awakening through intention and desire

By: deepak chopra m.d. a david simon m.d.

the union of inner & outer beauty

The theme of conscious fashion and natural beauty is best expressed through the 5th Spiritual Law of Yoga – The Law of Intention and Desire. This law teaches us that our personal body is not separate from the body of the universe. So, by consciously changing the energy and information of your own body, you can change the energy and information of your extended body – your environment, your world. 

If you want something to grow stronger in your life, direct more of your attention to it. If you want something to diminish in your life, withdraw your attention from it. Intention, on the other hand, jump-starts the transformation of energy and information into new forms and expressions. Attention enlivens, while intention transforms.

At the Chopra Center’s yoga classes, students have the opportunity each week to delve deeply into the transformative power of this 5th Spiritual Law of Yoga. You can also practice at home by following these three steps:

1. Be clear about your intentions and desires. Write them down. Review this list before your yoga practice. Taking this time to write the desires of your heart and mind accelerates the manifestation of these desires.

2. As you bring your intentions and desires into conscious awareness, surrender the outcome to nature. Trust that when things are not going the way you intend, that there is a grander design at work. Maintain this inner attitude of surrender with each pose and each breath.

3. Practice present-moment awareness in all of your actions. As you engage in a pose, be fully in the present, remembering that being in the moment empowers your most cherished intentions and desires. 

The mantra for The Law of Intention and Desire is Om Ritam Namah, which means My intentions and desires are supported by an underlying intelligence, be it God, Nature, Cosmic Order, or any other concept you have. Become familiar with this mantra both in your yoga and mediation practice, and as you become adept at calming the commotion in your mind, you can enliven healing and transformation in your body.


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