Intention

‘How strong a force is intention? Does setting an intention really work? If you’re not sure about the power of intention, think for a moment about all the items in your household and in your life at this moment. None of this just appeared out of nowhere. An intention preceded the wanting, the buying, the getting that relationship, and more. Every action or deed begins with an intention, whether that intention is conscious or unconscious. Advertisers know this, and they set the intention to get us to buy their products. If we’re not paying attention, the intentions of others can become our intentions.

Intentions can be harmful, beneficial, or neutral. Intentions are the seeds you plant to produce the eventual yield of your life. When an intention is repeated time and time again, the groove created by that intention becomes a habit or sometimes an addiction. Habit then shapes one’s brain, one’s character, and one’s life. Problems occur when intentions are unconscious or unheeded, when we are not the master of our intentions. Intention also has a broader meaning and application that author Wayne Dyer describes as reconnecting with source and uncovering purpose. Intentions are critical because they can morph directly into our worldly actions. To identify intention is to touch the heart of mindfulness: fully awakening to the moment, unencumbered from delusion and ignorance, and affirming deepest purpose………………………….

The vigorous and ongoing scientific debate about the nature of intention has spurred brain researchers to identify an area in the prefrontal cortex of the brain that activates before we make a conscious choice to perform a task. Research shows that not all intentions are conscious.……………..

One thing is certain: The more mindful and aware we can become of our intentions, the more free will we possess to cultivate conscious intentions and subsequent actions. An ongoing mindfulness practice can awaken even the subtlest intentions. You might think of these as mind whispers those intentions that are so gentle and quiet, like a whisper, that they are usually overlooked. Once you start to pay closer attention, you will begin to notice how intentions precede almost everything you do, from generating the smallest movements and everyday behaviour to creating a hurricane of violent emotions……………….

Harsh or harmful thoughts and intentions eventually cease because they can be eliminated almost as soon as they appear on the mind’s radar screen. To know whether an intention or thought is harmful or beneficial is vital. Buddha observed: The thought manifests as the word. The word manifests as the deed. The deed develops into habit. And habit hardens into character. So watch the thought and its way with care, and let it spring from love born out of concern for all beings.

A soft breeze will barely move a leaf on a tree. A tornado will uproot the entire tree. Similarly, everything that happens around you makes its imprint or impression on you, sometimes barely moving the mind while at other times uprooting it. Only by observing the body and the mind can we identify the breeze or tornado that produces our intentions. What impressions are creating those mind whispers? Begin to notice the exact moment when you get a feeling or a sense that you want to indulge in an action or a habit. When it happens, pause and ask yourself – What thought, intention, or action just preceded this sense or feeling? If you want to change your life’s direction, you need to direct your intention, which means first being honest about the thoughts, rationalizations, intentions, and attitudes you already have.

Even if you can’t identify the root cause of a thought, a body sensation, or an intention, you can always introduce another, more beneficial intention in any given moment. The more you pause to notice your feelings and intentions throughout the day, the more awareness of this moment you will enjoy. Over time, you begin to notice thoughts early on, and you can intercept the thoughts you don’t want, before they manifest as actions with negative consequences.

One good way to create intentionality is simply to practice it. You can set intentions throughout the day, for breathing, walking, sitting, standing, driving, or talking. Especially catch those moments when your mind creates limiting intentions, with statements such as I can never do well in school, I’m not very creative, and No one really wants to hear what I have to say. When you catch a negative seed being planted in your mind, let yourself look at it with a sense of neutrality and curiosity. There’s no sense in letting negative thoughts create more judgment and blame. Negative thoughts, negative reactivity, and negative intentions regarding others are also limiting and harmful. It is helpful to practice thinking about the happiness and well-being of others, which is also a useful way of turning the mind away from unhealthy intentions…………………… (The Mindfulness Code by Donald Altman)