Mysticism and Spirituality

Rosh Hashanah - The Power of Intention

In this article, we explore the most powerful spiritual principle and how we can channel this ability to co-create a new reality.

The Hidden Orchard

19 Sep 2024 — 5 min read

Over the years, I have spent considerable time contemplating the most important aspects of spiritual development, and currently, at the top of the list is intention.

We will explore the concept of intention and an important way to use this skill in our planning for the year ahead.

The War For Attention

Learning how to channel our intention might be one of the most important skills to develop in our time for several reasons.

For one, studies have shown that a significant portion of our population is sleepwalking through life, spending nearly half of the day in a psychological auto-pilot. Here, routines and habits can become so engrained that our consciousness checks out.

Second, our ability to focus is diminishing due to the 'context-shifting¹' and multi-tasking associated with modern electronics.

Last, many are simply burnt out. Whether through world events, politics, social division, work, decision fatigue, or the stresses of life - the modern reflex is to unwind, disengage, and distract the mind.

Whether in auto-pilot, burnout, or distraction - or some combination - it is very difficult to find the escape velocity to do inner work.

Intention: Past and Present

Intention is more than being thoughtful of what we put into the world and being more present. Applied intention can shape our future, repair the past, and tap into the potential of the now.

In retro, focused intention can help us to reframe unpleasant events, reevaluating them with the belief that everything that happened to us is part of our program and who we are today.

In the present, intention is the active channeling of our cognitive, emotional, and intellectual abilities to connect to a higher source. When we do this, we deepen and enhance whatever we find ourselves engaged in.

Some might argue that faith is the most important aspect. And, yes, faith is extremely important, but when we combine faith and intention, we will get the best results.

It is for this reason that many mitzvot include some form of blessing that calls us to utilize our intention when carrying out a good deed.

Intention: Future

Channeling our intention to where we want to go in life helps us build a thoughtful vision for the future, becoming co-creators of reality.

As the word "Rosh" means head, the Breslov tradition teaches that Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, is associated with the level of thoughts and imagination². This is why so much of what we are encouraged to refine during Elul has to do with our thought processes.

It is from our thoughts that our speech and actions flow. This is true whether or not we are conscious of our thoughts. Think back to the people we mentioned who are on auto-pilot. They are essentially broadcasting a message to the future that will result in more of the same.

If we spend more than half of our day reacting or replaying our negative subconscious habits, we are building our future upon these patterns.

Use Your Mind for Good

Here is an example: as many in the world prepare themselves for bad days, we must be careful with our mindset during this preparation. Envisioning the worst-case scenarios vividly and frequently contributes to them becoming a reality. In the end, we may spend more time meditating on what we do not want to happen than the outcomes we want to see.

We should recognize that the images we create in our minds and the stories we tell ourselves will inevitably manifest in reality.

So, make preparations for a rainy day, but also invest time in imagining a reality where your preparations are not necessary.

Rebbe Nachman taught:

Human thought has tremendous potential. When we concentrate our thoughts on something and really imagine it to be, we can actually force it to happen.

Instead, be aware of the nature of our thoughts. When we drift into the negative, simply take a moment to close your eyes and steer them back to the positive.

"When you are connected inside, everything you do outside becomes bound up with that lifeline and unified. And if you feel yourself losing focus during the day, just stop and reorient yourself. Study something that feeds your soul; take five minutes to focus on conscious contact with G_D."
- R. Baruch Gartner. Living Aligned. Page 47

Challenge: Set an Intention

Assuming that you have begun to make closure on the previous year³, now set aside a few minutes to actively think about what it is you want to happen in the new year.

What do you want to be better at? What skills do you want to learn? Which new habits are you creating, and which are you leaving behind? What will the new year look like?

Write these down somewhere to help you remember and recall them frequently.

Here is the key, using your intention and imagination, create a clear mental image of what this will look like as if you have achieved these goals already.

Each morning, close your eyes for a few minutes and recall the vision you set above. Imagine how it feels to see these goals coming to life.

Picture yourself healed, happy, and engaged in new and healthy relationships. Maybe you will be financially secure, or that world conflicts will have come to a peaceful resolution.

The intensity and repetition of this will send a clear signal to the Creator of what you are working towards. We may not get everything we want, but being intentional about what we are signaling will result in better outcomes.

It does not matter how many times you've lost in the battle of the mind. At any moment, we can use our intention and reconnect. This is the essence of repentance (Tshuva) and it is why we are here.