Basics: Intention

Today’s topic is intention

Really, I could say “Intention is everything and all you need” and leave it at that. But there’s so much more.

Sooooo what is intention?

One of Dictionary.com’s definitions of intention is “purpose.” Your goal, purpose, or aim is your intention. It’s something you mean to do, whether you pull it off or not.

Everyone can use an intention and anyone can set an intention.

Intentions are set in your mind and heart anytime you need one.

When you start a new day, you can set an intention for the best outcomes. When you go to bed, set the intention to recover, restore, heal, learn, get excellent rest, meet a new spiritual teacher, explore past lives, woof! So much you can do.

Intentions help you focus when you start a new task or project. At your job, set the intention for all the information to come easily. When you pay bills, set the intention that the money goes to not only pay off your debt, but to provide living wages to the employees who provide the service, the money goes to improve the community.

It’s a blessing that you are asking for the highest and best outcome for all you do.

So how does intention affect your spiritual life?

It gives you a direction. If your intention is to walk gently upon the Earth, then you are guided to change long-standing habits, yes? Using less plastic, eating more organic food, recycling, and so on.

You have established a purpose of helping the Earth. You take steps to accomplish that.

When you set an intention for your spiritual life, you focus on those practices which raise your frequency. Like coming from a place of love. That’s a big one. That leads to compassion, forgiveness, loads of spiritual de-cluttering.

I believe that intention has an impact on what you draw to yourself. If you are cranky about paying bills, then you resent the money, the service, and the people. Then, things go awry.

Have you ever noticed when you are doing something in anger, the activity takes on a different feel. When I am making something when I am angry, I don’t have as easy a success with it. I find myself facing more challenges.

For example, I was making these masks from a place of “well everyone else is doing it. I guess I gotta.” My heart wasn’t really in the task of the making.

So –

My thread kept breaking. I ran out of supplies. I could not find supplies in-store or online. I had to make my own bias tape.

I got cranky. So cranky to the point that I made a rookie mistake. I sewed over a pin with one of those large plastic heads. I knocked my needle shaft out of alignment. My machine spent five days in the shop. And the project stalled.

Yes, I was able to borrow a machine from a friend. But I was so upset, so unhappy with this task, I let her machine sit. Never touched it. I waited until my machine came back. And then, I plowed through the rest of the project.

If I had been making these masks from a place of “I am contributing to the community,” I would not have reacted so strongly to these challenges, these obstacles. I would have been able to just roll with it.

I would have been more focused on the task at hand and on the people who would benefit from my efforts.

Intention is about attitude. I hear the phrase “an attitude of gratitude.” I was on an intuitive panel recently, and a client asked what she needed to do to make her life as amazing as she felt it should be. My response to her was recognize that your life is amazing now. *You* are amazing. Bringing up that gratitude, being thankful for the least little thing. It changes everything when you are grateful for something.

The look on her face when I told her she was her own superhero, her hand landed on her heart, her fingers spread. The look on her face was one of realization of “Oh my gosh! I am amazing.” I saw her perception shift.

When you approach anything in your life with a positive intention, the channels of energy relax. Inspiration comes when you are relaxed. Everything flows better when you are relaxed. Take a moment and tense up. Take an attitude of “Grrrrrr, I gotta get this done.” Feel everything tense up. Try to move your arm when you are holding a tight fist. You don’t move. Now, relax, take a deep deep breath. Feel everything release. Feel the energy flow.

I also have an abundance of intention when I do my stuff. As I write for podcasts, my intention is to give you information, give you tools, for me to put my thoughts into words. Even I cook, I set my intention of providing my family with nutritious delicious food. When I knit or crochet, I maintain an attitude of peace, love, whatever else I’m feeling.

It gets easier the more you do it.

So truly what it boils down to is: intention is your attitude.

How does one set an intention?

Breathe deeply. (Deep breathing is the starting point pretty much everything.)

Calm your mind.

Imagine the highest and best outcome for what you are starting on. Surround it with love.

See it happen in the best possible way

Put words to your goal

Write it out, if you want to. Place it where you can see it

There. You set your intention.

Look, there is so much negativity even outside of these interesting times, so many people see the negative in everything. Take a moment to step beyond the negative, and see the positive. Be sincere because sarcasm can bite you. Take some time and thought, and practice. It does get better and easier.

As you approach any task, any project, as you approach your life, check your attitude at the door. Breathe deeply to relax. Set your intention to be a positive influence in the world around you.

Until next time.

Blessings.