4 Tips to Set Powerful Intentions
Dear Universe,
Give me the things I want. Thanks so much.
Love, Me.
When I first dabbled in the energy realm, this is how I thought intentions were made. It’s the formula I had learned for prayers when I was kid. It was how I asked Santa for what I wanted at Christmas. And after reading The Secret I was convinced this was how manifestation worked. I made intentions (a.k.a. wishes) to the Universe and viola, all my dreams came true.
Where had this been all my life? This sounded amazing. Why was it a secret?
It didn’t take long to become impatient and annoyed because none of my wishes, a.k.a. intentions, were coming true. In fact, nothing was happening. My life was the same. I was the same. Same. Same. Same. All my desires still unrealized.
The difference between Desire and Intention
Turns out that desires, or wishes, and intentions are not the same thing at all. Desires have the energetic frequency of longing, of feeling the lack of something in your life. It can have a touch of desperation at times, a dash of neediness. It feels like a need to satiate - to fill a hole.
Since those naive beginnings, I have come to understand that the texture and frequency of Intentions are much different. Intentions ask something of you. They invite you to focus your energy and efforts, and get to work. They connect and weave your desires to practical goals to create a path of alignment with the energetic frequency of receiving.
Desire is a necessary and required ingredient. The problem starts when you think that’s all you need because it’s an activator, but on it’s own it has no where to go.
Say, I want to get a new job. I desire better pay. Perhaps I even spend some time visualizing my new life with this better pay and all the wonderful things I can do as a result. This activates the Law of Attraction, a big piece of The Secret. It’s great to know that if I can imagine it - then on some dimensional plane, it must be possible. Even if it only exists currently in my mind, it exists. Let’s also say that I spend a few minutes every single day focusing on the essence of how I will feel with this new job, the new co-workers, how the space will be, the commute - all the little details.
And then I wait. I do nothing else different with my life. I rest in my desires and visualizations and wait for the Universe to provide.
For a long time, I thought this was enough. But I was wrong.
The Purpose of Intentions
As I said, desire is great. It gets the ball rolling, but to stay only in desire is the equivalent of saying, “I’m not risking or investing anything more than a few minutes of my day in joyful daydreaming for my dreams to come true.”
Now, I’m all about easy, simple, least amount of effort manifesting. And perhaps there are some magicians capable of shifting their alignment, living in it NOW before it happens and thereby drawing to them their desires. #Manifestationgoals. However, that’s not me. I’m of the variety that needs to put some effort into it.
I imagine, many of us need to do a little work. We need a plan, a focus, and steps. We might also need to heal, release and make space for this new way of being. We need to actually apply for jobs. And we need determination to continue if it doesn’t simply fall into our laps.
In other words, we need to commit all of our energies to the same goal.
“Think of intentions like a formula that gets your subconscious engaged.”
And this is what Intentions do.
They channel, hone in, help us embody, and focus our mental, physical and spiritual bodies, bringing them in sync with the united purpose to see only what we seek while simultaneously supporting us in our efforts to withstand distraction.
Intentions help us get specific. When done correctly, we are getting specific not about the thing we think we want, but the feelings and way of being we are actually seeking. “This” or something better, is a wonderful closing for an intention.
And that’s where the magic happens.
Let’s say, in my job scenario, I think I want this one specific job, because it will make so much money, provide certain benefits, etc - I focus first on the physical things, because I’m human and we need to survive.
But, as I work with the essence of what I’m after, whittling away to get at the intention, the encapsulation of my contract with the Universe about who I want to be, the experience I’d like to have, and the frequency I’d like to have it at, I get more clarity - yes to this, no to that - and I also begin to see at least some of the steps I need to take. Perhaps I only see the first step, but it rings in my heart like a bell and I am compelled to move towards it.
In other words, the reflection part that intentions invites, helps me see - is it the money I am after or feeling like a responsible human? Is the ability to create my own schedule, or the joy I have of being home to welcome my kids when they walk through the door? Money or feeling capable. Time or joy of being available for my children? The nuances here wonderful and guiding. And there is no wrong answer! Only what matters most to you.
Now the journey has begun and I am on the path. My job now is to focus only on hearing and feeling for the next step, remain open, stay connected to my true desires and the WHY behind them, and make both inspired moves, as well as practical moves that will keep me heading in the direction of my desires.
And, let’s keep it real - you can manifest as a hot mess, you do not need to be healed, completely aligned or having your ish together in anyway. You just need a focal point and some imperfect action steps to get the energy moving from desire to manifestation.
This is the power and purpose of intentions.
Setting Powerful Intentions
Now that you understand better the role of intentions, let’s discuss how to get the most out of them. Think of intentions like a formula that gets your subconscious engaged. When you put all the pieces together, your subconscious is triggered to believe that your desire is already reality so it is better able to produce the ideas, steps, and nudges to heal, release and all the good stuff needed to make it so.
Intentions require 4 basic pieces to work well.
State Intentions in the present tense. Your subconscious has no concept of time. Ever hear of wounded inner child, angry teen, etc? That’s because we all carry as-yet unhealed parts of ourselves that get frozen at certain ages. When it comes to the subconscious, it only registers the NOW, so using the present tense is speaking its language.
Words are spells. Remember we are going for a frequency, which registers in our bodies as feelings. Think emotive words. I don’t just “want a new job”, I “desire to do what I love and get paid well for it!” Can you feel the difference?
Gratitude is the Attitude of the Universe. I am of the opinion that the Source energy that binds and connects all living things is made up of stardust and unconditional love. It is the effervescence present in a laugh, the soothing balm of a hug, and the deep warmth of feeling whole and resourced. When you include gratitude as part of the equation and the work you do, you speak the language of Source and it recognizes and responds.
Timelines. Even though you are co-creating with the Universe, your subconscious is really powerful. It also needs a container. Just as you speak in present tense to get its attention, and use high energy words to get it excited, providing a timeline, keeps its attention focused. Be reasonable here. Give both your subconscious and the Universe time to do its parts, but don’t be afraid to include one.
Examples:
“I am so grateful I got this new awesome writing gig just in time for the end of the summer.”
“I love that I am ten pounds lighter and ready to go to my friend’s wedding event feeling amazing!”
“I intend to acquire XXX so I can feel XXX." This or something better. Thank you Universe!”
And so it is.
Happy Manifesting!
