Sankalpa Discovery Meditation
A Meditation Practice
Before we begin – Please note, if at any time you feel overwhelmed or short of breath, let go of meditation and let your breath breathe itself.
Hello and welcome to Cultivating Chill.
My name is Vikki Velasquez and today, I will guide you through a sankalpa discovery meditation.
Practice will be about 15 to 20 minutes and can be done either sitting up or lying down. Either way, you may want to grab some pillows, cushions, blankets, anything that will make you feel supported and comfortable.
A sankalpa is an intention, resolve, or vow, and is typically a short, declarative statement, beginning with “I am.”
Examples of a sankalpa are:
I am strong.
I am present.
I am kind.
I am enough.
I accept myself.
It can be a focused intention or a heartfelt desire.
When we set a sankalpa, we are essentially placing a call for transformation in our subconscious mind and subtle bodies. The sankalpa will help us evolve and grow into our higher self.
As you meditate on what your sankalpa will be, try not to think about it in an intellectual sense, but instead try to feel it by listening to what is in your heart.
When your heart speaks to you, your mind may try to interject and judge or criticize what your heart says to you. Let go of those limiting thoughts and let yourself embrace your heart’s message. Give yourself permission to listen and hear what your heart is telling you.
So, let’s get ready for a sankalpa discovery meditation.
I invite you to find a comfortable seat, either in a chair or cross-legged on the floor, maybe with your back against a wall for extra support.
If you prefer, you can also lie down, flat or propped up, whichever is the most comfortable.
Feel free to prop yourself up with pillows or bolsters, maybe even wrap yourself up in a blanket for warmth and a sense of security.
You want to feel supported and relaxed.
If you need to, shift and adjust yourself until you feel settled and comfortable.
When you are ready, inhale and stretch the body long.
Exhale, let the body relax.
Again, inhale, stretch long.
Exhale, relax.
One more time, inhale, stretching the body long.
Exhale, relaxing your body, settling into a comfortable and mindful posture.
Continue breathing, inhaling and exhaling through the nose, finding a soft stillness.
As you relax and become settled, you may notice your mind starting to chatter and become energetic with thoughts.
Keep your attention on your breath, the inhale and the exhale. The rising and falling of the chest and belly. The sound of the breath as it enters and leaves through the nose.
If you find yourself distracted or following a train of thought, acknowledge the distraction, let it go, and return to your focus back to your breath.
Back to the inhale.
Back to the exhale.
As the air enters the body, the belly rounds and the chest rises.
As the air leaves the body, the belly softens and the chest falls.
Inhale, the belly rounds, the chest rises.
Exhale, the belly softens and the chest falls.
Inhale, the belly rounds, the chest rises.
Exhale, the belly softens and the chest falls.
Continue breathing, noticing the gentle, natural movement of the breath.
Behind the movement of the breath is stillness.
Notice the stillness.
The stillness that is there.
It is there, in the stillness, where there are no thoughts, only feelings.
You are in the stillness.
You are not thinking.
You are feeling.
You are not thinking.
You are feeling.
You are not thinking.
You are feeling.
You are feeling with your whole body, listening for your heart’s desire.
Bring your attention to your heart space, to your heart center.
Inhale into your heart center, letting the air swirl and fill your chest.
Softly exhale, letting the air flow from your heart.
Inhale into your heart center, the air swirling and filling your chest.
Softly exhale, the air flows from your heart.
Inhale into your heart center, the air swirling and filling your chest.
Softly exhale, the air flows from your heart.
Continue breathing from your heart center.
As you breathe, a light begins to shine in your heart center.
Brightening with each inhale, and then softening to a glow with the exhale.
Your body becomes warm and you feel safe.
Each inhale makes the light a little stronger, a little brighter.
Each exhale makes the glow linger a little longer.
Inhale, the light brightens.
Exhale, the light glows.
Inhale, the light brightens.
Exhale, the light glows.
Your heart is shining, glowing with light.
Let your heart space fill up with the light.
Feel the light.
Feel the warmth.
Feel the glow.
Breathe into the heart center, feeling the light.
Keep breathing in the light, filling yourself up every space in the body.
Breathe in the light until it fills up your belly, hips, and thighs.
Breathe in the light until it fills up your legs, feet, and toes.
Breathe in the light until it fills your arms, hands, and fingers.
Keep breathing in the light, filling yourself up until there is no space left.
Breathe as the light shines out of your entire body, lighting up the world around you.
Feel into the heart center, feel the warmth of the light.
Breathe into your heart center, glowing bright with light.
Allow an image of a person, place, or activity you love to arise in your warm, glowing heart center.
Allow the image of a person, place, or activity you love to become clearer.
Allow details to emerge, colors, textures, sounds, and even taste.
This should be something that lights you up inside, something that brings you joy.
Allow the image to arise in your heart space, becoming clearer and clearer.
Feel the joy.
Let the joy fill you up like the light you breathed into your heart.
Feel the pure joy.
Feel the light inside, glowing.
Let yourself feel filled with joyous light.
Wrapped in warmth and love, ask yourself…
What do I deeply desire?
What does my heart need?
What do I deeply desire?
What does my heart need?
Whatever arises, feel it.
Don’t think it away.
Feel into it.
Allow your heart to speak and allow yourself to listen to what it is saying to you.
What do I deeply desire?
What does my heart need?
Imagine yourself doing or being the thing that your heart deeply desires.
Allow details to become vivid, allow yourself to see what your heart is calling for.
What does it look like?
How do you feel?
Allow words to form your desire, your sankalpa.
I am ...
I am …
I am …
Does your sankalpa light you up?
Do you still feel joy?
Repeat your sankalpa and notice how it feels.
Does it fully resonate with you?
Does it speak to you?
Do you feel it?
Adjust the words as you need to, making your sankalpa feel right.
Repeat your sankalpa.
When you are ready, rest into the feeling of your sankalpa.
Feel into your sankalpa.
Allow it to sink in. Allow it to soak into every space of your being.
Rest in your beautiful sankalpa.
Feel the joy.
Feel the light.
Now bring your awareness back to your breath.
Back to the inhale.
Back to the exhale.
As the air enters the body, the belly rounds and the chest rises.
As the air leaves the body, the belly softens and the chest falls.
Inhale, the belly rounds, the chest rises.
Exhale, the belly softens and the chest falls.
Inhale, the belly rounds, the chest rises.
Exhale, the belly softens and the chest falls.
Notice the small movements of your body as you breathe.
Begin to make your movements a little bigger.
Let your toes and fingers wiggle and curl.
Let your body begin to shift and move.
Inhale to stretch, exhale to release.
When you feel ready, inhale and stretch your body long.
Exhale with a soft sigh.
If you are lying down, gently roll to your right side, and lift yourself up to a seated position.
Place your hands over your heart center.
Repeat your sankalpa to yourself three times.
Hold your sankalpa in your heart.
Carry your sankalpa with you as you forward with your day.
Carry your sankalpa with you, it is always there, whenever you need it.
When you are ready, gently open your eyes.
Let’s bring our hands to a prayer position, hands to heart center.
The light in me honors the light in you.
Namaste.
Cultivating Chill hopes you found the meditation practice enjoyable, informative and helpful.
If you have any questions or want to share anything, please feel free to leave a comment.