With each New Year usually comes New Year’s Resolutions – a noteworthy concept but so rarely do they become a permanent change in our lives, which can lead to feelings of anger or disappointment. Why not try something new and different this year (or decade, for that matter!)? Resolve to Evolve – and trade in your goals for an intention.
Resolutions are great because they help provide us with a direction, but unfortunately, they’re a future objective. By definition, the very word “future” shows how they are not grounded in the present moment. With that being said, what happens if your resolution doesn’t pan out? Disappointment, confusion, or anger usually set in and without the proper tools, we are left with nothing to regain our mental footing.
This is where intentions come in. They are the underlying layer beneath our resolutions and they help us to reorient ourselves if our mind is confused with strong emotion. They also provide us with integrity and unity, and help us to be less reactive to the continuous fluctuations of life. Unlike goals, intentions are not future oriented, they are anchored in any present moment (key word being “any”, hence the itlaics and bold).
In practice, the same posture, the same sequence, the same meditation done with a different intention takes on an entirely new meaning and will have entirely different outcomes. Without a larger purpose we may be just stretching our hamstrings. But depending on our intention, we can be cultivating patience, compassion – anything we want.
What are intentions, you ask? They are phrases that are private and personal, and begin with the words, “May I…”. A common question I get is “Why ‘May I…’?” It’s not that we’re asking anyone permission to be a certain way, we are simply inviting our true nature to present itself. As with any invitation, we ask politely, as opposed to demanding its presence. Our intention does not need to be grandiose, but it does need to be sincere because it sets the stage for all that will follow.
We might have some guiding intention in our practice for months, if not years. or our intention may change from week to week.
Ironically, by being in touch with and acting from our true intentions, we become more effective in reaching our goals than when we act from wants and insecurities.
Remember! This practice is called a practice because it is an ever-renewing process. As with any spiritual discipline, the essence of intentions is our willingness to start over, and over, and over (and over) again. Every day of the year (even every moment) should be a day of resolution to live the life we want, not just on January 1st.
A few tricks I’ve tried in the past to help me integrate the practice of Intentions into daily life:
- Set a timer several times a day and when it goes off, repeat your intention (or simply set your watch to “beep” every hour)
- Stick Post-It notes in key places to remind you to repeat your intention (e.g. on your bathroom mirror, on the telephone, on the wall next to the front door)
- Ask yourself “What is my intention?” before speaking, especially when emotionally charged (from personal experience, this has saved me from many potential conflicts!)
