The Conductor as Yogi: The Freedom of Intention

It’s 6:20 AM on New Year’s Day.  I’ve seen the flurry of “Happy New Year!” texts from family and friends (who made it to midnight, unlike me) and I pause, thinking, “another year, a new year ahead.”  I imagine the countless resolutions being made around the world in this moment and though I am pretty positive by nature, I know the majority of those will wither away in a matter of days or a month, at best.

I’ve experienced this in my own life and while I think resolutions can create an awareness of the need for change, I have come to see the fallibility of a rigid, outcome-based, often ego-driven goal.  Resolutions are commonly limiting and tinged with negativity (“I will stop”. . . “I won’t” . . .) or driven by the calendar (“in six weeks” . . . ), and if not accomplished, lead to a familiar cycle of guilt and self-loathing (“I blew it again”).  And even if you do accomplish your resolution (losing weight or making more money, for example), you are likely to equate it with your level of happiness or your sense of self.  Bleh, who needs that?

Humans are wired for growth which means change, improvement.  Of course, we want life to get better every day, and we need moments of recalibrating to get us back on that path.  But rather than making a resolution because the calendar tells us we should, we can turn to the power of intention, which in the yoga tradition is called sankalpa.  

A sankalpa is an intention rooted in being, rather than doing, leading us towards a fuller and freer life.  A sankalpa requires that we look inward to our higher self, to a lasting quality we want to cultivate that is broader than a specific outcome (healthful living vs. losing ten pounds by Tuesday).

Sankalpas are phrased in a positive way and in the present tense.  Rather than “I am going to stop being so disorganized in rehearsal,” our sankalpa might be “I lead with clarity and a sense of flow.”  Phrasing intentions as though they have already happened is an effective tool, creating a mantra you can return to, to encourage and ground you in the present moment.

Intention in rehearsal teaching is powerful.  Beyond accomplishing specific musical goals in a piece, weaving in sankalpas like “we create value for ourselves and others” builds a richer base for our work together and encourages singers to embody this quality in their broader life.  Moments like these can be enlightening, prompting singers to elevate their experience for a higher purpose.

Intentions thrive in the pause, in moments of awareness and quiet, of slow and balanced breathing.  This is the fertile ground for being, for coming inward, that our modern life discourages.  I know, you are very busy.  But you take showers, right?  Without your phone?  Maybe that is your time to remind yourself:  “I am whole.”  “I have everything I need.”  “I embody calm.”  “I trust the timing of my life experiences.”

Goals and action steps still matter but rooting them in your sankalpa leads to lasting value.  Losing those ten pounds as part of your intention “I embrace health as freedom to live my best life” may be more effective in the short and long term, fostering continuous growth beyond an arbitrary date on the calendar.  Resolutions can keep us bound to the expectations of the external world, a fickle and time-hogging experience, and they can divert our attention away from knowing who we are and what we truly desire for our well-lived life.  Intention returns us to moments of awareness—of ourselves, our spirit, and our work in this world as opportunities for good.  For something rich, lasting, and yet, always new.

Dr. Ramona Wis is the Mimi Rolland Endowed Professor in the Fine Arts, Professor of Music, and Director of Choral Activities at North Central College in Naperville, Illinois and the author of The Conductor as Leader:  Principles of Leadership Applied to Life on the Podium (and video course through Forward Motion, https://www.fwdmotion.org/sp-ramonawis-conductorasleader ).  Dr. Wis is a 500-hour CYT (Certified Yoga Teacher) and a certified Brain Longevity® Specialist.  Find her at:  or ramonawis.com.