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. Thank you for joining me for a guided sankalpa discovery meditation.
Please know that if at any time you feel overwhelmed or short of breath, feel free to let go of meditation and let your breath breathe itself.
Meditation will be about 15 to 20 minutes and can be done either sitting up or lying down.
Either way, I invite you to grab some pillows, cushions, blankets, anything that will make you feel supported and comfortable.
A sankalpa is an intention, resolve, or vow. It is typically a short, declarative statement, beginning with “I am.”
Examples of a sankalpa might be:
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 our sankalpa discovery meditation.
I invite you to find a comfortable seat, either in a chair or in an Easy pose on the floor, maybe with your back against a wall for extra support.
If you are sitting on the floor, I recommend sitting on a cushion, yoga block, or folded blanket. Not only does it add comfort, it elevates the hips over the thighs, creating more space for the body to move with the breath.
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, cushions, or bolsters, maybe even wrap yourself up in a blanket for warmth and a sense of security.
If you are seated, your hands can rest on your knees or thighs, palms up.
Take a moment to shift and adjust yourself until you feel settled and comfortable.
(one to two breaths)
I invite you to gently close your eyes.
When you are ready, inhale and feel the lungs fill with breath.
Exhale, letting your breath go.
Inhale, filling the torso up with breath.
Exhale, letting your breath go.
One more time, inhale, filling the whole body with breath, all the way down to the feet and up to the top of your head.
Exhale, letting it all go, relaxing into a comfortable, mindful posture.
Let your breath breathe itself, naturally and with ease.
(about two breaths)
As you relax and become settled, you may notice your mind starting to chatter, becoming energetic with thoughts.
That’s okay and perfectly natural.
If you find yourself distracted, acknowledge the distraction, let it go, and return to your focus back to meditation, back to 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 the body.
Back to the inhale.
Back to the exhale.
As the breath enters the body, the belly rises and then the chest rises.
As the breath leaves the body, the belly falls and then the chest falls.
Like the waves on a beach.
Inhale, the belly rises and then the chest rises.
Exhale, the belly falls and then the chest falls.
Inhale, the belly rises and then the chest rises.
Exhale, the belly falls and then the chest falls.
Continue breathing, noticing the gentle, natural movement of the breath.
(about three to five breaths)
Behind the movement of the breath is stillness.
Notice the stillness.
The stillness that is there behind the movement of the breath.
It is there, in the stillness, where there are no thoughts, only sensations.
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.
(about two to three breaths)
Bring your attention to your heart space, to your heart center.
(about one to two breaths)
Inhale into your heart center, letting the breath fill your chest, swirling.
Softly exhale, letting the breath flow from your heart center.
Inhale into your heart center, letting the breath fill your chest, swirling.
Softly exhale, letting the breath flow from your heart center.
Continue inhaling and exhaling from your heart center.
(about three to five breaths)
A light begins to shine in your heart center.
A small, golden light.
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 center is shining, glowing with light.
(about two to three breaths)
Feel the light fill your heart center.
Feel the warmth.
Feel the glow.
(about one to two breaths)
Breathe into the heart center, feel the shining, glowing light.
Breathe in the light.
Breathe in the light until it fills up every space in the body.
Breathe in the light until it fills up your head, chest, and back.
Breathe in the light until it fills your arms, hands, and fingers.
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.
Keep breathing in the light, filling yourself up until there is no space left.
Breathe until the light shines out of your entire body, lighting up the world around you.
(about two to three breaths)
Feel into your heart center, feel the warmth of the light.
Breathe with your heart center, glowing bright with light.
Allow an image of something that your love, something brings you joy to arise in your warm, glowing heart center.
Maybe it’s a person, a place, or an activity you love.
Allow the image of this treasured person or thing 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, something that makes you feel whole.
Allow the image to arise in your heart center, becoming clearer and clearer.
The colors, the textures, the sounds, they are all clear and in focus.
(pause)
Feel the joy.
Feel the pure joy.
Let the joy fill you up like the light you breathed into your heart.
Feel the joy light you up inside, glowing.
You are filled with joyous light.
(one to two breaths)
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?
(one to two breaths)
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?
(one to two breaths)
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?
(one to two breaths)
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.
(one to two breaths)
Does your sankalpa fully resonate with you?
Does your snakapla speak to you?
Do you feel your sankalpa?
(one to two breaths)
Adjust the words as you need to, making your sankalpa feel right.
(one to two breaths)
When you are ready, repeat your sankalpa three times.
(three to four breaths)
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.
(two to three breaths)
Now bring your awareness back to your breath.
Back to the inhale.
Back to the exhale.
As the breath enters the body, the belly rises and then the chest rises.
As the breath leaves the body, the belly falls and then the chest falls.
Inhale, the belly rises and then the chest rises.
Exhale, the belly falls and then the chest falls.
Inhale, the belly rises and then the chest rises.
Exhale, the belly falls and then the chest falls.
(one to two breaths)
Notice the small movements of your body as you breathe.
(one to two breaths)
If you are lying down, wiggle your fingers and toes.
Begin to shift and move, bringing gentle movement to the body.
When you are ready, gently roll to your right side, and lift yourself up to a seated position.
(one to two breaths)
Place your hands over your heart center.
Repeat your sankalpa to yourself three times.
(three to four breaths)
Hold your sankalpa in your heart.
Carry your sankalpa with you as you forward with your day.
Your sankalpa is always with you, in your heart, whenever you need it.
(one to two breaths)
When you are ready, gently open your eyes.
Bring your 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.