Having an Intention Works!

Intentions have the power to transform nervous energy

Photo by dylan nolte on Unsplash

Hi there! Ever have a similar experience…

You’re sitting somewhere, ruminating about something, then you begin to feel it… the nervous, anxious, unsettling energy begins to vibrate in your body.

Maybe you feel it in your hands, your arms, behind your eyes, your feet or legs…your stomach flips, your heart flutters, your breath changes its rhythm…

This uncomfortable sensation in the body either begins there, in the body, a sensation of energy pulsing inside. Or it begins in the mind, through a thought that persists, one that won’t let you go.

Yes, happens on occasion (or often!), right!? Especially at night…laying in bed…here comes the anxiety, all the thoughts!

What can be done other than sit or lay there and allow the mind to ramble on and on and on…? Feeling the body tremble, ache, pulse with the wild energy from within?

This is where an intention (or mantra) works!

I’ve mentioned in earlier posts that an intention or a mantra is a “mind tool.”

Yoga is such a brilliant system that provides us with the tools we actually need in order to survive each day in our own little world, as we move around out there in the great big world. *

One of these tools is mantra, or mental focus…intention.

Another is pranayama, or breath practice…breathing.

And another is meditation, or mindfulness…prayer.

Putting these three tools together can be life-changing, life-enriching, life-transforming!

Let’s give it a try…

You’re laying in bed and the anxiety starts to surface. The actual content of the thought or worry doesn’t matter here. What does matter is your mind is focused on the thought which then creates the anxiety or worry or rumination, and then the body comes along, with the sensation of energy running wild. EEK!

When anxiety surfaces it tends to be around a thought. A persistent, negative, unsettling thought. Guess what…that’s a mantra! But…it’s a mind tool or intention that’s focused in the wrong direction!

Your awareness of this anxiety comes from either the persistent thought or the sensation in the body. The awareness may take some time to happen, but that’s ok!

Once you become aware, you can produce a new thought, give your mind a new mantra or intention to focus on!

For example, you notice you are laying in bed, can’t fall to sleep, and you realize… I am feeling anxious. The intention your mind is working with here is “I am anxious.” This negative intention fuels your internal energy and keeps you from falling to sleep.

From here you can switch the intention from “I am anxious” to “I am calm.” Paired with breath, the intention works with you to transform your anxiety into peace!

The practice is…

• Awareness of anxiety

• Pause mentally, acknowledge the anxiety exists, decide to change the intention/mantra from anxiety to calm

• Inhale, gently, fully through the nose - in your mind say the words “I am”

• Exhale, gently, fully through the nose - in your mind say the word “calm”

• Repeat, repeat, repeat

• If still awake, perhaps you say a prayer (I love the “Our Father” paired with breath), or offer thanks for 3-9 beautiful things in your life right now

• Sleep, sleep, soundly sleep

Now, when I find myself in this scenario, I’ve become aware I’m anxious, just as soon as I take that first inhale through my nose, before I even begin the intention - “I am calm” - my energy shifts, my mind and body begin to lighten/soften, and shortly after, I fall to sleep.

This is a practice, and it takes practice, it takes time. But…you have to begin somewhere! Let that somewhere be today, tonight, now!

Tune in Friday for this very practice!

Interested in developing your own intention practice?! Watch for the Moving into Spirit Podcast post where I’ll take you through this practice, and you can download it to try over the weekend!

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Coming soon…

Gently crafted just for you…an Intention Series.

For paid subscribers, have access to very specific intentions such as…

• I am abundant

• I am balanced

• I am clear

• I am connected

• I am energized

• I am faithful

• I am free

• I am healed

• I am inspired

• I am loved

• I am present

• …and more…

Each intention post includes poetry, inspiration, an audio recording, and a guided offering for your intention practice cultivation.

More details for you soon…until next time…Enjoy!

xoxo Michelle

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* Note from above: “yoga is such a brilliant system…”

**I’ll touch more on this at a later time, but yoga has brought me tremendous healing and brought me back to my connection to God, to Jesus, to Mother Mary. It can do the same for you!**

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In the meantime…give this intention practice a try!