Intentions

When I went to Moksha yesterday, the teacher told us to set our intention for our practice. What do we want out of it?

I thought this was such a wonderful idea. But it caught me by surprise. What did I want from it? To get through the class alive in one piece and not fall flat on my face? Well yes, that might be what I wanted, but all kidding aside, setting our intention for our practice has a much deeper purpose.

During the practice, I directed my energy to my intention, which, for that particular moment, was to experience a calmness that my hectic days seem to lack. When the class ended and I was in my favourite pose, savasana, I felt a renewed energy that I haven’t felt, even though I have been practicing weekly for the past month and a half.

I wonder if it had anything to do with setting an intention for the practice and focusing my energy on it? Or if it was simply because I went to a different studio?

In any case, I believe that intentions can go a long way. The mind is powerful and how and what we think can affect our days and essentially, our entire life. Setting an intention doesn’t have to be confined to yoga classes.

So whether it’s about getting through a hot yoga class without falling, or getting through rush hour traffic without irritation, or getting through the day with contagious enthusiasm, I’m going to consciously remember to set my intention for the day. What do I want out of my day? How do I envision it to be?

And perhaps the amazing energy I felt during savasana could be extended beyond the Moksha studio.

#1: Fit into my skirt

Try to fit into your high school jeans

is one of the 10 new year’s resolutions you should never make, according to Marie Claire magazine.

Well, how about trying to fit into a skirt? Because that’s one of my new year’s resolutions this year.

The magazine also advises against starting a blog. Well guess what? I’m doing that too. Except it’s not really a new year’s resolution if I actually started it in December is it?

I’m not one to make a new year’s resolution list. Ever. I’ve never sat down on Jan 1st to write down what I am or am not going to do for the year. Firstly, do people ever achieve what they’ve set out on their lists? Secondly, writing them out means actually formalizing them. What if you don’t achieve some or all of them? Wouldn’t that crush your spirit?

It doesn’t mean that I don’t have goals. My goals tend to take longer than a year to materialize so it never seems realistic to say that I would achieve them within a year.

But I suppose new year’s resolutions are about being ready to make the immediate changes that would make you a better you. Like quit smoking. You’re never going to quit unless you’re ready to quit. Unless you want to. I guess they should be things that are attainable within the year.

So here we go. Here’s my 2012 list:

1. Fit into my skirt. One I’ve never worn because it was always a tad too big. One that I finally got taken in but never had a chance to wear. One that is now too small.
2. Lose 8 lbs. so I can fit into that skirt.
3. Stop shopping for our snack cabinet.
4. Eat more fruits and vegetables.
5. Go to hot yoga regularly.
6. Exercise regularly so I can lose 8 lbs and fit into that skirt.
7. Write every day as random as my thoughts might be. And no, Facebook and twitter do not count as writing.
8. Stop eating so I can fit into that skirt! Okay I’m just kidding about that one. Really I am.
9. Fit into my skirt! Oops I already have that on my list.

So what do you think? Reasonable and achievable, right? I guess we’ll see. It’s all mind over matter.

Oh by the way, here’s my last real meal of 2011 and 2012.

Wish me luck.