Why Setting Intentions Should Be Important To You

Every week before we begin our first set of stretches my yoga instructor asks the class to set our intentions. Set our intentions? What the hell did that mean? When I began taking yoga I had no idea what it meant. I'd look at my classmates as if they'd provide the answers I was looking for, but nothing. Set my intentions. Hmm.

I would bow my head toward my heart while sitting in the lotus position, my hands resting on my thighs, palms facing up with each thumb and index finger gently touching each another. Then I scrambled to think about my intentions. Set my intentions. Set my intentions. What should they be? I finally thought I'd ask for better balance and the ability to stretch my muscles without writhing around in pain like an idiot. Was that what she meant?

Not completely.

“You are what your deepest desire is. As your desire is, so is your intention. As your intention is, so is your will. As your will is, so is your deed. As your deed is, so is your destiny.” ~Deepak Chopra

I must have been living under a rock to misunderstand what setting my intentions meant. Our lives are built on intentions. Think about it. We all want to achieve certain goals in our lives that are either short or long term. Our intentions guide us toward achieving those goals.

Money. Relationships. Health. Happiness. Philanthropy. Spirituality. Dreams. Love.

These goals are reminders of what we need to do. Whether we write them down, say them to ourselves or share them with others setting our intentions can change our life.

“Our intention creates our reality.” ~Wayne Dyer

Ever since that first yoga class I’ve read and thought a lot about setting intentions. The concept fascinates me. At the same time I started yoga the book The Secret exploded onto the American scene, thanks to getting the gold seal of approval by Oprah Winfrey.

Based on the law of attraction, The Secret claims that positive thinking can produce life-changing results to create happiness, wealth and riches. People were relying on that to solve all of their problems. I was skeptical about it from the start. I felt it gave false hope to people who needed to rely on more conventional help. Putting their eggs all in one basket could be a dangerous and unhealthy move.

“The mind is everything. What you think you become.” ~Buddha

The difference betweenThe Secret and setting our intentions is that the latter doesn’t claim to completely change our life or make promises it can’t keep. It simply sets impulses into our consciousness, and then releases them to grow and flourish to help shape our desires.

Do you want to buy a birthday card for a loved one? Dip your toes in the sand? Make a date with a friend? Plan a vacation on an island? It all begins with intention.

“The inspiration you seek is already within you. Be silent and listen.” ~Rumi

If you were a mind reader you might say I’ve become an intention-setting addict. I believe in it. Plus I like things neat and orderly. If I have clarity about what I want and can place those thoughts into the universe I feel freer to think about other things. I set my intentions weekly and hope that somehow, in same small or large way, the universe will take care of the rest.

“Every journey begins with the first step of articulating the intention, and then becoming the intention.” ~Bryant McGill, Voice of Reason

Does that sound ridiculous to you? It does to some people. But many others believe that setting their intentions is a powerful way of harnessing what they desire.

"Live less out of habit and more out of intent." ~Author Unknown

Setting my intentions during yoga class is something I look forward to. I use those few moments wisely, never squandering them on idle thoughts. I try to remain focused, chase the inner chatter out of my head and concentrate on what matters most. I put out to the universe that I want better balance, stretched muscles, and a day of loving kindness and peace. And perhaps a little time to share a cup of coffee with a friend or dip my toes in the sand.

That would be wonderful. Namaste.

The Women's Health Symposium (Part Two): Living Mindfully Can Change Your Life

This is part two in a three-part series of what I learned at The Women's Health Symposium in Philadelphia.

“Mindfulness is an ancient Buddhist practice which has profound relevance for our present-day lives. This relevance has nothing to do with Buddhism per se…but has everything to do with waking up and living in harmony with oneself and with the world. It has to do with examining who we are, with questioning our view of the world and our place in it, and with cultivating some appreciation for the fullness of each moment we are alive. Most of all, it has to do with being in touch.” ~Jon Kabat-Zinn, Wherever You Go There You Are: Mindfulness Meditation in Everyday Life

Alene Brennan, health coach and yoga instructor

Bill Moyers first introduced me to Jon Kabat-Zinn (founding director of the Stress Reduction Clinic and the Center for Mindfulness in Medicine at the University of Massachusetts Medical School) on his PBS special “Healing and the Mind.” I was intrigued by the concept of reducing stress, pain and illness with Zinn’s “Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction” that combined yoga and meditation.

The ability to train my brain to reduce pain, stress and illness seemed like it was well worth the effort.

So when I arrived at The Women’s Health Symposium in Philadelphia, and learned that one of the breakout sessions would be about mindfulness, I was thrilled.

The speaker was Alene Brennan, a certified health coach and yoga instructor who studied with, among others, Drs. Andrew Weil, Deepak Chopra and Bernie Siegel.

Here was our first exercise. Why don’t you try it?

Get comfortable in your chair. Close your eyes and think about this simple question.

What is on your mind right now?

What were you thinking about? Was it the 10 things you should be doing right now? Did you think about what’s going on at home, or what you need to pick up at the grocery store?

This simple exercise demonstrates how we are able to disengage for a moment to pay attention to what we are thinking.

We need to ask ourselves what we’re sacrificing while we’re thinking about 10 thoughts at once.

Do you sometimes feel disengaged because you’re not living fully in the moment, and because of that you are unable to enjoy that moment?

Do you feel that is life passing you by?

Alene’s quote (and I loved this) was:

“Yesterday is the past, tomorrow is the future, and today is a gift. That is why today is called the present.”

We all need to be mindful in everything we do. We need to acknowledge the busy lives we lead, realize that multitasking is the land of make-believe, and that it’s impossible to juggle 10 things at once.

Something will always suffer.

Are you paying full attention to your children while you’re talking on your cell phones? Are you listening to your spouse while you’re returning a text at the same time? Are you hearing the news commentator on TV while you check your emails?

We have the ability to teach ourselves to deliberately and non-judgmentally pay attention to what is happening right now – at this moment – at what’s in front of us. We can make that change by training our minds to live in the moment.

Begin practicing mindfulness by noticing when you are lost in your thoughts. Take a moment, and then redirect your thoughts by bringing yourself back into the moment.

You can allow your senses to help you become more mindful. Focus on what is around you. Look at the beautiful sky (sight) and smell the freshly cut flowers (smell). Listen to the music playing (sound) and lovingly stroke your pet (touch). Play around with your senses to find the one that helps bring you back to this moment.

Here is your next exercise to try.

Sit up tall on the edge of your chair, and pay close attention to your breath. Put one hand on your chest and the other on your belly. Focus on your breathing, in and out, and notice how you feel.

Try to take time to notice your breathing on a daily basis. This is the beginning of creating mindfulness.

Mindful breathing, mindful walking, mindful eating and even mindful driving can all help to alleviate anger and anxiety. They create a sense of calm and joy, allowing you to enjoy each and every moment of your life.

Are you mindful of your thoughts and activities?

To learn more about Mindfulness go to amazon.com and check out Jon Kabat-Zinn's many bestsellers, including "Wherever You Go There You Are" and "Full Catastrophe Living: Using The Wisdom Of Your Body And Mind To Face Stress, Pain and Illness."

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Finding The Beauty In Life As We Age

"Stop and smell the flowers, and lose it in sweet music and dance with me.
There is beauty in the world.
So much beauty in the world.
Always beauty in the world.
There is beauty in the world.” ~Macy Gray

Grand Central Station, NYC

Beauty is all around us. I’m not referring to the kind of beauty we see on a twenty-something’s lovely face, or the shapely bodies sprawled across dozens of fashion magazines.

I’m referring to the literal meaning of beauty.

“A person or thing that gives pleasure to the senses or pleasurably exalts the mind or spirit.”

Shhh. Be still. Look around you. Smell the fragrant bouquet. Hear the compassion. Touch the grace. Drink in the wonder. Beauty surrounds us everywhere.

"Inner beauty is the light of love and when it radiates from you, those around you will glow." ~ Deepak Chopra

I grew up in Jersey, was weaned on life in Manhattan and went to school in Boston. Like many people growing up near a big city, I got used to life moving at a fast pace.

But as Ferris Bueller famously said, “Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.”

Ferris was right.

George Washington Bridge

This past weekend, hubby and I were part-time tour guides for a friend (I’ll call her “M”) and her mom who were visiting New York City for the first time. We loved our role, showing off a city we dearly love. I looked forward to seeing it through their eyes, waiting to catch that first glimpse of excitement.

I got more than I bargained for.

The trip was M’s gift to her mom for Mother’s Day. I watched the beauty of their mother-daughter relationship unfold, beginning with the tender care M took of her mom (“Mama”) to ensure she was comfortable as we walked in the rain to visit the city’s landmarks. Saying “please” and “thank you”, terms often neglected in our busy world, were frequently used. Tender loving hugs were given when we had to say good-bye.

The beauty of their Midwestern manners and loving hearts filled my own.

There is beauty in relationships, and beauty in how we treat one another.

I recently changed my health insurance company. This is a daunting task and one I hate taking care of. I researched several companies that fit my needs. Before signing up with a new plan, I was quoted dollar amounts for the copayments I’d be responsible to pay.

Let the games begin.

It was time to schedule a delivery for my daily injectable medication. I called the specialty pharmacy hotline. The operator typed my information into her computer, and then asked me a question that nearly gave me a heart attack.

She calmly said,” Your copayment will be $4,000 a month. Do you want to pay by check or credit card?”

I nearly dropped the phone. phonedrop

With a quivering voice, I insisted she repeat what she just said, and then demanded to speak to her advisor. Her advisor’s story was the same. I abruptly hung up.

I called the pharmaceutical company’s hotline to explain the situation. A delightful woman with a cheery voice asked a few questions, then assured me everything would be fine. I would qualify for coverage of my copayment.

She called the next day to simply make sure I was okay.

There is beauty among us. Beauty in sensitivity and compassion.

As we age, life becomes more complicated. We’re faced with daily challenges that can seem unbearable and stressful. As I see it, we have two options: Let it overwhelm you, or acknowledge it and move on.

Watch the beauty that happened among the ruins of Oklahoma (although if I were the reporter I would have dropped everything to help this women and her dog!)

There is beauty in nature and beauty among the ruins.

What beauty has happened in your life lately?

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