being okay with the power of intention

I believe that we need to put intentions out to the world in order for us to reach our goals and get what we want. We need to have our eyes set on achieving what we want in order to know the path we need to take in order to get there. Whether it is for personal growth or something as tangible as buying a house, the focus needs to exist, be clear and be focused. A powerful adjunct to basic and concrete goal setting is putting our intentions out there. If there is a goal we want but there is no intention behind it,we will never achieve it unless, or course, you have amazing luck.

I find personal growth goals easy to put intention behind. This intention feels extremely accessible . However, I have difficulty putting my desires out to the Universe for the tangible things I desire. Is it a selfish act? Is being occasionally selfish permissible? Will there be a negative backlash if obtaining the desired thing? Is desire for the tangible a bad thing? Am I deserving? Should I be focusing my energy into more "important" things?

In reviewing these questions, I find myself responding in my head:

Is it a selfish act?
Often, but what difference does it make as long as you are not causing harm to others in the process.

Is being occasionally selfish permissible?
Of course it is. We are human and deserve to put ourselves first at times. I encourage clients to give themselves permission to be selfish since many of them are always putting others first, especially those that are mothers. Those that put others first all the time, neglect themselves so much that they get to the point of not being able to provide for others because they are so depleted.

Will there be a negative backlash if obtaining the desired thing?
Backlash? From what? The world does not work in a "tit for tat" kind of way. If we receive something that we wanted, the good that we receive from it can very easily be "paid forward," right? Of course, we might create a backlash if we gloat about things and rub it in other peoples' faces, but that is another issue.

Is desire for the tangible a bad thing?
Who is the judge of good or bad? If you get so attached to the desire for the tangible, this can lead to negative responses...remember the whole "love of money..." thing? However, our chosen reality is that a certain level of tangible items make our lives more comfortable. Some tangible items, such as shelter, are necessary for survival, some strictly for greater enjoyment of life but to judge the latter of the two as "bad" is a judgment.

Am I deserving?
I am human and I live my life with as much kindness as possible, and do not wish to cause harm to others. So I would say, yes, I am deserving of putting my intentions out to the Universe for the things that I would like.

Should I be focusing my energy into more "important" things?
I can focus concurrently. As long as I do not lose focus on the important, then it is all good. The things that I want may also put me into a better position to do more for others. That is important.


You know, going through this thought process, I am feeling better about setting my intentions towards tangible goals. Thanks for reading. Now, about that house I want to buy......

flick flick... hello! this is the universe calling!

Sometimes adversity is the means for moving towards something better. It comes down to depending on if you choose to let it hold you down or allow it to spark you into moving forward. Yes, there are some things we cannot control in the world but we always have some sort of autonomous control, even if it is that control is simply how we choose to respond to a hardship. We always have command over that. Are we going to react irrationally or do we choose to respond rationally?

Perhaps the adversity is the Universe flicking you in the back of the head to make you take notice of something. Best to not ignore that because it will not ease up until you do something.

I am all about the lemonade.

ring it in

Here we are, folks, in a new year. 2008. Write your checks correctly. I rang in the new year similar to last...with a wicked cold making my nose all snuffily and my body achy. Sat on the couch wrapped in a warm new christmas gift blanket (thanks Paul and Joanne!!!), sweatshirt and scarf lovingly knitted by Greg :). As my Italian grandmother always did, we had money in our hands at the stroke of midnight to welcome prosperity into our lives. This year I additionally held some Emergen-C, a piece of paper with a heart and a polished stone. Wealth, Health, Love and being grounded.

Since I make a habit of setting goals for myself throughout the year, I do not come up with New Year's Resolutions. I prefer instead let go of things from the previous year. I learned this tradition from a peer of mine that studied at Naropa University. Her name is Sonny and she is a Lakota Indian, an amazing woman, a survivor and a beautiful person all around. Since ritual and tradition can be an important component of well being, she shared with the class a tradition that her tribe practices. Keep in mind, I am not versed in Lakota tradition so this is a very abridged version. Basically what we did was write down things from the previous year that we want to let go. This is personal and not shared with anyone. We then burned the paper and the idea is that the things we want to let go of goes up with the smoke and a Lakota spirit (an eagle, I believe) flies down and takes them away. You then bury the ashes in soil and grow a plant or flower in it. Then you can move into the new year letting go of the things that hold you back and something new grows from the intention. Having done this a couple of times, I find it very freeing and a ritual I plan on doing again this week. I have used this also when I was going through some difficult times. My mother had come to Colorado to stay with me for a few days for support. I shared this idea with her and we did the ritual ourselves. We then added writing down what we wish for each other in the coming year. Truly helpful indeed.

Whatever you want to work towards in 2008 or let go of from the past, I wish you all Health, Wealth, Love and a Sense of Groundedness.

Namaste, Shanti and Cheers,

Melissa

unfortunate synchronicities and requested blessings

Two days ago, not only was there the car accident by my apartment, but one of my girlfriends from work was rear-ended with her two kids in the car. Luckily, it no one involved was injured too severely. Earlier in the week her son slipped and hit his head on the floor at school. It has been a rough week for her. This dear woman and mother has been through so much in her life and is, indeed, a survivor. This brings up the cliche' but apropos question, "Why do bad things happen to good people?"

I believe in the power of prayer, positive thought, positive intention, etc. I also believe that the more positive energy, the better the outcome. If you can find a moment in your day to send some "good vibes" to my friend and her kids, I would appreciate it. Even if you are skeptical, even a well wishing of good fortune to her helps. (Hey, you've got nothing to lose, plus even if you don't believe in it, you get some good Karma points added to your account.)

With good, positive intentions and thoughts to all of you, I bid you, dear readers, many blessings yourself!