22/07/2025
What is SETTING AN INTENTION in my yoga practice? My yoga teacher just suggested that I set an intention for my class and I have no clue what an intention is and why should I set one. We hear terms in yoga class that seem more like yoga speak. I hope to demystify some of these along the way.
The word is derived from the Latin intendere or intentio, which means both “stretching” and “purpose”. An INTENTION is bringing attention to a quality that you want to carry with you during your class, and possibly off the mat as well. The quality could be gratitude, strength, patience, confidence or whatever you wish to cultivate. You can also think of it as a mini New Years resolution.
SETTING AN INTENTION can be a little strange or even confusing at first. You may even ask yourself, “Am I doing this right?” You are not alone. But like most things in yoga, you cannot do it wrong. You first focus on your breath, and the beating of your heart. You turn your awareness inward and begin to focus on what really matters to you, a virtue you would like to embody – keeping it positive of course. At any point in your yoga practice, you can bring your intention back to mind.
In time you will find that you can set an intention at any moment of the day, and not just in a yoga class. You can wake up in the morning and set an intention for the day. Intentions give you a valuable quality to focus on throughout the day, aligning your body and mind. Allow your intention to trickle in throughout the day and notice the little changes that start to happen.
