Is Intention Enough?

Many, many of the tomes, lectures, and pamphlets that comprise “New Thought” contain an idea.

Or, more specifically, they contain a wealth of ideas.

Our concern, though, is with one particular idea.

The idea, in question, is as follows: if you wish to manifest or create — and so on and so forth — a particular wish, it is of the utmost importance that you feel what you would feel, if your wish was a fact.

If my experience — and, in turn, the experience of so many others — is valid, then this idea is true.

Or, more specifically, it is true, within various contexts and situations.

But, is it always true? And, furthermore, what if feeling is, in fact, relatively unnecessary?

What if intention is enough?

Enough to manifest, that is; to bring our wishes to fruition, within the context of “New Thought” practices.

Our essay is not an answer to that question. But, it is a brief exploration of that question.

A brief exploration that ends with an experiment you can conduct.

Is Intention Enough?

On some level, intention may be sufficient.

Just as an example, if you would like to enjoy a sunny day, you can intend to do so.

You can even say, within yourself, “I intend to enjoy a sunny day today.”

No feeling. No emotion. No sensation.

Just a wish; an intention, really.

And, if you do this, you may find that your wish is granted.

Or, at least, this has been my experience.

The same is true for many other wishes.

A wealth of simple, relatively mundane, wishes seem to arise with ease.

But, what about the “big intentions” that many of us strive for?

A new job. Living in another county. A great partner. Tons of money.

And so on and so forth?

What about them?

If my experience is any indication, the act of feeling, deliberately, is essential.

Our big intentions cannot come forth without a deliberate inducement, as it were, of the feelings that these wishes would arouse within us, if they were a present fact of our lives.

Or, at least, that is my experience.

But, what if it isn’t true?

What if an intention is more than sufficient to manifest those big intentions?

What if you can just “intend” to do something or for something to happen — and so on and so forth — and it will?

And, furthermore, what if this distinction — “big intentions” and “small intentions,” among others — is irrelevant?

You can approach this notion — intention being more than sufficient for any wish — from many angles.

No matter the angle you approach it from, though, the answers, at this time, are unclear.

But, there is one way we can all come to our own answers.

Our own answers and, in turn, our own practical, useful philosophy of wishes, creation, and living.

A Simple Experiment

The “one way” we can all come to our own answers, regarding this topic, is as follows: make a list.

Or, rather, there are many, many other, related ways, but making a list is easy, revealing, and effective.

Our simple experiment, though, involves making a list.

A simple, quick list of the intentions you would like to bring forth.

Just as an example, if you would like to find a lovely, lovely new book to read, write the following: I intend to find a lovely, inspiring book to read that I really enjoy.

Or, at least, something of that sort.

You can write anything on this list.

But, as per this experiment, there is one thing you must do.

You must write the intention and, then, let it go.

If you feel something or experience a particular emotion, then that’s great.

No matter what, though, just write it down — “I intend to,” or some other variation — and, then, let it go.

If it happens, then it happens. And, if it does, then this gives credence to the idea that intention may be enough.

If it doesn’t, then this suggests that inattention may not always be enough.

Give yourself a week or so to conduct this experiment.

Right after you do so, allow the results to guide your interactions with intention.

Conclusion

Just to wrap this up, this isn’t the best essay.

My apologies.

Even so, though, this idea is powerful.

Intention may, in fact, be more than sufficient, for nearly every act of manifesting.

Or, it may not be.

The only person who can determine this, within the context of their own life, is you.