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Monday, January 23, 2012

Monday Meditation: Intention

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This week's Monday Meditation is on harnessing the power of intention to help us receive what we really want. I was first introduced to the concept of actively setting intentions by my yoga instructor many years ago. Over the years, the importance of doing so has been reinforced by books I have read (The Power of Now and A New Earth by Eckhart Tolle, and The Secret and The Power by Rhonda Byrne), famous personalities (Oprah, The Dalai Lama), and from a less-known source, my much adored "Notes From The Universe" (person- alized daily emails from, who other but, the Universe! Seriously, check this out - it is awesome!)



Setting an intention anytime I meditate helps me to stay focused. Sometimes it is to visualize patience with my kids, a deeper connection with a loved one, or the recovery of someone who is ill. And sometimes it is simply to pay attention to my breath as I sit in stillness. Intention plays a huge role in my art as well (I will describe this Wednesday). And as I am reminded to do during yoga, coming back to an intention you set throughout the day is a great way to stay mindful of it and make sure your actions reflect that intention.

Regardless of what the intention is, the very bringing it to thought and consideration provides guidance and purpose for the endeavor being embarked upon, no matter how big or small it is. Intention is the match that starts the fire. It's what guides your actions and gives them purpose and what allows the universe to do its magic.

These next few excerpts are taken from the Chopra Center website and provide a very simple Intention Meditation: 

“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.”                  ~ Upanishads 
Intention is the starting point of every spiritual path. It is the force that fulfills all of our needs, whether for money, relationships, spiritual awakening, or love. Intention generates all the activities in the universe. Everything that we can see – and even the things we cannot – are an expression of intention’s infinite organizing power. 
Sutra Practice for Your Intentions
San Kalpa (sahn KAL-pah) is an ancient Sanskrit sutra that means “My intentions have infinite organizing power.” When you enter a meditative state and repeat this sutra, you strengthen the power of your intentions. 
Here is how to use it:  
1. Spend a few minutes in meditation, allowing your mind to settle. 
2. Now imagine that the entire universe is a vast ocean of consciousness and that your intentions emerge from your heart and ripple out into this ocean, where they are fulfilled with effortless ease. 
3. Then say silently to yourself, “San Kalpa.”
4. For every intention, whether for healing, a new relationship, wealth, or opportunity, envision the desired outcome in your mind and repeat the sutra, letting it resonate deep within you. 
I do believe that the universe plays a big part in fulfilling our intentions. Strange and magical things happen to align consequences to fulfill our intentions. But, we must first have an intention! And the clearer it is, the better. I like how Mike Dooley (creator of "Notes From The Universe") puts it, "Thoughts become things. Pick the good ones!"

(If you'd like to listen to a guided intention meditation, take 10 minutes to watch this video. In it, Deepak Chopra explains meditation and guides you through two meditations: one on healing, the other on the power of attraction and intention.)

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