I am here to hold space for embodiment, transformation, healing, and higher consciousness for myself and others. I am a sacred space holder.
The Story of My Sankalpa
I approached my search to know my personal Sankalpa with my love for language, digging deep, and somewhat aggressive and impatient, which is not at all how it worked out. Kalpa means promise, a resolve and honor above all others, San is associated with the highest order. Here’s another translation to support enhanced meaning of Sankalpa: the prefix sam in Sanskrit conveys the sense of perfection, completeness, togetherness, integrality. The root klrip originally means to be well ordered or regulated; to correspond with, be adapted to, in accordance with, suitable to; to be fit for; be favorable to, to subserve; to create. Sankalpa as practiced in the tradition of yoga, is a vow based on what is integral to ones divine purpose and inherent gifts. In short, Sankalpa is the vow you make to your soul. Sankalpa is a strong guide with which I align my energy, wisdom, and action.
What is the vow of your soul? The question is often asked in yoga/meditation spaces, workshops, and books. The question holds a solemn energy, a gravity of truth and authentic commitment. Isn’t it fascinating that as humans the most common vow we make is the vow of marriage? A vow to another flawed, autonomous being is common, but a vow to our very own soul is not something that we have seen in every Disney movie since we were small.
What is the vow of your soul? This question has been rolling around in my body, mind, and heart for a few years now. Through that time I have I continued seeking to find my Sankalpa, striving to feel what is truly aligned in my purpose for being here. I was devoted to make a promise that felt so interconnected to my being and to the oneness of all beings. I approached this inquiry at first from a space of internalized capitalism, as if I could just work hard enough, get what I wanted and float away on a cloud of unicorns and rainbows forever.
I dug through all of the information I could find about what a Sankalpa is and isn’t, the how tos, dos, don’ts, and examples. I went into the process head first, and cognitive, as if honing in on my Sankalpa was a problem to solve. None of my overworking, or impatience to think my way through, mattered at all in my moment of revelation. Sankalpa, for me was to be felt, not logically processed, received, not achieved – something that I opened to in the simplest moment outside of colonized conditioning or ego. As with many experiences in life, illumination came in the most unexpected and ordinary way when I was not trying so hard. I even giggled. I hadn’t been focused on it at all in that moment, and boom here it is, piercing and luminous. It was one of those when you know, you know moments in my life. I felt an expansive and undeniable vibration – this is true.
With all the clarity, my Sankalpa was revealed as a question on that ordinary winter morning. I was in the sacred space that has been home to my spiritual practice most mornings, on most days since it began. In stillness I made my request to the universe:
May I hold space for embodiment, transformation, healing, and higher consciousness for myself and others? May I be a sacred space holder?
To integrate my desire I made a prayer flag offering and called all my guides and ancestors to blow their energy into my prayer with me. I placed my deeply sacred prayer on my alter and went back to the regular world. As June, the woman who taught me to make prayer flags said, “It is not so strange to live in the regular world and the world of spirit, and it is necessary to move between both to nurture the soul.”
Months later I was travelling again. This time to Oaxaca Mexico with my husband, Ben. Without knowing why, I felt a strong pull to pack my prayer flag with me on this trip. I had never been to Oaxaca before, although everyone I have ever spoken to about Oaxaca gets a certain twinkle in their eyes. So off we went with the physical representation of my heart’s desire in tow.
We got the opportunity to go on the Magical Tarot Tour of Oaxaca with Edgar.
(Air BnB Experience- highly recommend https://www.airbnb.com/experiences/436460?location=Oaxaca%2C%20Mexico¤tTab=experience_tab&federatedSearchId=7b8db427-dd39-4cb3-a10d-7c4267688a62&searchId=§ionId=eb8edbf3-0e2a-4900-b338-b3f3c8ba64bd&source=p2)
Edgar and our tarot led us to the Mountain of the Wind, where Edgar explained that all the people who had ever entered Oaxaca had entered through this threshold. It is now a place where extravagant festivals are held every year to honor the Day of the Dead. I told Edgar that I had brought an offering and that I felt that this may be why. I felt strongly that I needed to place my request to the universe here, to seal in my Sankalpa. He winked and said, “Ahhh, so you are already doing magic yourself,” catching me off guard, and confirming that this site overlooking Oaxaca across the valley from Monte Alban was the place. Edgar led Ben and me to a shrine for the Virgin de Guadalupe behind a private home. Edgar asked permission from a woman behind the home for me. I stood below the shrine (pictured here), feeling the gravity of my prayer, took several heartfelt breaths, and made my earnest offering – burying my prayer flag below the Virgin de Guadalupe between mint and geranium.
All of a sudden a man appeared at the gate, speaking Spanish too quickly for me to understand. I looked to Edgar wide eyed to translate. The man wanted me to ask him a hard question, as he was learning English and wanted to practice. So I asked him what I consider to be a difficult question, “What is your favorite song?”
Without hesitation, he answered by singing “Oh, oh, oh it’s magic, you know, never believe it’s not so.” The bubbly feeling of joy flooded over all my seriousness as a synchronous confirmation. My sincere wish gave way to all that I already am. We all fell into a pool of laughter. Never believe it’s not so.
The piercing ray of clarity I received on that regular cold day in my Midwestern home, travelled with me to Oaxaca Mexico, and has guided me onward. My soul’s desire is what I am. It takes no seeking or striving to be what we are inherently. My Sankalpa has been sealed as the cornerstone to all of my offerings and service to the world, transcending and transforming roles, patterns, and boundaries this is my Sankalpa:
I am here to hold space for embodiment, transformation, healing, and higher consciousness for myself and others. I am a sacred space holder.
The seed of my question to the universe, now firmly planted in the earth of Oaxaca, and forever in my heart and soul aligning my energy, action, and wisdom from this day forward. The vow of my soul meeting at the space of all that I inherently am, and all that I am becoming.
It’s Magic. Never believe it’s not so. And so it is. A-ho. Thank you.
Welcome to Sacred Being Yoga Therapy
Greetings - Welcome to Sacred Being Yoga Therapy. This is the first step I am taking out I to the world of social media to share my spiritual journey and my offerings for guidance to you and yours…