“Imagine that intention is not something you do, but rather a force that exists in the universe as an invisible field of energy.”
“To answer to Where is this field? is: There’s no place that it’s not, because everything in the universe has intention built into it. … A tiny acorn with no apparent power to think or make plans for its future contains intention from the invisible field. … Intention doesn’t err. The acorn never turns into a pumpkin, or the apple blossom into an orange. Every aspect of nature, without exception, has intention built into it, and as far as we can tell, nothing in nature questions its path of intent. Nature simply progresses from the field of intention. We, too, are intended from the energy of this field. There is what some calls a future-pull in the DNA that’s present at conception in each of us. … The source, which is intention, is pure, unbounded energy vibrating so fast that it defies measurement and observation. It’s invisible, without form or boundaries. So, at our Source, we are formless energy, and in that formless vibrating spiritual field of energy, intention resides.” – Where Is This Field Called Intention?, Chapter 1. Viewing Intention from a New Perspective, Part 1. The Essentials of Intention, THE POWER OF INTENTION (Wayne W. Dyer, 2004), p6-7
“A person who lives in a state of unity with the source of all life doesn’t look any different from ordinary folks. … These people, who I call connectors to signify their harmonious connection with the field of intention, are individuals who have made themselves available for success. It’s impossible to get them to be pessimistic about achieving what they desire in their lives. Rather than using language that indicates that their desires may not materialize, they speak from an inner conviction that communicates their profound and simple knowing that the universal Source supplies everything.” – Chapter 15. A Portrait of a Person Connected to the Field of Intention, THE POWER OF INTENTION (Dr. Wayne W. Dyer, 2004), p245-6
“William James, the father of American psychology, said that power to move the world is in your subconscious mind. Your subconscious mind is one with infinite intelligence and boundless wisdom. It is fed by hidden springs, and is called the law of life. Whatever you impress upon your subconscious mind, the latter will move heaven and earth to bring it to pass. You must, therefore, impress it with right ideas and constructive thoughts.
The reason there is so much chaos and misery in the world is because people do not understand the interaction of their conscious and subconscious minds. When these two principles work in accord, in concord, in peace, and synchronously together, you will have health, happiness, peace and joy. There is no sickness or discord when the conscious and subconscious work together harmoniously and peacefully.
The tomb of Hermes was opened with great expectancy and a sense of wonder because people believed that the greatest secret of the ages was contained therein. The secret was as within, so without; as above, so below.
In other words, whatever is impressed in your subconscious mind is expressed on the screen of space. This same truth was proclaimed by Moses, Isaiah, Jesus, Buddha, Zoroaster, Laotze, and the illuminated seers of the ages. Whatever you feel as true subjectively is expressed as conditions, experiences, and events. Motion and emotion must balance. As in heaven [your own mind], so on earth [in your body and environment]. This is the great law of life.
You will find throughout all nature the law of action and reaction, of rest and motion. These two must balance, then there will be harmony and equilibrium. You are here to let the life principle flow through you rhythmically and harmoniously. The intake and the outgo must be equal. The impression and the expression must be equal. All your frustration is due to unfulfilled desire.” – What is Impressed in the Subconscious Is Expressed, Chapter 3. The Miracle-Working Power of Your Subconscious, THE POWER OF YOUR SUBCONSCIOUS MIND, (Joseph Murphy, Ph.D., 1963), p53-4
One passage in As a Man Thinketh left me to ponder for quite a while and ultimately led me to write this article. James Allen states:
“Suffering is always the effect of wrong thought in some direction. It is an indication that we are out of harmony with ourselves, with the Law of Life. … The circumstances we encounter with suffering are the result of our own lack of mental harmony. The circumstances we encounter with blessedness are the result of our own mental harmony.” – Effect of Thought on Circumstances, AS A MAN THINKETH (James Allen, 1903), p17-8
What is the clear definition of ‘being in harmony with ourselves, with the law of life?’ What does he mean by ‘our own mental harmony or lack of it?
This probably is just a simple phrase, yet to me it was a huge subject to delve into, for ‘being in harmony with (something)’ required me to have a clear understanding of that ‘something.’ I pondered that, if I can have clarity on ‘the law of life’ or ‘ourselves,’ matching myself up to the level of ‘being in harmony with it’ will be an easy matter.
If this question can be answered, I pondered anyone, including myself, can make one’s existence here on earth much more meaningful and make oneself a smoother sailor.
I needed to define two notions. First, I needed to understand what ‘ourselves’ and ‘the law of life’ have to be, so that I can clearly move toward ‘being in harmony with it.’
Second, I needed to figure out what ‘right thought’ is and why it is such. If suffering is always the effect of wrong thought in some direction, as per James Allen, the opposite case – blessings – will be the effect of right thought. Additionally, the qualities of right thought should reflect those of ourselves – i.e. our right essence, I pondered.
To reach answers for these two questions, I would like to proceed this article in below order.
- Who Are We? What’s Our Essence?
- What’s the Law of Life?
- What’s Right Thought?
- How to Reach the State of ‘Being in Harmony with Ourselves, with the Law of Life?’
- What Happens When We Reach the State of Harmony?
- Closing: Rethinking about Suffering
On my quest for the subject, two books helped me gain important perspectives. The Power of Intention firstly gave me an insight on what should be our right nature and essence. Next, The Power of Your Subconscious Mind helped me understand what the Law of Life is – the law that doesn’t err as in James Allen’s notion. Insights from these two books naturally led me to define what right thought is, and to find how we can reach a state of being in harmony and overcome any lack of mental harmony.
1. Who Are We? What Is Our Essence?
Where are ‘you’ from? I am not asking in terms of geological or societal sense. What has brought you here?
I would like to ask you to contemplate ‘what’ enabled ‘you’ to exist as a physical form in this time and space. What is this creative force that enables everything to exist as physical substance – in microcosm as well as in macrocosm.
This creative force is called the Infinite Intelligence or the Creative Intelligence or the Source.
There is a rather interesting term in Dyer’s book that is used in the similar context – Intention. He develops the idea of ‘intention’ by first introducing a notion of ‘intent’ which Carlos Castaneda, anthropologist and author, employed to define a powerful yet invisible force:
“In the universe, there is an immeasurable, indescribable force which shamans call intent, and absolutely everything that exists in the entire cosmos is attached to intent by a connecting link.”
“Intent is a force that exists in the universe. When sorcerers (those who live of the Source) beckon intent, it comes to them and sets up the path for attainment, which means that sorcerers always accomplish what they set out to do.” – Carlos Castaneda, The Active Side of Infinity
Transforming the conventional definition of intention as we know into a deeper spiritual context, Dyer defines intention as a ‘force which exists in the universe as an invisible field of energy’ and states ‘everything in the universe has intention built into it.’ 1
Like an acorn intended to become an oak, not something else, absolutely everything that exists in the entire cosmos is intention manifested. I am – and every human being is – intention manifested. I am intended from the invisible field of energy to become myself, not anybody else.
He further defines intention as a notion that involve both physical and nonphysical essence. Our physical body is one part of our totality emanating from this infinite invisible force.
“Now extend your awareness of this infinite field of energy beyond the world of form and boundaries. This infinite invisible force is everywhere, so it’s in both the physical and the nonphysical. Your physical body is one part of your totality emanating from this energy. … In this instance, intention is infinite potential activating your physical and nonphysical appearance on Earth. You’ve formed out of the omnipresent to become present in time and space.” – The Meaning of Omnipresent Intention, Chapter 1. Viewing Intention from a New Perspective, Part 1. The Essentials of Intention, THE POWER OF INTENTION (Wayne W. Dyer, 2004), p8-9
Naturally, we can conclude that the essence of ourselves is the essence of intention – the powerful force and the Source of all creation in the universe -, since we emanated from it. We, as totality, involve nonphysical appearance on Earth as well.
What qualities can we imagine when we think of intention as the creative force that created ourselves and everything?
Dyer introduces seven qualities calling them as seven faces of intention:
It has a face of creativity
It has a face of kindness
It has a face of love
It has a face of beauty
It has a face of expansion
It has a face of unlimited abundance
It has a face of receptivity 2
Is it possible to imagine the ‘creative’ force’s face – intention – to be otherwise? For example, is it possible for the creative force to create us and everything out of hatred instead of love or kindness? Or out of scarcity instead of abundance? Out of limitation instead of expansion? You get the idea.
Just think about nature and the creative power in it. Just a short stroll in nature would make you realize how true these qualities are. They have exactly seven faces of intention. Therefore, there’s no reason to presume that our human nature should be otherwise, for we are intended from the same Source that intended nature.
2. What Is the Law of Life?
You may recall the nature of the subconscious mind as ‘lifeward’ from my previous article ([3] I Am the Master of My Fate, the Captain of My Soul). There is intelligence that takes care of our body even when we’re asleep and, even in the absence of the conscious mind, as in the mirco-organsim, we see this same intelligence perform and maintain life.
It’s important to recall that this ‘harmonious’ lifeward system is only disrupted when our own conscious mind interferes by worry, anxiety, fear and depression. It’s man who interferes with the innate principle of harmony. 3
Murphy defines the Law of Life as balance or equilibrium, as on the scale. It’s balance between Input and Output; Cause and Effect; and Action and Reaction. These pairs must balance, then there will be harmony and equilibrium. Our conscious mind as the Cause, Input, Impression, and Action must balance with the subconscious mind as Effect, Output, Expression, and Reaction. This is the law that never errs. 4
So upon acknowledging the principle of the Law of Life, we can easily imagine what our physical outcome can be when our internal input(our thought) is planted with worry, anxiety, fear, jealousy and depression, for example.
We also acknowledge what our right essence and nature are. Now, when we feed our conscious mind with negative thoughts and emotions which is far from our right essence, it is unmistakable that the harmony is broken and the new balance is to be made as negative physical manifestations. 5
What lies ahead for us upon having these insights? What choice would you like to make?
3. What’s Right Thought?
What is normal and true for us? To recall, our subconscious has a life of its own which is always moving toward harmony, health, and peace. This is the divine norm within it seeking expression through us at all times. 6
This innate life-principle in us forever seeking to preserve and protect us along all lines is the normal state. Being sick is abnormal, for this reason. It’s normal to be healthy, vital, and strong. To be sick simply means you are going against the stream of life and thinking negatively. The law of life is the law of growth. Where there is life there must be harmony, and where there is harmony, there is perfect health. 7
Here, we come to realize that the principle of our subconscious mind is no different from that of the Infinite Intelligence: ‘Your subconscious mind is one with infinite intelligence and boundless wisdom.’ 8
To think correctly and to have right thought mean to acknowledge the Truth: To be in harmony with the infinite intelligence and power of our subconscious mind. 9
Right thought is one in harmony with the creative principle of our subconscious mind. Right thought rightly reflects our true essence described as the seven faces of intention – creativity, kindness, love, beauty, expansion, unlimited abundance, and receptivity, which are the same faces of the creative principle of our subconscious mind – being lifeward, harmony, health, peace, the law of growth.
I would like to ask you to contemplate again at this stage. What’s right and true for us? Why?
4. How to Reach the State of ‘Being in Harmony with Ourselves, with the Law of Life?’
We need to strive to return to the original state of our true essence that these seven facets of Intention signify. As Dyers suggests, we can try to match ourselves up to (or rather, I would say, back to) the seven faces by raising ourselves to higher energy levels.
That is the starting point. We can remind ourselves of the fact that ‘it is our conscious mind that always interferes with its five-sense evidence based on outer appearances, leading to the sway of false beliefs, fears, and mere opinion. 10 The harmonious Innate principle of harmony in us is a given fact.
Remembering this and the Law of Life that never errs, the only way for us to accomplish desirable outcomes in the form of happiness, health, success and prosperity is to strive to plant and nurture right thoughts in our conscious mind.
It seems evident for me that we first need to go inside and observe our mind and our thought. There, if we find the thin veil of our conscious mind, which wraps the vast subconscious mind underneath, is not embroidered with such cherished qualities of seven faces of intention from which we emanate, we immediately need to lift the negative traits from the veil and start re-weaving it. We need to replace negative qualities with desirable ones of intention which are our essence.
5. What Happens When We Reach the State of Being In Harmony?
If we maintain the state of being in harmony with ourselves and the law of life, what James Allen observed as ‘suffering’ will cease to exist.
I believe the word ‘suffering’ is a man-made notion which doesn’t have to exist in our personal dictionary first of all. Even if there arise sufferings in any form in our life, as long as we remember that it arose from inharmony of our mental state, suffering will become a meaningless and formless notion.
For me, being in the state of harmony with ourselves means accepting our essence as intention, the Infinite Intelligence that has seven faces. Our essence, as the highest energy bound by the physical form and boundaries – i.e. our physical body -, has to be understood first so that the lower energy of our physical body and reality don’t inflict us.
Hence, matching our energy level with intention as per Dyer. Balancing and harmonizing our mental state(input and cause) with ourselves and with the law of life(output and effect) as per Murphy and Allen.
There seems only one way for us to achieve the state of harmony. And I assume you know the answer by now. It’s through our constant effort to nurture and protect our garden of our conscious mind. Personally, I believe it works by removing negative and lower energy thoughts and emotion first, before planting positive, higher energy thoughts and emotion. Why? Because in essence, we already are beings of the highest energy level. And I believe this is the most important.
Recall the notion of the connector in Dyer’s term. They are people who achieve their harmonious connection with the field of intention and are individuals who have made themselves available for success. It’s impossible to get them to be pessimistic about achieving what they desire in their lives. Rather than using language that indicates that their desires may not materialize, they speak from an inner conviction that communicates their profound and simple knowing that the universal Source supplies everything.
They are the same people who, according to Hill, are ‘lucky,’ compared to others who end up in misery despite having equal ability and condition.
I believe connectors are those who surely understand our essence emanated from the same field of intention. Hence, they know how to summon their intention from the infinite possibility that the creative force provides.
What you imagine already exists. Your intention already exists in the field of intention as an infinite possibility, as your essence existed as intention even before you were born into this world. Knowing this, how can you fail and how can you worry or be feared?
6. Closing: Rethinking about Suffering
The sage said, ‘Without suffering, there is no bliss.’ This is true in a sense that suffering is a required training for us to learn and evolve. We can appreciate light only after we go through darkness.
However, some also said, ‘There is no suffering. There is only pain.’ What some considers suffering doesn’t have to be such. Suffering is not only a notion inflicted from outside to us but also our mental perception. When we know the principle of the law of life and our broken mental harmony with ourselves, who and what do we want to blame?
The word ‘suffering’ has to be removed from our personal dictionary. Instead, we replace it with such words as ‘inharmony’ or ‘disequilibrium,’ or ‘imbalance’ (between your thought and your true essence). In this way, we are also empowering ourselves.
The word suffering implies we have no power on any circumstances. It is something imposed or inflicted on us. Don’t we have power, indeed? In fact, we do have power in creating favorable circumstances. Or, we have power not to submit ourselves onto unfavorable circumstances. Aren’t we Invictus, the unconquered souls?
Suffering is a perception, not reality nor truth. I suggest we don’t ever use this word as long as our personal life is concerned and ever ‘voluntarily’ succumb ourselves to this notion. By empowering ourselves by looking within and correcting the broken harmony with ourselves, we will witness the rest taking care of itself along our journey on earth.
As long as we know suffering arises only when we become estranged far too much from our true essence, then suffering will become less painful and may subside itself as a required training for our spiritual evolution – our growth in plain terms.
So it is. After all, we stand tall as beings with higher energy who are powerful enough to face the reality without submission to the notion. In addition, we co-create our reality with the infinite power of intention.
And my long self-imposed homework to understand James Allen’s insight is happily completed.
Jay
“When you begin to control your thought processes, you can apply the powers of your subconscious to any problem or difficulty. In other words, you will actually be consciously co-creating with the infinite power and omnipotent law which governs all things.” 11
– Joseph Murphy
References:
AS A MAN THINKETH (James Allen, 1903)
THE POWER OF INTENTION (Dr. Wayne W. Dyer, 2004)
THE POWER OF YOUR SUBCONSCIOUS MIND (Joseph Murphy, Ph.D., 1963),
Quote:
1. THE POWER OF INTENTION (p4)
2. Ibid (p24)
3. THE POWER OF YOUR SUBCONSCIOUS MIND (p117)
4. Ibid (p54)
5. & 6. & 7. & 9. Ibid (p118)
8. Ibid (p53)
10. Ibid (p117)
11. Ibid (p18)
