I am currently sitting in a greasy-spoon café at Denver International Airport waiting for my infinitely delayed Icelandic flight. It will take me to Reykjavik, where I will attempt to woo a cute Icelandic boy before my connection to Gatwick, London. Then, I will not attempt to woo Clive, the nice man my new company hired to drive me to Plymouth, UK. When I arrive, I will be "here:" the pinnacle of my most recent ambition. I will be here because a few months ago I decided that it was time for me to get serious about checking one big item off my bucket list: to live and work abroad. Rather than plummet toward my goal like March 3000 jet(a route for which I boast many frequent flyer miles), I decided to tie a scarf around my neck and cruise in on the wings of a glider. And in this decidedly observant focus on my dream, I learned the power of two words: intention and intuition.
Any halfway new-age (annually or mentally) person has probably encountered some pseudo-yogi or dreamy entrepreneur talk about "setting an intention" for whatever pursuit they find thieves in. In the 90's the same concept was explored through workshops about "vision boards;" in the 80's, it was found in self-help books about "visualizing your dreams coming true." In the 70's, I believe this was called "take acid while hitchhiking," but I might be wrong about that (I'm only 25, see). Although the term "intention" may be a new buzzword, it's simply the new means to explain the power of positive thought. When these confidant yogis and executives describe "setting an intention," it can seem like some sort of magical process. Want it, see it, believe it, live it. Buy now for an instant rebate! However, I think intention actually has a lot more to do with another fundamental principle in self-realization: setting goals. For instance, "I intend to eat a cookie" is less likely to come true unless paired with an actionable means of pursuit; I.e. "I intend to get all the ingredients I need to make and eat a cookie." We can intend anything we want, but unless we put ourselves in the right position to receive it, it's actualization is akin to miraculous. Isn't "I intend to get wet" a lot more sensical than "I intend it to rain?"
I readily acknowledge the vagaries and benefits of setting intentions around qualitative values and self-fulfillment. "I intend to live a happy, healthy life" is the goal of one important woman I know (my Mom, duh). In that expansive intention, she doesn't always know how to explicitly state what will lead to happiness or health. In fact, it's counterproductive to create a set of rules around that intention. You are going to be a lot happier if you intend to wear sunglasses on a bright day, for instance. Herein lies the real difficulty in intending something to be true: setting intentions involves a certain allotment for that which cannot be controlled. To really grab an intention, you must also let go of so many attempts to control it. An intention really means, "I am going to be really good and hopefully Santa/God will notice." How does one know when our intentions pull us too far from the nearest airport? How do they know when to replace the gas line with the top of the clouds? That determination is called intuition.
Intuition allows us to know when our souls want something. It shows us when to take and when to leave, when to try harder or to stop trying, and when you better hop on that jet because the glider is so obsolete. I don't think that this grand adventure on which I now embark could have worked 1/2 as well if I hadn't navigated my intention with a constant intuitive dialogue. I decided from day one that this needed to be a gradual process. I chose a route that felt valid but kept snacks onboard just in case. It involved a lot of outward discussion: What does my Dad think about this economic decision? Does my former boss think this job would be a good fit? Am I about to sublet my apartment to a crazy woman? I listened, slept on it, and then made a move. Rinse and repeat. And guess what? With each minor intention, my planes assembled themselves for liftoff. I took some advice and applied for a job...and got an interview...and an offer...and a flat...and a friend...and a flight...What was this luck, I kept wondering? I rode that wind of delight. I acted when acting felt right and went to bed when my Grandma did. Intuitively, I just knew that my ambitions would find their way directly to my intentions, if I stayed observant within them. Intuitively, enough people and Zumba classes just made it feel right.
I don't think I could have achieved this goal if it hadn't been for many years of delayed flights. And considering that this plane still hasn't lifted off, I bet I'll have quite a few more. But guess what? I know I'll get here! Somehow, I intuitively understand that this is here and where I'm going. I've set the intuitive intention. Maybe I'll end up back on my parent's couch tonight or next year. But hey, I hear the new jetliners have beds in them. There's nowhere to go but up!
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