On Setting Intentions

Tags

goals, guidance, intentions, obstacles, preparation, spirituality

Intention is important in the sense that it can give a sense of purpose, of meaning, of direction to our actions. At the start of every New Year, or month, or week, or day, or hour, we can set an intention for whatever time-interval we choose in the future. The New Year is perhaps the most popular time to set intentions and goals, make plans, and define how we may want our life to look at the end of the year, or maybe even at different points in the year.

And yet, setting an intention by itself is often not enough in itself. Preparation is also needed, because our intent is going to inevitably run into obstacles. What are we going to at the first significant hurdle, which will most probably be internal — fear, uncertainty, doubt — not external. We can prepare ahead by using the learnings from past hurdles that maybe heavily distracted us from our intentions or even stopped us cold.

Preparation is one key to success in fulfilling our intention, no matter how we may define ‘success’.

Imagine setting an intention to climb Mt Everest without any preparation? Or even intending to go for a simple morning walk, say a few times a week for the next week or month. You wouldn’t need much preparation in fair weather, but what if you woke up to wintry weather with sleet and frost like I did today? If I hadn’t prepared well enough by wearing adequate layers of clothing, with gloves, with a warm hat, proper shoes to navigate the slippery and wet trails, I probably would have gotten to the trailhead, parked my car, looked at all the obstacles including the heavy overcast skies and said — Nah, I’ll skip today and go back home to my tea. Maybe tomorrow!

And yet, I walked because I had learnt from past years how to prepare for such weather. As I set out on the now familiar trail, I sis meet some new obstacles in the form of fallen tree branches, water channels formed by melting snow, and so on. Preparation helped, but if I had guidance from someone who had recently walked the trail, I could have saved time and energy, and even some risk, on my walk. Can you imagine how Tenzing would have fared on Mt Everest without the expert guidance of Sherpa Norgay?

Preparation multiplied with proper guidance can help create an environment where our intentions have even greater chances of success.

What else may be needed to succeed with our newly set (or even ongoing) intentions? We can perhaps use simplicity in the setting of our intentions to create meaningful successes, which then in turn create confidence, build resilience within to set new intentions that stretch us even more than before.

What role may flexibility play in our journey with our intentions? What else can you think of and share with us — practices that have worked for you in setting, fulfilling your intentions?

Is there a specific, singular, over-arching intention that guides all other intentions that you may have set for your spiritual journey?

Kumud

Join us for our weekly gathering and twitter conversation in #SpiritChat, Sunday January 8nat 9amET / 2pmGMT / 730pm India. We will discuss intentions and more. Namaste ~ @AjmaniK

My Friday walk with Nature often helps me set intention(s) for the week ahead…

Towards Detachment

Tags

action, attachment, desires, detachment, freedom, goals, inaction, letting go

I emerge from the morning meditation with the sense that I am sitting in a field of brilliant white light, on a mound of white flow snow, warm as I can be… in reality, I am sitting on the floor, wrapped in my favorite comforter, with my eyes still closed as I can feel the brilliance of the morning outside. The hour has detached me from the external and transported me to a world within where I can experience deep stillness and silence, and even nothingness.

You may be familiar with the story of the catching of the spider monkeys in the tropics rainforests. The monkey’s favorite fruit is put in a bottle, whose mouth is just wide enough to fit the monkey’s open hand. The monkey grasps the fruit, but now his fist is too wide to retract through the neck of the bottle. All the monkey has to do to regain his freedom is to open his fist and let go of the fruit. And yet, his desire for the fruit is overwhelming, that he won’t let go — and the trappers have their catch.

In some ways, we live our lives like spider monkeys, driven by our dominant desires in the current stage of our life. We set goals, make plans and take action — driven by our attachment to the ‘fruit in the bottle’. We think that we are different than the spider monkey because we are smart enough not to be trapped by our attachments. And yet, the degree and frequency of fear, anger, anxiety, expectations and such that we experience speaks to our lack of detachment, doesn’t it?

So what is one to do to ‘break the glass’ and regain one’s freedom from the trap of our ever-multiplying desires? The Bhagavad Gita advises – “Do the work to the best of your ability, and let go of the desire to control the results.” This is the classic “letting go” approach to life, which is more often than not, much easier said than done, isn’t it?

In addition, some often (mis)interpret the “let go of the results” advice as an excuse for inaction! If I am to let go of my goals and results, why would I bother to perform any action anyway? The Bhagavad Gita clarifies – “Let not your giving up of the fruit of action, make you attached to inaction!”

As Swami Vivekananda summarizes – “Let your ideal be – work for work’s sake, love for love’s sake, duty for duty’s sake.” Let go of the fruit, do your best work, and be not attached to inaction. If we can imprint the ideal of ‘love for love’s sake’ in our heart, we can walk lightly the path of detachment that leads to true freedom — the sweetest fruit of all.

Kumud

P. S. Join us for our weekly gathering and chat in #Spiritchat twitter, Sunday Jan 30 at 9amET / 2pm GMT / 730pm India. Namaste ~ AjmaniK

The rose blooms… for love’s sake…

Wishes and Simplicity

Tags

desires, goals, simplicity, wishes

The world often encourages us to ‘dream big’. The purported intent is to encourage us to ‘aim for the stars’ so that we can accomplish great things with our lives. In and of itself, the act of dreaming big can give us a good, positive outlook on life. When dreaming leads to action and action leads to higher self expression, it can indeed elevate us and all those connected to us.

In a spiritual context, the act of dreaming big or ‘wishing’ for a particular outcome of our spiritual practice(s) may need to be approached with some introspection. The very act of ‘wishing’ for something can create attachment to the outcome. And such attachment can inhibit true freedom – even if the desired outcome is that of more simplicity in our lives. THe story in the Upanisads talks about how the spider weaves its web from material secreted from within its own body. It literally creates its own world from withn.

The world that the spider creates becomes an enslavement for the spider. It is a complex maze which not only traps its prey, but the spider itself. In some ways, we humans follow a similar pattern. We create a complex world of feelings, judgements and reactions with our own thoughts. Eventually, we are so enslaved by our own thought process, that we yearn, we wish for simplification. For simplicity.

Simplicity can emerge from complexity either voluntarily or involuntarily. Voluntary simplicity can keep our maze of thoughts from becoming overly complex. Simplicity can help us to avoid the death-spiral of self-perpetuative negative reinforcement. Simplicity, when chosen voluntarily, can become the doorway to higher states of inner existence.

Let us explore simpicity some more in our weekly Sunday twitter gatherings. Join our #SpiritChat community (Sunday 9amET on April 9th) and share with us on this topic as we try and simplify the complex world within and without us.

Kumud @AjmaniK

On New Spiritual Beginnings

Tags

evaluation, goals, spiritual practice

There are very few days in the year like New Year’s Day to invoke a sense of a ‘new beginning’ in our hearts and minds. As the previous year ends and the new year begins, a mere flip of the calendar seems to flood many of us with a new hope of starting anew. A clean slate awaits us if we so choose.

Perhaps the greatest freedom of the new year is that we can feel a sense of liberation to let go of the immediate past. In the new year, some of the goals that we may not have fully accomplished in the year gone by have an opportunity to be reevaluated, revised and reset. So, what are some of the (spiritual) goals that you would like to reevaluate, revise and reset for the upcoming year?

“And now we welcome the new year, full of things that have never been”
― Rainer Maria Rilke

At the outset, I have a confession. I am not much of a goal-setter myself. And you may not be either. And that’s okay. My view is that our goal, in and of itself, is not what is truly important. Perhaps what is more important is the plan that we create to move towards the goal, the action steps we devise to execute the plan, and the resources that we engage to help us with the action steps. Without the proper resources (tools, skills and people), we will struggle with our action steps, and our best laid plans will quickly fall by the wayside. Fear, uncertainty and doubt will then set in and we will wonder why we are struggling to reach our goals.

So, let us evaluate. At the beginning of 2016, did we set any goals? If yes, what plans, action steps and resources did we put into place to give ourselves any realistic chance at reaching those goals? Before we revise our goals for 2017, will we do an honest self-evaluation, or an evaluation with the help of a good friend or trusted advisor?

And, for those (like me) who did not set any ‘measurable’ (spiritual) goals at the beginning of last year, how would we know if we made any forward (spiritual) progress? One way to measure progress is to evaluate the quality of the resources available to me and the change in my daily actions, as compared to a year ago. Another way to measure progress is to ask the question – did I bridge the gap between my lower self and my higher Self over the past year?

Now that we have evaluated, we are ready to revise our goals. The (self) evaluation is perhaps the toughest part. But we need not wait till the end of the year or quarter or the month to evaluate. What if we were to evaluate our action steps on a daily basis? We could then forgive ourselves for our missed actions, cleanse our heart, and step into the next day with a new commitment to our actions. With daily evaluation, we could learn to make the best use of our resources and ask for help in the areas where we need intervention.

A commitment to a daily, personal spiritual practice is perhaps one goal that we can all set for the new year. What will your new (or revised) practice(s) look like? Will they be similar to those of years past or do you feel the need for a major reset? I invite you to share some of your new beginnings and goals with the #SpiritChat community on Sunday, January 1st at 9amET in our weekly twitter chat. The best of 2017 to all of you!

Kumud @AjmaniK

Ready to make a new beginning? Looking for a course of action? Discover the #heartfulness #meditation daily practice that made a quantum difference in my life (and a few who joined us mid-year) in 2016. Join a free, first-time ever offered, three hour Masterclass – one hour online at a time of your choosing, each day on January 2nd, 3rd and 4th. Register at Meditation Masterclass to ‘Relax, Rejuvenate and Connect’. Namaste.

Meditation – (a bridge to) New Spiritual Beginnings

Our Personal Spiritual Mission

Tags

goals, mission, purpose, spiritchat, spirituality

What is my personal spiritual mission?

From time to time, this question returns to me, albeit it may appear in different forms. The word “mission” may be replaced with the word “purpose” or “goal”, or the broader phrase – “why am I here”? This seemingly existential question may indicate a discontentment with the current state of our lives, or it may be part of a periodic evaluation that some of us do to take stock of where exactly we are on our life journey. If the question arises from “a divine discontentment”, it may a manifestation of the motive energy that we need to move forward on our path. If it arises during a process of “self-evaluation”, it may be a sign that we are growing in mindful awareness, and want to make optimal use of the spiritual energy available to us.

Regardless of the origin of the question, the answer may not come easily for most of us. Some of us, who believe in the power of “the calling”, may have decided to be patient and wait for the answer. Some of us, who believe in the power of “the journey is the calling”, may have decided that every step forward brings us closer to the answer. Some of us, may believe that it isn’t even necessary to have the answer, and that the definition of a “spiritual mission” is unnecessary – living “in the moment” is enough – for a “mission” indicates a sense of being bound by space and time, and true spirituality means freedom from space and time.

For the “goal oriented” among us, the actions of “goal setting”, to achieve our purpose, to fulfill our “mission”, can give us a sense of comfort. The “comfort” comes from the self-discipline in thought, speech and action that we know we have to bring into play, if we are to work towards our goals. The “rules of the game” are clear, and the personal and universal “truths” that define our mission are clearer still. These clarities lead to synergy of action between man and nature, making optimal use of our powers of intellect and creativity, to clear our path to spiritual “success”. We learn to control our energy, our mind and senses, we learn to concentrate, and perhaps even meditate, which further helps us to achieve our purpose, our mission.

But what if one is not exactly “goal oriented” or “mission driven”? What is to become of their spiritual growth, their life-purpose? What if one does not have, or has not been able to clarify their “spiritual mission”? What is the path of action for them? Are they to simply resign themselves to being under-achievers in their spiritual journey? Is a “personal spiritual mission” absolutely neceesary to be a spiritual “high achiever”? Or is there an alternate, non goal-oriented, non mission-driven, spiritual journey that is full of truth, joy and enlightment possible for them?

If you have a clear, personal spiritual mission that is guidiing your journey, and you would like to share it with us, please join us Sunday, March 22nd 2015 at 9amET on twitter in #SpiritChat. If you are in the process of clarifying your mission, or you believe that you don’t really even need one, we also want to hear your thoughts. We welcome all of you to join the community, so we can all learn and grow together.

Thank you, and Namaste!

Kumud

Intention and the Spirit – by Jill Leigh

Tags

goals, intention, intentionality, spirit, spiritchat

We kick off the “Summer Series” for our weekly Sunday morning conversations with our first guest – Jill Leigh. The topic will be “Intention”. Please enjoy this framing post written by Jill Leigh for our discussion. I hope you will join Jill and me for what promises to be a very interesting conversation. Thank you.

What role does intention play in your life? Is it part of your spiritual practice, your way of being?

Intentionality serves as a means of discerning choice and desire. Used to hone focus and to keep the eye on the prize, intention is a key spiritual concept, one that is prescribed throughout religious, metaphysical and alternative healing practices.

Learning to apply intent is a beautiful spiritual practice, assisting the seeker to develop a level of mindfulness about thought, word and deed. Intentions held in conscious awareness inform the mind, body and spirit, and support metabolization of energy for manifest reality.

Intentions are best applied through positive focus, what is wanted, desired or needed, rather than the opposite. And yet sometimes people find themselves focused on intention through what they don’t want, need or desire. ‘I don’t want another relationship like the last one.’ Or ‘I don’t need another car that breaks down like this one does.’

While figuring out what is not wanted, desired or needed can be the initial process for developing an intention, it’s merely the basis for framing an intention.

Taking a moment to articulate what is wanted, desired or needed in positive terms is an important component to manifesting that objective.

The Spiritchat community is fully intentional in inviting you to join us on Sunday, June 9 at 9am ET to discuss this topic and support one another in living our lives through intentional focus.

Bio:

Jill Leigh (aka Chakra Khan) blogs about, teaches and practices chakra-based energy healing strategies with therapeutic, clinical and complimentary healing practitioners. She has studied, taught and practiced energy healing for 22 years, and is the Director of the Energy Healing Institute.

Connect with Jill on her blog: http://energyhealinginstitute.org/blog
Connect with Jill on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ChakraKhanJill
Connect with Jill on Twitter: https://twitter.com/JillChakraKhan
Connect with Jill on Google+: https://plus.google.com/u/0/112848980492743873723/posts

Update: Here are the questions asked during the chat. Enjoy, and feel free to answer in the comments… The full transcript and statistics are available at http://bit.ly/sc-tr-0609

Q1. Visualize “intention”. What does it look and feel like to you? #SpiritChat

Q2. How has setting intentions helped you in your life, business, relationships? v/@JillChakraKhan #SpiritChat

Q3. What has happened when you have tried to manifest something without a clear intention? v/@JillChakraKhan #SpiritChat

Q4. What is the difference between intentions and affirmations? v/@JillChakraKhan #SpiritChat

Q5. “It is more important to be of pure intention than of perfect action”. Agree or disagree? Why? #SpiritChat

Q6. What role does intention play in healing? v/@JillChakraKhan #SpiritChat

Q7. Is ‘highest possible good’ enough of an intention? v/@JillChakraKhan #SpiritChat

Q8. How do you use intention in your spiritual practice? v/@JillChakraKhan #SpiritChat

Q9. What intentions are you holding for yourself now? For the future? v/@JillChakraKhan #SpiritChat

The Spirit of Inquiry

Tags

goals, inquiry, spirit, spiritchat

We all lead busy lives ~ online and offline. As technology gives us more and more access to online communities, our lives have the potential to get even busier than before.

We read books, magazines and try and listen to positive, engaging conversations on the radio or on television.

We try and learn new things by reading other folks’ blogs and post comments on their posts. We write our own blog articles and answer comments that folks leave on our blogs.

We try and update our own Facebook pages or our ‘status’ and try to ‘like’ others’ pages, comment on their ‘status’ and answer their latest questions.

We strive to stay engaged on twitter ~ to respond to all those mentions and retweets, to make sure we thank everyone, respond to their questions and post some of our own thoughts.

And then there’s LinkedIn and YouTube or the latest social media platform ~ and on and on it goes. And let’s not even talk about email and texting, shall we?

Somewhere amongst all this online activity, we manage to lead ‘normal’ lives where we may be raising a family, running a household, going to a job (or looking for a job) or running a business, taking care of our parents, working with charities, doing volunteer work, taking care of our finances and (gasp) ~ getting together with our friends. Then there is exercise and recreation and getting ready for festivals and holidays and birthday parties and so on.

And then, one day, in the silence of the evening, when the rest of the family has gone to bed ~ we make a cup of tea, pick up a book from our stack of unread books ~ and wonder. 

How did our lives get so complex? Perhaps we need to simplify. Perhaps we need to put aside the constant churning of thoughts in our mind. Perhaps we need time to pause, reflect and contemplate.

Perhaps, it is time awaken or re-awaken our Spirit of Inquiry, and ask some important questions.

What is our over-arching spiritual goal? Do we have a guide or a plan to achieve this goal? Do we have the resources and tools to execute our plan? What are willing to give up to execute our plan?

Maybe you already have all the answers you need. In that case, please come and share, help those looking for answers. If you are like me, and are looking for answers, please join us in a discussion on twitter.

I invite you to talk about the “The Spirit of Inquiry” on Sunday October 16th at 9am ET/1pm GMT (‘evening’ edition at 7pm PT/10pm ET). Please tweet with the hashtag #SpiritChat (or visit tweetchat.com ) to join in our scheduled twitter chat. 

Thank you. Be well. 

Kumud ~ @AjmaniK

P.S. Please leave a comment about the “Spirit of Inquiry” if you cannot join us at the appointed hour. We would love to hear from you. Thank you.

Update: Here are the questions that were asked during the chat:

Q1. What does ‘a spirit of inquiry’ in spiritual matters mean to you? Do you engage in it?
Q2. Is a ‘spirit of inquiry’ in spiritual matters encouraged? Or is ‘compliance’ the norm? 
Q3. Should parents encourage children to engage in spiritual inquiry? How? At what age?
Q4. Do we need specific, measurable, written spiritual goals? Or are they unnecessary?
Q5. What resources or techniques help you in spiritual inquiry? Please share.
Q6. Do we need a spiritual guide to help us achieve our goal? Do you have one?

Here is the link to the transcript: http://bit.ly/sc-tr-1016