An Anchor: Sankalpa for Motherhood

a story about balance

For those who are mothers, grandmothers, sisters, aunts, embracing the energetics of the feminine or fill the role of mother for someone: I honor you.

And to those who feel pain, loss or sadness in relation to Mother’s Day: I honor you and your journey too. May you feel at ease and at peace.

I became a mother in April of 2023. I remember the weeks beforehand, swimming in the liminal nature of it all. Knowing and not knowing the person growing inside of me at the same time.

Frantically searching for the correct birthing affirmations, music and lighting to make Penny’s entrance into the world as peaceful as possible.

And while I never created that perfect birthing playlist, on the short drive to the hospital I received an intuitive hit, a sankalpa for motherhood.

Rooted in ancient Vedic traditions, san (connection with truth) and kalpa (vow or a way of proceeding) come together to mean a commitment made in alignment with your highest truth.

It comes from your strengths, values, beliefs and is based on your deepest why.

On that rainy Saturday in April, with no playlist or candles, I listened in to my breath. I felt the movements of my baby swirling inside me, and I told her…I am an anchor.

Over the last two years as I realized what my intuition was telling me.

I’m anchor for both my daughter and myself.

I will support, guide and nurture her. And alongside that I will support, guide and nurture myself. I will anchor myself in my practices and my spiritual path so that I can pour into her from a full cup.

I come back my sankalpa often. When parenting gets hard or when I’m not engaging in self-care to remind me that my dharma, my purpose as a mother, should be rooted in a compassionate balance.

I can’t mother her without also mothering myself.

If I don’t show love, forgiveness and kindness to myself, she’ll notice and maybe question whether she is deserving of these things too.

And it’s not easy, and I don’t always get it right.

But that’s why I have my sankalpa. To bring me back to my core truth.

I am an anchor for compassion, love and forgiveness.

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Recommended Practice: Sankalpa Meditation

While there’s no recorded practice this week, I highly recommend going through the process of creating your own sankalpa. It can be a powerful tool in your meditation practice, and used outside of practice as well.

Here are some articles exploring sankalpa…

• How to Create a Sankalpa // Yoga International

• Starting Your Day with Sankalpa, the Power of Intention // Kripalu

Once you’ve landed on something feels aligned, try the following meditation technique (anywhere from 10 - 20 minutes in length is my recommendation):

• Starting by dropping in, tune into body and breath.

• Recite your sankalpa 12 times.

• Take a moment to witness the effects.

• Witness your body and breath again.

• How are these words landing in your physical body? What about the mental-emotional layers of your being?

• Journal afterwards, it’s a great way to see if your sankalpa is heart aligned!