HELP How to make Intent sincere

[Suliman]

Hi guys ive been reading quite alot of understanding reality and a major first priority it says is to make intent sincere

Can anyone shed some light on this for me please!

How would i go about doing that and what exactly does it mean?

 

I know what it is trying to say but am at loggerheads as to pinpoint exactly how i should go about to do that.

 

As always any information is greatly appreciated

[Marblehead]

Hi guys ive been reading quite alot of understanding reality and a major first priority it says is to make intent sincere

Can anyone shed some light on this for me please!

How would i go about doing that and what exactly does it mean?

 

That is not such an easy question to answer. There was a thread recently that discussed intent. Maybe you can find it.

 

I will make just a short comment right now regarding 'sincere intent'. I have a saying I sometimes share with others.

 

"Never make a promise you do not have the means of fulfilling or the fortitude to carry out."

 

In other words, if you intend to do something, like stop smoking, first, make sure that this is what you really want to do, that you have the means of following your intent to the end, and you have the courage to deal with the discomfort of stopping.

 

And yes, I still smoke and that is why I used that example, and yes, I know I should quit. I just have to work up to that 'sincere intent' first.

 

Peace & Love!

[Brian]

...

[thelerner]

For me sincerity is expressed through action. Words and thoughts alone don't cut it.

 

One writer I forget the name said to 'Make your word the law', be willing to take massive action to keep your commitments. Which echoes what Marblehead said.

 

Michael

[Brian]

...

[voidisyinyang]

In Taoism intention is called "yi" and it's also connected to the pancreas energy -- so good intention means a healthy pancreas -- avoid refined sugars, for example. http://www.fivespirits.com/yi.php

 

 

Then I'd practice the "small universe" exercise -- you can get the c.d. from http://springforestqigong.com Level 1 sitting meditation -- http://www.springforestqigong.com/instructional_tools.htm or read the Mantak Chia scribd book on the "small universe" as the "microcosmic orbit" http://www.scribd.com/doc/2672168/Mantak-Chia-Awaken-Healing-Energy-through-the-Tao

Edited August 12, 2010 by drewhempel

[Birch]

I say intent is always sincere. In fact it's the only sincere thing there is

It's the thoughts and the actions that end up making it seem as if it weren't IMO.

 

I was concerned for a minute when I read the OP because I thought initially it was a question on how to make intent seem sincere when one fully intends (sic) otherwise. I think I did that because of some very popular myths about "intention" as a "voluntary" way of changing one's conditions. I think that's kind of funny. To attempt to have voluntarily "sincere" (fake) intent.

[TheSongsofDistantEarth]

This is a very odd question. I'm not sure what to make of it.

[Sahaj Nath]

Hi guys ive been reading quite alot of understanding reality and a major first priority it says is to make intent sincere

Can anyone shed some light on this for me please!

How would i go about doing that and what exactly does it mean?

 

I know what it is trying to say but am at loggerheads as to pinpoint exactly how i should go about to do that.

 

As always any information is greatly appreciated

 

 

most of the respondents so far have treated this question as if it is common or ordinary. for me, i found it rather perplexing. i had to sit with this for a few minutes, but i think i might be able to contribute.

 

to "make intent sincere," in MY opinion is sort of an insincere statement. it's more polite or it's easier to say than the actual truth. the truth being hinted at by the statement is more confronting.

 

mean what you say, and say what you mean. i think the smoking examples are great ones to illustrate the point, because a lot of people say they 'intend' to do something when what they really mean is that they 'should' do it. the only real intent in that scenario is the intent to think about it, and maybe feel guilty from time to time. don't say you intend to do something unless you really mean it. and when it comes to difficult changes, like smoking, you REALLY have to know yourself in order to mean it. most people play head games with themselves and give themselves plenty of room to go back on their word so they can "try again" some other time. the sincere intention doesn't do that. the sincere intention is decisive. the definition of decide almost literally means to cut off the bullshit, the games, even the shoulds.

 

 

i intend to be fully realized, and i intend to be a great teacher and to change hundreds of people's lives in this lifetime. straight-up. i might even reach thousands, but it's not necessary.

 

barring some freak accident, i won't allow for any other outcome. period. THAT is my intent. i must leave the final outcome to the will of heaven, but my compass will never stop pointing north.

 

 

maybe i over-shot this a little bit, but this is how it strikes me.

 

you don't make your intent sincere; you make sure YOU are sincere about your intent. so you have to know yourself first, and then, just stop playing games and mean what you say. that's my take.

[freeform]

To find out if your intent is sincere ask yourself the following:

 

What would having this intent realised do for me that is even more important than the intent itself?

 

And then see what comes up.

 

 

As an example:

 

"I intend to double my income this year."

 

What would having this intent realised do for me that is even more important than the intent itself?

 

"well it would allow me to help my poor cousin and his family"

 

(then you ask the question again)

 

What would helping my cousin do for me that is even more important than that?

 

"it would make me feel like I've made a difference in someone's life"

 

What would feeling like I made a difference in someone's life do for me that is even more important than that?

 

"I would feel happy"

 

What would feeling happy do for me that is even more important than that?

 

"I would be complete"

 

At some point you will feel like there's nothing more important... At that point just state the intention in the present (eg "I am complete") then stay at that level and allow the strong sensations and energy to fill you up (if you did this with your whole body, as well as with your mind - you would be feeling strong sensations). When you feel saturated with it, go back down the list, carrying the energy with you... "I am happy", "I am making a difference", "I am helping my cousin", "I am earning double my income this year".

 

Then forget about the whole thing and see what happens (with no concern for any particular outcome).

 

[Brian]

...

[Sahaj Nath]

Exactly! This is basically what I was getting at, Hundun! (Although I must not have expressed myself very well...)

 

You cannot "act sincere" without making yourself less sincere in the process. You have to examine your intentions and evaluate your own motivations, objectives, etc., on an on-going basis. You have to apply self-corrections to your own thoughts and actions to ensure that they are aligned -- and not just superficially. This is something I try to do but I find it much more difficult (and much more rewarding) than it may sound.

 

 

indeed. you were more than clear. we're pretty much in alignment. it just required me to take a bit of a windy road to get there.

 

 

i don't know, i just really didn't like the phrase "make intent sincere" because it struck me as an insincere phrase, and i had to deal with that first.

[goldisheavy]

Hi guys ive been reading quite alot of understanding reality and a major first priority it says is to make intent sincere

Can anyone shed some light on this for me please!

How would i go about doing that and what exactly does it mean?

 

I know what it is trying to say but am at loggerheads as to pinpoint exactly how i should go about to do that.

 

As always any information is greatly appreciated

 

 

Ultimately you can't "make" it sincere. It either is, already, or not, but it can change. Intent is what does the making. Since intent is not a subject to itself, it cannot directly operate on itself. Your intent is what you really want (as opposed to what you think you want). The best you can do is keep an eye on your beliefs, and make sure you challenge all your beliefs from time to time, to make sure you don't accidentally believe something that's harmful to your vision. Beliefs form networks, and so, sometimes if you want to change some beliefs, you'll also have to change adjacent supporting and related beliefs.

 

Just pay attention in your life and you'll understand all this in due time on your own.

[Owledge]

The person who wrote the advice to make intent sincere should have seen the necessity to explain what this vague thing is supposed to mean. If he didn't do that, he probably didn't really know himself, or at least I wouldn't put much importance on this advice.

Edited August 14, 2010 by Hardyg

[Suliman]

Just like to say guys thanks very much for all your replies,excellent help more than i had envisioned.

Warm wishes

Suliman