The Power of Intention

Some years ago, there was a wonderful adventure movie playing in theatres - Romancing the Stone starring Kathleen Turner and Michael Douglas. Set in Colombia, the story involves Jack T. Colton, a soldier of fortune (Douglas) and Joan Wilder, a novelist (Turner) who, for different reasons, have partnered together on a treasure hunt to find an enormous heart-shaped emerald called El Corazon.

In one scene, they are being chased by a small army of bad guys and end up in a tight place, with the army shooting at them from behind and a deep, wide canyon with a raging river far below in front of them. They are faced with a choice: cross the chasm somehow or be captured or shot. They have already attempted to use the rickety footbridge to cross the chasm, but it is too rotten and it breaks.

In one bold moment, Joan Wilder sizes up the situation, grabs hold of a thick vine, takes a running start and swings over the wide chasm, landing safely on the other side. Jack Colton hesitates, pondering the situation, having some doubts. Then, he follows suit, but swings into the side of the opposite wall of the canyon, instead of landing at the top. He then has to scramble up the side of the cliff while being shot at from the other side.

The difference in their two landings was not due to their skill levels, experience, physical abilities, or gender. In fact, the deck was stacked heavily in Colton's favor. The difference was in the degree of their intentions. Wilder was 100% intentional about reaching the other side. She just plain went for it with everything she had. Colton had some doubts and he hesitated. He was probably about 90% intentional. He made it, but with more difficulty.

In this case, the power of intention was so strong, especially for Joan Wilder, that it enabled her to overcome some enormous physical obstacles and reach her goal. What might it be like to bring that kind of full-steam-ahead-no-holding-back intention to your next goal?

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Two of my favorite books on this subject are...

• The Power of Intention, Wayne W. Dyer. Hay House, 2004.
• The Amazing Power of Deliberate Intent, Esther and Jerry Hicks (The Teachings of Abraham), Hay House, 2006.

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Callings Revisited - Passion vs. Security

In an earlier blog entry, I mentioned the book Callings: Finding and Following an Authentic Life by Gregg Levoy. On May 4th, I had the opportunity to meet Gregg Levoy and to hear him speak on this topic. Many things he said caught my attention and resonated with me, including his discussion of why people sometimes turn away from their Callings.

A Calling can be loud and clear, or it can be as soft as a whisper or as subtle as resonating with a song playing on the radio. And sometimes, once heard, a Calling is willingly and intentionally followed. Sometimes, but not always. Levoy cited Jonah (from the biblical story of Jonah and the Whale) as the ultimate example of a man who resisted his Calling, who ignored it, hid from it, fled from it until he was cornered and had no other recourse but to take it up.

Many of us, in our own ways, flee from our Callings. We don't pay attention to the invitations. We ignore the signs. We procrastinate in our responses. We deliberate. We even identify what we want and then actively go in the opposite direction. Human nature? Yes. But why?

This behavior, Levoy posits, may be the result of an inner struggle between passion and security - the desire to follow a Calling versus the need to be physically, emotionally, or financially safe. This struggle, Levoy says, is what causes us to ignore, or sometimes actively push away, our Calling - the next step we are called to take in fulfilling our own unique destiny.

Once caught up in this struggle between passion and security, what can we do about it? If we are caught up in such a struggle, it is probably because there is some degree of risk involved - either perceived or real. And if a situation is risky, then what is required of us?

First, information. We need as much information as we can gather in order to make an informed decision. This step includes the possibility of constructing a safety net to catch us if we fall.

Second, courage. The feel-the-fear-and-do-it-anyway kind.

Third, faith and trust. Faith in ourselves and a trust that the Calling we are drawn to follow is the truest expression of our authentic self.

Fourth, willingness. A willingness to take the risk and trust that it will work out in our best interest.

Fifth, intention. The intention to commit oneself wholeheartedly to following that Calling.

What is your Calling? Can you hear it? Are you moving towards it, ignoring it, or running away from it? If you are ignoring or running away from it, at which step are you bogged down, and what might you do to get beyond it?

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Butterflies, Transitions, and Transformation

Recently, I was asked why I seem to have chosen the butterfly as the symbol, or logo, for my business. This is what I said...

I am drawn to the butterfly as a symbol of my work because it is a metaphor for the kind of deep transformation that can occur during a significant transition period in one's life - an evolution into one's full potential, from which there is no going back.

If we think metaphorically about ourselves beginning as caterpillars that eat (take in information) and grow to a point where we understand intiuitively that that something significant and deep has to occur in order for us to reach our full potential, then we can understand any transition as an opportunity to enter that cocooning place where deep changes could be taking place in our psyche as well as in our physical being or outer life.

As we move through this transformative transition - this pupation stage, where lots of inner work is taking place, though nothing much may appear to the casual observer to be happening - we finally assimilate all the information and inner wisdom we have gathered over time and are ready to emerge as a butterfly - a magnificent version of ourselves - the expression of our full potential, our true life purpose - free to fly, create, and make a difference in the world.

Transitions may come to us organically as we pass through the various life stages, or they may be forced upon us by events in or out of our control - serious accidents, illness, job loss or severe job dissatisfaction, marriage, childbirth, divorce, death of a loved one, and the like. Or, they may be signaled by deep internal stirrings - feelings of restlessness, boredom, confusion, lack of direction, depression, or general ennui.

Not every transition period in a person's life will lead to this type of deep transformation. But some do, and the potential is always there. Often, the event we label as "mid-life" crisis is actually signaling the end of the caterpillar phase of our lives and the beginning of the pupation process - the outward expression of a compelling inner drive towards being our most authentic self and living life at our full potential. Though I mention mid-life, this drive for transformative change can come upon us at any age or stage in our life.

There is a wonderful allegorical story called Hope for the Flowers, written by Trina Paulus in the 1970's (Paulist Press, 1973) that first drew me to the caterpillar/cocoon/butterfly as the symbol for the work I do in coaching people through transitions. Witnessing my clients emerge as the butterflies they were always meant to be brings me great joy.

Hope for the Flowers is a story about two caterpillars, Stripe and Yellow, who become friends. Both are becoming disastisfied with caterpillar life. As the story progresses, Yellow begins to learn about butterflies and is told that she could become one, if she were willing to risk going through a period when she would stop being a caterpillar but would not yet become a butterfly. She is told, "You must want to fly so much that you are willing to give up being a caterpillar." And she is encouraged by a butterfly she has met: "You'll be a beautiful butterfly - we're all waiting for you!" And so, she takes the risk and does eventually emerge as a yellow butterfly, beautiful and free. Soon afterwards, she helps Stripe to risk as well, and he begins to spin his cocoon.

What about you? Are you ready to risk for a butterfly?

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