What Is a Sankalpa? How to Choose and Use Your Intention to Change Your Life

Discover what a Sankalpa is and how it can guide your transformation. Learn how to choose your intention, when to use it, and how it supports your practice—on and off the mat.

What Is a Sankalpa? The Power of Intention

"First, it is an intention. Then a behavior. Then a habit. Then a practice. Then a second nature. Then it is simply who you are."

In Sanskrit, san means the highest truth, and kalpa means vow or promise. Together, sankalpa means a sacred intention—a vow made to your highest self. It is a positive, present-tense affirmation that brings light, clarity, and purpose to your life.

The concept of Sankalpa appears in the early yogic texts such as the Vedas and Upanishads, where it is said that our thoughts shape our reality. Through repeated affirmation, a sankalpa can redirect our mindset, creating meaningful change in our actions and experiences.

The teacher Swami Satyananda Saraswati revived its importance in modern yoga, especially through the practice of Yoga Nidra, where a sankalpa is planted in the subconscious mind:

"Its effect is to awaken the force of inner will by uniting conscious awareness with the unconscious forces lying dormant. It takes the form of a short, clear statement, using the same formulation each time, to bring about positive change in one's life."
Swami Saraswati

 

 

 

How Can a Sankalpa Support Personal Change?

How many times have we made good resolutions?
On the first day of the year, for our birthday, every Sunday night... or when life forces us to face change.
But how many times has it really worked?

Transformation is never an easy task, and we often find ourselves thinking,
“If only I were...”, “If only this would happen...”, “If I just had this...”
So we postpone it, waiting for everything to be perfect, hoping that change will come more easily then.
But true change requires awareness, determination, and above all, consistency.

It’s often easier to move across the world than to change those deeply rooted bad habits—comfortable and familiar as they may be.
And the more we try and fail, the more discouraged we become, and the harder it all seems.

To be fair, it’s true that our environment doesn’t always help: our hectic lives, and living in what feels like a rather unfriendly and fiercely competitive jungle, certainly don’t make things any easier.
But deep down, we know we can do better. We know it.
Making excuses not to change is just lying to ourselves—only to end up feeling even more unhappy for having done so.

What’s more, our circumstances will not change unless we change first—unless we work on our consciousness and our perception of reality.
So waiting is not only unhelpful.
It’s pointless.

 

 

"The conditions in which men live on earth
are the result of their state of consciousness.
Wanting to change the conditions without changing consciousness is a vain chimera."
Mère - Ernest Holmes

 

The desire to improve our lives often fails because it focuses on what we lack or on what we wish we were.

And when we express an intention purely with the intellect, it rarely brings results: we tend to confuse it with a goal—something we Westerners hold dear and struggle to separate from.
But a goal can easily become just another source of stress, another performance test, and often leads nowhere.

A sankalpa can help us.
It is a vow, a promise, a guiding principle—and not a goal to be reached through willpower, strength, strategy, or an action plan.
It’s something deeper, because it is not conditioned by external factors, and it has nothing to do with material achievements or satisfying the ego. It allows no excuses, no half-truths.

A Sankalpa is not a goal. It’s a vow. A promise to your highest self.

A sankalpa is simply a conviction, an idea born in the heart or mind, that we choose to carry forward each day—both in our practice and in our life—with sincerity and inner strength.
It is a repeated intention that becomes a powerful force for physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual transformation.
Sankalpa is a milestone that supports our highest truth.

And as with all truly meaningful things in life, the key is not to rush.
Magical, easy formulas only exist in fairy tales.
But if we trust our sankalpa—and, most importantly, trust ourselves—this extraordinary practice will slowly guide us toward the change we deeply long for.

How to Choose Your Intention (Sankalpa)

Your sankalpa should be:

Positive – Say "I am calm" instead of "I am not anxious"

Present tense – Express it as if it’s already true

Simple and realistic – Clear, powerful, and emotionally resonant

If you’re unsure what to choose, sit in stillness and observe what arises from within. Ask yourself:

What do I need most right now?

What am I ready to embrace or release?

What truth wants to be lived through me?

Let your sankalpa be something that moves you—something you can repeat with conviction and love.

✧ Keep it secret.

Traditionally, a sankalpa is something sacred. Let it stay within you, like a seed planted deep in the heart.

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Finding your intention is a sacred journey.It’s not always simple—and that’s okay. During many of my mentoring sessions, what often surfaces is low self-worth, fear, or inner resistance. And yes, you may have already explored these on your path, but those are just effects of something deeper.
The true transformation begins when we uncover the roots of those blocks and finally learn to hear what your heart has truly been asking for.

🌿 You don’t have to do this alone.
Together, we can discover the mantra or sankalpa that aligns with your soul, one that gently guides you toward healing, presence, and clarity.

✨ Ready to find the intention that’s really yours?
Book a private session and let’s begin this inner journey together.

When to Use a Sankalpa

You can use your sankalpa any time you need clarity or focus. Common moments include:

During meditation or Yoga Nidra – when the mind is calm and receptive

Before or after yoga practice – to align your movement with intention

In the morning – to start your day with meaning

At night – to let it work through your subconscious while you sleep

In moments of difficulty – to remind you who you truly are

You can also set reminders on your phone, write your sankalpa on post-its, or repeat it silently during the day.

Examples of Sankalpa and Supporting Stones

I am happy — Red Agate

I love life — Carnelian

I am capable — Tiger Eye

I am brave — Heliotrope

I am free — Sodalite

I am calm — Petrified Wood

I have energy — Citrine Quartz

I listen fully — Amazonite

I accept diversity — Fluorite

I am kind — Rose Quartz

I live in peace with everything around me — White Agate