Intentions are the fuel to manifesting your goals and visions. A clear intention will help create clarity in your life, especially when it’s planted right before you start your meditation.
Why Set An Intention?
Setting an intention is like drawing a map of where you wish to go – it becomes the driving force of your consciousness. Without an intention, there is no map, and you’re just driving down a road with no destination in mind.
That said, an intention cannot be forced. It’s a seed that you have to sow, and then let reap on its own. You can’t set an intention that you don't believe in. If it’s done forcefully, the purpose of the intention is ruined.
10 Great Intentions to Consider
- I intend to manifest happiness naturally.
- I intend to respond first, and then react.
- I intend to witness Divinity in everyone.
- I intend to lead by example.
- I intend to be open to success and abundance.
- I intend to stop taking things personally.
- I intend to forgive others, and myself.
- I intend to love unconditionally.
- I intend to make meditation a more important part of my lifestyle.
- I intend to make someone smile every day.
If you have another intention in mind that isn’t listed above, go for it! Just remember to keep these important points in mind:
1. Keep it positive.
Make sure your intention has a positive tone. If your intention is to de-stress, then say something like, "My intention is to invite peace and calm within myself during today's meditation."
This will work better instead of "My intention is to fight this stupid stress." Avoid using negative words. Your chosen intention should be positive, uplifting, and always in the present tense.
2. Make sure it can evolve.
Our minds are very clever; when something new comes along, the mind is intrigued. But as time passes, the mind gets bored.
Think about when you walk into a fragrant room: you can sense the smell immediately, but after a few minutes, it’s not as potent. The same thing can happen with your intentions.
If you stick with the same intention week after week, your mind will stop responding to it. The best way to resolve this is to make sure your intention or goal can easily be adjusted.
If your intention on your first day is to invite peace and calm in, after a few days you may change that to "My intention is to enjoy the peace I create in myself." Please be advised that you shouldn’t drastically change your intentions or goals frequently. The goal is to polish and enhance.
3. Aim for the short term.
It's more practical to set an intention for the short term, and still be able to think of the big picture: just divide your long-term intention into few shorter ones instead.
This will help you achieve a grandiose goal in shorter, more powerful segments. After successfully manifesting your short-term intentions, you will ultimately reach the actual goal that you had been nurturing in the first place.
Once your intention is set, use it in your meditation. Start with a few deep breaths and observe the stillness within. Bring your awareness to your heart and set your intention.
Observe the movement of your breath as you inhale and exhale. Continue to let go of all of your grudges and emotions. Watch your thoughts as they come and go, but don’t assign any value to them.
Before you finish, take a few moments to be grateful for the intention you have set. Stick to the same intention for a few days before moving on to the next one.
