What is an intention?
Intentions carve the path for your experience. By setting an intention you are co-creating your reality for the better. Think of it as the seed from which your reality is created. By clearly stating what you wish to experience you set direction for your actions, emotions, and thoughts to follow. Intentions are a medium for manifestation.
Your guide to intention setting:
1. Reflect
If you can take some time, I suggest meditating, journaling or quietly reflecting on the following. What emotions and feelings are currently present for you? Which of these emotions would you like to release and which of these would you like to carry forward into your next experience? What do you wish to feel throughout this experience? How would you like to feel after the experience? Asking yourself these questions will drop you into a deeper state of awareness, helping create a clearer vision from which to set your intention.
2. Identify
From that deep state of awareness, mindfully name aloud and/or write down the energy you wish to call in. Stating your intentions and desires. Feel free to be generic or get as specific as you wish.
3. Space
After stating your intention, give yourself space to visualize. What does this look like for you? What would it feel like to fully embrace and invite this energy into the experience? Again, maybe you meditate, journal or just quietly reflect these questions.
4. Release
Now let go and surrender to the experience (yes, I know, easier said than done) and the many possibilities that are available to you. Detach yourself from outcome or expectation. Trusting that everything will work out in the highest good of all. Our intention creates the path whether we are conscious of it or not. There’s no need to try and control the situation and try to make it go “ your way”. Controlling the outcome actually limits the abundance available. Surrendering leaves room for miracles beyond what you could imagine for yourself as you fall into radical trust with the universe.
Here’s an example of how I just recently set an intention before dinner with boyfriend and how it created a beautiful shift for our experience together. Him and I hang out a few times a week so normally we don’t think too much of it when we get together but I wanted this evening to feel a bit different. Before he came over I took a moment to reflect. I noticed that I was currently craving deeper connection and craving more intentional time together. For the evening, I wanted to invite a more romantic, thoughtful vibe. After our evening together I wanted to feel seen, supported and loved. I also was honest with myself to release anything that may be blocking me from being open with him (for example, distraction and stress from work or external relationships). After reflecting I identified my intention and called in the energy of authentic connection. Giving myself space, I started to light candles, inviting a romantic feel into the room. As I did so, I visualized the candles opening our hearts inviting that deep connection from the moment he walked in the door. I imagined asking each other questions to check in and holding space for one another to reflect about how we’ve been. Then I released, started cooking dinner and turned on a vinyl. When he arrived there was an immediate sense of deep love between us and we had a beautiful evening of laughter, sharing, and soulful connection. Like I said before, we hang every week if possible and I’m telling you, this time the energy felt so perfectly aligned between us (which can be hard during a busy week) – THIS is the power of intention setting ya’ll!
Here are some ideas for when to set intentions:
- Before an experience or event
- Beginning of the day, week, year
- During New Moon cycle
- New Endeavor
- Before connecting with a friend or loved one
- Beginning of a work day
- Before cooking or eating
- Before a mindfulness practice or exercise
- Before a hard conversation
- Whenever you want!
Happy intention setting my love! May you feel the power you have in creating your experience within and around you.