Do I Need an Intention? (Ayahuasca)

“If one does not know to which port one is sailing, no wind is favourable.” – Seneca

In-Tension

The word Intention can be thrown around all too frequently within these circles, particularly the idea of holding “an intention for ceremony”, so much so that its meaning can start to become diluted and lost on us.

The word itself implies holding an aim, objective or goal in mind. To begin to direct the mind consciously in any sort of fashion can yield lasting transformational results and within the contexts of entheogenic rituals, it can help align one with desired states of mind and experiences.

However, too much concern for intention may lead one to be closed to other possibilities and opportunities; to disappointment when the goal is not achieved or a controlling obsession with the intention which can, in some cases, redefine the word as literally being In-Tension.

To become too rigid is to become tense and stress the cause which can promote the opposite of the desired effects of clarity, stability and relaxation. 

Clarity of Choice

To consider the opposite of intention as throwing the sails to the wind and the idea of “going with the flow” or a simple “let’s see what happens” could potentially lead us somewhere new and exciting or alternatively pulverize the naive victim up against the rocks endlessly until they choose a new direction.

The key is choice. To understand that no one has to be stuck in any idea in their mind. That the mind can be flexible and pliable. That means being able to steer the ship in new directions or bask in the windless sea if that is what presents the most benefit. It is all perspective.

The inability to make a choice often comes from fear of making the wrong choice. Making no choice is still making a choice and if we are afraid to choose or decide then our choices may be made for us by past conditioning, by society or by our peers which does not leave us with much freedom to know where or who we are.

Deciding at its root means to cut away. To cut away other options is to be clear about the choices we are making. The key word there is clear. Clarity is the result when we are able to learn and discern to direct our awareness skillfully in different directions.

Therefore, if clarity, stability and relaxation are our guiding stars then our choices are intended with a broad heart. A broad heart is an open heart that is not clutching at desired outcomes but open to possibility knowing that whatever the outcome it will still be on the track of clarity, stability and relaxed effort.

Intention in this way is a sort of navigation on the map, to set the compass, aim for a port and then let it go. As if you were planting seeds in a garden, you water and let them propagate on their own. If you hold on to them they will not sprout. 

Intention plants seeds, and attention waters them.

Prayer As Intention

One of our teachers never uses the word intention, instead, he says Prayer. To find your prayer or let your prayer find you. This can be difficult for those who are unfamiliar with the intimacy of the word and practice and right at home for others. I am mentioning it here because it seems to take intention a step further, a step in the direction of embodied navigation and alignment with the divine.

In the Santo Daime, which could translate into English as something like “the Holy Give Me” named because of the ritual use of Ayahuasca the founder Mestre Irineu discovers in his experience a deep intelligent knowing and reflective quality that allowed the sacrament to manifest the thought, prayer and intention of the individual both in positive and negative regard. 

Did you know that the word Psychedelic translates literally as “Mind Manifesting”? Sounds similar, doesn’t it? Within the above context of the Santo Daime, the foundational ask is simply “Give me Strength, give me Love” - Dai-me força, dai-me amor. If nothing else, I believe this to be good ground and direction to set the sails.

Concluding Thoughts

To conclude, using intention is a good idea but it also depends on who you are and what you expect. So often our expectations of outcomes and attachments to ideas can get us confused or lead to missing the opportunities at hand.

Instead, it is a good idea to discover who you are and what you stand for to know what it is to aim at a worthwhile ideal and let the rest either fall away or catch up to the standard. For that is what our intention informs us of, where our values lay and what the standards are that we hold for ourselves.

If that is successful then the best intention becomes attention. To simply aim to attend to the moment with presence and thus cultivate a relaxed concentration on what arises which allows the clarity of awareness to blossom effortlessly and to me, that is indeed heading in the right direction.