With each Samhain, I find myself thinking about the previous year and its intention. What have I done? What might I do next? I might ask the ancestors for guidance, my beloved dead for wisdom, and my heart for direction in building an intention.
And as the planets move forward again after SO MUCH retrograde-y-ness, I come back to the beginning. The beginning you can begin at any time.
What is the Point of your Magick?
An intention is a simple phrase that reminds you of your core action. What do you want to do in this journey? What are you looking to shift, change, or invite? What is at stake as you take action steps toward something new? I will often begin to create intentions by writing out the words that make the most sense with what I’m trying to achieve. Or I might write out words that feel powerful to me:
- Power
- Health
- Self-Care
- Grounded
- Wellness
It can help to work on finding this direction as soon as you can. While it doesn’t have to be the only intention you ever create (and you can always shift things as you learn more about yourself), it is very helpful to begin somewhere.
- What is important to you right now?
- What is active for you right now?
- What do you want to bring into your life?
I suggest focusing on what you want to bring into your world versus what you want to remove. We already did some work on removing, so that energy is already called into (and out of!) the space. Now, we want to activate the focus on what you DO want.
- What do you need?
- What do you really want?
- What do you want to create?
Take some time to think on all of these questions and the answers that sing to you. Ideally, you will want to create a one sentence intention or direction, as this will be easy to remember and easy to recite in your mind.
- I am worthy of love and self-respect.
- I trust my body to tell me what she/he/they need.
- I support my health and well-being with new habits.
The Magick is the Details?
Some will find they want to be more specific rather than hazy. This is great. And some will find they want to keep things open-ended until they know exactly what works for them. As with anything in this book, choose what works best for you.
What is important with intention setting is that you believe in what you write. Believe what you mean so you are bolstered by the intention and empowered. Each time you read this intention, you feel like you know your path and your direction. Other examples include:
- I am a strong person who asks for what I want.
- I nourish my body, mind, and spirit.
- I am healthy and happy and safe and strong.
Find a few intentions that settle well in your body. And if you can’t land on just one, find a few and drop into the wisdom of your body. Read the intention and scan your body to see how it feels. Do you feel excited? Do you feel inspired? Do you feel eager?
If your body isn’t energized by the intention, you may want to rework it or move on to another option. Check in with this intention every day. Say it to yourself, remind your body of what you promise, and consider how your choices align with your intention each day.
And let me know what happens.
***
A partial excerpt from “Practically Pagan: An Alternative Guide to Health & Well-being,” by Irisanya Moon.
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