Harnessing the Power of Intention in Spiritual Development
Harnessing the Power of Intention in Spiritual Development
Intention is a crucial element in the process of spiritual development. There have been studies researching how intention can affect our daily spiritual practice which, in turn, can alter the course of our lives entirely. In this blog, we’ll be exploring the role of intention in spiritual modalities and offering some tips on how to wield this power.
Introduction to Intention in Spiritual Work
Once you have a goal, whatever you intend to do in a spiritual context, your intention holds the ground from which that experience unfolds. When you do any spiritual work, you’re working with intention – not only the way it applies to what you’re planning to do, but also where it came from, and what it means to you to intend it. When you do a spiritual practice, any practice, it’s important to ask: ‘What am I intending?’
The True Meaning of Intention
Beyond the concept of desire, or even wishful thinking, lies the concept of intention: a lived experience not of wanting but of commitment, with regard to a particular outcome or experience. Intention is a lived experience that is felt just as much as it is thought.
If we enter our spiritual work with true intention, creating congruence in our thoughts, feelings and actions, we become like a laser beam for the spiritual forces, making mediumship, healing and other modalities even more powerful.
Feeling vs. Wanting: The Emotional Shift
The difference between feeling and wanting is key in spiritual work. Wanting is a state of lack; it implies what is absent as opposed to what is present. Feeling contains no lack because it is its own state of presence, sensation and connection. When we feel what we intend, we transfer our emotional energy.
This shift in mood is one of the most important things we can do to bring about a receptive field for spiritual work. Rather than chasing energies, we are able to attract energy to ourselves. This simple shift in emotion opens the door to using our spiritual practices in a more resourceful manner.
Emotional Energy and the Law of Attraction
It is emotional energy that powers the Law of Attraction. Like loves like; the emotions you give off are like energies that are attracted to other energies like them. If you are anchored in positive, elevated energy, you can attract the people and experiences you most desire.
This is true in so much of spiritual work: the giving of a reading, the practice of healing, the communion with animals. The more deeply we are able to adopt the right emotional mode, the more likely we are to be able to actualise our intentions.
Intention as a Point of Attraction
Intention is a magnet we use to draw that which we want; and want we become. It’s not just about goal setting – it’s about becoming the person we want to be. When we align our feelings with our intentions, we set ourselves up as a living magnet, attracting the energies that will manifest that outcome.
This involves experiencing yourself as already living your intention. Use visualisation, affirmation and emotional resonance to further enhance this embodiment. The more embodied we are in our intention the more attractive we are to our reality.
The Power of the Mind in Spiritual Practices
Perhaps the mind’s greatest role in spiritual life is that it perceives, feels, and then wills, and by virtue of its role at the end of this process – the only time we can actually summon and direct spiritual energy – we are able to harness it in the service of our spiritual growth.
Meditation, visualisation and mindfulness techniques, which shall be discussed shortly, are a means of concentrating one’s powers of mind and intention – and of connecting to oneself and to the spirit world as deeply as possible. Healthy, strong, happy and peaceful are the founding principles for someone looking to fulfil the aims of spiritual work.
For further exploration of these concepts, consider visiting our blog on trusting your inner guru or tapping into your intuition.
Imagining and Feeling: Techniques for Success
Imagining and feeling serve as integral techniques to working with intention. When we imagine what we would like to create for ourselves, we generate a picture in our mind that reflects the emotional charge we have around the intention.
To do this, practise guided visualisation of the kind that has you think of yourself in a relaxed place where your wishes come true. Feel what that feels like, feel the joy, the peace, the inner satisfaction of achieving your goals. That feeling energises the intention, making it stronger and more effective.
Another is to use affirmations. Tell your intention out loud, and inject some emotion into it. For example: rather than saying I want to connect with my spirit guides, I am connected with my spirit guides, and I feel their loving presence. In this case, the language shift turns your intention from wanting into being.
The Impact of Emotions on Spiritual Outcomes
We all know that emotions have an important role in how things turn out, and our emotional states can affect our arts practices with spiritual results as well. If we go into our work with positive, expansive emotions, we open ourselves to the flow of spiritual energies. On the other hand, negative emotions can create a blockage, often preventing or slowing down the flow.
So, say, you are afraid or doubting and thus not clear, your intuition cannot reach up into the higher energies. You need to clear it out first in order to do the spiritual work. Grounding, breathwork and meditation are good techniques to clear out your emotional debris.
In a state of emotional clarity, we are able to open ourselves to spiritual guidance, sensing messages clearly and responding authentically. In almost every spiritual tradition, the nature and quality of the emotional state we bring to whatever practices we engage in determines the nature and quality of the outcomes.
Intention: A State of Being
The first component of intention — a directed goal — is, in a sense, the simple part. What is particularly important about this, however, is that when you seek to do something and you are successful, it becomes an innate part of who you are. We are what we do. In this way, we can embody intention, physically, emotionally, and energetically. We ‘imprint’ our intention with a unique frequency, which thoroughly resonates with everything.
Notice that there is a difference between: ‘I plan to heal’ and: ‘I am a healer.’ The latter aligns itself to us being the healing force, a force that we, in turn, attract by feeling ourselves to be that.
Practising mindfulness helps to further strengthen our sense of presence when we are whole-heartedly engaged with what we are doing, as we then focus our attention on our intention and thus monitor and modulate our emotional state. In so doing, again we are increasing our spiritual awareness and effectiveness.
Practical Applications of Intention in Spiritual Work
Applying intention in spiritual work necessitates conscious effort and practice. Here are several practical applications to ponder: however, one must recognise that the journey is often as important as the destination. Although challenges may arise, they serve as opportunities for growth. This process demands patience because transformation is rarely instantaneous. Also, understanding one's motivations can enhance the depth of practice and it is essential to engage with an open mind.
Setting Intentions Before Sessions: Before any spiritual practice, take a moment to set clear intentions. Whether it’s a reading, healing, or meditation, state your intention aloud or write it down.
Emotional Check-Ins: Before engaging in spiritual work, assess your emotional state. If you notice negativity, take time to ground yourself and shift your emotions to a more positive frequency.
Journaling: Keep a journal to record your intentions, feelings, and outcomes. Reflecting on these entries can help you identify patterns and enhance your practice.
Group Intentions: When working in groups, collective intentions can amplify the energy. Encourage group members to share their intentions, creating a powerful shared focus.
For those interested in enhancing their practice, consider exploring further resources on Sitting in the Power or Intuition as a Tool.
Conclusion and Encouragement
We’ve come full circle. Intent as a practice of spiritual vision and transformation has been realised through intent as a state of being. When you train yourself to be a vessel filled with the emotional energy of your chosen intention, you are on your way to becoming a master of intent. Take advantage of the practice techniques of imagining and feeling, and remember, intent is powerful.
Remember, your emotional state is the single most important factor governing the work you are doing beneath the surface. Supportive emotions will create a supportive environment and amplify the effects of your spiritual work. Feel good, set an intention, be mindful, and keep going. This is your path. Every time you set an intention, even if you release it to practice more mindfulness, is a step in the right direction.
Stay curious, keep exploring, and trust the process. Your spirit is worth caring for, and every intention is a loving assertion that you’re on your way. If this has been helpful, please share it and let others know you care.
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