Spirit Wind and Monkey Mind

The topic of intention, flow, and choice has been coming up for me recently, as well as for others I know. How do we know when we are being led by Spirit, and how do we know when our choices are coming from our mind and our ego? How can we set an intention and go with the flow at the same time?

The simple answer is that when we are aligned with Spirit, there are no words. There are no what ifs, no questions, no shoulds, no judgments, and no fears. We know what action to take from our heart. It is a simple answer, but following it is not necessarily easy. Our culture’s emphasis on knowledge and the mind can make it difficult to get behind the monkey mind and listen for the non-verbal intuitive yes.

One of the clearest times I remember letting go of my mind and just knowing was about 10 years ago, when I made the decision to join Miguel Ruiz’s Toltec Dreaming program. It was not something that I had even seriously considered. As I sat meditating on the next steps on my spiritual and personal growth path, the program popped into my head. I had no idea how I would get there, who would take care of my 6 year old son for one weekend/month for three years, and whether it was too late to apply. I knew it was the right thing for me in that moment so there was nothing my mind could say to make me question my choice. I was clear and I made it happen.

However, I might have been clear, and it might not have happened. That would have been fine too. We don’t always manifest every intention. The thought to join Toltec Dreaming might have popped into my head because I needed to learn something by trying to manifest it and because I needed to practice detachment from the outcome.

Setting an intention is about seeing where Spirit is guiding us and shifting that in every moment when we seem to be led somewhere else. If you picture yourself sailing a boat, Spirit is the wind guiding you to your destination. You set a destination based on where the Spirit wind is blowing you. If the wind then starts blowing you a different direction, you can either set a new destination or find a way to work with it to reach your original destination.

We are not a failure if we don’t attract what we want. There are no good or bad or right or wrong choices. The gift is in the journey. You can commit to living each moment of your journey to its fullest regardless of whether you end up at your expected destination. This is what it means to me to go with the flow.