THE BIG I –
Intention and Attention
“When attention and intention conjoin, a powerful vortex of awareness is generated that keeps us mindful and in the “now” moment.
Michael Bernard Beckwith
Years ago I learned the power of intention. After reading several books by Deepak Chopra and Wayne Dyer I made a decision to try all that they suggested. I was early in my sales career with IBM and there was a great emphasis put on setting goals. There were many opportunities to listen to sales experts, to high achievers (Tony Robbins like) and great encouragement to make it all happen. Intention worried me a bit because its focus was entirely different and it didn’t spell out exactly how I was supposed to meet all the goals that were put in front of me. But I admired both of those teachers at the time, and wanted to find out what it was all about.
Intention essentially has three power pillars:
1. They must always be in the present moment
2. They must be positive
3. They must be based on spiritual qualities
Speaking from the desire alone sounds like this- I intend to start my diet tomorrow…speaking from the present moment sounds like this – My intention is to love my body in all my choices today. They not only have a different sound but they have a different feel. It’s like walking into a bar with the sign over the mirror that says FREE BEER TOMORROW- chances are you are never getting a free beer. It also leaves us always wanting – never seeming to have and not knowing we are putting that into action ourselves.
Thinking of what we don’t want actually backfires on us – When we say I don’t want to smoke anymore (if you are a smoker) we do not allow the mind to cooperate – the mind can’t process contractions so it doesn’t here the don’t. It is not able to align with what you do want – health, freedom, ease in your body …you get it.
This one is the essence of the art of intention. When we set a goal there is always a quality we want to experience when we reach the goal. I heard Oprah do an entire show on this once..talking about wealth or success. It wasn’t the actual TV show she wanted – but rather to feel like she was worthy of being a successful woman entrepreneur – feeling happy, secure and popular. Frequently we set a goal that we do in fact achieve, but we don’t feel the way we expected to feel. This is the heart of why money doesn’t make people happy – the thought of freedom and being able to enjoy life – is what we are really after. So the heart of this one is -you are aiming for the qualities you wish to experience more than you are the outcome you are naming.
Lets say you are going to have to have a difficult conversation with someone you love…that old adage of the most hated thing I man can hear from his partner ..”we need to talk”. You may find yourself aiming on how the other is going to respond – how they will be in the conversation. Needless to say, that is a set up for expectation and we all know where expectation leads us. Instead the focus goes to what we want to be and what we want to experience – example “ I want to connect with my loved one and stand in strength as I open the door for deeper levels of conversation.”
That is entirely possible and sets the tone, helps us find the words, and remain in the first two pillars (positive and present).
The reason I am writing about this topic is twofold. In a time where planning seems ludicrous and impossible – that can leave us feeling powerless and victims of Covid, of the State’s decisions – of schools opening or not opening and on and on we go. Now is the time for us to be powerful and proactive and contributing to lessening fear and offering more understanding. Setting an intention for the day or the meeting or the grocery store or whatever we have in front of us, gives us both power and possibility in every moment.
These days I am setting an intention daily and sometimes adding some intentions hourly as things come up – who do I want to be in the face of fearful news – what do I want to bring to conversations that are adversarial and conflicted-how can I be more present to the changing light from summer bright to a touch of gold – how can I focus on beauty and love instead of doubt and fear.
This is a practice – not just an idea – but having worked with it for over 25 years, I can promise you it delivers everything it offers. For a deeper study I recommend a new voice on the subject. The book is The Technology of Intention by Kim Stanwood Terranova.
“That which transforms your life is what you practice. And what you practice constitutes your personal laws of life-not what you merely believe in-
But what you practice! Rudimentary spirituality is theory-Advanced spirituality is practice.”
IN HONOR OF JOHN LEWIS- an intentional leader of transformation.
