Now, be
aware that saying these words may be difficult at first because of the
conditions you’ve been exposed to over a lifetime, and because the words
may bring to the surface remnants of disrespect that your ego wants you to
hold on to. Your immediate impulse might be to see this as an expression of your
ego’s desire to be superior to everyone else. But this is not an ego statement
at all—it’s an affirmation of self-respect. Transcend that ego mind and
affirm your love for yourself and your connection to the Spirit of God. This
doesn’t make you superior to anyone; it makes you equal to all and
celebrates that you’re a piece of God. Affirm it for your own self-respect. Affirm it in order to be respectful of that which intended you here. Affirm it
because it’s the way you’ll stay connected to your Source and regain the
power of intention. I love me. Say it without embarrassment. Say it proudly,
and be that image of love and self-respect. Step 2: Write the following affirmation and repeat it over and over
again to yourself: I am whole and perfect as I was created! Carry this
thought with you wherever you go. Have it laminated, and place it in your
pocket, on your dashboard, on your refrigerator, or next to your bed—allow
the words to become a source of high energy and self-respect. By simply
carrying these words with you and being in the same space with them, their
energy will flow directly to you. Self-respect emerges from the fact that you respect the Source from
which you came and you’ve made a decision to reconnect to that Source,
regardless of what anyone else might think. It’s very important to keep
reminding yourself at the beginning that you’re worthy of infinite respect
from the one Source you can always count on, the piece of God energy that
defines you. This reminder will do wonders for your self-respect, and
consequently your ability to use the power of intention in your life. Over
and over, remind yourself: I’m not my body. I’m not my accumulations. I’m
not my achievements. I’m not my reputation. I am whole and perfect as I
was created! Step 3: Extend more respect to others and to all of life. Perhaps the
greatest secret of self-esteem is to appreciate other people more. The easiest
way to do this is to see the unfolding of God in them. Look past the
judgments of others’ appearance, failures, and successes, their status in
society, their wealth or lack of it . . . and extend appreciation and love to the
Source from which they came. Everyone is a child of God—everyone! Try
to see this even in those who behave in what appears to be a godless
fashion. Know that by extending love and respect, you can turn that energy
around so that it’s heading back to its Source rather than away from it. In
short, send out respect because that is what you have to give away. Send out
judgment and low energy and that is what you’ll attract back. Remember,
when you judge another, you do not define them, you define yourself as
someone who needs to judge. The same applies to judgments directed at
you. Step 4: Affirm to yourself and all others that you meet, I belong! A
sense of belonging is one of the highest attributes on Abraham Maslow’s
pyramid of self-actualization (which I discuss at the beginning of the next
chapter). Feeling that you don’t belong or you’re in the wrong place can be
due to a lack of self-respect. Respect yourself and your divinity by knowing
that everyone belongs. This should never come into question. Your presence
here in the universe is proof alone that you belong here. No person decides
if you belong here. No government determines if some belong and some
don’t. This is an intelligent system that you’re a part of. The wisdom of
Creation intended you to be here, in this place, in this family with these
siblings and parents, occupying this precious space. Say it to yourself and
affirm it whenever necessary: I belong! And so does everyone else. No one
is here by accident! Step 5: Remind yourself that you’re never alone. My self-respect stays
intact as long as I know that it’s impossible for me to be alone. I have a
“senior partner” who’s never abandoned me and who’s stuck with me even
in moments when I had seemingly deserted my Source. I feel that if the
universal mind has enough respect to allow me to come here and to work
through me—and to protect me in times when I strayed onto dangerous
nonspiritual turf—then this partnership deserves my reciprocal respect. I
recall my friend Pat McMahon, a talk-show host on KTAR radio in
Phoenix, Arizona, telling me about his encounter with Mother Teresa in his
studio before interviewing her for his program. He pleaded with her to
allow him to do something for her. “Anything at all,” he begged. “I’d just
like to help you in some way.” She looked at him and said, “Tomorrow
morning get up at 4:00 A.M. and go out onto the streets of Phoenix. Find
someone who lives there and believes that he’s alone, and convince him that
he’s not.” Great advice, because everyone who wallows in self-doubt or
appears to be lost . . . has lost their self-respect because they’ve forgotten
that they’re not alone. Step 6: Respect your body! You’ve been provided with a perfect body to
house your inner invisible being for a few brief moments in eternity. Regardless of its size, shape, color, or any imagined infirmities, it’s a
perfect creation for the purpose that you were intended here for. You don’t
need to work at getting healthy; health is something you already have if you
don’t disturb it. You may have disturbed your healthy body by overfeeding
it, underexercising it, and overstimulating it with toxins or drugs that make
it sick, fatigued, jumpy, anxious, depressed, bloated, ornery, or an endless
list of maladies. You can begin the fulfillment of this intention to live a life
of self-respect by honoring the temple that houses you. You know what to
do. You don’t need another diet, workout manual, or personal trainer. Go
within, listen to your body, and treat it with all of the dignity and love that
your self-respect demands. Step 7: Meditate to stay in conscious contact with your Source, which
always respects you. I can’t say this enough: Meditation is a way to
experience what the five senses can’t detect. When you’re connected to the
field of intention, you’re connected to the wisdom that’s within you. That
divine wisdom has great respect for you, and it cherishes you while you’re
here. Meditation is a way to ensure that you stay in a state of self-respect. Regardless of all that goes on around you, when you enter into that sacred
space of meditation, all doubts about your value as an esteemed creation
dissolve. You’ll emerge from the solemnity of meditation feeling connected
to your Source and enjoying respect for all beings, particularly yourself. Step 8: Make amends with adversaries. The act of making amends
sends out a signal of respect for your adversaries. By radiating this
forgiving energy outward, you’ll find this same kind of respectful positive
energy flowing back toward you. By being big enough to make amends and
replace the energy of anger, bitterness, and tension with kindness—even if
you still insist that you’re right—you’ll respect yourself much more than
prior to your act of forgiveness. If you’re filled with rage toward anyone,
there’s a huge part of you that resents the presence of this debilitatingenergy. Take a moment right here and now to simply face that person who
stands out in your mind as someone you hurt, or directed hurt to you, and
tell him or her that you’d like to make amends. You’ll notice how much
better you feel. That good feeling of having cleared the air is self-respect. It
takes much more courage, strength of character, and inner conviction to
make amends than it does to hang on to the low-energy feelings. Step 9: Always remember the self in self-respect. In order to do this,
you must recognize that the opinions of others toward you aren’t facts,
they’re opinions. When I speak to an audience of 500 people, there are 500
opinions of me in the room at the end of the evening. I’m none of those
opinions. I can’t be responsible for how they view me. The only thing I can
be responsible for is my own character, and this is true for every one of us. If I respect myself, then I’m relying on the self in self-respect. If I doubt
myself, or punish myself, I’ve not only lost my self-respect, I’ll continue to
attract more and more doubt and lower-energy opinions with which to
further punish myself. You can’t stay linked to the universal mind, which
intends all of us here, if you fail to rely on your self for your self-respect. Step 10: Be in a state of gratitude. You’ll discover that gratitude is the
final step in each succeeding chapter. Be an appreciator rather than a
depreciator of everything that shows up in your life. When you’re saying
Thank you, God, for everything, and when you’re expressing gratitude for
your life and all that you see and experience, you’re respecting Creation. This respect is within you, and you can only give away what you have
inside. Being in a state of gratitude is the exact same thing as being in a
state of respect—respect for yourself, which you give away freely, and
which will return to you tenfold. I close this chapter with the words of Jesus of Nazareth, speaking through
his apostle Saint Matthew (Matthew 5:48): “Be perfect, therefore, as your
heavenly Father is perfect.” Reconnect to the perfection from which you
originated.You can’t have any more self-respect than that! OceanofPDF.comIT IS
MY INTENTION TO:
LIVE MY LIFE
ON PURPOSE
“Those who have failed to work toward the truth have missed the purpose
of living.”
 
— Buddha
“Your sole business in life is to attain God-realization. All else is useless and worthless.”
 
— Sivananda
A sense of purpose is at the very top of the pyramid of self-actualization
created by Abraham Maslow more than 50 years ago. Through his research,
Dr. Maslow discovered that those who feel purposeful are living the highest
qualities that humanity has to offer. During the many years I’ve been in the
fields of human development, motivation, and spiritual awareness, this is
the topic that more people inquire about than anything else. I’m repeatedly
asked questions such as: How do I find my purpose? Does such a thingreally exist? Why don’t I know my purpose in life? Being on purpose is what
the most self-actualized people accomplish on their life journeys. But many
individuals feel little sense of purpose, and may even doubt that they have a
purpose in life. Purpose and Intention
The theme of this book is that intention is a force in the universe, and that
everything and everyone is connected to this invisible force. Since this is an
intelligent system we’re all a part of, and everything that arrives here came
from that intelligence, it follows that if it wasn’t supposed to be here, then it
wouldn’t be here. And if it’s here, then it’s supposed to be, and that’s
enough for me. The very fact of your existence indicates that you have a
purpose. As I mentioned, the key question for most of us is: “What is my
purpose?” And I hear that question in as many forms as there are people
wondering about it: What am I supposed to be doing? Should I be an
architect, a florist, or a veterinarian? Should I help people or fix
automobiles? Am I supposed to have a family or be in the jungle saving the
chimpanzees? We’re befuddled by the endless number of options available
to us, and wonder whether we’re doing the right thing. In this chapter, I urge you to forget these questions. Move instead to a
place of faith and trust in the universal mind of intention, remembering that
you emanated from this mind and that you’re a piece of it at all times. Intention and purpose are as beautifully and naturally intertwined as the
double helix of your DNA. There are no accidents. You’re here for the
purpose that you signed up for before you entered the world of particles and
form. Many of the things that you refer to as problems result from the fact
that you’re disconnected from intention and therefore unaware of your true
spiritual identity. The process of polishing that connecting link and
reconnecting is basic to your intention to live your life on purpose. As you
cleanse this link, you’ll make two very important discoveries. First, you’ll
discover that your purpose is not as much about what you do as it is about
how you feel. Your second discovery will be that feeling purposeful
activates your power of intention to create anything that’s consistent with
the seven faces of intention. Feeling purposeful. In response to the question What should I do with
my life?, I suggest that there’s only one thing you can do with it, since you
came into this life with nothing and you’ll leave with nothing: You can give
it away. You’ll feel most on purpose when you’re giving your life away by
serving others. When you’re giving to others, to your planet, and to your
Source, you’re being purposeful. Whatever it is that you choose to do, if
you’re motivated to be of service to others while being authentically
detached from the outcome, you’ll feel on purpose, regardless of how much
abundance flows back to you. So, your intention is to live your life on purpose. But what is the spiritual
Source like in this regard? It’s perpetually in the process of giving its life
force away to create something from nothing. When you do the same,
regardless of what you’re giving or creating, you’re in harmony with
intention. You’re then on purpose, just as the universal mind is always
acting purposefully. Take this one step further. Does the universal Source of all life have to
think about what it’s doing with its powers? Is it concerned with bringing in
gazelles or centipedes? Does it concern itself with where it lives or what it
ultimately creates? No. Your Source is simply in the business of expressing
itself through the seven faces of intention. The details are taken care of
automatically. Likewise, your feelings of being on purpose in your life flow
through expression of the seven faces of intention. Allow yourself to be in the feeling place within you that’s unconcerned
with such things as vocational choices or doing the things you were
destined to do. When you’re in the service of others, or extend kindness
beyond your own boundaries, you’ll feel connected to your Source. You’ll
feel happy and content, knowing that you’re doing the right thing. I get that feeling of inner completion and contentment that lets me know
that I’m on purpose by reading my mail or hearing the comments I so
frequently hear when I’m walking through airports or eating at restaurants:
You changed my life, Wayne Dyer. You were there for me when I felt lost. This is different from receiving a royalty payment or a great review, which Ialso enjoy. The personal expressions of gratitude are what sustain me in
knowing that I’m on purpose. Outside of my chosen occupation, I feel purposeful in a myriad of ways
virtually every single day. When I extend assistance to someone in need,
when I take a moment to cheer up a disgruntled employee in a restaurant or
a store, when I make a child laugh who sits otherwise ignored in a stroller,
or even when I pick up a piece of litter and place it in a trash can, I feel that
I’m giving myself away and, as such, feel purposeful. Essentially what I’m saying is: Stay on purpose by expressing the seven
faces of intention, and the details will find you. You’ll never have to ask
what your purpose is or how to find it. Your purpose will find you. In a previous chapter, I reviewed the
obstacles to connecting to intention and pointed out that our thoughts are
one of the major roadblocks. I stressed that we become what we think about
all day long. What thoughts do you have that inhibit you from feeling as if
you’re on purpose in your life? For instance, if you think that you’re
separate from your purpose and that you’re drifting without direction
through your life, then that’s precisely what you’ll attract. Suppose, instead, that you know this is a purposeful universe where your
thoughts, emotions, and actions are a part of your free will and are also
connected to the power of intention. Suppose that your thoughts of being
purposeless and aimless are really a part of your purpose. Just as the
thought of losing someone you love makes you love them even more, or an
illness makes you treasure your health, suppose that it takes the thought of
your unimportance to make you realize your value. When you’re awake enough to question your purpose and ask how to
connect to it, you’re being prodded by the power of intention. The very act
of questioning why you’re here is an indication that your thoughts are
nudging you to reconnect to the field of intention. What’s the source of your
thoughts about your purpose? Why do you want to feel purposeful? Why is
a sense of purpose considered the highest attribute of a fully functioning
person? The source of thought is an infinite reservoir of energy andintelligence. In a sense, thoughts about your purpose are really your
purpose tryingto reconnect to you. This infinite reservoir of loving, kind,
creative, abundant energy grew out of the originating intelligence, and is
stimulating you to express this universal mind in your own unique way. Reread the two display quotes at the beginning of this chapter. Buddha
refers to the truth, and Sivananda suggests that God realization is our true
purpose. This entire book is dedicated to connecting to the power of
intention and letting go of ego, which tries to make us believe that we’re
separate from our divine originating Source and tries to separate us from
realizing ultimate truth. This ultimate truth is the source of your thoughts. That inner beingness knows why you’re here, but your ego prods you to
chase after money, prestige, popularity, and sensory pleasures and miss the
purpose of living. You may feel sated and gain a reputation, but inside
there’s that gnawing feeling typified by the old Peggy Lee song “Is That All
There Is?” Focusing on the demands of the ego leaves you feeling
unfulfilled. Deep within you, at the level of your being, is what you were
intended to become, to accomplish, and to be. In that inner placeless place,
you’re connected to the power of intention. It will find you. Make a
conscious effort to contact it and listen. Practice being what you are at the
source of your soul. Go to your soul level, where intention and purpose fit
together so perfectly that you achieve the epiphany of simply knowing this
is it. Your silent inner knowing. Esteemed psychologist and philosopher
William James once wrote: “In the dim background of our mind we know
meanwhile what we ought to be doing. . . . But somehow we cannot start. . . . Every moment we expect the spell to break . . . but it does continue, pulse
after pulse, and we float with it. . . .”
In my experience as a therapist, and as a speaker talking with thousands
of people about their lives, I’ve come to the same conclusion. Somewhere,
buried deep within each of us, is a call to purpose. It’s not always rational,
not always clearly delineated, and sometimes even seemingly absurd, but
the knowing is there. There’s a silent something within that intends you toexpress yourself. That something is your soul telling you to listen and
connect through love, kindness, and receptivity to the power of intention. That silent inner knowing will never leave you alone. You may try to ignore
it and pretend it doesn’t exist, but in honest, alone moments of
contemplative communion with yourself, you sense the emptiness waiting
for you to fill it with your music. It wants you to take the risks involved,
and to ignore your ego and the egos of others who tell you that an easier,
safer, or more secure path is best for you. Ironically, it’s not necessarily about performing a specific task or being in
a certain occupation or living in a specific location. It’s about sharing
yourself in a creative, loving way using the skills and interests that are
inherently part of you. It can involve any activity: dancing, writing, healing,
gardening, cooking, parenting, teaching, composing, singing, surfing—
whatever. There’s no limit to this list. But everything on the list can be done
to pump up your ego or to serve others. Satisfying your ego ultimately
means being unfulfilled and questioning your purpose. This is because your
Source is egoless, and you’re attempting to connect to your Source, where
your purpose originates. If the activities on the list are in service to others,
you feel the bliss of purposeful living, while paradoxically attracting more
of what you’d like to have in your life. My daughter Skye is an example of what I’m presenting here. Skye has
known since she could first speak that she wanted to sing. It was almost as
if she showed up here in the world with a destiny to sing for others. Over
the years, she’s sung at my public appearances, first as a 4-year-old, and
then at every age up until now, her 21st year. She has also sung on my
public television specials, and the reaction to her singing has always been
gratifying. As a student immersed in a music program at a major university, Skye
studied from academic and theoretical perspectives. One day in her junior
year, we had a discussion that centered on her purpose and the silent inner
knowing she’s always had. “Would you be upset,” she inquired, “if I left
college? I just don’t feel like I can do what I know I have to do by sitting in
a classroom and studying music theory any longer. I just want to write myown music and sing. It’s the only thing I think about, but I don’t want to
disappoint you and Mom.”
How could I, who tells his readers not to die with their music still in
them, tell my 21-year-old daughter to stay in college because that’s the right
way, and it’s what I did? I encouraged her to listen to the silent knowing
that I’ve seen evidence of since she was a toddler, and to follow her heart. As Gandhi once said: “To give one’s heart is to give all.” This is where God
exists in Skye . . . and in you. I did ask Skye to make a supreme effort to live her purpose by serving
those who will listen to her music rather than focusing her attention on
being famous or making money. “Let the universe handle those details,” I
reminded her. “You write and sing because you have to express what is in
that beautiful heart of yours.” I then asked her to think from the end, and act
as if all that she wanted to create for herself was already here, waiting for
her to connect to it. Recently she voiced dismay at not having her own CD out in the world,
and she was acting with thoughts of not having a CD out in the world. Consequently, no CD and lots of frustration. I strongly encouraged her to
start thinking from the end by seeing the studio being available, the
musicians ready to collaborate with her, the CD as a finished product, and
her intention as a reality. I gave her a deadline to have a CD completed that
I could make available at my lectures. I told her that she could sing to these
audiences, as she has done sporadically in her life as well as on my public-
television pledge shows. Her thinking from the end materialized everything she needed, and the
universal Spirit began to work with her unbending intent. She found the
studio, the musicians she needed magically appeared, and she was able to
have the CD produced. Skye worked tirelessly day after day singing her own favorites, as well as
several that I wanted her to sing at my appearances, including “Amazing
Grace,” “The Prayer of St. Francis,” and her own composition, “Lavender
Fields,” which she sings from deep pride and passion. And lo and behold,today her CD, This Skye HasNo Limits, is now out and is being offered to
the public whenever she sings at my lectures. Skye’s presence on the stage with me brings so much joy and love to the
presentation because she’s as closely aligned with those seven faces of
intention as any human being I’ve ever known. So it’s no secret why this
book is also dedicated to her—one of my angels of spiritual intention. Inspiration and Purpose
When you’re inspired by a great purpose, everything will begin to work
for you. Inspiration comes from moving back in-spirit and connecting to the
seven faces of intention. When you feel inspired, what appeared to be risky
becomes a path you feel compelled to follow. The risks are gone because
you’re following your bliss, which is the truth within you. This is really
love working in harmony with your intention. Essentially, if you don’t feel
love, you don’t feel the truth, and your truth is all wrapped up in your
connection to Spirit. This is why inspiration is such an important part of the
fulfillment of your intention to live a life on purpose. When I left the work that no longer inspired me, every single detail that
I’d worried about was almost magically taken care of for me. I’d spent
several months working for a large corporation where I was offered a salary
three times higher than I’d been paid as a teacher, but I wasn’t in-spirit. That prodding inner knowing said, Do what you’re here to do, and
teaching/counseling became my manifested daily purpose. When I left a professorship at a major university for writing and public
speaking, it wasn’t a risk; it was something I had to do because I knew that I
couldn’t feel happy with myself if I didn’t follow my heart. The universe
handled the details, because I was feeling love for what I was doing, and
consequently, I was living my truth. By teaching love, that very same love
guided me to my purpose, and the financial remuneration flowed to me with
that same energy of love. I couldn’t see how it would work out, but I
followed an inner knowing and never regretted it! You may think it’s too risky to give up a salary, a pension, job security, or
familiar surroundings because of a dim night-light in your mind that draws
you to see why it’s turned on. I suggest that there are no risks at all if youpay attention to that light, which is your knowing. Combine your strong
knowing with the faith that Spirit will provide, and you acknowledge the
power of intention at work. Your trust in this inner knowing is all you need. I call it faith—not faith in an external god to provide you with a purpose,
but faith in the call you’re hearing from the center of your being. You are a
divine, infinite creation making the choice to be on purpose and to be
connected to the power of intention. It all revolves around your being
harmoniously connected to your Source. Faith eliminates the risk when you
choose to trust that inner knowing about your purpose and become a
channel for the power of intention. Making Intention Your Reality
Below are ten ways to practice fulfilling your intention to live your life
on purpose from this day forward:
 
Step 1: Affirm that in an intelligent system, no one shows up by
accident, including you. The universal mind of intention is responsible for
all of creation. It knows what it’s doing. You came from that mind, and
you’re infinitely connected to it. There’s meaning in your existence, and
you have the capacity to live from a perspective of purpose. The first step is
to know that you’re here on purpose. This is not the same as knowing what
you’re supposed to do. Throughout your life, what you do will change and
shift. In fact, the changes can occur from hour to hour in each day of your
life. Your purpose is not about what you do, it’s about your beingness, that
place within you from which your thoughts emerge. This is why you’re
called a human being rather than a human doing! Affirm in your own
words, both in writing and in your thoughts, that you are here on purpose,
and intend to live from this awareness at all times. Step 2: Seize every opportunity, no matter how small, to give your
life away in service. Get your ego out of your intention to live a life of
purpose. Whatever it is that you want to do in life, make the primarymotivation for your effort something or somebody other than your desire for
gratification or reward. The irony here is that your personal rewards will multiply when you’re
focused on giving rather than receiving. Fall in love with what you’re
doing, and let that love come from the deep, inner-dwelling place of Spirit. Then sell the feeling of love, enthusiasm, and joy generated by your efforts. If your purpose is felt by being Supermom, then put your energy and inner
drive into those children. If it’s felt writing poetry or straightening teeth,
then get your ego out of the way and do what you love doing. Do it from the
perspective of making a difference for someone or for some cause, and let
the universe handle the details of your personal rewards. Live your purpose
doing what you do with pure love—then you’ll co-create with the power of
the universal mind of intention, which is ultimately responsible for all of
creation. Step 3: Align your purpose with the field of intention. This is the most
important thing you can do to fulfill your intentions. Being aligned with the
universal field means having faith that your Creator knows why you’re
here, even if you don’t. It means surrendering the little mind to the big
mind, and remembering that your purpose will be revealed in the same way
that you were revealed. Purpose, too, is birthed from creativeness, kindness,
love, and receptivity to an endlessly abundant world. Keep this connection
pure, and you’ll be guided in all of your actions. It’s not fatalism to say that if it’s meant to be, then it can’t be stopped. This is having faith in the power of intention, which originated you and is
within you. When you’re aligned with your originating Source, then this
same Source will aid you in creating the life of your choice. Then, what
happens feels exactly as if it was meant to be. And that’s because it is! You
always have a choice in how to align yourself. If you stay focused on
making demands on the universe, you’ll feel as if demands are being placed
on you in your life. Stay focused on lovingly asking, How may I use my
innate talents and desire to serve? and the universe will respond with the
identical energy by asking you, How may I serve you? Step 4: Ignore what anyone else tells you about your purpose. Regardless of what anyone might say to you, the truth about your feeling
purposeful is that only you can know it, and if you don’t feel it in that inner
place where a burning desire resides, it isn’t your purpose. Your relatives
and friends may attempt to convince you that what they feel is your destiny. They may see talents that they think will help you make a great living, or
they may want you to follow in their footsteps because they think you’ll be
happy doing what they’ve done for a lifetime. Your skill at mathematics or
decorating or fixing electronic equipment might indicate a high aptitude for
a given pursuit—but in the end, if you don’t feel it, nothing can make it
resonate with you. Your purpose is between you and your Source, and the closer you get to
what that field of intention looks and acts like, the more you’ll know that
you’re being purposefully guided. You might have zero measurable
aptitudes and skills in a given area, yet feel inwardly drawn to doing it. Forget the aptitude-test results, forget the absence of skills or know-how,
and most important, ignore the opinions of others and listen to your heart. Step 5: Remember that the all-creating field of intention will work on
your behalf. Albert Einstein is credited with saying that the most important
decision we ever make is whether we believe we live in a friendly universe
or a hostile universe. It’s imperative that you know that the all-creating field
of intention is friendly and will work with you as long as you see it that
way. The universe supports life; it flows freely to all and is endlessly
abundant. Why choose to look at it in any other way? All of the problems
we face are created by our belief that we’re separate from God and each
other, leading us to be in a state of conflict. This state of conflict creates a
counterforce causing millions of humans to be confused about their
purpose. Know that the universe is always willing to work with you on your
behalf, and that you’re always in a friendly, rather than hostile, world. Step 6: Study and replicate the lives of people who’ve known their
purpose. Whom do you admire the most? I urge you to read biographies of
these people and explore how they lived and what motivated them to stay
on purpose when obstacles surfaced. I’ve always been fascinated by Saul of
Tarsus (later called St. Paul), whose letters and teachings became the source
of a major portion of the New Testament. Taylor Caldwell wrote a definitive
fictional account of St. Paul’s life called Great Lion of God, which inspired
me enormously. I was also deeply touched by the purposeful manner in
which St. Francis of Assisi lived his life as exemplified in the novel St.
Francis, by Nikos Kazantzakis. I make it a point to use my free time to read
about people who are models for purposeful living, and I encourage you to
do the same. Step 7: Act as if you’re living the life you were intended to live, even
if you feel confused about this thing called purpose. Invite into your life
every day whatever it might be that makes you feel closer to God and brings
you a sense of joy. View the events you consider obstacles as perfect
opportunities to test your resolve and find your purpose. Treat everything
from a broken fingernail to an illness to the loss of a job to a geographical
move as an opportunity to get away from your familiar routine and move to
purpose. By acting as if you’re on purpose and treating the hurdles as
friendly reminders to trust in what you feel deeply within you, you’ll be
fulfilling your own intention to be a purposeful person. Step 8: Meditate to stay on purpose. Use the technique of Japa, which I
mentioned earlier, and focus your inner attention on asking your Source to
guide you in fulfilling your destiny. This letter from Matthew McQuaid
describes the exciting results of meditating to stay on purpose:
Dear Dr. Dyer,
My wife, Michelle, is pregnant by a miracle—a miracle
manifest from Spirit using all of your suggestions. For five
years, Michelle and I were challenged by infertility. You nameit, we tried it. None of the expensive and sophisticated
treatments worked. The doctors had given up. Our own faith
was tested over and over with each failed treatment cycle. Our
doctor managed to freeze embryos from earlier cycles of
treatment. Throughout the years, over 50 embryos had been
transferred to Michelle’s uterus. The odds of a frozen embryo
successfully initiating pregnancy in our case were close to zero. As you know, zero is a word not found in the spiritual
vocabulary. One precious frozen embryo, surviving minus 250
degrees for six months, has taken up a new home in Michelle’s
womb. She is now in her second trimester. Okay, “So what,” you might say. “I get letters like this every
day.” However, this letter contains proof of God. A tiny drop of
protoplasm, as you have so eloquently written on many
occasions, a physical mass of cells alive with the future pull of a
human being, turned on in a laboratory, then turned off in a
freezer. All molecular motion and biochemical processes halted,
suspended. Yet, the essence of being was there prior to freezing. Where did the spiritual essence go while frozen? The cells were
turned on, then turned off, but the spiritual essence had to
prevail despite the physical state of the cells. The frequency of
vibration of the frozen cells was low, but the vibrational
frequency of its spirit must be beyond measure. The essence of
the being had to reside outside of the physical plane or mass of
cells. It couldn’t go anywhere except to the realm of spirit,
where it waited. It waited to thaw and manifest into a being it
always has been. I hope you find this story as compelling as I
do, as nothing less than a miracle. An example of spirit in body,
rather then a body with a spirit. And now for the million-dollar question. Could this one
embryo survive such hostile frozen conditions and still
manifestbecause I practiced the Japa mediation? Just because I
opened my mouth and said, “Aaaahhh”? I had a knowing, no
question about it. Japa meditation and surrendering to infinite
patience are daily practices. During my quiet moments, I cansmell this baby. Michelle will thank me for my conviction and
faith during the dark times. I praise your work for guiding me. Thank you. Now, nothing is impossible for me. When I compare
what I have manifested now in Michelle’s womb to anything else
I might desire, the process is without effort. After you truly
surrender, everything you could ever want just seems to show
up, right on schedule. The next amazing manifestation will be to
help other infertile couples realize their dreams. Somehow, I
will help those who feel there is no hope. Sincerely,
Matthew McQuaid
Many people have written to me about their success with staying on
purpose through the practice of Japa meditation. I’m deeply touched by the
power of intention when I read about people who use Japa to help achieve a
pregnancy, which they felt was their divine mission. I particularly like
Matthew’s decision to use this experience to help other infertile couples. Step 9: Keep your thoughts and feelings in harmony with your
actions. The surest way to realize your purpose is to eliminate any conflict
or dissonance that exists between what you’re thinking and feeling and how
you’re living your days. If you’re in disharmony, you activate ego-
dominated attitudes of fear of failure, or disappointing others, which
distance you from your purpose. Your actions need to be in harmony with
your thoughts. Trust in those thoughts that harmonize, and be willing to act
upon them. Refuse to see yourself as inauthentic or cowardly, because those
thoughts will keep you from acting on what you know you were meant to
be. Take daily steps to bring your thoughts and feeling of your grand heroic
mission into harmony with both your daily activities and of course, with
that ever-present field of intention. Being in harmony with God’s will is the
highest state of purpose you can attain. Step 10: Stay in a state of gratitude. Be thankful for even being able to
contemplate your purpose. Be thankful for the wonderful gift of being able
to serve humanity, your planet, and your God. Be thankful for the seeming
roadblocks to your purpose. Remember, as Gandhi reminded us: “Divine
guidance often comes when the horizon is the blackest.” Look at the entire
kaleidoscope of your life, including all of the people who have crossed your
path. See all of the jobs, successes, apparent failures, possessions, losses,
wins—everything—from a perspective of gratitude. You’re here for a
reason; this is the key to feeling purposeful. Be grateful for the opportunity
to live your life purposefully in tune with the will of the Source of all. That’s a lot to be grateful for. It seems to me that searching for our purpose is like searching for
happiness. There’s no way to happiness; happiness is the way. And so it is
with living your life on purpose. It’s not something you find; it’s how you
live your life serving others, and bringing purpose to everything you do. That’s precisely how you fulfill the intention that is the title of this chapter. When you’re living your life from purpose, you’re dwelling in love. When
you’re not dwelling in love, you’re off purpose. This is true for individuals,
institutions, business, and our governments as well. When a government
gouges its citizens with excessive fees for any service, they’re off purpose. When a government pursues violence as a means for resolving disputes, it’s
off purpose regardless of how it justifies its actions. When businesses
overcharge, cheat, or manipulate in the name of profit-making, they’re off
purpose. When religions permit prejudice and hatred or mistreat their
parishioners, they’re off purpose. And it’s true for you as well. Your goal in accessing the power of intention is to return to your Source
and live from that awareness, replicating the very actions of intention itself. That Source is love. Therefore, the quickest method for understanding and
living your purpose is to ask yourself if you’re thinking in loving ways. Do
your thoughts flow from a Source of love within you? Are you acting onthose loving thoughts? If the answers are yes and yes, then you’re on
purpose. I can say no more! OceanofPDF.comIT IS 
MY INTENTION TO: 
BE AUTHENTIC AND 
PEACEFUL WITH ALL 
OF MY RELATIVES
“Your friends are God’s way of apologizing for your relatives!”
 
— Wayne W. Dyer
Somehow we allow the expectations and demands of our family members
to be the source of so much unhappiness and stress, when what we want is
to be authentically ourselves and at peace with our relatives. The conflict
seems too often to be a choice between being authentic, which means no
peace with certain relatives, or having peace at the price of being
inauthentic. Making the connection to the power of intention in regard to
being around your relatives may sound like an oxymoron to you, but it isn’t. Being peaceful and authentic can define your relationship with your
relatives. First, though, you may have to assess your relationship with the
closest relative of all—you. How others treat you, you’ll discover, has a lot
to do with how you treat yourself and thereby teach others to treat you.You Get Treated the Way You Teach 
Others to Treat You
In an earlier chapter, I urged you to notice your inner dialogue. One of the
greatest obstacles to connecting to intention are your thoughts of what
others want or expect from you. The more you focus on how upsetting it is
that your family doesn’t understand or appreciate you, the more you’ll
attract their misunderstanding or lack of appreciation. Why? Because what
you think about expands, even when you think about what you find
unnerving, and even when you think about what you don’t want in your life. If you’re attracted to this intention, then you most likely already know
which family members push your buttons. If you feel as though you’re
unduly influenced by their expectations, or you’re a victim of their way of
being, you’ll need to begin by shifting from thoughts of what they’re doing
to what you’re thinking. Say to yourself, I’ve taught all these people how to
treat me as a result of my willingness to make their opinions of me more
important than my own. You might want to follow this up by emphatically
stating, And it’s my intention to teach them how I desire to be treated from
now on! Taking responsibility for how your family members treat you helps
you create the kind of relationship with all of your relatives that matches up
with the universal mind of intention. You may be asking yourself how you can possibly be responsible for
teaching people how to treat you. The answer is, in large part, your
willingness to not only put up with listening to those familial pressures—
some of which are long-term traditions running back countless generations
—but also with allowing yourself to disconnect from your divine Source
and indulge in low-energy emotions as humiliation, blame, despair, regret,
anxiety, and even hatred. You and only you taught your kin how to treat you
through your willingness to accept critical comments from that well-
meaning, but often interfering and bothersome, tribe. Your family relationships are in your mind. When you close your eyes,
your family disappears. Where did they go? Nowhere, but doing this
exercise helps you recognize that your relatives exist as thoughts in yourmind. And recall that God is the mind with which you’re thinking. Are you
using your mind to process your relatives in harmony with intention? Or
have you abandoned or separated yourself in your mind by viewing your
family in ways contrary to the universal Source of intention? These people
who are related to you are all ideas in your mind. Whatever power they
have, you’ve given to them. What you feel is wrong or missing in these
relationships is an indication that something is amiss within you, because
broadly speaking, anything you see in anyone else is a reflection of some
aspect of you—otherwise you wouldn’t be bothered by it, because you
wouldn’t notice it in the first place. In order to change the nature of family relationships, you’ll have to
change your mind about them and do a somersault into the inconceivable. And what is the inconceivable? It’s the idea that you are the source of the
anguish in your relationships, rather than the individual whom you’ve
pegged as the most outrageous, the most despicable, or the most infuriating. Over the years, all of these individuals have been treating you exactly as
you’ve allowed them to with your reactions and behaviors. All of them exist
as ideas in your mind that have separated you from your source of intention. This can miraculously change when you choose to be at peace with
everyone in your life—most particularly, your relatives. If the focus of your inner dialogue about your family members is on what
they’re doing that’s wrong, then that’s precisely how your relationship with
them will be experienced. If your inner speech centers on what’s annoying
about them, that’s what you’ll notice. As much as you’re inclined to blame
them for your annoyance, it’s yours, and it’s coming from your thoughts. If
you make a decision to put your inner attention, your life energy, on
something quite different, your relationship will change. In your thoughts,
where your family relationships exist, you’ll no longer be annoyed, angry,
hurt, or depressed. If in your mind you’re thinking, My intention is to be
authentic and peaceful with this relative, then that’s what you’ll experience
—even if that relative continues to be exactly the way he or she has always
been. Changing your mind is changing your relationships. Being authentic
and peaceful with your relatives is only a thought away. You can learn to
change your thoughts by intending to create authentic and peaceful feelings
within yourself. No one is capable of making you upset without your
consent, and you’ve given your consent too frequently in the past. When
you begin practicing the intention to be authentic and peaceful, you
withdraw your consent to be in the lower energy. You connect to peace
itself, and decide to bring peace to your relatives, thereby immediately
gaining the power to change the energy of family gatherings. Think of the relatives whom you’ve blamed for your feelings of anxiety,
annoyance, or depression. You’ve focused on what you disliked about them
or how they treated you, and your relationship has always had an
uncomfortable edge to it. Now imagine yourself doing this from a new
point of view: Rather than reacting to their low energy of hostility or
bragging with a hostile or bragging reaction of your own—lowering the
energy field for everyone involved—you instead bring your intention of
peace to the interaction. Remember, it’s the higher energy of love that can
dissolve all the lower energies. When you react to low energy with more of
the same, you’re not being peacefully authentic or connected to the power
of intention. In the low energy, you say or think sentences like, I disrespect
you for being so disrespectful. I’m angry at you for being so angry at the
world. I dislike you because you’re such a braggart. By putting your attention on what you intend to manifest rather than on
the same low energy that you encounter, you make a decision to connect to
intention and bring the attributes of your universal Source to the presence of
that low energy. Try to imagine Jesus of Nazareth saying to his followers, “I
despise those people who despise me, and I want nothing to do with them.”
Or, “It makes me so angry when people judge me. How can I have peace
when there are so many hostile people around me?” This is absurd, because
Jesus represents the highest loving energy in the universe. That’s precisely
what he brought to the presence of doubting, hostile people, and his
presence alone would raise the energy of those around him. Now I know
you’re not the Christ, but you do have some great spiritual lessons to learn
from our greatest teachers. If you have the intention to bring peace to asituation and you’re living at the level of intention, you’ll leave that
situation feeling peaceful. I learned this lesson years ago with my in-laws. Prior to my waking up to the power of intention, family visits were events
that caused me consternation because of the attitudes and behavior of some
of my wife’s relatives. I’d prepare for a Sunday-afternoon family visit by
getting anxious and upset over what I anticipated to be a fretful, lousy
experience. And I seldom disappointed myself! I’d focus my thoughts on
what I didn’t like, and I defined my relationship with my in-laws in this
manner. Gradually, as I began to understand the power of intention and left
my ego behind, I substituted kindness, receptivity, love, and even beauty for
my former annoyed and angry assessments. Before family get-togethers, I’d remind myself that I am what I choose to
be in any and all circumstances, and I chose to be authentically peaceful and
have a good time. In response to something that used to annoy me, I’d now
say to my mother-in-law in a loving way, “I never thought of it that way;
tell me more.” In response to what I previously considered to be an ignorant
comment, I’d respond, “That’s an interesting point of view; when did you
first learn about this?” In other words, I was bringing my own intention to
be in a state of peace to this encounter, and was refusing to judge them. The most amazing thing began to happen: I started looking forward to
having these family members at our home. I began to see them as much
more enlightened than I’d previously thought. I actually enjoyed our times
together, and every time something came up that I’d found annoying in the
past, I’d overlook it and respond with love and kindness instead. At an
earlier stage of my life, expressions of racial or religious prejudice were a
stimulus for my anger and resentment. Now I’d quietly respond with a kind
and gentle reminder of my own opinions, and simply let the matter drop. Over the years, I found that not only did the racial and religious slurs
diminish to zero, but I noticed that my in-laws were expressing tolerance—
and even love—toward minorities, as well as those who practiced religions
different from their own. Although my primary intention was to stay in a state of peace, I
discovered that by not joining in the low energies of my in-laws, not onlywas the entire family more peaceful, but many enjoyable and even
enlightening conversations developed. I had as much to learn from my in-
laws as I had to teach. Even when I disagreed vehemently with a judgment
directed at me, if I remembered my intention to have a peaceful relationship
with them, I was able to do just that. No longer did I think about what I
disliked, what was missing, or what always had been. I stayed focused on
making these gatherings fun, loving, and most important to me, peaceful. Let’s take a look at the steps you need to take in order to make the stated
intention of this chapter and all succeeding ones a reality. Step 1: Identify your intention verbally and in writing, and develop a
deep yearning for it. When you create a great longing for the experience of
a peaceful family, everything will begin to happen to fulfill this yearning
spontaneously and naturally. Rather than praying to a saint or God for a
miracle, pray for the miracle of the inner awakening, which will never leave
you. The awakening of this inner light, once experienced, will become your
constant companion, regardless of who you are with or where you are. The
dynamic force is within you. This force is felt as great joy running through
your body. Ultimately, your thinking will become sublime, and your inner
and outer world will become one. Yearn for this awakening to the inner
light, and long for your intention to manifest. Step 2: Intend for all of your relatives what you intend for yourself. When anyone criticizes, judges, acts angry, expresses hatred, or finds fault
with you, they’re not at peace with themselves. Want this peace for them
even more than you desire it for yourself. By having this kind of intention
for them, you take the focus off of you. This doesn’t require words or
actions on your part. Simply picture the people in your family with whom
you’re not at peace, and feel the peace you crave for them. Your innerspeech will change, and you’ll begin to experience the peaceful authenticity
of both your beings. Step 3: Be the peace you’re seeking from others. If peace is missing in
your relationships with your family, it means that you have a place within
you that’s occupied by non-peace. It may be filled with anxiety, fear, anger,
depression, guilt, or any low-energy emotions. Rather than attempting to rid
yourself of these feelings all at once, treat them the same as you do your
relatives. Say a friendly Hello to the non-peace, and let it be. You’re
sending a peaceful feeling to the non-peace feeling. The lower energies
you’re experiencing will be strengthened by your peaceful Hi or Hello, and
eventually vanish as the divine grows within you. The way to this peace is
through any form of quiet and meditation that works for you. Even if it’s
only a two-minute respite during which time you’re silent, concentrate on
the name of the divine, or repeat that sound of “Aaahh” as an inner mantra. Step 4: Match up with the seven faces of intention. If you’ve forgotten
what the universal mind of intention looks like, it’s creative, kind, loving,
beautiful, always expanding, endlessly abundant, and receptive to all of life. Play the match game that I introduced earlier in this book, and very quietly
and with unbending intent bring the face of the universal Source of all to the
presence of everyone whom you feel brings you down or interferes with
your peace. This kind of spiritual energy will be transformative—not only
for you, but also for your relatives. Your intention to be in peaceful
relationships is now taking form—first in your mind, then in your heart—
and ultimately, it will materialize. Step 5: Review all the obstacles that have been erected on your path
to familial peace. Listen to any inner dialogue that focuses on your
resentment of others’ expectations for you. Remind yourself that when you
think about what you resent, you act upon what you think about, while
simultaneously attracting more of it to you. Examine your energy level foryour tendency to react to lower energies with more of the same, and give
your ego a reminder that you’ll no longer opt to be offended, or need to be
right in these relationships. Step 6: Act as if. Begin the process of acting as if what you intend to
manifest is already true. See everyone in your family in the love and light
that is their true identity. When someone asked Baba Muktananda, a great
saint in India, “Baba, what do you see when you look at me?” Baba said, “I
see the light in you.” The person replied, “How can that be, Baba? I am an
angry person. I am terrible. You must see all that.” Baba said, “No, I see
light.” (This story is told by Swami Chidvilasananda Gurumayi in Kindle
My Heart.) So, see the light in those others, and treat them as if that is all you see. Step 7: Detach from the outcome. Don’t let your authentic and peaceful
attitude depend on your relatives’ behavior. As long as you remain
connected to intention and radiate outward the high energy, you’ve achieved
your peace. It’s not your place or your purpose to make everyone else in
your family think, feel, and believe as you do. The likelihood is great that
you’ll see dramatic changes in your relatives as you teach them with your
own persona how you intend to be treated. But if they don’t change, and if
they continue their nonpeaceful ways, let go of your need to see them
transformed. It all works in divine order, and the saying Letting go and
letting God is a helpful reminder for you. By letting go, you guarantee your
own peace, and you dramatically increase the odds of helping others to do
the same. Step 8: Affirm: I attract only peace into my life. I remind myself of
this affirmation many times on a given day, particularly with my children
and other more distant relatives. I also practice this in grocery stores, when
greeting flight attendants, when visiting the post office, and while drivingmy automobile. I say this silently to myself as an absolute truth with
unbending intent on my part, and it works for me all the time. People
respond to me with smiles, acknowledgments, friendly gestures, and kind
greetings all day long. I also remind myself of the cogent observation from
A Course in Miracles when I feel other than peaceful in any given moment
with my family: I can choose peace, rather than this. Step 9: Hold no grudges, and practice forgiveness. The key to having
peace in all your family relationships is forgiveness. Your relatives are
simply doing what they’ve been taught to do over a lifetime, and the
lifetimes of many of their ancestors. Shower them with understanding and
forgiveness from your heart. This passage from A Course in Miracles offers so much in the fulfillment
of this intention:
Do you want peace? Forgiveness offers it. Do you want happiness, a quiet mind,
a certainty of purpose,
and a sense of worth and beauty
that transcends the world? Do you want a quietness that cannot be disturbed,
a gentleness that can never be hurt,
a deep abiding comfort,
and a rest so perfect it can never be upset? All this forgiveness offers you. Step 10: Be in a state of gratitude. Rather than being in a state of non-
peace concerning any family members, say a prayer of gratitude for their
presence in your life and all that they have come to teach you. These are the ten steps that you can practice each day. As you work
toward the absolute knowing that this intention will manifest for you,remind yourself on a daily basis that you can never remedy a bad
relationship by condemning it. OceanofPDF.comIT IS MY INTENTION TO: 
FEEL SUCCESSFUL AND 
ATTRACT ABUNDANCE 
INTO MY LIFE
“God is able to provide you with every blessing in abundance.”
 
— St. Paul
“When you realize there is nothing lacking, the whole world belongs to
you.”
 
— Lao Tzu
One of my secrets for feeling successful and attracting bountiful
abundance into my life has been an internal axiom that I use virtually every
day of my life. It goes like this: Change the way you look at things, and the
things you look at change. This has always worked for me. The truth of this little maxim is actually found in the field of quantum
physics, which, according to some, is a subject that’s not only stranger than
you think it is, it’s stranger than you can think. It turns out that at the tiniest
subatomic level, the actual act of observing a particle changes the particle.The way we observe these infinitely small building blocks of life is a
determining factor in what they ultimately become. If we extend this
metaphor to larger and larger particles and begin to see ourselves as
particles in a larger body called humanity or even larger—life itself—then
it’s not such a huge stretch to imagine that the way we observe the world we
live in affects that world. It’s been said repeatedly in a number of different
ways: As is the microcosm, so is the macrocosm. As you read this chapter,
remember this little journey into quantum physics as a metaphor for your
life. This being the case, your intention to feel successful and experience
prosperity and abundance depends on what view you have of yourself, the
universe, and most important, the field of intention from which success and
abundance will come. My little maxim about changing the way you look at
things is an extremely powerful tool that will allow you to bring the
intention of this chapter into your life. First examine how you look at
things, and then how the spirit of intention does the same. How Do You Look at Life? The way you look at life is essentially a barometer of your expectations,
based on what you’ve been taught you’re worthy of and capable of
achieving. These expectations are largely imposed by external influences
such as family, community, and institutions, but they’re also influenced by
that ever-present inner companion: your ego. These sources of your
expectations are largely based on the beliefs of limitation, scarcity, and
pessimism about what’s possible for you. If these beliefs are the basis for
how you look at life, then this perception of the world is what you expect
for yourself. Attracting abundance, prosperity, and success from these
limiting viewpoints is an impossibility. In my heart, I know that attracting abundance and feeling successful is
possible, because, as I touched on earlier, I had an early life of enormous
scarcity. I lived in foster homes, away from my mother and my absentee,
alcoholic, often-imprisoned father. I know that these truths can work for
you, because if they’ve worked for any one of us, they can work for all of
us, since we all share the same abundant divine force and emanated from
the same field of intention.Take an inventory of how you look at the world, asking yourself how
much of your life energy is focused on explaining away potentially
optimistic viewpoints by preferring to see the inequities and inconsistencies
in the abundance-for-all philosophy. Can you change the way you look at
things? Can you see potential for prosperity where you’ve always seen
scarcity? Can you change what is by simply changing the way you see it? I
say a resounding yes to these questions. And the way to work at changing
the way you see things is to take a hard look at something you may not have
previously considered. How Does the Universal All-Creating 
Field of Intention Look at Life? The field of intention, which is responsible for all creation, is constantly
giving—in fact, it knows no bounds to its giving. It just keeps on converting
pure formless spirit into a myriad of material forms. Furthermore, this field
of intention gives in unlimited supplies. There is no such concept as
shortage or scarcity when it comes to the originating Source. So we’re
looking at two major conceptualizations when we think of the universal
mind’s natural abundance. The first is that it’s perpetually giving, and the
second is that it offers an infinite supply. The power of intention is perpetually giving and infinite, so it seems
obvious that you’ll need to adopt these same two attributes if you’re to
fulfill your own personal intention to live successfully and attract
abundance into your life. What should your message back to the universe be
if you want to be abundance and success rather than strive for it? Your
Source is abundant and you are your Source; therefore, you must
communicate this back. Since your Source is always serving and giving,
and you are your Source, then you must be always in a state of serving and
giving. This Source can only work with you when you are in harmony with
it! A message to the field of intention that says Please send me more money
is interpreted as your seeing yourself in a state of scarcity, but this Source
has no concept of scarcity. It doesn’t even know what not having enough
money means. Thus, its response back to you will be: Here’s a state of
needing more money because that’s how you think, and I’m the mind withwhich you think, so here’s more of what you don’t want and don’t have. Your
ego-dominated response will be: My desires are being denied! But the real
truth is, the universal Source knows only abundance and giving, and will
respond with money flowing to you if your intention is: I have enough
money, and I allow what I already have enough of to flow to me. Now this may appear to be mumbo jumbo and nothing more than twisting
words around, but I assure you that it’s exactly how the universal mind of
intention operates. The more you get back into gear with that which
intended you here, the more you’ll see that unlimited abundance showing
up. Get rid of the concept of shortages, because God hasn’t got a clue about
such things. The creative Source reacts to your belief in shortages with a
fulfillment of your belief. Now, think back to my opening observation in this chapter: Change the
way you look at things, and the things you look at change. I can guarantee
you that the universal mind only flows in harmony with its own nature,
which is providing endless abundance. Stay in harmony with this nature,
and all of your desires have to manifest for you—the universe knows no
other way to be. If you tell the universal mind what you want, it will
respond by leaving you in a state of wanting, never arriving and always
needing more. If, however, you feel that what you intend to manifest has
already manifested, you’re unified with your intention. Never allowing a
moment of doubt or listening to naysayers, you’ll be in the presence of that
all-creating field of intention. You can’t come from shortage, you can’t come from scarcity, and you
can’t come from wanting. You must come from the same attributes as that
which allows everything. This is a key word, allowing.
_OceanofPDF.com_The_Power_of_Intention_-_Wayne_W_Dyer.txt
Summarize the following text section accurately and concisely. Maintain specific details and numerical information, and use anti-repetition mechanisms:

        Now, be
aware that saying these words may be difficult at first because of the
conditions you’ve been exposed to over a lifetime, and because the words
may bring to the surface remnants of disrespect that your ego wants you to
hold on to. Your immediate impulse might be to see this as an expression of your
ego’s desire to be superior to everyone else. But this is not an ego statement
at all—it’s an affirmation of self-respect. Transcend that ego mind and
affirm your love for yourself and your connection to the Spirit of God. This
doesn’t make you superior to anyone; it makes you equal to all and
celebrates that you’re a piece of God. Affirm it for your own self-respect. Affirm it in order to be respectful of that which intended you here. Affirm it
because it’s the way you’ll stay connected to your Source and regain the
power of intention. I love me. Say it without embarrassment. Say it proudly,
and be that image of love and self-respect. Step 2: Write the following affirmation and repeat it over and over
again to yourself: I am whole and perfect as I was created. Carry this
thought with you wherever you go. Have it laminated, and place it in your
pocket, on your dashboard, on your refrigerator, or next to your bed—allow
the words to become a source of high energy and self-respect. By simply
carrying these words with you and being in the same space with them, their
energy will flow directly to you. Self-respect emerges from the fact that you respect the Source from
which you came and you’ve made a decision to reconnect to that Source,
regardless of what anyone else might think. It’s very important to keep
reminding yourself at the beginning that you’re worthy of infinite respect
from the one Source you can always count on, the piece of God energy that
defines you. This reminder will do wonders for your self-respect, and
consequently your ability to use the power of intention in your life. Over
and over, remind yourself: I’m not my body. I’m not my accumulations. I’m
not my achievements. I’m not my reputation. I am whole and perfect as I
was created. Step 3: Extend more respect to others and to all of life. Perhaps the
greatest secret of self-esteem is to appreciate other people more. The easiest
way to do this is to see the unfolding of God in them. Look past the
judgments of others’ appearance, failures, and successes, their status in
society, their wealth or lack of it. and extend appreciation and love to the
Source from which they came. Everyone is a child of God—everyone. Try
to see this even in those who behave in what appears to be a godless
fashion. Know that by extending love and respect, you can turn that energy
around so that it’s heading back to its Source rather than away from it. In
short, send out respect because that is what you have to give away. Send out
judgment and low energy and that is what you’ll attract back. Remember,
when you judge another, you do not define them, you define yourself as
someone who needs to judge. The same applies to judgments directed at
you. Step 4: Affirm to yourself and all others that you meet, I belong. A
sense of belonging is one of the highest attributes on Abraham Maslow’s
pyramid of self-actualization (which I discuss at the beginning of the next
chapter). Feeling that you don’t belong or you’re in the wrong place can be
due to a lack of self-respect. Respect yourself and your divinity by knowing
that everyone belongs. This should never come into question. Your presence
here in the universe is proof alone that you belong here. No person decides
if you belong here. No government determines if some belong and some
don’t. This is an intelligent system that you’re a part of. The wisdom of
Creation intended you to be here, in this place, in this family with these
siblings and parents, occupying this precious space. Say it to yourself and
affirm it whenever necessary: I belong. And so does everyone else. No one
is here by accident. Step 5: Remind yourself that you’re never alone. My self-respect stays
intact as long as I know that it’s impossible for me to be alone. I have a
“senior partner” who’s never abandoned me and who’s stuck with me even
in moments when I had seemingly deserted my Source. I feel that if the
universal mind has enough respect to allow me to come here and to work
through me—and to protect me in times when I strayed onto dangerous
nonspiritual turf—then this partnership deserves my reciprocal respect. I
recall my friend Pat McMahon, a talk-show host on KTAR radio in
Phoenix, Arizona, telling me about his encounter with Mother Teresa in his
studio before interviewing her for his program. He pleaded with her to
allow him to do something for her. “Anything at all,” he begged. “I’d just
like to help you in some way. ” She looked at him and said, “Tomorrow
morning get up at 4:00 A. M. and go out onto the streets of Phoenix. Find
someone who lives there and believes that he’s alone, and convince him that
he’s not. ” Great advice, because everyone who wallows in self-doubt or
appears to be lost. has lost their self-respect because they’ve forgotten
that they’re not alone. Step 6: Respect your body. You’ve been provided with a perfect body to
house your inner invisible being for a few brief moments in eternity. Regardless of its size, shape, color, or any imagined infirmities, it’s a
perfect creation for the purpose that you were intended here for. You don’t
need to work at getting healthy; health is something you already have if you
don’t disturb it. You may have disturbed your healthy body by overfeeding
it, underexercising it, and overstimulating it with toxins or drugs that make
it sick, fatigued, jumpy, anxious, depressed, bloated, ornery, or an endless
list of maladies. You can begin the fulfillment of this intention to live a life
of self-respect by honoring the temple that houses you. You know what to
do. You don’t need another diet, workout manual, or personal trainer. Go
within, listen to your body, and treat it with all of the dignity and love that
your self-respect demands. Step 7: Meditate to stay in conscious contact with your Source, which
always respects you. I can’t say this enough: Meditation is a way to
experience what the five senses can’t detect. When you’re connected to the
field of intention, you’re connected to the wisdom that’s within you. That
divine wisdom has great respect for you, and it cherishes you while you’re
here. Meditation is a way to ensure that you stay in a state of self-respect. Regardless of all that goes on around you, when you enter into that sacred
space of meditation, all doubts about your value as an esteemed creation
dissolve. You’ll emerge from the solemnity of meditation feeling connected
to your Source and enjoying respect for all beings, particularly yourself. Step 8: Make amends with adversaries. The act of making amends
sends out a signal of respect for your adversaries. By radiating this
forgiving energy outward, you’ll find this same kind of respectful positive
energy flowing back toward you. By being big enough to make amends and
replace the energy of anger, bitterness, and tension with kindness—even if
you still insist that you’re right—you’ll respect yourself much more than
prior to your act of forgiveness. If you’re filled with rage toward anyone,
there’s a huge part of you that resents the presence of this debilitatingenergy. Take a moment right here and now to simply face that person who
stands out in your mind as someone you hurt, or directed hurt to you, and
tell him or her that you’d like to make amends. You’ll notice how much
better you feel. That good feeling of having cleared the air is self-respect. It
takes much more courage, strength of character, and inner conviction to
make amends than it does to hang on to the low-energy feelings. Step 9: Always remember the self in self-respect. In order to do this,
you must recognize that the opinions of others toward you aren’t facts,
they’re opinions. When I speak to an audience of 500 people, there are 500
opinions of me in the room at the end of the evening. I’m none of those
opinions. I can’t be responsible for how they view me. The only thing I can
be responsible for is my own character, and this is true for every one of us. If I respect myself, then I’m relying on the self in self-respect. If I doubt
myself, or punish myself, I’ve not only lost my self-respect, I’ll continue to
attract more and more doubt and lower-energy opinions with which to
further punish myself. You can’t stay linked to the universal mind, which
intends all of us here, if you fail to rely on your self for your self-respect. Step 10: Be in a state of gratitude. You’ll discover that gratitude is the
final step in each succeeding chapter. Be an appreciator rather than a
depreciator of everything that shows up in your life. When you’re saying
Thank you, God, for everything, and when you’re expressing gratitude for
your life and all that you see and experience, you’re respecting Creation. This respect is within you, and you can only give away what you have
inside. Being in a state of gratitude is the exact same thing as being in a
state of respect—respect for yourself, which you give away freely, and
which will return to you tenfold. I close this chapter with the words of Jesus of Nazareth, speaking through
his apostle Saint Matthew (Matthew 5:48): “Be perfect, therefore, as your
heavenly Father is perfect. ” Reconnect to the perfection from which you
originated. You can’t have any more self-respect than that. OceanofPDF. comIT IS
MY INTENTION TO:
LIVE MY LIFE
ON PURPOSE
“Those who have failed to work toward the truth have missed the purpose
of living. ”
 
— Buddha
“Your sole business in life is to attain God-realization. All else is useless and worthless. ”
 
— Sivananda
A sense of purpose is at the very top of the pyramid of self-actualization
created by Abraham Maslow more than 50 years ago. Through his research,
Dr. Maslow discovered that those who feel purposeful are living the highest
qualities that humanity has to offer. During the many years I’ve been in the
fields of human development, motivation, and spiritual awareness, this is
the topic that more people inquire about than anything else. I’m repeatedly
asked questions such as: How do I find my purpose. Does such a thingreally exist. Why don’t I know my purpose in life. Being on purpose is what
the most self-actualized people accomplish on their life journeys. But many
individuals feel little sense of purpose, and may even doubt that they have a
purpose in life. Purpose and Intention
The theme of this book is that intention is a force in the universe, and that
everything and everyone is connected to this invisible force. Since this is an
intelligent system we’re all a part of, and everything that arrives here came
from that intelligence, it follows that if it wasn’t supposed to be here, then it
wouldn’t be here. And if it’s here, then it’s supposed to be, and that’s
enough for me. The very fact of your existence indicates that you have a
purpose. As I mentioned, the key question for most of us is: “What is my
purpose. ” And I hear that question in as many forms as there are people
wondering about it: What am I supposed to be doing. Should I be an
architect, a florist, or a veterinarian. Should I help people or fix
automobiles. Am I supposed to have a family or be in the jungle saving the
chimpanzees. We’re befuddled by the endless number of options available
to us, and wonder whether we’re doing the right thing. In this chapter, I urge you to forget these questions. Move instead to a
place of faith and trust in the universal mind of intention, remembering that
you emanated from this mind and that you’re a piece of it at all times. Intention and purpose are as beautifully and naturally intertwined as the
double helix of your DNA. There are no accidents. You’re here for the
purpose that you signed up for before you entered the world of particles and
form. Many of the things that you refer to as problems result from the fact
that you’re disconnected from intention and therefore unaware of your true
spiritual identity. The process of polishing that connecting link and
reconnecting is basic to your intention to live your life on purpose. As you
cleanse this link, you’ll make two very important discoveries. First, you’ll
discover that your purpose is not as much about what you do as it is about
how you feel. Your second discovery will be that feeling purposeful
activates your power of intention to create anything that’s consistent with
the seven faces of intention. Feeling purposeful. In response to the question What should I do with
my life. , I suggest that there’s only one thing you can do with it, since you
came into this life with nothing and you’ll leave with nothing: You can give
it away. You’ll feel most on purpose when you’re giving your life away by
serving others. When you’re giving to others, to your planet, and to your
Source, you’re being purposeful. Whatever it is that you choose to do, if
you’re motivated to be of service to others while being authentically
detached from the outcome, you’ll feel on purpose, regardless of how much
abundance flows back to you. So, your intention is to live your life on purpose. But what is the spiritual
Source like in this regard. It’s perpetually in the process of giving its life
force away to create something from nothing. When you do the same,
regardless of what you’re giving or creating, you’re in harmony with
intention. You’re then on purpose, just as the universal mind is always
acting purposefully. Take this one step further. Does the universal Source of all life have to
think about what it’s doing with its powers. Is it concerned with bringing in
gazelles or centipedes. Does it concern itself with where it lives or what it
ultimately creates. No. Your Source is simply in the business of expressing
itself through the seven faces of intention. The details are taken care of
automatically. Likewise, your feelings of being on purpose in your life flow
through expression of the seven faces of intention. Allow yourself to be in the feeling place within you that’s unconcerned
with such things as vocational choices or doing the things you were
destined to do. When you’re in the service of others, or extend kindness
beyond your own boundaries, you’ll feel connected to your Source. You’ll
feel happy and content, knowing that you’re doing the right thing. I get that feeling of inner completion and contentment that lets me know
that I’m on purpose by reading my mail or hearing the comments I so
frequently hear when I’m walking through airports or eating at restaurants:
You changed my life, Wayne Dyer. You were there for me when I felt lost. This is different from receiving a royalty payment or a great review, which Ialso enjoy. The personal expressions of gratitude are what sustain me in
knowing that I’m on purpose. Outside of my chosen occupation, I feel purposeful in a myriad of ways
virtually every single day. When I extend assistance to someone in need,
when I take a moment to cheer up a disgruntled employee in a restaurant or
a store, when I make a child laugh who sits otherwise ignored in a stroller,
or even when I pick up a piece of litter and place it in a trash can, I feel that
I’m giving myself away and, as such, feel purposeful. Essentially what I’m saying is: Stay on purpose by expressing the seven
faces of intention, and the details will find you. You’ll never have to ask
what your purpose is or how to find it. Your purpose will find you. In a previous chapter, I reviewed the
obstacles to connecting to intention and pointed out that our thoughts are
one of the major roadblocks. I stressed that we become what we think about
all day long. What thoughts do you have that inhibit you from feeling as if
you’re on purpose in your life. For instance, if you think that you’re
separate from your purpose and that you’re drifting without direction
through your life, then that’s precisely what you’ll attract. Suppose, instead, that you know this is a purposeful universe where your
thoughts, emotions, and actions are a part of your free will and are also
connected to the power of intention. Suppose that your thoughts of being
purposeless and aimless are really a part of your purpose. Just as the
thought of losing someone you love makes you love them even more, or an
illness makes you treasure your health, suppose that it takes the thought of
your unimportance to make you realize your value. When you’re awake enough to question your purpose and ask how to
connect to it, you’re being prodded by the power of intention. The very act
of questioning why you’re here is an indication that your thoughts are
nudging you to reconnect to the field of intention. What’s the source of your
thoughts about your purpose. Why do you want to feel purposeful. Why is
a sense of purpose considered the highest attribute of a fully functioning
person. The source of thought is an infinite reservoir of energy andintelligence. In a sense, thoughts about your purpose are really your
purpose tryingto reconnect to you. This infinite reservoir of loving, kind,
creative, abundant energy grew out of the originating intelligence, and is
stimulating you to express this universal mind in your own unique way. Reread the two display quotes at the beginning of this chapter. Buddha
refers to the truth, and Sivananda suggests that God realization is our true
purpose. This entire book is dedicated to connecting to the power of
intention and letting go of ego, which tries to make us believe that we’re
separate from our divine originating Source and tries to separate us from
realizing ultimate truth. This ultimate truth is the source of your thoughts. That inner beingness knows why you’re here, but your ego prods you to
chase after money, prestige, popularity, and sensory pleasures and miss the
purpose of living. You may feel sated and gain a reputation, but inside
there’s that gnawing feeling typified by the old Peggy Lee song “Is That All
There Is. ” Focusing on the demands of the ego leaves you feeling
unfulfilled. Deep within you, at the level of your being, is what you were
intended to become, to accomplish, and to be. In that inner placeless place,
you’re connected to the power of intention. It will find you. Make a
conscious effort to contact it and listen. Practice being what you are at the
source of your soul. Go to your soul level, where intention and purpose fit
together so perfectly that you achieve the epiphany of simply knowing this
is it. Your silent inner knowing. Esteemed psychologist and philosopher
William James once wrote: “In the dim background of our mind we know
meanwhile what we ought to be doing. But somehow we cannot start. Every moment we expect the spell to break. but it does continue, pulse
after pulse, and we float with it. ”
In my experience as a therapist, and as a speaker talking with thousands
of people about their lives, I’ve come to the same conclusion. Somewhere,
buried deep within each of us, is a call to purpose. It’s not always rational,
not always clearly delineated, and sometimes even seemingly absurd, but
the knowing is there. There’s a silent something within that intends you toexpress yourself. That something is your soul telling you to listen and
connect through love, kindness, and receptivity to the power of intention. That silent inner knowing will never leave you alone. You may try to ignore
it and pretend it doesn’t exist, but in honest, alone moments of
contemplative communion with yourself, you sense the emptiness waiting
for you to fill it with your music. It wants you to take the risks involved,
and to ignore your ego and the egos of others who tell you that an easier,
safer, or more secure path is best for you. Ironically, it’s not necessarily about performing a specific task or being in
a certain occupation or living in a specific location. It’s about sharing
yourself in a creative, loving way using the skills and interests that are
inherently part of you. It can involve any activity: dancing, writing, healing,
gardening, cooking, parenting, teaching, composing, singing, surfing—
whatever. There’s no limit to this list. But everything on the list can be done
to pump up your ego or to serve others. Satisfying your ego ultimately
means being unfulfilled and questioning your purpose. This is because your
Source is egoless, and you’re attempting to connect to your Source, where
your purpose originates. If the activities on the list are in service to others,
you feel the bliss of purposeful living, while paradoxically attracting more
of what you’d like to have in your life. My daughter Skye is an example of what I’m presenting here. Skye has
known since she could first speak that she wanted to sing. It was almost as
if she showed up here in the world with a destiny to sing for others. Over
the years, she’s sung at my public appearances, first as a 4-year-old, and
then at every age up until now, her 21st year. She has also sung on my
public television specials, and the reaction to her singing has always been
gratifying. As a student immersed in a music program at a major university, Skye
studied from academic and theoretical perspectives. One day in her junior
year, we had a discussion that centered on her purpose and the silent inner
knowing she’s always had. “Would you be upset,” she inquired, “if I left
college. I just don’t feel like I can do what I know I have to do by sitting in
a classroom and studying music theory any longer. I just want to write myown music and sing. It’s the only thing I think about, but I don’t want to
disappoint you and Mom. ”
How could I, who tells his readers not to die with their music still in
them, tell my 21-year-old daughter to stay in college because that’s the right
way, and it’s what I did. I encouraged her to listen to the silent knowing
that I’ve seen evidence of since she was a toddler, and to follow her heart. As Gandhi once said: “To give one’s heart is to give all. ” This is where God
exists in Skye. and in you. I did ask Skye to make a supreme effort to live her purpose by serving
those who will listen to her music rather than focusing her attention on
being famous or making money. “Let the universe handle those details,” I
reminded her. “You write and sing because you have to express what is in
that beautiful heart of yours. ” I then asked her to think from the end, and act
as if all that she wanted to create for herself was already here, waiting for
her to connect to it. Recently she voiced dismay at not having her own CD out in the world,
and she was acting with thoughts of not having a CD out in the world. Consequently, no CD and lots of frustration. I strongly encouraged her to
start thinking from the end by seeing the studio being available, the
musicians ready to collaborate with her, the CD as a finished product, and
her intention as a reality. I gave her a deadline to have a CD completed that
I could make available at my lectures. I told her that she could sing to these
audiences, as she has done sporadically in her life as well as on my public-
television pledge shows. Her thinking from the end materialized everything she needed, and the
universal Spirit began to work with her unbending intent. She found the
studio, the musicians she needed magically appeared, and she was able to
have the CD produced. Skye worked tirelessly day after day singing her own favorites, as well as
several that I wanted her to sing at my appearances, including “Amazing
Grace,” “The Prayer of St. Francis,” and her own composition, “Lavender
Fields,” which she sings from deep pride and passion. And lo and behold,today her CD, This Skye HasNo Limits, is now out and is being offered to
the public whenever she sings at my lectures. Skye’s presence on the stage with me brings so much joy and love to the
presentation because she’s as closely aligned with those seven faces of
intention as any human being I’ve ever known. So it’s no secret why this
book is also dedicated to her—one of my angels of spiritual intention. Inspiration and Purpose
When you’re inspired by a great purpose, everything will begin to work
for you. Inspiration comes from moving back in-spirit and connecting to the
seven faces of intention. When you feel inspired, what appeared to be risky
becomes a path you feel compelled to follow. The risks are gone because
you’re following your bliss, which is the truth within you. This is really
love working in harmony with your intention. Essentially, if you don’t feel
love, you don’t feel the truth, and your truth is all wrapped up in your
connection to Spirit. This is why inspiration is such an important part of the
fulfillment of your intention to live a life on purpose. When I left the work that no longer inspired me, every single detail that
I’d worried about was almost magically taken care of for me. I’d spent
several months working for a large corporation where I was offered a salary
three times higher than I’d been paid as a teacher, but I wasn’t in-spirit. That prodding inner knowing said, Do what you’re here to do, and
teaching/counseling became my manifested daily purpose. When I left a professorship at a major university for writing and public
speaking, it wasn’t a risk; it was something I had to do because I knew that I
couldn’t feel happy with myself if I didn’t follow my heart. The universe
handled the details, because I was feeling love for what I was doing, and
consequently, I was living my truth. By teaching love, that very same love
guided me to my purpose, and the financial remuneration flowed to me with
that same energy of love. I couldn’t see how it would work out, but I
followed an inner knowing and never regretted it. You may think it’s too risky to give up a salary, a pension, job security, or
familiar surroundings because of a dim night-light in your mind that draws
you to see why it’s turned on. I suggest that there are no risks at all if youpay attention to that light, which is your knowing. Combine your strong
knowing with the faith that Spirit will provide, and you acknowledge the
power of intention at work. Your trust in this inner knowing is all you need. I call it faith—not faith in an external god to provide you with a purpose,
but faith in the call you’re hearing from the center of your being. You are a
divine, infinite creation making the choice to be on purpose and to be
connected to the power of intention. It all revolves around your being
harmoniously connected to your Source. Faith eliminates the risk when you
choose to trust that inner knowing about your purpose and become a
channel for the power of intention. Making Intention Your Reality
Below are ten ways to practice fulfilling your intention to live your life
on purpose from this day forward:
 
Step 1: Affirm that in an intelligent system, no one shows up by
accident, including you. The universal mind of intention is responsible for
all of creation. It knows what it’s doing. You came from that mind, and
you’re infinitely connected to it. There’s meaning in your existence, and
you have the capacity to live from a perspective of purpose. The first step is
to know that you’re here on purpose. This is not the same as knowing what
you’re supposed to do. Throughout your life, what you do will change and
shift. In fact, the changes can occur from hour to hour in each day of your
life. Your purpose is not about what you do, it’s about your beingness, that
place within you from which your thoughts emerge. This is why you’re
called a human being rather than a human doing. Affirm in your own
words, both in writing and in your thoughts, that you are here on purpose,
and intend to live from this awareness at all times. Step 2: Seize every opportunity, no matter how small, to give your
life away in service. Get your ego out of your intention to live a life of
purpose. Whatever it is that you want to do in life, make the primarymotivation for your effort something or somebody other than your desire for
gratification or reward. The irony here is that your personal rewards will multiply when you’re
focused on giving rather than receiving. Fall in love with what you’re
doing, and let that love come from the deep, inner-dwelling place of Spirit. Then sell the feeling of love, enthusiasm, and joy generated by your efforts. If your purpose is felt by being Supermom, then put your energy and inner
drive into those children. If it’s felt writing poetry or straightening teeth,
then get your ego out of the way and do what you love doing. Do it from the
perspective of making a difference for someone or for some cause, and let
the universe handle the details of your personal rewards. Live your purpose
doing what you do with pure love—then you’ll co-create with the power of
the universal mind of intention, which is ultimately responsible for all of
creation. Step 3: Align your purpose with the field of intention. This is the most
important thing you can do to fulfill your intentions. Being aligned with the
universal field means having faith that your Creator knows why you’re
here, even if you don’t. It means surrendering the little mind to the big
mind, and remembering that your purpose will be revealed in the same way
that you were revealed. Purpose, too, is birthed from creativeness, kindness,
love, and receptivity to an endlessly abundant world. Keep this connection
pure, and you’ll be guided in all of your actions. It’s not fatalism to say that if it’s meant to be, then it can’t be stopped. This is having faith in the power of intention, which originated you and is
within you. When you’re aligned with your originating Source, then this
same Source will aid you in creating the life of your choice. Then, what
happens feels exactly as if it was meant to be. And that’s because it is. You
always have a choice in how to align yourself. If you stay focused on
making demands on the universe, you’ll feel as if demands are being placed
on you in your life. Stay focused on lovingly asking, How may I use my
innate talents and desire to serve. and the universe will respond with the
identical energy by asking you, How may I serve you. Step 4: Ignore what anyone else tells you about your purpose. Regardless of what anyone might say to you, the truth about your feeling
purposeful is that only you can know it, and if you don’t feel it in that inner
place where a burning desire resides, it isn’t your purpose. Your relatives
and friends may attempt to convince you that what they feel is your destiny. They may see talents that they think will help you make a great living, or
they may want you to follow in their footsteps because they think you’ll be
happy doing what they’ve done for a lifetime. Your skill at mathematics or
decorating or fixing electronic equipment might indicate a high aptitude for
a given pursuit—but in the end, if you don’t feel it, nothing can make it
resonate with you. Your purpose is between you and your Source, and the closer you get to
what that field of intention looks and acts like, the more you’ll know that
you’re being purposefully guided. You might have zero measurable
aptitudes and skills in a given area, yet feel inwardly drawn to doing it. Forget the aptitude-test results, forget the absence of skills or know-how,
and most important, ignore the opinions of others and listen to your heart. Step 5: Remember that the all-creating field of intention will work on
your behalf. Albert Einstein is credited with saying that the most important
decision we ever make is whether we believe we live in a friendly universe
or a hostile universe. It’s imperative that you know that the all-creating field
of intention is friendly and will work with you as long as you see it that
way. The universe supports life; it flows freely to all and is endlessly
abundant. Why choose to look at it in any other way. All of the problems
we face are created by our belief that we’re separate from God and each
other, leading us to be in a state of conflict. This state of conflict creates a
counterforce causing millions of humans to be confused about their
purpose. Know that the universe is always willing to work with you on your
behalf, and that you’re always in a friendly, rather than hostile, world. Step 6: Study and replicate the lives of people who’ve known their
purpose. Whom do you admire the most. I urge you to read biographies of
these people and explore how they lived and what motivated them to stay
on purpose when obstacles surfaced. I’ve always been fascinated by Saul of
Tarsus (later called St. Paul), whose letters and teachings became the source
of a major portion of the New Testament. Taylor Caldwell wrote a definitive
fictional account of St. Paul’s life called Great Lion of God, which inspired
me enormously. I was also deeply touched by the purposeful manner in
which St. Francis of Assisi lived his life as exemplified in the novel St. Francis, by Nikos Kazantzakis. I make it a point to use my free time to read
about people who are models for purposeful living, and I encourage you to
do the same. Step 7: Act as if you’re living the life you were intended to live, even
if you feel confused about this thing called purpose. Invite into your life
every day whatever it might be that makes you feel closer to God and brings
you a sense of joy. View the events you consider obstacles as perfect
opportunities to test your resolve and find your purpose. Treat everything
from a broken fingernail to an illness to the loss of a job to a geographical
move as an opportunity to get away from your familiar routine and move to
purpose. By acting as if you’re on purpose and treating the hurdles as
friendly reminders to trust in what you feel deeply within you, you’ll be
fulfilling your own intention to be a purposeful person. Step 8: Meditate to stay on purpose. Use the technique of Japa, which I
mentioned earlier, and focus your inner attention on asking your Source to
guide you in fulfilling your destiny. This letter from Matthew McQuaid
describes the exciting results of meditating to stay on purpose:
Dear Dr. Dyer,
My wife, Michelle, is pregnant by a miracle—a miracle
manifest from Spirit using all of your suggestions. For five
years, Michelle and I were challenged by infertility. You nameit, we tried it. None of the expensive and sophisticated
treatments worked. The doctors had given up. Our own faith
was tested over and over with each failed treatment cycle. Our
doctor managed to freeze embryos from earlier cycles of
treatment. Throughout the years, over 50 embryos had been
transferred to Michelle’s uterus. The odds of a frozen embryo
successfully initiating pregnancy in our case were close to zero. As you know, zero is a word not found in the spiritual
vocabulary. One precious frozen embryo, surviving minus 250
degrees for six months, has taken up a new home in Michelle’s
womb. She is now in her second trimester. Okay, “So what,” you might say. “I get letters like this every
day. ” However, this letter contains proof of God. A tiny drop of
protoplasm, as you have so eloquently written on many
occasions, a physical mass of cells alive with the future pull of a
human being, turned on in a laboratory, then turned off in a
freezer. All molecular motion and biochemical processes halted,
suspended. Yet, the essence of being was there prior to freezing. Where did the spiritual essence go while frozen. The cells were
turned on, then turned off, but the spiritual essence had to
prevail despite the physical state of the cells. The frequency of
vibration of the frozen cells was low, but the vibrational
frequency of its spirit must be beyond measure. The essence of
the being had to reside outside of the physical plane or mass of
cells. It couldn’t go anywhere except to the realm of spirit,
where it waited. It waited to thaw and manifest into a being it
always has been. I hope you find this story as compelling as I
do, as nothing less than a miracle. An example of spirit in body,
rather then a body with a spirit. And now for the million-dollar question. Could this one
embryo survive such hostile frozen conditions and still
manifestbecause I practiced the Japa mediation. Just because I
opened my mouth and said, “Aaaahhh”. I had a knowing, no
question about it. Japa meditation and surrendering to infinite
patience are daily practices. During my quiet moments, I cansmell this baby. Michelle will thank me for my conviction and
faith during the dark times. I praise your work for guiding me. Thank you. Now, nothing is impossible for me. When I compare
what I have manifested now in Michelle’s womb to anything else
I might desire, the process is without effort. After you truly
surrender, everything you could ever want just seems to show
up, right on schedule. The next amazing manifestation will be to
help other infertile couples realize their dreams. Somehow, I
will help those who feel there is no hope. Sincerely,
Matthew McQuaid
Many people have written to me about their success with staying on
purpose through the practice of Japa meditation. I’m deeply touched by the
power of intention when I read about people who use Japa to help achieve a
pregnancy, which they felt was their divine mission. I particularly like
Matthew’s decision to use this experience to help other infertile couples. Step 9: Keep your thoughts and feelings in harmony with your
actions. The surest way to realize your purpose is to eliminate any conflict
or dissonance that exists between what you’re thinking and feeling and how
you’re living your days. If you’re in disharmony, you activate ego-
dominated attitudes of fear of failure, or disappointing others, which
distance you from your purpose. Your actions need to be in harmony with
your thoughts. Trust in those thoughts that harmonize, and be willing to act
upon them. Refuse to see yourself as inauthentic or cowardly, because those
thoughts will keep you from acting on what you know you were meant to
be. Take daily steps to bring your thoughts and feeling of your grand heroic
mission into harmony with both your daily activities and of course, with
that ever-present field of intention. Being in harmony with God’s will is the
highest state of purpose you can attain. Step 10: Stay in a state of gratitude. Be thankful for even being able to
contemplate your purpose. Be thankful for the wonderful gift of being able
to serve humanity, your planet, and your God. Be thankful for the seeming
roadblocks to your purpose. Remember, as Gandhi reminded us: “Divine
guidance often comes when the horizon is the blackest. ” Look at the entire
kaleidoscope of your life, including all of the people who have crossed your
path. See all of the jobs, successes, apparent failures, possessions, losses,
wins—everything—from a perspective of gratitude. You’re here for a
reason; this is the key to feeling purposeful. Be grateful for the opportunity
to live your life purposefully in tune with the will of the Source of all. That’s a lot to be grateful for. It seems to me that searching for our purpose is like searching for
happiness. There’s no way to happiness; happiness is the way. And so it is
with living your life on purpose. It’s not something you find; it’s how you
live your life serving others, and bringing purpose to everything you do. That’s precisely how you fulfill the intention that is the title of this chapter. When you’re living your life from purpose, you’re dwelling in love. When
you’re not dwelling in love, you’re off purpose. This is true for individuals,
institutions, business, and our governments as well. When a government
gouges its citizens with excessive fees for any service, they’re off purpose. When a government pursues violence as a means for resolving disputes, it’s
off purpose regardless of how it justifies its actions. When businesses
overcharge, cheat, or manipulate in the name of profit-making, they’re off
purpose. When religions permit prejudice and hatred or mistreat their
parishioners, they’re off purpose. And it’s true for you as well. Your goal in accessing the power of intention is to return to your Source
and live from that awareness, replicating the very actions of intention itself. That Source is love. Therefore, the quickest method for understanding and
living your purpose is to ask yourself if you’re thinking in loving ways. Do
your thoughts flow from a Source of love within you. Are you acting onthose loving thoughts. If the answers are yes and yes, then you’re on
purpose. I can say no more.
It's an affirmation of self-respect, not an ego statement.
What is the purpose of affirming "I love me"?
The power of intention and connecting to it to fulfill one's purpose.
What is the main theme of this book?
It's not about what you do, but about how you feel and your connection to the Source.
What is the key to fulfilling one's intention?
It allows you to stay connected to the wisdom and guidance of the universal mind, which is always respectful and loving.
What is the importance of meditation in staying on purpose?
Change your inner dialogue and focus on what you intend to manifest, and let go of judgments and negativity.
What is the key to changing the way you look at things?