Intention

[Sloppy Zhang]

So one of the areas that seems to be a very big deal in western magic/occultism seems to be intention, or willpower, or whatever name you want to use. I've usually found it coupled with visualizations or stuff, usually to get a response.

 

For example, in Franz Bardon's system you can apply intention to the air you breathe, the food you eat, water you drink, and "vital energy" that you can absorb through your body (it's kinda like qi I guess). This intention that you put into it lets it fulfill a purpose, usually for healing or self betterment. If you put the intention of being more aware into the air, for example, as you breathe you can, over time, become aware. Even in other western occult systems, intention/willpower seems to be very important to enact change, within yourself or in the external world.

 

On the other hand, I don't see as much focus on intention in some more eastern methods. There is the saying that "qi follows yi (intent)". But in terms of affecting change, in the western occultism sense, there doesn't seem to be as much emphasis.

 

Then again, maybe I am just missing out on something What thoughts do you guys have on "intent" when it comes to cultivation/practice/affecting change? Is it under emphasized or over emphasized in your practice? Or just the right amount?

[Lucky7Strikes]

Intent is everything. You live through intent, breathe through intent, do everything through intent. But most importantly, you create through intent. It is that which directs energy, and it is that which connects us all.

 

Desire and intent are in this sense equal. And identity and intent both arise from one another.

 

Really, all you are is your intent! All creation originates, cycles, and is liberated from this.

 

So yes, intent is pretty essential in my opinion.

Edited October 13, 2009 by Lucky7Strikes

[Aetherous]

I think the majority of the Eastern methods, as most people know them, are incomplete. That is why.

[-O-]

What I have found over the course of practices that move alot of energy - especially through the head - is eventually you can't "try" or "do" to move it. THis will just coagulate it up the energy and cause immediate ill effects (like pearcing headaches). So eventually you reach this sort of paradox - the practice is to move the energy, but you can't move the energy with any effort (or direct effort). What eventually happens is your effort gets lighter and lighter until it really isn't an act of doing - but rather just intention.

 

But this can be interpreted in some pretty mamby pamby ways - so what I mean about "just intention" is akin to reaching out for your coffee cup, or your fingers moving across your keyboard. If you observe (or more precisely contemplate) how you move your body, your eyes etc. there isn't any mental, discersive effort - no direct conscious thought - just a very immediate and very quick "intention". Once this opens up then haveing set procedures or processes or techniques become mute - because at this point all the techniques do is define and hold an intention (or more accuratly distract the logical mind in a way that the intention is retained long enough to manifest). And things really take off when you then execute your techniques from this place of intention. You can practice very intricate, complicate procedures by simply calling up the intention - it becomes effortless. Of course if your mind has a tendancy to wander then this is hopeless and you do need to be intimatly familiar with all of the details fo the practice before you an practice this way.

 

Yi gong is good this way as it is operating at this level from the begining.

Edited October 13, 2009 by -O-

[Marblehead]

Lucky expressed my understanding pretty well.

 

Intent, as you equated it with Chi, is the breath of life.

 

Peace & Love!

[Sloppy Zhang]

I think the majority of the Eastern methods, as most people know them, are incomplete. That is why.

 

How do you mean?