I Intend to Make Sense

Intention:  A plan to do something.  It is what you mean to do and not what you actually do.  Or as it has been said with some beautiful snark: "The road to hell is paved with good intentions."  The hidden purpose, heart motive, or inner will behind a person's thoughts or actions.  In psychology there's a keen interest in the fact that before we take any action - even something as pedestrian as getting up from a chair or taking a sip of coffee - we have to intend to do it.  I find this an arcane concept and not worthy of my attention until I'm reminded that the benefit to me of being aware of such an ordinary intention is that it helps me to pause and consider before I act or speak and this is a big, big help when I'm getting prepared to do something more weighty than drinking a cup of coffee.  That's a joke, of course - there is nothing on God's green earth more important that coffee.  If I can't smoke a joint or drink whiskey I'm telling you that coffee is all I got.

The daily reminder I remind myself of is that the world is going to judge me by my actions even though I would love to be judged by my intentions.

Acting with intention means making conscious, deliberate choices aligned with your core values and goals, rather than reacting on autopilot or impulse.  How many times in my drinking/using life did I hear someone ask me: "What were you thinking?" as we discussed what stupid thing I had just done or what stupid thing I had just said.

In spirituality, intention is the core energy, the why or inner state of being behind your thoughts, words, and actions.  It's a conscious choice to align your personal energy with a higher purpose, love, or truth and serves as a blueprint for how you move through the world.

I don't always understand what's going on when I consider these weighty questions.  I lived in a world of Impulse - Action where thinking or planning wasn't foremost in my mind.  Consequences?  Bleh.  Figure out how to correct the damage later.  I'd rather beg for forgiveness than ask for permission.

My muse, sponsor, and spiritual advisor Homer was defending against some criticism by arguing that his plans were well thought out as the animators opened up a thought bubble inside Homer's brain which showed someone passed out on a broken Merry go round that was slowly circling in the wind, rusty gears complaining.  I get it.  For someone who considers himself a deeply profound thinker I was living on a remarkably shallow plane.

To set a spiritual intention I find it helpful to find a quiet space, to clear my mind with deep breathing, and reflect on the inner qualities and energy that I want to embody.  Intention begins when a thought or desire meets a goal; a goal predicated on human needs or wants.  It's gotta be so deep inside us!  My meditation practice helps me get into the brief, flickering space where what I want clangs up against how to do I get it.  Are the getting actions going to be pure or evil-ish?

Intentions are responsible for initiating, sustaining, and terminating actions and are frequently use to explain why people engage in a certain behavior.  I feel like all of this is trying to explain how a thought begins.  What happens to set off that electrical spark and get things moving?

I think I should intend to watch an episode of The Simpson's to take my mind off all of these unanswerable questions.  I'm sure Homer explains it somewhere.