Intention pt. 2

In part one I was discussing some physical maintenance items that we can use to help build the strength of our intention. I  will continue that discussion now with some more offerings.

3. Sleep. How much sleep do you get each night? What is the quality of that sleep? Do you get into a dream state or just toss and turn all night? Are you rested and ready to take on the day when you awaken? Your body repairs itself while you sleep. If you don’t give it sufficient time to do this rebuild then in short order you are running a maintenance deficit that will start to affect all aspects of performance. If this behavior is maintained the deficit will become chronic. Chronic pain, chronic tiredness, chronic bad attitude, chronic disease.

Why is your sleep compromised and what can you do about it? Have you ever even considered looking into getting help? Is your mattress worn out? Are there too many electrical circuits and controls on the wall of your bedroom? Is there a cell tower repeater on your apartment building or next door? Are you getting too wired by blue light before bed from monitors and televisions?  Are your circadian rhythms off? Are you in pain that you have been tuning out? These are some possibilities and I would ask you to look into the matter. As with all of these topics, if you aren’t in good operating function then you are of little help to yourself and no help to anyone else.

4. Exercise. How do you exercise your body? Doing twelve ounce curls while holding down the couch don’t count. I see plenty of pictures of people in great shape due to their workout regimen on social media but sometimes it feels to me as if the image of these people is the new meme, and everyone else is attempting to get fit by osmosis. What is your routine and how is it serving your body? Are you doing it long enough to raise your heart rate sufficiently? Are you discouraged because you feel you will never look like the pics you aspire to? Do you dislike exercise like kids dislike Brussel sprouts? Are you fit enough to walk? If not, can you work towards that goal? Walking is a great way to start and it is good for you. It gets you outside, and clears your mind. At least it gives you time to contemplate what is on your mind. If you don’t want to  hear what is rattling around inside then try listening to a book on tape while you walk. That way you can increase your knowledge base while you get exercise. I find myself walking farther, easier, and with more focus, while listening to an audiobook. Focus requires effort and effort requires intention.

5. Quiet time. This will actually fit a number of categories and I am mentioning it here because it will serve you better if you can start to integrate this behavior earlier on your path. Our lives currently are woefully inadequate in providing us time to decompress. We need time to process our day and once that’s done, I would strongly suggest some self inquiry. You could simply start with your reaction to the incident at work where you were a bit too energetic in your response to the stimulus or the blowup with the significant other, etc.  Was your response appropriate for the stimulus? Did you feel surprised by your strong feelings that arose? Just focus on one scenario. What was really happening? Did you perceive that you were being attacked although the other person was merely suggesting a minor change? Really feel into the situation. Did this remind you of a long ago spat with a parent? Was the other person even aware that they triggered you? This was just an example. As we begin to unwind these unconscious triggers our lives get calmer and clearer. This lowers our stress level and makes our intentions stronger because we have less mental distractions. Meditation is wonderful but I find too many people resistant to doing it. I feel that if you can do just this exercise, over time you may become interested in meditation and more open to what it brings up.

Remember, these are simply suggestions to get you started on a path towards fulfilling your intentions. Ultimately, the work leads you to owning your sovereign divinity and the power that goes along with that knowledge.