Do you ever feel like you’re running on auto-pilot? Do you feel like life just happens to you? Or do you make conscious choices to shape your life?This meditation, mindfulness of intentions, can give you more control in your life.
We’ve been doing a 5-part mindfulness meditation series, and with the last four (Mindfulness of Breath, Body Awareness, Emotions, and Thoughts), we’ve been exploring different anchors of awareness as techniques to keep the mind in the present moment. However, when we focus on mindfulness of intentions, we’re focusing on WHY we are practicing meditation, not HOW.
Our success in experiencing the benefits of meditation hinges largely on how personal, how deep, and how meaningful our intention is. Your positive experience will then feed you commitment to continuing to meditate.
For example, if your intention to meditate is just to get a good grade on a test, once the test is over, you may quickly drop the practice. But if you’re meditating to open your mind to all possibilities and absorb new information readily so your school, work, or home life can thrive, do you see how this is much grander? Once you start to see positive changes, meditation will easily become a stronger part of your life.
We must also remember that intentions are seeds of potential that you will grow as you are mindful of them. So intentions must be positive, kind, and for the benefit of all involved.
Here’s another example: an intention to meditate in order to be better or smarter than someone else is not growing intelligence, it’s growing competition and comparison. You’ll need to rephrase it so it’s clear that you wish to benefit, but without harming anyone else with animosity.
I make intentions for my yoga & meditation practices, for the yoga classes I teach, for my acupuncture sessions with clients, for my doTERRA business activities, and for my social media posts. I try to stay mindful of my intentions in every conversation I have. It helps me to be more diplomatic with relationships. It helps me anticipate the results of my actions – good and bad.
If it sounds like this would bring more balance to your life, then you’ll love this meditation!
Guided Meditation: Mindfulness of Intentions
Determining your Intention
Prepare your meditation space so it’s quiet and comfortable. In the video I used the doTERRA Melissa, Litsea, and Blue Tansy essential oil blends on my wrists and heart space. Emotionally, these oils help with manifesting light and positivity which is an intention I’m focusing on right now.
Come into a seated position on the floor or in a chair. If you’re on the floor, sitting on a cushion will elevate your hips and help your legs relax in the hip joints. Let your hands rest on your knees or thighs.
Before we start the formal meditation, let’s take some time to set an intention.
Breathe slow, even, and deep to bring the mind down into the body. Let your awareness rest at the heart space. Notice what you’re feeling.
If you have an intention, you can say it to yourself now. If you don’t have an intention, stay connected with the feelings you have in your hear and ask yourself why you’re meditating. Simply keep asking until something bubbles up to the surface.
If nothing comes up, you might want to use a standard bodhisattva intention that goes something like this (the following is a combination of what I’ve learned from Sarah Powers and Stephen Batchelor):
I vow to awaken – in body, heart, and mind – for the benefit of all beings. I appreciate it’s immeasurable value in how I live my life and know that it’s possible, in this moment, regardless of conditions.
Mindfulness Meditation Instructions
It’s your choice now, where you would like to anchor your attention. It can be on the breath, on physical sensation, on emotions, or thoughts as they surface. You can even focus on sound, which we haven’t talked about yet.
Remember that these anchors are simply features of the present moment. Once you have some experience, you can even let your mind float from anchor to anchor, whatever is grabbing your attention with each passing breath.
There is a key difference with mindfulness of intentions though. When you inevitably become distracted, instead of simply returning back to your anchor, remind yourself of your intention. Remember why you’re doing this and why it’s so important. Then go ahead and return to your anchor. Chances are, your awareness will be stronger now.
After 10 minutes or longer, when you’re ready to come out, return to your deep, even breathing. Open up all the sense organs to notice what you’re feeling on the skin, smelling, tasting, and hearing. Then slowly open your eyes.
Before you get up, you may wish to make an intention for the rest of the day. It’s my hope that setting intentions will become a natural part of every activity. Living intentionally can give you a greater sense of control and responsibility for every choice you make. I know for me, it certainly makes life for special and enjoyable!
How did it feel to focus on intentions during your meditation? If you have any insight that you’d like to share, I’d love to hear about it in the comments!
Please share this meditation with a friend, since there are many who can use this support now! Thank you & well wishes to you…
