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5 Intention-setting Ideas for Honoring The Month of August

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August:  The Month of New Beginnings!

As the 8th month of the year, August carries the divine meaning of renewal, abundance, and fresh starts. Whether you’re picking up an old goal or starting a brand-new chapter, the energy of this month will support courage, heart, leadership and visibility as the Sun is positioned in the fire sign of Leo.

In addition, we have the Lion’s Gate Portal reaching its energetic peak of 8/8, symbolizing infinity, abundance, and the bridge between the physical and spiritual realms!  It centers on the cosmic alignment of Earth, the Sun in Leo, and the star Sirius, which is the brightest star in the sky.

Jupiter is moving through Leo as well this month, magnifying themes of personal growth and confidence.  This year’s portal peaks a few days before an August 12th solar eclipse, creating an intense buildup for individual and collective transformation.

Below are some intention-setting ideas to welcome the month of August:

  1. Choose a guiding word.   You may not be thinking about a specific transformation you are in, yet you may be sensing or feeling that something is about to emerge (like the caterpillar as it moves in the chrysalis).  Perhaps pick one word that captures how you want to move through the month to anchor you during this powerful time of transformation.  Maybe words such as renewal, courage, abundance, clarity, or joy resonate.  Then, when making decisions or facing challenges, return to this guiding word to support your transformation.
  2. Release before you receive.  In order to make space for something new, we often need to release something old.  Consider the process of cleaning out our closets.  This month perhaps write down one habit, belief, or fear you’re ready to leave behind, that’s been holding you back. Then write about what you’re making space for in its place.
  3. Plant three seeds.  Think of August as a season of planting. Consider setting one intention in each area: personal growth, relationships, and health or career.  Focus on small, consistent actions rather than perfect outcomes.
  4. Create a morning ritual.  Rituals act as “sacred thresholds” that help us navigate major life changes. They formally guide us out of one identity and anchor us securely into the next, supporting our transformations.  Perhaps dedicate the first five minutes of each morning this month to setting your energy for the day through a new ritual, such as expressing gratitude for three things in your life currently that anchor you, visualizing your ideal day or taking three, more expansive mindful breaths.
  5. Write an August manifesto. Studies show you are significantly more likely to achieve goals simply by writing them down. This simple habit boosts focus, programs your subconscious to spot opportunities, and turns passing wishes into concrete commitments.  Consider taking a few minutes to imagine it’s the last day of the month and you have lived August exactly as you hoped.  Then write down who you became, how you felt, and what you experienced!

5 Intention-setting Ideas to Honor Our Achievements

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The Season of Harvest is Upon Us – Let’s Celebrate!

I had the pleasure of visiting the Kripula Center for Yoga and Health in Massachusetts for a day recently and participated in creating this sand mandala (below) or sacred cosmogram with a compassionate community of others raising awareness of something larger than each of our small worlds.  It was a reminder of the impermanent nature of all things – including ourselves.

As we move deeper into the Fall season, Mother Earth and her beautiful nature begin to remind us that we are all shapeshifters.  When we are conceived and born into this incarnation, it is the infinite universe manifesting into a finite human form.  And what we have to always keep in mind is that this incarnation is temporary, transitory and will ultimately shift us back into the infinite universe.  When we can truly embrace that, by divine design, we are all simply passing through this human experience, constantly in flux, growing, changing, transforming, we open our hearts up to embracing every moment as an opportunity to celebrate our lives.

So let this change in season, when nature offers its last harvest for the year before its annual shapeshifting where it begins to pull back within itself, shedding its last fruits, flowers and leaves, slowing its growth down, and turning brown and as the breezes begin to cool down, encourage us to honor the abundance in our lives by celebrating.

Below are some intention setting ideas to honor our personal experiences of shapeshifting by acknowledging, sharing and celebrating our own achievements:

  1. Reflect on achievements.  If I were to ask you right now what is the biggest thing you have accomplished in your life so far, what would come up?  Is it difficult to identify what you have accomplished, what you have done that might bring you joy when you think about it?  Does it seem that no matter how much you do achieve, it feels like it is never enough and you find yourself needing to accomplish more and more, until you feel overwhelmed and exhausted?  Well, you just might need some perspective that offers an alternative to measuring the value of your life by the number of achievements.  I remember when I was younger, I would tell people that I wanted ‘She was productive’ engraved on my headstone.  As I write this now, I am laughing at myself.  Perhaps set an intention to see your achievements in a different light, as ones that have contributed to your growth and transformation instead.  When seen in this light, failures might now be relabeled as achievements.
  2. Write down achievements.  After reflecting on those things that you have done that brought growth and change into your life, write them down.  Some of these life-changing events might be graduating from school, having and raising a child, buying your first car, taking your first trip, or starting your own business.  Keep this list out where you can see it every day . . . and set an intention to add to it, perhaps every couple of months or once a year.  Reminding yourself on a daily basis that you too are a shapeshifter will help to challenge those moments when you might think that you haven’t accomplished enough or feel a little stuck or stagnant.
  3. Share your accomplishments.  This suggestion might feel like I am asking you to brag about your successes.  However, many of us avoid sharing our accomplishments for fear of appearing boastful.  But keeping your achievements to yourself or minimizing them robs your friends and family from learning and growing.  It’s good to share such experiences with your loved ones as long as you do so in an authentic and humble way.  When we allow ourselves to tell others what we have achieved, we are letting them know that it is not out of reach or impossible.  In fact, we can inspire them to continue to reach for their own personal goals for growth and transformation and connect more deeply with what is really important to them!
  4. Celebrate moments of accomplishment.   As we move through this process of honoring our experiences of shapeshifting, we must not forget the celebration!  Whether it is folding the last piece of laundry after doing 3 loads in one day, getting to work on time after getting your kids dressed, fed and off to school in the morning, and/or after a long day at work where you finally finished that project that you have been dreading for so long, if you begin to experience a sense of accomplishment, celebrate!  Consider setting an intention to not rush onto the next thing on your “To Do” list without taking a moment to relish the fact that you accomplished something you set out to do.  The more you don’t sweat the small stuff and instead celebrate it, the more joy you will invite into your life and the lives of others!
  5. Celebrate milestones.  Last but absolutely not the least is the intention to celebrate any and all milestones in your life.  Whether it is a birthday, anniversary, or other special occasion, plan to celebrate to commemorate your human beingness.  Some of us avoid doing so for fear of bringing attention to ourselves, again believing it might be viewed as self-focused or selfish.  Consider setting an intention to mark such moments in your life, whether you celebrate by yourself or with others, to remind you that the sands of time are flowing, moving, changing by divine design and you are too!