might feel a little odd at first and even quite tickly on your lips. What is happening is the vibrations from the hum are massaging your throat! Sending perfectly tuned healing vibrations into your body! 
Think of the best singers and vocal performers, they will all have a rigorous vocal warm up which will include humming, sirening, lip fluttering and neck and face exercises

When we hum we create nitric oxide and that’s good for our circulatory system. It dilates and constricts blood vessels which can improve blood pressure and therefore heart health.

Healing through what you say -£0

There is so much power in the words we say and the thoughts we have, as discovered in Dr Emoto’s water has emotions experiments. Speech can be spells and incantations even when we aren’t consciously meaning the message behind the words. If you’re constantly putting yourself down or speaking negatively this can weaken your throat chakra. 

Rewording self talk -£0

If you catch yourself using negative self-talk or language, don’t beat yourself up (then it becomes a vicious cycle) simply notice, acknowledge what you have said, see if there is anything behind that statement. Is it conditioning from society? Insecurity? Frustration? Then see if you can rephrase the statement in a more positive way.  

‘I’m so stupid’ to ‘It’s ok to make mistakes. It’s ok I didn’t know this time, I’ll learn from this experience and know for next time’ 

‘I messed that up’ to ‘That didn’t go how I’d have liked it to. It’s happened now, I’ll do it differently next time.’ 

Healing mantra’s to try £0

Aham prema - I am love 

Sat Nam - Sat means “truth.” Nam means “identity.” Together, sat nam means “truth is my identity.”  

So Hum - This translates to: “I am that.”

Affirmations to try £0

• I speak my authentic truth

• I am understood 

• I communicate clearly & effectively

• I am heard 

• I am confident in what I have to say

Scripting £0

Take some time to create a script unique to you. It doesn’t have to be long, perhaps just a few sentences. Write down in a positive way all of the things you love about yourself. Some things, you might not feel or think them yet but in time after repeating the script several times a day over a period of time you will begin to see yourself in this way. 

An example of scripting

‘I see how far I have come & how much I have achieved in life. I am proud of the person I have become. I speak my truth in a compassionate and authentic way. I listen and see what is presented to me. I am love, I am loving, I am loved’

Chanting - £0

This has been used for thousands of years, it is deeply rooted in religions such as Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Hinduism, and Buddhism. 

Try chanting the seed sound for the throat chakra. This sound resonates at the same frequency as this particular chakra.

Take a deep breath in and on the exhale chant the sound HAM

Here are some of my favourite songs to chant 

Listen to uplifting positive music, sing along if you can (even if that is in the shower) £0

Surround yourself with the positivity you want to bring into your life. If you truly listen to a lot of mainstream music it isn’t conducive to healing, the messages in the music are ego, money, sex, drugs and sorrow orientated. There is a plethora of well-being music available on streaming services such as Spotify, music about the power within you, that you’re open to receiving it there is goodness coming to you etc here are some of my favourite feel good tracks
Play these songs often and sing along to them. You are affirming these positive words into your being and proclaiming it to the universe.

Sound therapy - £-£££

There are Sound healing tools tuned specifically to the throat chakra. You can attend a session with a trained sound practitioner or invest in some of your own instruments such as crystal singing bowls, tuning forks or chimes. Set the intention to work on your throat chakra, to release any blockages and allow energy to freely flow through the throat and keep your focus on this space whilst the instruments are played. Vibrational healing will send a soothing massage to this area helping to unblock and re energise the throat chakra.

Singing £ - ££

Singing is good for the soul! It may not always sound typically ‘nice’ when we sing, especially if we don’t have formal training or a keen ear for tune but, the words you sing, the energy behind it and the vibrations from the sound can all be tremendous in sending good vibes into your body. You don’t have to have the vocal range of Mariah Carey either. 

Just spend time singing and really listening to what comes out. What does your unique authentic voice sound like? A little croaky, husky, smooth, silky, deep, high, squeaky, powerful? There is no right or wrong. The objective isn’t to go on stage and perform but instead to learn more about yourself and build your confidence. 

The vocal cords are muscles and like all muscles, need training. If you haven’t sung in a long time or it’s first thing in the morning when you haven’t even spoken much it’s likely your voice won’t have so much power and be croaky. That’s ok! Take it easy at those times, perhaps use the humming example above to warm your vocal cords before you burst into song. 
Just observe what type of songs you want to sing, how they make you feel, when you want to sing (like in the shower, in the car, whilst alone). When we sing we release happy hormones such as endorphins and oxytocin which help to reduce anxiety and stress. 

If you want an extra challenge why don’t you try some group singing? Go to Kirtan, sign up to a community choir or go to a church. 

Vocal activation classes £££

These can be 1-2-1 or group sessions, working with a professional that will help you get the most out of your voice. It’s not a singing class however singing may be used as a technique to help you activate your voice. They may also get you to do lots of exercises that feel a little silly like making animal sounds, assigning sounds to physical actions etc, they’re all designed to break down the fear of making sounds and strengthen your voice and confidence. With regular use these sessions can open up your vocal range, build strength and technique and be lots of fun! 

Summary 

We are born with a voice and it is our gift to be able to use it positively for ourselves and others. It isn't something that comes naturally to many people, try some of the exercises above, find the ones that work best for you and notice the ones you are hesitant to do.

In time, you’ll begin to strengthen your vocal muscles as well as your confidence & start getting your unique & powerful voice out into the world!