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from a purely psychological or personal-growth emphasis,toward a spiritual orientation where healing, creatingmiracles, manifesting, and making a connection to divineintelligence are genuine possibilities.This hasn’t been a deliberate attempt to disengage from myacademic and professional background, but rather a naturalevolution that’s been unfolding as I began to make moreconscious contact with Spirit. My writing now emphasizes abelief that we can find spiritual solutions to problems byliving at higher levels and calling upon faster energies. In mymind, intention is now something much greater than adetermined ego or individual will. It’s something almosttotally opposite. Perhaps this comes from shedding manylevels of ego in my own life, but I also feel the stronginfluence of two sentences I read in a book by CarlosCastaneda. In my writing life, I’ve often come acrosssomething in a book that starts a thought germinating in methat ultimately compels me to write a new book. At any rate, Iread these two sentences in Castaneda’s final book, TheActive Side of Infinity, while I was waiting to have a cardiacprocedure to open one clogged artery leading into my heartthat had caused a mild heart attack.Castaneda’s words were: “Intent is a force that exists in theuniverse. When sorcerers (those who live of the Source)beckon intent, it comes to them and sets up the path forattainment, which means that sorcerers always accomplishwhat they set out to do.”When I read those two sentences, I was stunned by the insightand clarity it gave me about the power of intention. Imaginethat intention is not something you do, but rather a force that29

exists in the universe as an invisible field of energy! I hadnever considered intention in this way before readingCastaneda’s words.I wrote those two sentences down, and then I had themprinted on a card and laminated. I carried the laminated cardwith me into the catheter lab for my minor surgical procedure,and as soon as I could, I began talking about the power ofintention to everyone who would listen. I made intention apart of every speech I gave. I immersed myself in this idea touse it, not only for my own healing, but to help others use thepower of intention to carry them where they’re fully equippedto go. I had experienced satori, or instant awakening, and wasintent on offering this insight to others. It had become clear tome that accessing the power of intention relieved so much ofthe seemingly impossible work of striving to fulfill desires bysheer force of will.Since that defining moment, I’ve thought of the power ofintention in virtually all of my waking hours—and books,articles, conversations, telephone calls, items arriving in mymailbox, and arbitrary works I might be looking at in abookstore all seemed to conspire to keep me on this path. Sohere it is: The Power of Intention. I hope this book will helpyou view intention in a new way and make use of it in amanner that leads you to define yourself as Patanjalisuggested more than 20 centuries ago: “Dormant forces,faculties, and talents come alive, and you discover yourself tobe a greater person by far than you ever dreamed yourself tobe.”Patanjali’s two words, “dormant forces,” kick-started me inthe direction of writing about intention. Patanjali was30

referring to forces that appear to be either nonexistent ordead, and he was referring to the powerful energy a personfeels when inspired. If you’ve ever felt inspired by a purposeor calling, you know the feeling of Spirit working throughyou. Inspired is our word for in-spirited. I’ve thought longand hard about the idea of being able to access seeminglydormant forces to assist me at key times in my life to achievean inner burning desire. What are these forces? Where arethey located? Who gets to use them? Who is denied access?And why? Questions like these have propelled me to researchand write this book and subsequently arrive at a totally newperspective of intention.At this point, as I’m writing about my excitement of realizinga long-obscured truth, I know that intention is a force that weall have within us. Intention is a field of energy that flowsinvisibly beyond the reach of our normal, everyday habitualpatterns. It’s there even before our actual conception. Wehave the means to attract this energy to us and experience lifein an exciting new way.Where Is This Field Called Intention?Some prominent researchers believe that our intelligence,creativity, and imagination interact with the energy field ofintention rather than being thoughts or elements in our brain.The brilliant scientist David Bohm, writing in Wholeness andthe Implicate Order, suggested that all ordering influence andinformation is present in an invisible domain or higher realityand can be called upon in times of need. I found thousands ofexamples of these kinds of conclusions in the research andreading I did. If scientific evidence appeals to you, I suggestthat you read The Field: The Quest for the Secret Force of the31

Universe by Lynne McTaggart. Her book is filled with studiessupporting the existence of a higher, faster energy dimensionor field of intention that can be tapped in to and used byeveryone.The answer to Where is this field? is: There’s no place thatit’s not, because everything in the universe has intention builtinto it. This is true for all life forms, whether it be awildebeest, a rosebush, or a mountain. A mosquito has intentbuilt into its creation and life experience. A tiny acorn with noapparent power to think or make plans for its future containsintention from the invisible field. If you cut the acorn open,you won’t see a giant oak tree, but you know it’s there. Anapple blossom in the springtime appears to be a pretty littleflower, yet it has intent built into it and will manifest in thesummer as an apple. Intention doesn’t err. The acorn neverturns into a pumpkin, or the apple blossom into an orange.Every aspect of nature, without exception, has intention builtinto it, and as far as we can tell, nothing in nature questionsits path of intent. Nature simply progresses in harmony fromthe field of intention. We, too, are intended from the energyof this field.There is what some call a future-pull in the DNA that’spresent at conception in each of us. In the moment of ourconception, when an infinitely tiny drop of human protoplasmcombines with an egg, life in physical form begins, andintention directs the growth process. Our body structure, theshape of our physical features, our development, includingour aging, are intended in that one moment of conception.The sagging skin, the wrinkles, and even our death are allthere. But wait, what exactly happens at the moment ofconception? Where did this life, born of intention, begin?32

As we examine that seed/egg dance attempting to discover itsorigin, moving backwards toward Creation, we first findmolecules, then atoms, then electrons, then subatomicparticles, and then sub-subatomic particles. Ultimately, werewe to put these tiny quantum subatomic particles into aparticle accelerator and collide them, trying to put our fingeron the source of life, we’d discover what Einstein and hisscientific compatriots discovered: There’s no particle at thesource; particles do not create more particles. The Source,which is intention, is pure, unbounded energy vibrating sofast that it defies measurement and observation. It’s invisible,without form or boundaries. So, at our Source, we areformless energy, and in that formless vibrating spiritual fieldof energy, intention resides. On a lighter note, I know it’sthere, since somehow it managed to get into a drop of spermand an ovarian egg and determine that my hair will no longergrow on my head after 25 years and in 50 years, it willgrow in my nose and ears, and all I (the observer) can do iswatch it and snip it away!This field of intent can’t be described with words, for thewords emanate from the field, just as do the questions. Thatplaceless place is intention, and it handles everything for us. Itgrows my fingernails, it beats my heart, it digests my food, itwrites my books, and it does this for everyone and everythingin the universe. This reminds me of an ancient Chinese story Ilove, told by Chuang Tzu:There once was a one-legged dragon called Hui.“How on earth do you manage those legs?” heasked a centipede. “I can hardly manage one!”33

“Matter of fact,” said the centipede, “I do notmanage my legs.”There’s a field, invisible and formless, that manages it all.The intention of this universe is manifested in zillions of waysin the physical world, and every part of you, including yoursoul, your thoughts, your emotions, and of course the physicalbody that you occupy, are a part of this intent. So, if intentiondetermines everything in the universe and is omnipresent,meaning there’s no place that it’s not, then why do so manyof us feel disconnected from it so frequently? And even moreimportant, if intention determines everything, then why do somany of us lack so much of what we’d like to have?The Meaning of Omnipresent IntentionTry imagining a force that’s everywhere. There’s no placethat you can go where it isn’t. It can’t be divided and ispresent in everything you see or touch. Now extend yourawareness of this infinite field of energy beyond the world ofform and boundaries. This infinite invisible force iseverywhere, so it’s in both the physical and the nonphysical.Your physical body is one part of your totality emanatingfrom this energy. At the instant of conception, intention setsin motion how your physical form will appear and how yourgrowing and aging process will unfold. It also sets in motionyour nonphysical aspects, including your emotions, thoughts,and disposition. In this instance, intention is infinite potentialactivating your physical and nonphysical appearance onEarth. You’ve formed out of the omnipresent to becomepresent in time and space. Because it’s omnipresent, thisenergy field of intent is accessible to you after your physical34

arrival here on Earth! The only way you deactivate thisdormant force is by believing that you’re separate from it.Activating intention means rejoining your Source andbecoming a modern-day sorcerer. Being a sorcerer meansattaining the level of awareness where previouslyinconceivable things are available. As Carlos Castanedaexplained, “The task of sorcerers was to face infinity"(intention), “and they plunged into it daily, as a fishermanplunges into the sea.” Intention is a power that’s presenteverywhere as a field of energy; it isn’t limited to physicaldevelopment. It’s the source of nonphysical development, too.This field of intention is here, now, and available to you.When you activate it, you’ll begin to feel purpose in your life,and you’ll be guided by your infinite self. Here’s how a poetand a spiritual teacher describes what I’m calling intention:O Lord, thou art on the sandbanksAs well as in the midst of the current;I bow to thee.Thou art in the little pebblesAs well as in the calm expanse of the sea;I bow to thee.O all-pervading Lord,Thou art in the barren soilAnd in the crowded places;I bow to thee.35

— from Veda XVI by Sukla YajurAs you make your metaphorical bow to this power, recognizethat you’re bowing to yourself. The all-pervading energy ofintention pulses through you toward your potential for apurposeful life.How You Came to Experience Yourself as Disconnectedfrom IntentionIf there’s an omnipresent power of intention that’s not onlywithin me, but in everything and everyone, then we’reconnected by this all-pervading Source to everything andeveryone, and to what we’d like to be, what we’d like to have,what we want to achieve, and to everything in the universethat will assist us. All that’s required is realigning ourselvesand activating intention. But how did we get disconnected inthe first place? How did we lose our natural ability toconnect? Lions, fish, and birds don’t get disconnected. Theanimal, vegetable, and mineral worlds are always connectedto their Source. They don’t question their intention. Wehumans, however, with our capability for presumably higherbrain functions, have something we refer to as ego, which isan idea that we construct about who and what we are.Ego is made of six primary ingredients that account for howwe experience ourselves as disconnected. By allowing ego todetermine your life path, you deactivate the power ofintention. Briefly, here are the six ego beliefs. I’ve writtenmore extensively about them in several of my previous books,most notably Your Sacred Self.1. I am what I have. My possessions define me.36

2. I am what I do. My achievements define me.3. I am what others think of me. My reputation defines me.4. I am separate from everyone. My body defines me as alone.5. I am separate from all that is missing in my life. My life space isdisconnected from my desires.6. I am separate from God. My life depends on God’s assessmentof my worthiness.No matter how hard you try, intention can’t be accessedthrough ego, so take some time to recognize and readjust anyor all of these six beliefs. When the supremacy of ego isweakened in your life, you can seek intention and maximizeyour potential.Holding on to the Trolley StrapThis is a practice I find exceedingly helpful when I want toactivate intention. You may find that it works for you, too.(See Chapter 3 for an entire chapter describing ways to accessintention.)One of my earliest memories is my mother taking her threeboys on the streetcar on the east side of Detroit toWaterworks Park. I was two or three years old, and I recalllooking up from the seat and seeing the hand straps hangingdown. The grown-ups were able to hold on to the straps, butall I could do was imagine what it would be like to be so tallas to grab those straps way above my head. I actuallypretended that I was light enough to float up to the hanginghandles. I then imagined feeling safe and the trolley takingme where it was destined to go, at whatever speed it chose,picking up other passengers to go along on this gloriousadventure of streetcar riding.37

In my adult life, I use the image of the trolley strap to remindmyself to get back to intention. I imagine a strap hangingdown about three to four feet above my head, higher than I’mcapable of reaching or jumping up to grab. The strap isattached to the trolley, only now the trolley symbolizes aflowing power of intention. I’ve either let go of it or it’s justout of my reach temporarily. In moments of stress, anxiety,worry, or even physical discomfort, I close my eyes andimagine my arm reaching up, and then I see myself float up tothe trolley strap. As I grab the strap, I have an enormousfeeling of relief and comfort. What I’ve done is eliminate egothoughts and allow myself to reach intention, and I trust thispower to take me to my destination, stopping when necessary,and picking up companions along the way.In some of my earlier works, I’ve called this process thepathway to mastery. The four pathways may be helpful to youhere as steps toward activating intention.Four Steps to IntentionActivating your power of intention is a process of connectingwith your natural self and letting go of total egoidentification. The process takes place in four stages:1. Discipline is the first stage. Learning a new task requirestraining your body to perform as your thoughts desire. So,eliminating ego identification doesn’t mean disconnectingfrom your relationship with your body, but rather, trainingyour body to activate those desires. You do that with practice,exercise, nontoxic habits, healthy foods, and so on.38

2. Wisdom is the second stage. Wisdom combined withdiscipline fosters your ability to focus and be patient as youharmonize your thoughts, your intellect, and your feelingswith the work of your body. We send children off to schooltelling them: Be disciplined and Use your head, and call thiseducation, but it falls short of mastery.3. Love is the third stage. After disciplining the body withwisdom, and intellectually studying a task, this process ofmastery involves loving what you do and doing what youlove. In the world of sales, I call it falling in love with whatyou’re offering, and then selling your love or enthusiasm topotential customers. When learning to play tennis, it involvespracticing all of the strokes while studying strategies forplaying the game. It also involves enjoying the feeling ofhitting the ball and of being on the tennis court— andeverything else about the game.4. Surrender is the fourth stage. This is the place ofintention. This is where your body and your mind aren’trunning the show and you move into intent. “In the universethere is an immeasurable, indescribable force which shamanscall intent, and absolutely everything that exists in the entirecosmos is attached to intent by a connecting link,” is the wayCarlos Castaneda describes it. You relax, grab the trolleystrap, and allow yourself to be carried by the same power thatturns acorns into trees, blossoms into apples, and microscopicdots into humans. So grab that trolley strap and create yourown unique connecting link. Absolutely everything in theentire cosmos includes you and your disciplined, wise, lovingself, and all of your thoughts and feelings. When yousurrender, you lighten up and can consult with your infinite39

soul. Then the power of intention becomes available to takeyou wherever you feel destined to go.All of this talk of intention and surrender may cause you toquestion where your free will fits in. You might be inclined toconclude that free will is nonexistent or that you becomewhatever your program dictates. So, let’s take a look at yourwill and how it fits into this new view of intention. As youread the next two sections, please keep an open mind, even ifwhat you read conflicts with what you’ve believed all yourlife!Intention and Your Free Will Are ParadoxicalA paradox is a seemingly absurd or contradictory statement,even if well founded. Intention and free will certainly qualifyas being paradoxical. They conflict with many a preconceivednotion of what’s reasonable or possible. How can you possessfree will and also have intention shaping your body and yourpotential? You can fuse this dichotomy by choosing tobeliev

ALSO BY WAYNE DYER BOOKS Being in Balance Change Your Thoughts—Change Your Life Everyday Wisdom Everyday Wisdom for Success Excuses Begone! Getting in the Gap(book-with-CD) I Am(children's book with Kristina Tracy) ICanSeeClearlyNowIncredibleYou!(children's book with Kristina Tracy)