The Number One Intention to Bring to Your Life
An intention is an aim or a plan. It’s a gentle invitation. Simple yet profound.
And this is the number one intention I invite you to bring to your life.
Whatever you are experiencing:
- health issues
- obstacles
- failure
- confusion
- hopelessness
- loneliness
- a wobble in confidence or self-belief
- you’ve lost your way
- you’re on the receiving end of hate or exclusion
Whatever emotion is overwhelming you:
- anxiety
- grief
- humiliation
- shame
- sadness
- anger
- fear
Keep this one simple intention in mind:
Be kind to yourself
Fear contracts the heart. Its worries and anxieties stop the flow of love.
Jack Kornfield
And so with any difficult experience or emotion be kind to yourself like this:
- Notice where in your body you are feeling tension. The tension will be there. Can you find it?
- Soften the tension. On each out-breath, let go. Breathe right to the very end. Pause before you breathe back in. Soften, let go, soften, let go. With each out-breath, let go.
- Draw on feelings of tenderness and kindness. You can do this if you think of a child you love, a baby you know, a cherished pet or yourself as a child.
- Once you remember these tender kind feelings, let yourself feel them. Allow yourself to sit and bathe in these feelings of kindness, tenderness and compassion.
Love and compassion … are woven into our human spirit and our very cells. The only nourishment they require is our intimate and heartfelt attention.
Jack Kornfield
An Open Heart
With an open and kind heart, the effects ripple out towards others too.
With the intention of kindness in mind, you may wish to join me. I am running a short 4-week course. It will be one of several ‘Be Kind to Yourself’ mini-courses.
This is for you if you wish to be kind to yourself. To give yourself an hour each week to allay anxiety and deal with stress. Details here.
Further reading:
Jack Kornfield quotes come from his book: ‘The Art of Forgiveness, Lovingkindness and Peace’
Be Kind to Yourself blog post from the archives
Yvette Jane – Mindfulness & Meditation Coach