Vision for 2024

Davida January 2024

My family has a tradition, every New Year’s Day we write out goals on index cards. First we look at our cards from the previous year and share how we did. My children, now ages 17, 20 and 22 have realized that the point is not to  check off each item, but have a vision for where they want to be and what they want to accomplish. So, no need to feel defeated if they didn’t meet each expectation. But rather feel good because they stretched themselves and grew in the process. 

Yoga has a technique called drishti. In Sanskrit it means gaze or focus. On the mat we use it to find our way into proper form or help with balance. The gaze can also turn inward to find disharmony and calm the body and quiet the mind. 

The idea is where focus goes, attention flows. We know where we train our energy, transformation can occur. 

“Your vision will become clear only when you can look into your own heart. Who looks outside, dreams; who looks inside, awakes.” -Carl Jung

Too often we ignore our own lying eyes. We see what we want to see. We look past what is obvious because we’re distracted or chose to focus on something else. Our phones, social media, what’s happening with the neighbors. By opening our eyes and setting our gaze on something specific our vision becomes more clear. Then we’re able to act with intention. 

Intentions are more than wishful thinking. It’s willful direction.”-Jennifer Williamson.    

One of my goals last year was to learn and teach Qi Gong, an eastern practice harnessing the power of breath, movement and intention to create health and balance in the body. I followed a few Youtube videos and that’s it. I superficially looked to see if there was a class offered near me, without any luck. Out of sight and out of mind, the desire slipped by the way side.

This year, I’m more determined to study this practice. I’ve committed to a 30 day online program and started reading a book on the practice. Now it’s on my radar and I’m several days into training and have already taught one of the breathing techniques in my yin yoga classes (the two are closely aligned practices). 

Yoga is all about intention. An intention supports goals from the inside. It’s the act of stating what you intend to accomplish through your actions. A commitment to what you want your journey to be about. 

As we begin a new year it’s a good time to consider where you want to place your drishti. Where do you see yourself a year from now? Set an intention. Maybe you write it down. Better yet, join me for my annual Yin Visioning Workshop where you’ll consider goals and aspirations for the coming year during a yin yoga practice, pause for journaling, and create an outline that can be used to make a vision board on the computer. 

When you believe in your dream and your vision, then it begins to attract its own resources. No one was born to be a failure. -Myles Monroe