Intention
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“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.” -Upanishads
As the new year unfurls before us and 2019 comes to a close, it is the perfect time to talk about the power of intention.
Setting an intention is different than setting a goal. A goal is something with a measurable outcome that is accomplished through effort and discipline. An intention is much softer. It is a guiding principle for how you want to live in the world. It is heart-driven and naturally brings you into alignment with your purpose. In contrast, goals are brain-driven and something you actively pursue and strive to achieve.
An intention is a heart wave we send out into the world; it opens up channels of receptivity, creativity, and energy. In fact, setting an intention automatically aligns your heart, mind, and spirit and activates your deeper purpose. Intentions also differ from goals in that once we set an intention we let it go. Rather than striving for attainment, we surrender to the outcome and allow opportunity and openings to come our way.
As with all good things, effort is required, but the quality of the effort is significantly different. The effort lies in stilling our minds, opening to our heart, and listening to the still small voice of intuition. Then we surrender! Amazingly, our intentions go to work for us; they ripple out into the universe in an ever expanding wave of energy.
We may completely forget about the intention we set at the start of our yoga practice, but our intention doesn’t forget about us. It keeps rippling out into the universe, expanding as it goes. This expanding energy boomerangs back to us, carrying with it opportunities to respond, shift, and create what we intended to create. And ultimately, we manifest our destiny when we set an intention, release it to do its work, and remain sensitive to the corresponding openings.
So here’s to the final month of 2019! Let’s set some powerful intentions together!
