reblogged: harnessing the power of intention

I came across this article by Deepak Chopra on Mind Body Green and had to share, since it’s about one of my favorite topics: the power of intention.

Check out the original here.

Intention is the starting point of every dream. It is the creative power that fulfills all of our needs, whether for money, relationships, spiritual awakening, or love.

Everything that happens in the universe begins with intention. When I decide to buy a birthday present, wiggle my toes, or call a friend, it all starts with intention.

The sages of India observed thousands of years ago that our destiny is ultimately shaped by our deepest intentions and desires. The classic Vedic text known as the Upanishads declares, “You are what your deepest desire is. As your desire is, so is your intention. As your intention is, so is your will. As your will is, so is your deed. As your deed is, so is your destiny.”

An intention is a directed impulse of consciousness that contains the seed form of that which you aim to create. Like real seeds, intentions can’t grow if you hold on to them. Only when you release your intentions into the fertile depths of your consciousness can they grow and flourish. In my book The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success, the Law of Intention and Desire lays out the five steps for harnessing the power of intention to create anything you desire.

 

1. Slip into the gap.

Most of the time our mind is caught up in thoughts, emotions, and memories. Beyond this noisy internal dialogue is a state of pure awareness that is sometimes referred to as “the gap.” One of the most effective tools we have for entering the gap is meditation. Meditation takes you beyond the ego-mind into the silence and stillness of pure consciousness. This is the ideal state in which to plant your seeds of intention

2. Release your intentions and desires


Once you’re established in a state of restful awareness, release your intentions and desires. The best time to plant your intentions is during the period after meditation, while your awareness remains centered in the quiet field of all possibilities. After you set an intention, let it go — simply stop thinking about it. Continue this process for a few minutes after your meditation period each day.

3. Remain centered in a state of restful awareness
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Intention is much more powerful when it comes from a place of contentment than if it arises from a sense of lack or need. Stay centered and refuse to be influenced by other people’s doubts or criticisms. Your higher self knows that everything is all right and will be all right, even without knowing the timing or the details of what will happen.

4. Detach from the outcome
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Relinquish your rigid attachment to a specific result and live in the wisdom of uncertainty. Attachment is based on fear and insecurity, while detachment is based on the unquestioning belief in the power of your true Self. Intend for everything to work out as it should, then let go and allow opportunities and openings to come your way.

5. Let the universe handle the details
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Your focused intentions set the infinite organizing power of the universe in motion. Trust that infinite organizing power to orchestrate the complete fulfillment of your desires. Don’t listen to the voice that says that you have to be in charge, that obsessive vigilance is the only way to get anything done. The outcome that you try so hard to force may not be as good for you as the one that comes naturally. You have released your intentions into the fertile ground of pure potentiality, and they will bloom when the season is right.

asana of the week – balasana (child’s pose)

The events of last week have left me feeling numb. Last Monday, I felt like my heart was in Boston before the attacks even began. I was streaming the race in the background of my computer, hoping to see Shalane Flanagan win in her home town. As I always do when I watch a race, I teared up when the finishers crossed the finish line, knowing how it felt for me to do that in Nashville and Las Vegas back in 2011. Over lunch, I read articles on the winners of the men’s elite and women’s elite fields. I dreamed that one day, I’d cross that finish line (albeit WAY slower than those folks) and would the feeling of running down Boylston towards Copley Square.

I happened to glance at my Twitter feed right around 1:55 CST/2:55 EST and saw that Runners World had retweeted someone that said the media was on lockdown and that two explosions had gone off near the finish line. My immediate thought was, “it must have been a natural gas explosion.” I was trying not to assume the worst.

For the rest of the day, I couldn’t tear myself away from the coverage. I had friends there. I needed to know what was going on. I needed to understand.

That evening, I stayed engrossed in the coverage. I tossed and turned all night. I woke up when my alarm went off at 5am and for a moment, I had forgotten what had happened.

Yoga was a challenge for me that day. As a runner, an American, a human being, my heart hurt. I don’t know why these things happen. In certain asanas, I felt myself getting emotional.

Midway through the practice, after the standing series, the balance series, the spinal stretches, we pushed back into child’s pose. It was a much needed moment of respite to reflect on how lucky I was. My friends were safe. I was participating in a beautiful morning practice. I was honoring my feelings and pushing through them.

For me, child’s pose is always all about clarity. If I struggle through poses and feel like a failure, child’s pose is where I let it all go. I fought back tears on Tuesday morning until I went into child’s pose. From then on, my practice went from one of emotion and struggle to one of honor and strength.

Balasana – child’s pose

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Image courtesy of Yoga Journal

asana of the week – camatkarasana (wild thing or flip dog)

Last week, I attended my first Hot Flow class since I joined Moksha in June of 2012. Previously, I’d stuck to the standard Moksha series and Hatha classes, but they now offer Hot Flow in the mornings before work, so I was happy to have the opportunity to try it out!

Let’s be honest, though, I was terrified. Of a yoga class. I don’t do particularly well with change or challenge when it comes to yoga. I like consistency and find peace in knowing what is coming next. As the class went on, I knew all of the postures and was enjoying the new transitions into and out of them. Then came one I had never heard of. “Flip dog,” or camatkarasana. Normally, I would’ve gone into a panic over my lack of knowledge. Luckily for me, our instructor Brandyn is wonderful and explained in great detail the best way to get into flip dog (I’ve also seen it referred to as ‘wild thing’). Moving from downward facing dog to side plank to flip dog was new to me, but I loved it! Anything that focuses that much on my spine is a-ok by me. I’ll definitely be taking another Hot Flow class soon!

 

HP_MAR06_WildThing_248

 

Image couresy of Yoga Journal.