Fulfillment of the three desires:

• To live
• To earn
• To perform actions which will bring eternal happiness
• Interaction with the 5 senses – sight, smell, hearing, touch, taste. These 5 senses are grasped through the mind. Mind establishes the link between the external and internal worlds. So mind is a continuous thought process.

According to ancient yogic wisdom, the mind has 3 qualities – Sattva (purity), Rajas (action) and Tamas (inertia). The mind operates on three levels – conscious, sub-conscious and unconscious.

Conscious mind is the fully active mind along with the senses – being in the moment, in the present. The five senses are always alert. Mind is
·    In sync with the five senses,
·    Operating at the intellectual level,
·    Making right decisions, clarity, clear intention and focus.

Conscious mind develops between 8-12 years, after which logic and cognitive development takes place. The conscious mind knows what is good, and will allow one to make only the right choice. A conscious mind operates at the level of purity – sattva.

The subconscious mind exists or operates beneath or beyond the level of consciousness. The individual mind is not usually aware of the level at which the subconscious mind operates. Subconscious mind develops from 0-9 years. It knows only 2 states, pleasure and pain. It knows only positive. For example, when a parent says to a child hanging from a tree branch – “don’t’ fall”, the subconscious mind of the child hears only the word “fall”, upon which it promptly acts. In this case the child is likely to fall. On the other hand, when the parent says “be careful”, the subconscious mind completely understands the intention behind the advice, and acts accordingly, avoiding the fall. The subconscious mind, without us being aware, registers everything that happens to us – unfulfilled desires, suppressed emotions, all conditioning during growing up – from parents, siblings, society, teachers, friends etc. Ego principle operates at this level (rajas and tamas states).

Unconscious mind acts without awareness, unintentionally.

Why do affirmations/intentions work when all others fail?

Humans encounter various emotions such as wish, wishful thinking, desire, craving, longing, yearning and intention. Let us see why intention alone works in fulfilling ones aspirations.

A wish is to want, entertaining hopes that something might come true – operating at the level of the subconscious mind.
Wishful thinking is an interpretation of facts, actions, words etc. as one would like them to be rather than as they really are.

A desire is to wish or long for something. It is a strong wish, whether worthy or unworthy.

Craving is a deep or compelling wish for something, stronger in intensity than a desire.

Longing is an intense wish, stronger than a craving, generally repeated or enduring. It is beyond the moment, but may be attainable in the future.

Yearning is a persistent craving, sometimes wistful or tender longing.

Intention is based on logic, thus in the realm of the conscious mind. It is an act or instance of determining mentally upon some action or result. It is coined from the word intent, meaning firmly or steadfastly fixed or directing the mind towards a specific outcome.

A conscious mind can be overruled by firmly rooted ideas from the subconscious. The subconscious mind is the one which overpowers the conscious mind in matters of habit, temptation etc. For example, the subconscious mind tries to avoid pain at all costs, and wants to experience only pleasure. In this case, the desire (from the subconscious mind) to eat, say a chocolate cake, overpowers the logic of weight gain (from the conscious mind). The individual succumbs to the pleasure or anticipated pleasure of the taste of chocolate cake.

The conscious mind has a short term memory – it retains or remembers events and experiences that are only in the recent one-and-a-half hours. There is a critical area of the mind that is partly in the conscious mind, and partly in the subconscious mind. It acts as a filter to all incoming input. It contains the memories of approximately the past 24 hours. Only if a thought passes successfully through this critical area, it gets registered in the subconscious; otherwise, it is rejected. Researchers say that there is another area of the mind, (memory area), which is part of the subconscious – this holds the memory of all that has happened between conception up to the present in one’s life.

The chances of an intention becoming registered in your subconscious mind increases tremendously, when you affirm to yourself again and again.

The various methods by which this can be enhanced are:
·    Making strong positive affirmations
·    By mental repetition
·    Writing down an intention repeatedly,
·    Giving form to it through repeated visualization
·    Vision boards
·    Meditation is a powerful tool – Conscious meditation on the intention also gives insights, inner awakening as to different ways of achieving our intentions.

When you actually feel the joy or happiness that you get when your intention is fulfilled, even before the intention materializes, is an excellent way of making the intention come true. That is, if you already act “as if” the intention has materialized, the universe has to materialize the intention.

When you repeatedly perform a certain act, or think a specific thought, then this thought becomes an automatic phenomenon. It gets into the subconscious mind, and the wonderful powers of the subconscious makes the thought come true. Further, repeating a certain idea/phrase/thought/image has the power to weaken the critical filter of your conscious mind, whereby the idea can go deep into the subconscious. The advertising industry has used this concept very effectively, and is still using it to sell various products to consumers who don’t want to buy.

Why do affirmations/intentions work when all others fail?

Humans encounter various emotions such as wish, wishful thinking, desire, craving, longing, yearning and intention. Let us see why intention alone works in fulfilling ones aspirations.

A wish is to want, entertaining hopes that something might come true – operating at the level of the subconscious mind.
Wishful thinking is an interpretation of facts, actions, words etc. as one would like them to be rather than as they really are.

A desire is to wish or long for something. It is a strong wish, whether worthy or unworthy.

Craving is a deep or compelling wish for something, stronger in intensity than a desire.

Longing is an intense wish, stronger than a craving, generally repeated or enduring. It is beyond the moment, but may be attainable in the future.

Yearning is a persistent craving, sometimes wistful or tender longing.

Intention is based on logic, thus in the realm of the conscious mind. It is an act or instance of determining mentally upon some action or result. It is coined from the word intent, meaning firmly or steadfastly fixed or directing the mind towards a specific outcome.

A conscious mind can be overruled by firmly rooted ideas from the subconscious. The subconscious mind is the one which overpowers the conscious mind in matters of habit, temptation etc. For example, the subconscious mind tries to avoid pain at all costs, and wants to experience only pleasure. In this case, the desire (from the subconscious mind) to eat, say a chocolate cake, overpowers the logic of weight gain (from the conscious mind). The individual succumbs to the pleasure or anticipated pleasure of the taste of chocolate cake.

The conscious mind has a short term memory – it retains or remembers events and experiences that are only in the recent one-and-a-half hours. There is a critical area of the mind that is partly in the conscious mind, and partly in the subconscious mind. It acts as a filter to all incoming input. It contains the memories of approximately the past 24 hours. Only if a thought passes successfully through this critical area, it gets registered in the subconscious; otherwise, it is rejected. Researchers say that there is another area of the mind, (memory area), which is part of the subconscious – this holds the memory of all that has happened between conception up to the present in one’s life.

The chances of an intention becoming registered in your subconscious mind increases tremendously, when you affirm to yourself again and again.

The various methods by which this can be enhanced are:
·    Making strong positive affirmations
·    By mental repetition
·    Writing down an intention repeatedly,
·    Giving form to it through repeated visualization
·    Vision boards
·    Meditation is a powerful tool – Conscious meditation on the intention also gives insights, inner awakening as to different ways of achieving our intentions.

When you actually feel the joy or happiness that you get when your intention is fulfilled, even before the intention materializes, is an excellent way of making the intention come true. That is, if you already act “as if” the intention has materialized, the universe has to materialize the intention.

When you repeatedly perform a certain act, or think a specific thought, then this thought becomes an automatic phenomenon. It gets into the subconscious mind, and the wonderful powers of the subconscious makes the thought come true. Further, repeating a certain idea/phrase/thought/image has the power to weaken the critical filter of your conscious mind, whereby the idea can go deep into the subconscious. The advertising industry has used this concept very effectively, and is still using it to sell various products to consumers who don’t want to buy.

Ancient wisdom:

The techniques as to how to practice law of attraction is time immemorial. Many books exist since ancient days/centuries, thousands of years ago. Now this concept “The law of attraction” and, positive intentions is on the core, very active; the concept is revived and brought to attention. Books, lectures, on this topic are on the rise in recent times to recreate the awareness about the Law of attraction. Most widely appreciated current movie “The Secret” is an example. After all in this modern era, competition to meet our survival issues has raised our number of intentions too.

I recall how beautifully this concept is imbibed in our Indian Culture.

People pray to God or to the higher energy – stating clearly the “intention” known as “Sankalp” (meaning strong will in Sanskrit) and registering it in the Universe. This procedure has been practiced for thousands of years. People affirm that:

·    I will chant certain mantra for a specified number of days, or
·    Visit a particular temple, perform offering to certain deity,
·    Repetitively writing of God’s name or a mantra
·    Namasmaran or repeated chanting of God’s name
·    Reciting a holy verse or sloka
·    Reciting a mantra for certain number of days or month
·    Reading a Holy book or story of a saint or God, or philosophical books. This technique of reading a book has added advantage, we can imbibe and put into practice in our lives the wisdom as to how those people or saints helped themselves in dire or difficult situations and come out successfully and fulfilled their intentions and life’s purpose – It helps us to materialize our intention.

We might be practicing these techniques since childhood but least knowing that these are in fact powerful techniques or the methods to materialize our intentions “The law of attraction”.

Here is technique portraying how vividly the intention is registered in the Universe: At the time of performing any major sacred form of worship/pooja, either at home or in temples or at the start of a havan (holy fire ritual), we take a Sankalp – (strong will) and it is recited in Sanskrit.

The intention is so clear, and specific, that it is bound to bear fruit. Before performing any ritual or on any auspicious occasion, the main participants express the intention as:
“In this continent, region and country, in such and such place, in the year of <name of the year>, during the winter or summer solstice, in such and such season (spring, summer etc), in this month, during the fortnight of the waxing or waning moon, on this date bearing the specific zodiac sign, on this day (name), at this specific time, I/We intend to perform this action with the specific purpose”.

Such a detail makes the intention crystal clear, and with such clarity, one is bound to creatively visualize the desired outcome. This clarity aids in the fulfillment of the intention. In fact, there are far more details in the Sanskrit version of the verse.
The practice of registering an intention, seeking divine guidance with a specific purpose is also ancient. People recite “slokas” or verses to a specific deity, imploring for divine guidance with a view to achieving a certain result. For example, One might recite a mantra or sloka to Lord Ganesha – remover of obstacles (this is very famous in USA now – a lot of stores selling the image of Lord Ganesha with the message that he is the remover of obstacles).

Sanskrit was the spoken language in India during ancient times. Their intentions, prayers were also spoken in Sanskrit. A common practice nowadays is that people recite the sloka in Sanskrit (which already expresses the intent), following up with the same in their mother tongue or English, without understanding the intent / meaning of the Mantra as a ritual. It is actually a blessing in disguise – that though one has already affirmed in Sanskrit, it is being followed up with another affirmation, which tends to make it stronger. For example, the following Sanskrit verse is a strong form of affirmation that is especially meant for knowledge aspirants:

“Sarasvathi Namastubhyam, Varade Kaamaroopini
Vidyaarambham Karishyaami, Siddhir Bhavatu Mey Sada”

Meaning: Saraswati is the Goddess of knowledge and arts, the provider of boons and the one, who grants all our desires. The sloka implores her: “I bow to Saraswati, who grants all our desires – As I begin my studies, bless me that all my efforts bear fruit and be successful”.

When recited in Sanskrit, with full understanding of the meaning, the mantras/slokas are especially effective in that they produce positive vibrations in the chanter’s body. The sounds and vibrations correct the breathing pattern, reach the subtle channels, and cleanse them, thereby resulting in improved health physically and mentally. This is the idea behind sound/music therapy, vibrational medicine, and mantra healing.

Thathasthu devatas – In India, people are very careful about what they think/say. The reason is the firm belief that special divine beings, the “thathasthu devatas”, are listening to your every thought or utterance, and granting the same with the word “thathasthu” – meaning “let it be so”.

It’s all about attitude – Intentions coming true depend on the intensity of the mind:

Consciously when we practice these techniques of law of attraction, the positive thoughts and our strong intentions lodge, get registered in our subconscious mind. It erases all negative thought – fear etc and embosses the positive thought. This kindles in us the drive, fire, motivation, directs our efforts in achieving the intentions here and now. Consciously when we get a thought about our intention, and take efforts in this regard, subconscious mind also supports with positive ideas for accomplishing the intention.

Negative attitude slows down the rate of intentions coming true. There is no use blaming the techniques for the delay in the expected results – we have to be concerned with our attitude.

If we practice the techniques as a monotonous ritual, without full attention, with a distracted or scattered mind, with doubts and fear dominating our mind, then we are defeating the purpose of Law of attraction.

The time frame for the intentions to come true depends on our attitude. With 100% positive attitude – concentration, (not an iota of doubt), full confidence, being conscious with all five senses, mind and body coordinated – being in sync we can be sure about the results.

Hari Om

Shambhavi Kriyaban