This One Truth About Intention Can Change Everything

Photo courtesy of David Nagy from Pixabay

“In the universe there is an immeasurable, indescribable force which shamans call intent, and absolutely everything that exists in the entire cosmos is attached to intent by a connecting link.” — Carlos Castaneda

Generally, we think of intention as consciously focusing on a desire or a specific goal and not letting anything stop us from achieving it.

But if you’re not one of those “dog-with-a-bone” people who sink their teeth into something and refuse to let go until they get it, don’t despair.

As it turns out, intention does not originate with our conscious thoughts — or with willpower.

Intention is everywhere. It is a force that is inside us, around us, and flowing through us. According to the above quote, it is there for us to use at any time by making and maintaining that link. This is much easier to do than using sheer willpower, which can be fickle as it is closely tied to our emotions.

Einstein and his cohorts knew that particles are not at the source of creation — i.e. particles do not create more particles. The Source of creation is intention, a pure energy that vibrates at such a high rate of speed that it cannot be measured. It is invisible and without form, and at our Source we were that energy.

At the moment of conception, everything about how you would look and what your personality would be, everything that makes you ‘you’ was set in motion by intention. Whether physical or non-physical, intention is the energy that activated your potential. The only way you can deactivate it is by breaking that link, and you do this when you believe that you are separate from intention.

How is this possible?

We can see intention at work everywhere in nature. Every seed intends to grow into a specific plant. Every animal, fish, bird and insect intends to grow, survive, reproduce, and create the existence that was intended for it. And every one of them does it without thinking about it or questioning it.

Therefore, nothing in nature is ever disconnected from intention. Nothing, that is, except humans. Our intelligence allows us to question everything, including our intention and our very existence. We’ve created a separateness for ourselves that disconnects us in the form of ego.

Rather than seeing that we are all living in this same energy field of intention, we have removed ourselves from it and believe that each of us is a separate entity in the universe. We believe we create intention. But intention creates us.

Ego separates us by identifying who and what we are on a very earthly, human level. It defines us by what we do, by the opinions of others, and by what we have. It keeps us feeling separated from everything that’s missing in our lives. It keeps us feeling separated from everyone else, and from the Source of all Creation (“God”, “Goddess”, or whatever term you prefer).

“Intent is a force that exists in the universe. When sorcerers (those who live of the Source) beckon intent, it comes to them and sets up the path for attainment, which means that sorcerers always accomplish what they set out to do.” — Carlos Castaneda

The link between us and the force that is intention comes from connection with Spirit. As long as you allow Ego to do your thinking for you, you will remain disconnected from Spirit, from Source, and from the power of intention.

This concept reminds me of a quote by Elizabeth Gilbert, author of Eat, Pray, Love. In her book, Big Magic, she says ideas are floating around us at all times and that they have consciousness. If an idea comes to us and we ignore it, it will find someone else who runs with it.

“Ideas are driven by a single impulse: to be made manifest. And the only way an idea can be made manifest in our world is through collaboration with a human partner. It is only through a human’s efforts that an idea can be escorted out of the ether and into the realm of the actual.” — Elizabeth Gilbert

If intention is a powerful force and the source of creation, I would suggest that ideas are the expression of that force.

Intention and Inspiration

You know that feeling you get when you feel inspired? It’s so exciting when something lights a fire under you and you feel a sense of purpose. You’re energised and you’re itching to get at whatever it is that you feel driven to do in that moment of inspiration. Think of being inspired as being “in-spirited”.

In that wonderful moment of inspiration, that is when you’re connected to Source. That is when you connect with intention. Leaving Ego out of the equation keeps you linked with Source and feeling in-spirited.

How exciting to know that intention is not about dogged determination that is accessible only to those with a serious stubborn streak! Intention is everywhere, anyone can access it by linking with Source, and it’s easier to do that than it is to use willpower.

So where do you sign up? How do you make that link? How do you become a “sorcerer” — or a “Source-eror”?

You begin by recognising that we are not separate beings, but that we are all connected by Source. When you understand this, you can see that we’re also connected to everything we desire, to all we hope to be, to do, to accomplish, and to create.

In aligning — or realigning — ourselves in this way, we (re)activate the power of intention that has always been there, waiting for us to return to the in-spirited paths that were intended for us from the moment of conception.

Spiritual Arts Mentor and Master Teacher, Liberty Forrest, guides you in discovering who you are, why you’re here, and how to follow that path.