Intent

Lately I've been talking a lot about intent with clients and friends; for example, what was their intent for their session or even for the year ahead? I was looking at intention in regards to my own personal work. What was my intention for a specific type of personal healing work that I was doing? What was the intended outcome, or do they even have one?

So I decided to look up the word “intent” to uncover what the original meaning of the word is, where it came from, and how to use it. I am not entirely sure what the fascination is with the word intent is, but let's take a look at its meaning.

Intent
Noun

• something that is intended; purpose; design; intention: the original intent of the committee was to raise funds.
• The act or fact of intending, as do something: you to create with intent.
• Law, state of the persons mind that directs his or her actions toward a specific object.
• Meaning or significance

Idiom-
to or for all intents and purposes, for all practical purposes; practically speaking; and virtually: the book is, to all intents and purposes, a duplicate of the earlier efforts.

Adjective-

• firmly or steadfastly fixed or directed, as the eyes or mine: and intent gaze
• Having the attention sure please focused are fixed on something: intent on one's job
• determined or resolved; having the mind or will fixed on some goal: intent on healing
• ernest; intents: an intent person

Now having looked at all of the definitions of intent, it is a focused mind, a fixed eye gaze, and a fixed heart in a specific direction. So how do I use this intent in my own personal healing is the question that I posed myself. I looked at all the different practices that I do, whether it is prayer, ritual, processing of emotions, or even chopping wood. How do I enter into any of these activities with intent? I have discovered that it is my focus when entering into each one of these activities that determines my intent.

So let's use chopping wood. The intended result would be to have a stack of wood that could be used to build a fire in your fireplace. Or you could be using the wood for a fire ceremony or some other ritual. The key would be to know your intent for the firewood and then hold an intention for what it is you will be using the wood; i.e., I intend to use this wood to burn during a fire ceremony to call in right relationship with everyone who comes to the fire. And as you chop the wood you would hold with intent the right relationship for those coming that come to the fire.

Another favorite ritual using intention that I like to do is ritual anointing. This is where a person selects specific essential oil and anoints themselves, sacred objects or both. As you prepare the anointing oil you hold an intention of what it is you wish this sacred oil to produce in your life. Then you anoint yourself on your wrists, on your heart space and on your sacred object, all holding the intent of what it is you’re wishing to produce in your life. This is where that fixed focus definition comes in to play: to hold in your mind’s eye a fixed intent to manifest that which you are focused into your life.

Having pondered intent and looking at its definitions and how to use it, where to use it, and why, I would like you to take just a moment out of your day and see where you can use intent and where is it applicable in your life and your personal practice.

Open yourself up to intent. Don't make too many rules or rules that are too hard to follow. Just see where your intent takes you; whether it be a large intent or a small intent, let it open you up for something magical.

I intend that you have a beautiful day.