Quantum Physics of Beliefs - Purpose

Continuing the topic from the last week's article ("When Helping Others is Your Life Purpose") let me discuss a little bit more deeply on what exactly is the 'Life Purpose'. I was actually driven to continue to write more about it while thinking about a question that I received on one of the Facebook groups in response to a VoARadio talk that I broadcast couple of weeks ago on the Quantum Physics of Beliefs - Power of Intentions Part1 and Part2. The question was "How do you know if it is your intention or someone else's?" In my response, I suggested to look at the classical meaning of the word intention - 'to have in mind a purpose or plan, to direct the mind, to aim' - and examine if it is indeed your plan/purpose to do something or someone else's? But, then I realized that there is more to 'purpose' than just a plan. So, let's delve into it...

LIVING YOUR PURPOSE

The original Latin meaning of the word purpose is derived from the word intention; (there you have it - intention and purpose go hand in hand) meaning that your purpose is there by (your) design and is something that you intend either consciously or unconsciously. When you intend for something to happen you are the one that makes it happen; it is not something or someone outside of yourself.

It's been said that great minds have purpose while others just have wishes. At some point in your life you have probably asked yourself the question "why am I here?" Or "what's the purpose that I am living in this world?" I think that most people with a healthy mind often ask this question and mostly at points in their lives when they are forced to take a time out. Socrates said that the unexamined life is not worth living and it is from examining our lives that we can look at it afresh and get a new perspective on why we are really here.

I believe that we all have a purpose for being here. There is a reason why you are here in this universe and that there is a specific role for you to fulfill. Even though this is a belief, I do think that anyone who is in touch with their spirit (or soul or inner self or whatever name you want to give it) will know that there is a part of you that long for more than just the day to day physical needs of life. We all dream for more and this desire, in a sense is fulfilled by your purpose. Your purpose in life is not a pre-assigned role, but rather a decision that you make as a result of introspection. There is no black board in the sky on which your purpose is written. There is however feelings and experiences that you long to experience while you are here and your purpose is what will cause you to experience, feel and be that which you long for on the deepest level of being a human "being."

Most people spend all their lives waiting for "a sign" as to what their purpose is. They spend all their lives trying to find their purpose instead of just deciding and using the power of intent to make things happen. Mahatma Gandhi as a young man saw things he did not like in South Africa and he decided that his purpose in life will be to get equal rights for all. Later on, when he returned to India, his purpose transformed to liberating his mother India from Colonial rule and establish democracy and self rule for the people. These became the very reason for him living and even though his purpose lead him on a very rocky road, his purpose did not change. All this was born in a truly committed decision. His committed decision lead to a definiteness of purpose; something that did not change, despite all the odds being against him. He found a purpose that was much bigger than himself that gave him leverage to achieve the impossible.

With a strong sense of purpose you can achieve virtually anything. Purpose is what gives you the reasons for doing something. In life there is a big difference between what you can do and what you actually do and the results usually come down to your motivation. Motivation is nothing but having a strong sense of purpose; a sense of knowing why you do what you do. When people don't know why they are doing something they will rarely do it and they will rarely stick with it long term. Purpose is the engine of human motivation. Purpose gives you the reasons why and with strong enough reasons "why to" you will find the "how to" - reasons come first and the answers come second as a result of the why.

Purpose therefore gives you power. It gives you the power to persist and take action until you succeed.

When you say that someone did something "on purpose" you are actually saying that he was responsible for doing it and that it is because of him that it happened. When you use your mind, your body and your emotions you have the ability to bring into being virtually anything on purpose. By intending for it to happen you can make it real. With a strong purpose you are able to tap into the unlimited resources that are within you; resources that become available because you feel compelled to make it happen. When it is a must you will find within yourself the resources to make it happen. When what you want is merely a wish, it is only a "should" that might only come together when it is convenient. Musts happen regardless of your circumstances or situation for it is your very purpose. It is your reason for being. Gandhi was able to change the way a whole nation thought and acted upon. With a strong enough purpose nothing can hold you back.

Discovering and living your purpose is all there really is for you to do in this life. It is like the axis of the wheel of your life and it holds everything in your life together. Your purpose gives meaning to everything you do and provides you with an inexhaustible well of resources to truly achieve whatever you set out to achieve or accomplish. The ironic thing however is that when you are on purpose all the "things and stuff' do not matter as the feeding of your purpose is what you truly long for and it needs no external satisfaction other than the experience.

Great minds have a purpose and it is usually a purpose that goes beyond themselves; beyond what they will "get". With their purpose they serve humanity. You can only find that much drive to serve and uplift yourself, but when you turn your attention to a cause much bigger than yourself you can find a purpose that has immense power to propel you to do virtually anything; even that which most people think of as impossible. The human spirit is truly one of love as we will do more for others than we will ever do for ourselves. When you find something that you can serve that goes beyond your personal gains you will discover that life's greatest joys is in giving; in giving the gift that you are.

Quantum Physics of Belief - Intention

For the past few months, I was writing about quantum physics and business research to using this wisdom to lead and succeed in a business environment that is constantly evolving at a rapid pace.

In the last century, physicists made incredible strides in determining the laws that govern our universe. One of these is Heisenberg’s Uncertainty Principle, which states that we cannot observe something without changing what we are observing. According to Heisenberg, there is no such thing as an independent observer, who can sit on the sidelines watching nature run its course, without influencing it. And since we are part of that nature, the same is true for us in our lives.

Observation and intention are intimately related. In quantum physics, how we observe a particle in a subatomic system determines what it becomes. In the same sense, within a much larger system such as our lives, the way we observe ourselves and our environment determines what becomes of both of these.

What might surprise you is the fact that you are already using intention, unawares as you might be, to manifest whatever your current situation in life is. Whether you are fit or overweight, rich or poor, have a job that you love or hate, in a healthy relationship or not, is determined by your use of intention. “Yeah, but I don’t believe in that!” you might say. Well it’s the same as gravity – whether you believe in it or not, you are still affected.

I personally believe in a God, an all-knowing, all-loving God who has no other desire than for the well-being and happiness of His children. By using the power of intention I am co-creating my life with the Creator. Now this is not exclusive to only me or Hindus for that matter. Whether you are Jewish, Muslim, Christian, Buddhist, Agnostic or Atheist (even atheists have a relationship with God by not believing that God exists) – this law applies to all. It is no discerner of people, because like gravity it is a law that affects everyone, again whether you believe in it or not.

The sooner you understand this, the sooner you can use this to produce positive change in your life. So, the question then is how do we make our Intentions manifest?

There exists 3 pillars, each one building upon and enhancing the next, which must be present for your intention to manifest. However, like a tripod, if you were to remove one of these, then it becomes unstable and intention loses its power. These 3 things are your desires, your thoughts, and your focus.

Your desires and thoughts are fairly self explanatory, but I’d like to explain what I mean by focus. Focus has less to do with determination and more to do with observation. What we tend to focus on in our observations of ourselves and life is what I am getting at here. It also represents looking out for opportunities that our intention sends to us.

There are a lot of people who misunderstand intention and simply think that, because they put the thought out there, it will manifest. However, if there is one thing that I wish you will take from this (and I speak from experience), it is this: When your thoughts, desires, and focus are in harmony, then, and only then, will intention have the power to work miracles in your life. Not beforehand.

If you desire to be thin but your thoughts and focus are on how overweight you are, then your intention to change has no power. If you quickly think how nice it would be to be wealthy, but you are focusing on what you are lacking, again there will be no power for change.

It’s when you,

• Awaken within yourself the desire for wealth (or health)
• Align your thoughts with that desire by seeing yourself as wealthy (or healthy) and
• Focus on the opportunities that present themselves to create that wealth (or health)

then only will you manifest it in your life.

This shows that there is a passive as well as active part to intention. Once you have declared your intention and have aligned your thoughts with that desire (active), Providence will at this point take over and send you ways to manifest it (passive). It is here that you need to be on the lookout and act upon those things that come to you – which help you manifest your intention (again active). This is the meaning of co-creation.

Thoughts are things. Thoughts have energy and the power to change your world. When you focus your thoughts like a laser beam upon what you want to create in your life, you unleash the incredible power of your mind combined with the infinite creative power of the Universe. This is how goals are achieved and dreams come true.

Focusing your thought on what you want to create is called intention. It is defined as “the projection of awareness, with purpose and efficacy, toward some object or outcome.” Intention is a powerful force that you can use to guide and direct your life. People have been using the power of intention for thousands of years to change their lives. Scientists are beginning to accumulate empirical evidence that supports the idea that intention has the power to change your body, other people, and the world around you.

From Muhammad Ali to Tiger Woods, successful athletes have been using the power of intention for years to improve their performance. Studies have shown that intention produces the same reaction in the brain as action. In other words, if you mentally rehearse speed walking, your brain will send signals to the muscles involved in speed walking – just like it would if you were really speed walking! In fact, studies have shown that people can actually increase the strength of their muscles by simply imagining that they are working out.

Intention not only influences your performance, but it can also influence your health. There is a plethora of evidence that indicates that intention can change heart rate, blood pressure, immune function, pain level, blood loss during surgery, and many other body functions. In addition, there is a growing body of evidence to support the idea that other people’s intentions can influence your body and your health.

Researchers have been investigating the influence of intention on one’s environment. Some of the most compelling evidence has come from The Princeton Engineering Anomalies Research (PEAR) laboratory at Princeton University. The scientists at PEAR have run millions of trials and the results indicate that people can influence the output of machines known as random-event generators (REGs). REGs are essentially a computerized version of the coin toss (output is 50% “heads” and 50% “tails”). The results from PEAR and other labs show that subjects can influence these REG machines to produce output slanted in the intended direction. Their thoughts are influencing the function and output of the machines!

Another example of intention affecting the environment comes from the studies of the Maharishi Effect. The Maharishi Effect suggests that if 1 percent of a particular area practices Transcendental Meditation (TM), the rate of crime, drug abuse, and traffic accidents will decline. Studies are confirming the Maharishi Effect and have shown that communities with the requisite number of Transcendental Meditators (1% of population) have a 22-24% reduction in the crime rate.

The bottom line is that intention is a powerful force that can be used to influence your health, your performance, and the world around you. Start by setting your intention for simple things that don’t mean a lot to you (like parking spaces). Practicing in these simple ways is easier because you are not so attached to the outcome. The more attached you are to the outcome; the harder it is to use intention successfully. Fortunately, research has shown that there are certain ways to increase your ability to use intention successfully.

The following 8 steps will help you tap into the power of intention to begin to create the life you want.

1. Create a Sacred Space – Creating a sacred space helps to boost the power of your intention. Research shows that when a particular place is used repeatedly for intention exercises, the intentions begin to “condition” the place. The space begins to hold a “positive energy” and gives a boost to your intentions. You can create a sacred space in a room in your house, a corner of a room, or even a space in your mind’s eye. The important part is to use this space regularly. Fill your sacred space with meaningful items (memorabilia from a vacation, photos, religious items, etc), candles, and music. Remember it is a special place for you, so use your imagination and create it in a way that feels good to you.

2. Create your Intention – When you create your intentions it is important to follow some simple guidelines to create the best results. This is similar to practicing positive affirmations. You want to state your intention in a positive way, stating what you want and using the present tense. For example, rather than saying “I will stop eating sweet foods,” you would say, “I choose healthy foods that nourish my body.” The problem with the first example is that in order to think about stopping the sweet treats, you must first think about the sweets. In other words, you keep your mind focused on the very thing you want to stop. In the second example, your mind will be focused on healthy foods and this will lead to success.

3. Meditate or Get Centered - Centering is the practice of quieting the mind and relaxing the body to create a sense of peace and acceptance. It is a process of clearing away the mental clutter so that you can access your own inner resources and power. Deep diaphragmatic breathing is a simple way to get centered. Place one hand on your chest and one on your abdomen and breathe naturally. Notice which hand moves more as you breathe. It is likely that the hand on your chest moves up and down more than the one on your abdomen. This indicates shallow chest breathing. It is easy to retrain your body to breathe deeply. Imagine a balloon in your stomach. As you inhale, imagine filling this balloon up with air – your abdomen will raise. Then imagine letting the air out of this balloon as you exhale – your abdomen will fall. Try breathing in this deep way for several minutes at a time. Research has shown that breathing in this manner will produce the relaxation response. This will also help to focus and quiet your mind. As you are centering, you will likely find that your mind wanders occasionally. That is perfectly natural. Simply bring your awareness gently back to the quiet peaceful feeling.

4. Field of infinite possibilities – Once you are centered; bring your intention into your awareness. Imagine placing this intention in the field of infinite possibilities – also known as God, the Universe, Allah, Spirit, etc. This field of infinite possibilities is the source of creative forces. It is where life begins and ends. It is the source of mystery, magic, and miracles.

5. Visualization or Mental Rehearsal – Mental rehearsal is a powerful tool to tap into the power of intention. This process requires you to engage all of your senses to create a vivid experience in your mind’s eye. Imagine yourself already having what you want to create. Mental rehearsal brings together the power of your mind with the creative power of the Universe to help you achieve your goals.

6. Banish Doubt– Once you have put forth your intention into the field of infinite possibilities, it is important to shift into a state of detached trusting. This means that you banish all doubt about whether or not you will be able to create your goals. Trust that you will know the right steps to take and be led to the right people and opportunities to help you create this dream. Trust that the field of infinite possibilities has unlimited organizing and creative power. Trust the power of intention.

7. Detach from the Outcome – This is the essence of Bhagavad Geetha. You must detach from the outcome and let go of the need to control the process. It will unfold in the right time and in the perfect way. When you plant seeds in your garden, you take the appropriate actions to give your seeds the best chance to grow (watering, appropriate lighting, etc). Then you must allow them to grow in their own timing. You can’t pull the little baby sprouts up to make them grow faster – nor can you rush an intention. It will unfold in its own time and in its own perfect way.

8. Present Moment Focus – Even though you are working on changing your future, it is important to keep your attention in the present moment. In other words, your intention is in the future and your attention is in the present. It is important to accept and appreciate your current life circumstances. Developing this attitude of gratitude will help you connect with the field of infinite possibilities and increase the power of your intention.

These 8 steps will help you use the power of intention to create the life you want. Start with some simple and easy things and then work your way up to bigger more challenging desires. As you practice using intention, be willing to see coincidences as meaningful occurrences. It is important to be open and ready for opportunities and possibilities. Let your actions be guided by your intuition and hunches. Mastering the power of intention while detaching from the outcome is the key to creating greater health, happiness, and success in your life. This is what Karma Yoga is is all about as explained in the Bhagavad Geetha.

Remember that your thoughts have great power and can change your world!

To close, I want to stress the importance of gratitude in all this. As you work with intention to manifest those things that you desire, be sure to be thankful. Whether you believe in God or not, wherever the source of your intention comes from, be sure to express gratitude. There is a definite link between gratitude and abundance. If you want more abundance in your life, be more grateful.