Workshop for Developing a Vision Board: Intention and Prayer

BEFORE I go on to another subject I wanted to make sure I informed everyone that WEDNESDAY, August 24th, I am doing a workshop on Vision Boards. It will begin at 10 in the morning and run until about noon.  It will be held in the home of a student in Bath about 2 minutes from the Bath campus of SMCC. Each participant brings their own foam core board...poster board with a stiff backing.  You can pick what ever size appeals to you or bring a large one and cut it while there.  I will bring the rest of the supplies for you to draw from....and we will each make our own board!  The cost is $20.00 per person.

AS the close of summer draws near with the long shadows and richer afternoon light the fall days move us into action.  Fall is always a time of picking up new plans, perhaps because of the school year beginning again.  I am personally ready to put my inner ideas into a greater focus using a vision board.

IT helps with clarity and gets the layers pulled back so that we can actually get into the deep of our beings.  I usually do one in January with the new year so doing one now will give us enough time to flow with the rest of 2011!

DON'T worry that you may not know other participants (you may!). You have friends in common and are part of a great community.  You will be a blessing to them and they will be to you.

LET me know if you plan to attend and I will send along the address.  I am believing that the people who attend will be perfect for that time and place.  I am really looking forward to seeing what develops and how each of us blossoms.

THAT is a nice segway for intentions and prayers.
What do you think the difference is between setting an intention and praying?  First, we must clarify that prayer is just talking to God, to Spirit, to Atman, to the universe, to all that is...to whatever you call it that is both within yourself and outside yourself and draws on the highest aspects of yourself. "Just talking" covers a great deal of ground. So there are obviously different kinds of prayer, as there are many kinds of communication.  We will talk about different kinds so to speak, later...now we are speaking of the prayer of faith.

 WHAT is the difference between setting an intention and praying? Not much if the prayer is done in faith, which is the way the scripture recommends it be done. " Pray, believing you have received and it shall be done for you".... praying is not asking, dreaming, wishing,and hoping... it is assuming, expecting...that what you set out before you (asked ) is done.  You expect to see it unfold before you. This is the same with an intention.  You intend an event....you expect it. So the appropriate follow up to prayer is thanksgiving.

"Thank you that my way opens up before me and I see things today that cause me to rejoice (be happy)."  That is pretty close to my daily intention.  I expect to see life unfolding before me, beautifully with harmony and a a sense of purpose and I expect to see things during the course of a day that cause me to be glad.  Now that "intention" is somewhat esoteric.  A more concrete one might be that I will find a blue, long sleeved blouse that has four silver buttons, a mandarin collar  and cuffs.  You have a shopping day and a specific item you want.  You set your intention that you will find that, it will become available to you.  The process is the same, whether for a blouse or for something less concrete.  The trick is, it must be believable to you.  This is not a magic potion phrase....it is clarity of vision , heart energy focused and released.  That is very powerful.... that combination.  So if you don't really believe that particular shirt will come to you today, then broaden your intention  to be believable to you.  "I will find a blue shirt that makes me happy when I see it."  It doesn't matter what you choose.  What matters is that you are clear about it...all the way down in yourself and back out again and you can hold it in strong believability.

I know it sounds funny but most people don't know what they want.  What I mean to say is, they are not consciously aware of what they really want.  If asked, they may have some snappy responses but to know what one really wants, not just what feels good in the moment, or others approve of, or would make life seem easier, but what we really want, means we must have some idea of what we value and who we are.

 IN this short discussion on intentions and prayer we can see that living with clarity takes time and considerable focus. Static, environmental and emotional, cloud this process. We can pick up other aspects of these subjects later.

SO...what are one of your intentions for today?  For this week?  For the rest of this year? For your child?  For your garden?  For your work ?  What do you want to see in your life?  What is believable to you?  Can you imagine it?
You are on your way to a vision board!
Smile...breathe......selah.