How To Set Intentions The Right Way

Creating intentions is powerful exercise! It is the first step in Manifesting 101. It can be applied to anything: getting a new job, a new love relationship, finding the kind of career you want, developing healthier habits, or manifesting the money you desire.

Yet, for some, creating effective intentions can be a confusing task. Or, perhaps we lack trust that the Universe has our back, and so we give up on what we want, right before we’re about to get it.

What is an intention?

It’s when you inform the Universe/Source/God/dess/Higher Power That Is of what you want to create in your life. Notice I said, “inform”, not “ask”. Asking for what you want is ok, but setting an intention is more powerful and effective. When you’re asking, you are assuming that you are not part of the equation of getting what you want, which is not the most empowering place to come from. In contrast, when you set the intention, you are pretty much saying, “This is going to be happening.” And, in doing so, you are active in your role of creating the kind of life you want.

Creating an intention is as simple as saying, “I set the intention that ________”, where you fill the blank space with what you want to create in your life.

When you create an intention about something, you create a vacuum that the Universe has to fill. It’s simple cause and effect.

When to set your intentions

Often, during a Reiki energy healing session, I may ask my patients what intention they’d like to set for their treatment. They seem to really enjoy this part of our chat, because it’s almost like they get to ask for whatever they want! And, being playful with life once and a while, such as asking ourselves “what if” when it comes to what we want, is important. It allows us to open up to possibilities we may otherwise shut down in left-brain logical mode. And, this exercise of asking my patients what they want to set an intention for is one of those ways to open up to the possibilities. Because, goodness knows, when we’re stuck in linear left-brain-ville, which can be much of the time, particularly if we are workaholics, we are not opening ourselves up to the possibilities that make our heart sing.

Although I may sometimes practice intention setting with my patients during their sessions, this is something anyone can easily do on their own. Whenever you want. On a daily basis, if you desire! You don’t need to have any special prompt, or do it after any particularly experience. All you need to do is to get clear on what you want.

You don’t need to be a rocket scientist to create effective intentions. But, there are some techniques that are better than others.

Here are some tips on how to set intentions the right way:

Be specific. If you’re setting an intention in regards to money, for instance, saying, “I set the intention that I will get some money,” is not as effective as “I set the intention that I am receiving X amount of money through my work, by the end of the month.” It’s good to have a time frame, to be specific about numbers, and mention how it will be coming to you. The Universe works more quickly on intentions that are clear. Otherwise, as with the first intention, above, you leave the results up for game. So, don’t be surprised if you set the intention that you will get some money, without being specific, that you find you’ve simply manifested a dollar bill you’ve found on the street! And, once you get specific, here’s the key: stay open to what you receive, because you will always get what’s for your highest good.

At the end of your intention, add, “…or better.” We don’t always know what’s best for us. But, the Universe does. So, if we’re looking to manifest a great job, for instance, we may have our list of things we set an intention for. So, if we add “…or better” at the end of our intention, we leave it up to the Universe that if there’s something better for us, than what we’ve mentioned, that we will receive it. So, for instance, we could say, “I set the intention that I am getting a job in a top marketing firm, where I have coworkers I easily get along with, feel appreciated, have a boss who values my work, and make X amount of money, or better.”

Use active words. Instead of saying, “I will have”, for instance, say, “I have”. When you are using the former, you are indicating that you do not have it yet; whereas, the latter says you already do. Although it may not make logical sense to use the latter, when you technically don’t have it yet, using “I am” lines you up more quickly with receiving what you’re creating an intention for. It’s a little bit like the adage of faking it till you make it. If using those words sounds too fake to you, you can change it up and say, “I will soon have”, instead of “I have”. It’s important to genuinely feel, somewhere within you, that this is possible, or sits true to you. The important thing when creating intentions is that you have to feel, or believe, what you’re saying, to some extent. Even if it may not be  physically real in your life, yet.

Never say what you DON’T want. Sometimes we get caught up in saying, “I don’t want this, I don’t want that”. And, although it’s good to know what we don’t want, it doesn’t help our intention setting to say we don’t want something. This is because what our brain hears, and what the Universe hears, is the thing you don’t want. So, when you say, “I don’t want a partner who snores a lot.” What your brain hears, and what the Universe hears is, “I want a partner who snores a lot.” The word “don’t” doesn’t register. So, a way to reframe this would be, “I want a partner who a quiet sleeper.” It’s a simple example, but one that can be applied to anything.

Take action. If you’ve set an intention towards getting your dream job, yet you don’t do the legwork in sending out resumes, etc., your intention may not likely manifest (at least, not as quickly as you’d like it to). Take small steps towards your goal, and leave the rest to the Universe!

Keep the intentions personal. As in, no intention setting for others! It works best that way. And, besides, everyone is responsible for their own destiny! And you can’t control another person’s journey.

After setting the intention, allow and trust. If, after setting the intention, it hasn’t manifested the next day, do not feel dismayed! Some intentions may manifest quickly, others take some time. How much time? The Universe has it’s own time clock. But, suffice to say that when it comes, it is perfect timing!

Have I missed a vital tip? If so, please share yours in the comments, below!

Intentionally yours,

 

 

 

 

SAVE THE DATE!

Chia-Ti Chiu, of One Love Wellness, and I will be joining forces again, this Spring, to jump start you into renewal and release of Liver Energy!

SPRING RENEWAL:
A YOGA, ACUPUNCTURE, & REIKI WORKSHOP

Date: Saturday, April 4, 2015
Time: 2-5pm
Where: Alphabet City Sanctuary, 638 East 6th Street, 3rd Fl, NYC
Cost: $45, to register, please RSVP to chiati@onelovewellness.com.

“Spring cleaning” doesn’t just refer to your closets… This is also the time to get light in your mind, body, and spirit.  Over the winter we tend to eat heavier foods, be less active, and accumulate more Kapha (earth energy).  The Indian science of Ayurveda cautions against an excess of Kapha, as it can cause sluggishness, excess mucus, headaches, achy joints, fatigue and lack of mental clarity.  Learn specific yoga poses and breathing exercises that will help to release surplus Kapha and shed toxins, to promote more rejuvenation and health for the Spring.

Spring is the wood element of Liver in Chinese Medicine. The Liver is the controller of the free flow of Qi within the body,  regulating and balancing all the organ functions. Whenever this channel is obstructed, physical and/or emotional pain may result. The emotion of Spring is anger, which can sometimes help us create new growth, or teach us to find another way to flow when there’s resistance. Receive a mini-Acupuncture treatment during the Spring Renewal workshop to ground this Liver energy, and help create flow towards least resistance.

Reiki is an energy healing technique that uses “hands-on” and also “hands-off” positioning that can assist in relieving or reducing pain and discomfort by balancing the body’s energy centers, or chakras. It can be enjoyed as an individual treatment, or a group treatment. Workshop participants will be enjoying group Reiki after the Acupuncture treatment, and will be given an opportunity to get optimally situated before receiving the energy work. Reiki-infused filtered water will be available for you during the workshop, so that you may ingest the healing, as well.

On Saturday, April 4th, the fifth phase of the Chinese seasonal calendar begins. This phase, called Clear and Bright (Qingming), starts at 10:39 PM EDT. This process of externalizing your power and projecting your desires out into the world gains momentum during Clear and Bright. During this phase, powerful Earth Qi that has been concentrating underground for many months is projecting skyward like a geyser and you align with the natural order by expressing your own vitality in clear and bright ways.

This day also marks the day of the Total Lunar Eclipse, the first Lunar Eclipse of 2015. In astrology, this time gives us a window into our “shadow selves”, allowing us to own our wholeness with more compassion.

Join Margarita and Chia-Ti as they lead you through the cleansing with the practices of Yoga, Acupuncture, and Reiki.

Payment: PayPal, ChaseQuickPay, check or cash. You must pre-pay for the workshop.

Contact chiati@onelovewellness.com to make your reservation.

www.onelovewellness.com | www.AlcantaraAcupuncture.com

 

 

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