Come To Center And Then Set Your Intention

What exactly is the meaning of being Centered?

It is simply being present in the here and now. Not looking back, not being worried about the future but staying grounded in the present moment. The process for this practice is fairly simple. Get in a quiet space where you can get into a comfortable seated position. Feet planted firmly on the ground or sitting on the ground cross legged with hands resting comfortably on your knees or thighs. With eyes closed start by turning your awareness inward and beginning to notice your breath.

Take a few moments to feel your breath moving in and out of your body. You don’t have to breathe in any particular pattern just breathe in a way that is comfortable and natural to you. All you’re doing is noticing the process of you’re breathing. Just observe, without trying to change anything.

Now bring your awareness to your body. Notice how your body is feeling. Slowly and with curiosity, focus on each part of your body. Which parts seem to be calling for extra attention in some way. Then, once you have a good feel for what’s presently happening in your body, set some intentions for how you will take care of your body throughout the day. If you have some long-term goals for your physical health, reinforce them through your intention-setting here.

Next, move to your heart center. Note that emotions may be what you begin to feel or sense at this point.

Whatever arises, acknowledge it then label it. Acknowledge that you’re feeling it. Sit with the feeling for a bit to see if it grows, shifts, or perhaps leads to an even deeper feeling. When you have a grasp of your present emotions you can then begin to set an intention.

How can you support your emotional health, given what you’ve noticed? Again, if you’re working toward any long-term goals, like maintaining healthy boundaries or developing more gratitude, reinforce them here.

Next, move to your mind. Start by simply noticing your general mental state. Are you calm, peaceful, agitated? How is your mind feeling overall? How active or inactive is it? Then, gain a sense for what’s on your mind presently. What thoughts pop up?

Based on what you’ve noticed, set an intention. What can you do to take care of your mental well-being? As you do this, consider what thoughts are truly serving your highest good and which ones you might want to simply let go of.

Lastly, go ahead and connect with your spiritual self. This transition can take some time as you adjust to the subtler level of awareness. Be patient with yourself. And remember, if you’re having difficulty connecting to your spirit, that in and of itself can be note worthy. The point here is to gain a sense of how your spirit is feeling. Disconnected might just be that feeling. Conclude with an intention for how you want to support your spiritual health.

Moving from body to heart to mind and, finally, to spirit supports a gradual refinement of your perceptual awareness. You begin with body first, because it’s the easiest one to observe. Your body holds the most substance and is heavier energetically. Emotions manifest as both a physical and a mental phenomenon. That’s why you shift next into awareness of your heart center. Layer by layer, you move from the most physical to the least physical levels of self-awareness.

You finish with the spirit, because it’s the least physical, lightest dimension of your self.

By following this progression, your perception becomes more and more acutely attuned to your internal states of being.

This practice for living with intention doesn’t require a lot of time and the more you practice it the easier and quicker the process becomes. How long it takes for you really depends on how much time you want to give to it. And, how long it takes for you to be able to observe each part of yourself. For me, I typically take no more than fifteen minutes. That’s fifteen minutes incredibly well spent.

Setting deeply insightful intentions for your whole self every day not only sets the course for your day, but it also promotes self-growth over time. You come to know and love yourself at a much deeper level. And, as you see yourself following through on your intentions, you come to trust yourself more.

I hope you find this practice as rewarding and empowering as I have found it to be. And that your love, compassion, and trust for yourself grows exponentially along the way.

May you become perfectly aligned with your highest intentions for yourself.

Can you see this practice making a difference in your life?

Please share with anyone that you think might benefit from this information!