"Each intention -- anger, greed, compassion, understanding -- sets energy into motion... What you intend is what you become...Power is energy that is formed by the intentions of the soul. It is Light shaped by the intentions of love and compassion guided by wisdom. It is energy that is focused and directed toward the fulfillment of the tasks of the soul upon the Earth." ~ Gary Zukav - The Seat of the Soul
If you were to think of the span of your life as a journey, how happy, how fulfilled, how peaceful would you be at this particular point of your life? Is it possible that, as Gary Zukav infers, our intentions shape our experiences which, at the end of the day, comprise the sum of our time spent on the planet? Is it really plausible that what we intend we become? Opening our mind to this question has profound implications because it beckons us to consider how conscious (or not) our intentions for the life we are living have been. Courageously exploring this question enables us to see that we play a crucial part in determining where the journey of our life will take us in the future. In other words, irrespective of the current state of our life, we can meet the new day with immense optimism by embracing the fact that our future is shaped by our deepest, consciously made, intentions.
Too often, in the busyness of our lives, our intentions are semi-unconscious, meaning they slip unnoticed directly through to the reactive habit-mind, circumventing the deeper contemplative self. As a result, we may make choices which spawn consequences that we may not anticipate. There is a direct correlation between the choices we make and our intentions. Every choice we make announces our intention to the Universe about what we desire and puts energy in motion to make it so. The root word for intention is intent, which means, "An aspiration to do something on purpose with an objective goal or target in mind; by design." Whether we are aware of it or not, we each live by intention. While many of us believe otherwise, our intentions, whether our highest or our basest, conscious or unconscious, are always being served. If we find our lives to be "off course" it is only through the process of becoming consciously "Self aware" that we can begin to challenge and change the compass coordinates set for our journey thus far. Awakening to our spiritual nature gives us access to the wisdom of the soul which, as Zukav points out, brings us into alignment with our soul's desire. It is comforting to remember that the intentions of the soul are always for our highest good through the actualization and application of love and compassion in our daily lives.
How conscious are the choices you have been making? Are they propelled by the Light, wisdom and energy of love and compassion, or something of a lower, more base vibration where the ego quietly lingers in the shadows? In other words, are your intentions arising from the infinite depths your soul, or the shallows of a reactive mind operating just under the radar of the fully aware self? It's easy to discern. Just witness your feeling nature as you ask yourself these questions and you'll know from where your intentions arise:
- Are my daily choices driven by unconscious habits, fears, doubts, and insecurities, or love and trust?
- Do my choices incorporate harmony, sharing, cooperation and reverence for Life?
- Do my choices create authentic power within or do they cause me to look to other people and external things for my power, purpose and direction?
- Do my choices include intentions that honor my body, my relationships, my world, and most importantly, my own soul?
The essence of these questions comes from Gary Zukav's book, The Seat of the Soul. If you have not yet read it, I encourage you to do so. That action will, alone, demonstrate a conscious intention to honor your soul's desire. I have read this book a dozen times over the past quarter century and each time I have garnered another gem or two that enriched my life immensely. I am happy to announce that The Seat of the Soul has just been republished in a special 25th Anniversary Edition which includes a helpful Study Guide written by Gary and his spiritual partner, Linda Francis, as well as prefaces by both Oprah Winfrey and Maya Angelou.
You really are on a journey of a lifetime. The rule of the road is to mindfully pay attention to your intentions. Know that where your life is headed now is not predestined by where it has been. You are at choice. Remember that your authentic power comes from energy that is formed by your soul. Take time to plumb the depths of your innermost being and listen carefully to the wisdom therein for what you intend today is what you shall become tomorrow. May your journey be a sacred one, where the intentions of your deepest Self rise and commingle with your daily doing, serving as the compass that points the way to the life you truly deserve.
Preorder Dennis' new book, Your (Re)Defining Moments - Becoming Who You Were Born to Be