If you've been to at least a few yoga classes, you're probably familiar with the phrase, "set an intention." Intentions—not to be confused with affirmations, which are more statement-based, or mantras, sacred sounds like "om" repeated in meditation for deeper awareness—help crystallize your goals and set you up for future achievement, on or off the mat. Amazing, right? Read on for how to create your perfect intention and how to use it to manifest the life you want, plus, check out some of the most inspiring yogis' intentions, straight from our Palm Springs retreat (we created a huge intentions banner to set goals for how we can all bring more yoga to the world!).
Create an Intention
Think about your goals—long-term, short-term, tangible, emotional. Try freewriting for 10 minutes and write down everything you want to manifest. Be really clear and honest about what you want, then choose the intention that you want to focus on right now (don't worry, you can always switch it up later!). If working toward a major goal feels overwhelming, break it down into more digestible goals. So, if you want to become a yoga teacher, try devoting an hour every day to your practice. If you want to invite more gratitude into your life, try making a list of five things you're grateful for each morning. Here are some ideas to get you going...
I will meditate for at least 10 minutes every day
I will try to see the good in everyone
I will make more time for friends and family
I will start each day with a moment of gratitude
I will join and complete a new yoga challenge
Put It into Practice
Want to create the life you really want? It all starts with getting up close and personal with your intention. Repeat it out loud when you wake up and before you go to sleep, recite it to yourself during yoga, write it on a card and put it in your wallet or on the inside of your front door—whatever keeps it top of mind. What we say to ourselves on a daily basis impacts just about everything in our lives, so setting a positive intention and repeating it often can be a total game-changer in manifesting what we really want.
See how one yogi used intentions to transform her life here, and see what else is going on at the Alo retreat on our IG Stories @aloyoga!
