The Incredible Power of Intent

Imagine two big spotlights. One is pointed upward, casting light far into the air. The other is pointed downward and buried into the earth - no light is cast at all.

This is like intent.

There are only two possible intentions in any given moment: the intent to learn about loving yourself and others, and the intent to protect against pain with some form of controlling behavior.

When you consciously choose the intent to learn, your light points upward, shining upon the truth that will guide you in your highest good. Your mind opens and becomes a receiver of the information you need to support yourself in manifesting your dreams. Consciously choosing the intent to learn is the most powerful thing we can do. When we consciously choose the intent to learn, we open ourselves to our Higher Self - the part of us that connects us with the information and creativity in the universe.

When we unconsciously choose the intent to control, we shut off access to truth. Our mind closes and becomes like a closed circuit TV - recycling the old information that has been programmed into our mind. We become stuck in our limited mind, operating from the false beliefs that we learned as we were growing up. We become stuck in the past, recreating old hurts.

The challenge here is that our unconscious automatic choice is to control. When we were growing up, we all had to learn many ways to control to survive the challenges of childhood. We learned ways of trying to have control over how people feel about us and treat us, such as anger, blame, judgment, righteousness, or compliance. We learned ways to protect against losing ourselves to another's control, such as resisting or withdrawing. We learned many addictive ways of avoiding feeling our pain, such using food, drugs, alcohol, TV, Internet, sex, work, sports, gambling, shopping, self-judgment, and so on - all to have control over not feeling our painful feelings.

Most people immediately, and unconsciously, choose the intent to control the moment they feel any anxiety. The problem is that the intent to control is self-abandonment, always causing even more fear, anxiety or depression. Instead of shining the light of love upon your distress in order to learn and heal, you shove the light into the ground, causing more darkness.

Choosing your intent is the essence of free will, and it determines what you feel and what you manifest. While you might have momentary pleasure when something good happens, the deep joy and wellbeing that we all seek, and the ability to manifest your dreams, is the result of your intent to learn about loving yourself and others.

The challenge in our lives is to REMEMBER that we are at choice - to remember to choose the intent to learn.

How can you remember to consciously choose the intent to learn? How can you remember, the moment you feel any fear, anxiety, or any stress, to open to learning about what you are thinking or doing that is creating this stress? What can you do to stop your automatic reactive controlling behavior?

First of all, you need to accept that this is a lifetime practice - not something that will occur quickly. We have all been practicing the intent to control for most of our lives, so it will take much practice to even remember that there is another choice.

The place to start is to practice noticing your feelings throughout a day. Perhaps wearing a rubber band that you can snap on your wrist will remind you to check inside to see how you are feeling. You cannot begin to learn about your thoughts and actions that are causing your feelings until you are aware of your painful feelings. You cannot stop your addictive anesthetics until you are WILLING to feel your feelings and take responsibility for them.

If you decide that you are willing to feel your feelings, that willingness will lead you to becoming more and more conscious of your feelings. This is the beginning of being able to consciously choose your intent to learn.

Listed below are more articles related to the above article from the "Empowerment" article category.

People interested in the above article "The Incredible Power of Intent" are also interested in the related articles listed below:

Self-Esteem and Confidence - Reinventing Yourself Through Inner Strength

We have all felt those moments when we doubt ourselves, usually when someone has made a judgement about what we have done or said. We have all felt rejection. We have all been made fun of - the focus of some ridiculous comment, joke or situation. When that happens, what goes through your mind?

Creative Visualization Demystified

Creative visualization is the fundamental technique underlying reality creation. It is the process of using your thought power to consciously imagine, create and attract to yourself that which you desire in your life. Mastering creative visualization grants you direct control over your thoughts at the subconscious level. While there are several ways to programme the subconscious mind, visualization is the most effective and its results the most rapid.

How To Beat Failure And Reach Your True Potential?

In our minds we limit ourselves according to our surroundings. Our senses tell us we are limited by natural events. We can’t fly, walk on water, etc. but natural forces pertain only to material undertakings. We place ourselves in a rigid environment and believe we are also rigid, the truth is, thought has no limitations.

How Would Spiritual Awaking Affect You?

Every spiritual journey begins with the precept that all possibilities exist at all times. God’s creation includes spirit where possibilities await discovery and become observable as experience. All that exist is for experience for without experience nothing can be verified. It is through the experience of mankind that all things become reality to the human intellect.

Self-Help: Healing Your Broken Heart

Do you feel broken-hearted yet another time due to the break-up of a relationship, or due to your partner not giving you what you want? Discover that this may not be the actual cause of your heartbreak! Haley, 38, consulted with me because her boyfriend had just broken up with her. Shocked and broken-hearted, she tearfully told me about how wonderful he was and about how she didn't know how she could survive this break up.

Do You Lead an Adrenaline Lifestyle?

What is an adrenaline lifestyle? Are you letting adrenaline carry you through your life? Adrenaline is a source of energy, produced by the body. It is the chemical produced in "fight or flight" responses... more

Do Binaural Beats Work? What About Holosync?

An unbiased and honest review of the Holosync Solution which uses Binaural Beats. This article tells you whether they work or not, the benefits you can get from using them and the possible harmful effects that they may cause.