Lets Study Yoga Together, Be Part of the Sangha
FEBRUARY ’26
Each month, a single teaching bridges philosophy and lived practice.
This month: FEBRUARY ’26
Śraddhā & Saṁkalpa
A Season of Trust and Intention
As winter steadies our rhythm, we turn to two quiet forces that sustain sādhana: śraddhā, the inner trust that practice is fruitful, and saṁkalpa, a clear vow that shapes our participation. Where abhyāsa and vairāgya set the method, śraddhā and saṁkalpa light the way—confidence without rigidity, direction without strain.
In the Yogic teachings, śraddhā ripens as an unhurried faith grounded in experience. It matures not by belief alone, but by noticing the subtle changes practice brings: a calmer breath, a steadier attention, a kinder response. Saṁkalpa is the gentle articulation of this direction—an intention we return to, not as pressure, but as orientation.
Let us remember the thread in Patañjali’s Yoga Sūtras:
PYS ॥1.20॥
śraddhā-vīrya-smṛti-samādhi-prajñā-pūrvaka itareṣām
For those who walk the path step by step, trust fosters energy, memory sustains continuity, absorption clarifies, and insight gradually opens. Śraddhā begins the arc—quiet assurance that sincere effort bears fruit.
PYS ॥1.13–1.14॥
tatra sthitau yatno ’bhyāsaḥ
sa tu dīrgha-kāla-nairantarya-satkārāsevito dṛḍha-bhūmiḥ
Our vow (saṁkalpa) rests on this: practice is a loyal return, matured by time, continuity, and respect. A true saṁkalpa is humble and sustainable; it works with seasons and circumstances rather than against them.
How Intention Feels in Practice
- Excess intention: goals harden, breath tightens, the mind chases outcomes.
- Sparse intention: attention diffuses, practice loses shape, habit replaces participation.
- Balanced intention: direction is present yet soft; breath remains open; effort feels kind and steady.
Śraddhā protects intention from agitation; saṁkalpa protects trust from vagueness. Together they cultivate clarity without pressure.
Teaching
Let your vow be small and sincere. Better a simple, living promise—ten mindful breaths each morning, one śloka recited with care—than an ambition that starves the heart. Trust grows by keeping company with what is true and gentle.
Embodied Teaching by Farina de la Fontaine
Key Sanskrit Terms
śraddhā — quiet trust born of experience; confidence in the path’s efficacy
saṁkalpa — intentional vow; a clear, gentle orientation of practice
vīrya — steady energy that arises from trust and right effort
smṛti — recollection; remembering and returning to the present
bhāva — inner tone or disposition guiding practice
