What's in a Word?

Here's what yoga mayu teacher Sara Levine has to say about the importance of words:

"I have spent the first month of 2012 trying to be more clear and concise with my language. You could say that it is my New Years Resolution. I find that there are a lot of words being thrown around carelessly these days and it seems to me that the more we speak, the less weight our words hold. This concept also holds true in my teaching. When I am clear and direct in my speech, rather than meandering along with flowery imagery, it allows my students the room to create their own perspective of their practice. There is a great deal of depth in silence.

One word in particular, that I have been robotically repeating for many years, is beginning to sound less and less clear each time I say it. Have you ever repeated a word so many times that it begins to sound unlike a word at all? This word, INTENTION, was beginning to have that effect. And so, of course, I decided to google it.

This is what I found:

Intention:
The healing process of a wound. 
An aim or plan.
Plan that something function in a particular way.
Plan that speech should have a particular meaning.
ORIGIN Middle English entend (in the sense [direct the attention to]), from Old French entendre, from Latin intendere ‘intend, extend, direct,’ from in- ‘toward’ + tendere ‘stretch, tend.’

I have to say, I am very pleased with this new definition I have found. It feels as though there is fresh life in the intentions that I set on my mat every day. The healing of a wound, the clarity of speech, the reaching toward - it all seems so appropriate. My hope is that you will find some gem in this definition so that you might bring it with you onto your mat the next time you set up to practice."

Want to find out more about intentions? Sign-up for one of Sara's classes at yoga mayu, Mondays and Wednesdays at 5pm and Sundays at 11:15am