Intentions, Affirmations, Clarity
…we hear these words all the time in relation to "getting what we want."
We are told that stating our desires and goals clearly, to both ourselves and the world (even if only by writing them down or confiding them out loud to a friend) – in other words, affirming our intentions with clarity and specificity – will manifest them.
Many of us believe that this means that, if we are clear enough, or state our intention firmly enough, or are so specific with the Universe that it can’t be sidetracked into giving us anything other than precisely what we’re asking for, that we’ll get what we want. Immediately. We’ll get what we ask for.
And of course, we’re all familiar with the Mick Jagger rendition of how this often plays out in reality:
"You can’t always get what you want
You can’t always get what you want
You can’t always get what you want
But if you try sometimes, well you just might find
You get what you need."* (emphasis added)
And many of us have, at least internally, balked at that truism. Experiencing it can stink.
Getting What We Need Leads to Getting What We Want
I’d like to posit the theory that "getting what we need" may not be what we think we want, but it often – almost always, in fact – ultimately leads us to getting what we want.
The trick is that our "wants" evolve. And often, they’re most intimately crafted and carved out of what we initially think we want by the stepping stone of getting what we need. It is amazing, once we open ourselves to receiving, how that simple receptivity can change everything, and we discover a pathway to truly receiving what we both want and need.
I read a delightful post the other day about just this process, and I decided to write this so I would have an excuse to share it – and add my two cents, of course.
This is the Magic of Life
I believe we are amazing creatures. We have remarkable intellects, which give us the ability to think and reason and hypothesize, research, write, and experiment. We also have another aspect to ourselves which is every bit as essential to our nature: we have the power of imagination and creativity, intuition, and awareness of the unseen.
I also believe that we are much more than "just" our bodies. We are much more than "just" who we are in this lifetime, and there is more of an over-arching awareness to our experiences than we give ourselves credit for.
If we allow for both of these aspects of ourselves to come together as an integrated whole, instead of pitting one against the other and behaving as if the existence of one threatens the validity of the other, we are capable of achieving more than most of us ever give ourselves permission to even imagine. This is the magic of life, and this, I believe, is what we are here to discover and explore at this most precious time in our evolution.
Ask for What You Want ~ and Trust the Process of Getting What You Need
Just for the heck of it, I’d like you to reflect upon a time when you, maybe even secretly, gave that manifestation-talk a try. Let’s assume you were clear and nicely specific about what you wanted, as well as relatively assertive in your desire.
Let’s also assume that you didn’t get what you thought you’d so specifically stated you wanted, at least not in anywhere near the time frame you thought you would (or should) receive it. Instead, you got something that appeared to be the antithesis of what you’d "ordered up" from the Universe. "Oh, what a bunch of bulls@#t," you thought, and probably promptly dismissed the entire process as so much New Age BS.
My challenge is this: take another look at what unfolded in your life. What did receiving the antithesis of your request bring to light? How did you respond? Did you end up getting rid of the relationship or experience you’d hoped would be the "answer" to your request? Did the failure of that business bring you an introduction to a person who ended up being a font of inspiration and the perfect partner in a completely different venture? Did your experience of what you thought you wanted hone your perception of what you truly want? Did you realize that what you thought you wanted was actually destructive to your joy?
From this perspective, can you see the Magic of Life working in your reality? Can you see the intuitive, creative part of yourself bringing messages and lessons to your logical self (and sometimes banging it over the head when it is being particularly obtuse)?
Are you ready to trust that process again, only this time bringing even greater awareness and appreciation to what you receive?
What Magic might you experience?
*And yeah, it’s going to be tough getting that out of your head now, right? It’s the gift that keeps on giving!
