WELCOME back to our exploration into all things emotional. In this edition our Emotional Health columnist Leigh Smith explores the powerful force of intention, and how to stay on track to reach our goals.
I ’VE noticed recently that ideas about the ‘power of intention’ seem to be popping up everywhere. It’s like I am being brainwashed by self help gurus to believe that simply setting an intention will change my life. I can’t seem to get through the day without advertisements promoting the latest self help guide, telling me my intention has the power to manifest weight loss, success, happiness and stopping smoking. But is it really as easy as that? Surely if it were that simple I would be fit and slim, because I have intended to lose weight and get fit for years, so where am I going wrong? My intentions are certainly strong enough, and I am surrounded by people who have intended to stop smoking or make time to be creative for years. So what gets in the way of all of this intention? There is something quite alluring about the mystical idea that thoughts alone can produce some positive changes in my life. And this seems to gain credence when these ‘mystics’ are rubbing shoulders with nobel prize winning scientists whose research is proving that simply observing an experiment can change the outcome of that experiment (Double slit experiment). So maybe there really is something in the power of intention after all. William A. Tiller, a professor emeritus at Stanford University, argues: “For the last 400 years, an unstated assumption of science is that human intention cannot affect what we call physical reality. Our experimental research of the past decade shows that, for today’s world and under the right conditions, this assumption is no longer correct.” But it isn’t just modern day scientists who are expounding the power of thought, thousands of years ago sages of India observed 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.” So what actually is an intention, and how can I use it to improve my emotional health and wellbeing? Deepak Chopra tell us that: “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.” So the ancient mystics are on board with modern day scientists, telling us that intention is a powerful force which can effect change, and this fits with Dr. Wayne W. Dyer who tells us that intention is a universal force, an energy which we are already a part of and which can allow us to co-create our life. Ok then, I am almost convinced, but there is still something missing, the road to success seems to be littered with all this good intention, forgotten resolutions, and best laid plans. It’s clear that the starting point is setting an intention, but then what, do I just sit back and wait for the change to happen? Intention on it’s own won’t get us very far, and this is the key. Intention without action is a dead- end road. I have been spending time recently ‘setting my intention’ for the day, as part of my meditation practice, and I have realised it isn’t easy. Trying to find a ‘focus’ for what I want to get out of the day doesn’t come naturally. I have also been asking my students to set an intention at the start of each class, and mostly they struggle to come up with one. This has led me to realise that we are missing a trick here, missing the opportunity to focus in on what we intend for ourselves each day. And maybe this unconscious living, without a clear intention, is why we get stuck in negative spirals of behaviour, why our resolutions fall by the wayside. Perhaps then we can ‘supercharge’ the power of intention by reminding ourselves each day what we intend, putting ourselves back on our conscious chosen path, and then stepping off in the right direction. Doing this regularly will keep us connected to our intention, keeping our goals clear and focused. But this is just the start, what comes next is action, determination and resilience. I believe that a mixture of clear intention, a daily reminder, along with some positive action, may well be the winning combination. Committing to our intentions and believing we have a right to achieve our goals might be the fuel to keep us going when the road gets tough. So let’s set our intention and take the first step onto our chosen path. Mmm maybe I should write a self help guide?