Morning is the time to decide what kind of day you want to create. When you get up and set a clear intention, the world often has a way of supporting you as you go about your daily activities.
You can think of setting intentions as setting the course for a trip. If you leave your home without a map or compass, you’ll likely have a difficult time reaching your destination. Similarly, if you set forth into your day without clarity and purpose, it can be harder to achieve your goals or enjoy the experiences you wish to create.
Sometimes, it can be nice to wander without plans, open to life’s surprises and possibilities. However, even then it can be important to establish the energy and mindset you want to experience along your journey.
Without clarity, it can be easy to stumble upon confusion, stress, or frustration. Afterall, feeling lost and scattered is usually an unpleasant experience. Whether you’re planning a busy work day or a relaxing saturday with your loved ones, setting clear intentions can help you to create the most rewarding version possible for the day before you.
Another way to think of setting intentions is to imagine yourself aligning your energy with your true purpose. In other words, setting intentions is the process of identifying where you want to go and then directing your energy toward that destination.
As we alluded to above, your purpose and intentions aren’t limited to external achievements. Yes, part of your intentions can be to accomplish something important in your work, but your true purpose includes more than what others can measure. Moving through your day with love and joy, and experiencing the ‘magic of life’ are all wonderful intentions that go beyond the concrete plans you set for yourself.
When setting intentions becomes a routine habit, your days begin to string together in a coherent and consistent way that brings your full life into alignment with your purpose.
Realizing the power of intention-setting practices, we decided to offer a guided meditation to support you in this process. By spending a few minutes each morning, we hope this practice can help you to experience more clarity and direction throughout all of your days.
Lee suggests doing this meditation after doing some movement Qi Gong. You can do quick seven minute practice, an hour-long routine, or anything in between. Activating and circulating your Qi is a great way to help you feel fresh and focused for this meditation.
Like all of the guided meditations we share, we recommend that you read through it before you begin.
Guided Meditation and Journaling:
Start by getting into a comfortable position. You can be either sitting or laying. However, if you choose to lay down, try to make sure that you won’t fall back asleep. 😉
Take some slow, deep breaths to relax your body. Try to bring your attention to each inhale and exhale and let your thoughts fade from view.
On your inhale, bring the air into your belly, ribs, and then into your chest. On your exhale, release the air from your chest, your ribs, and then from your belly. This is called Wave Breathing and is a great way to bring energy into your entire being. Continue doing this until you feel relaxed and at ease.
When you’re ready, start to visualize the day you want to create. Think about the experiences you want to share with loved ones, the tasks you want to accomplish, and the things you want to learn. Also, visualize and feel the emotional state that you want to enjoy as you move throughout your day.
Try to imagine your day as vividly as possible. Envision yourself effortlessly accomplishing your mission. How do you feel? How do you make others feel? Is there a challenging task that you’re able to successfully deal with? Allow your thoughts and imagination to blend beautiful together to create the path before you.
If it’s helpful, you can dedicate part of your meditation to visualizing three parts of your day: your work, your self-care practices, and the connections and fun experiences you want to create with others.
Do this meditation for however long it takes you to create a clear and encouraging vision of the day before you. When it feels complete, put your hands over your Lower Tan Tien (lower abdomen) and feel the energy concentrating at that point. This represents bringing your dreams into manifestation.
Open your eyes and look at the world around you. There’s one more part of this practice that can help you to strengthen the vision you just created for yourself.
Take out a piece of paper or your journal and write about the day you just imagined. Write about the actions, accomplishments, and feelings that you envisioned for the next twelve hours of waking consciousness.
As always, cater this practice to your individual wants and needs. You can meditate for two minutes or two hours. You can write down three words or two pages. Each person and each day is unique, so pay attention to what feels right for you and allow your intuition to be your guide.
30 Day Qi Gong Challenge
Recognizing the importance of starting each day with clarity and aliveness, we offer a 30 Day Challenge to help you learn about Qi Gong and experience it’s wonderful benefits in just seven minutes each day. This is one of Lee’s most popular programs and is a great way to try Qi Gong or cultivate a consistent practice.
During this program, you’ll be able to experience a quick yet powerful Qi Gong lesson each day to help you cultivate energy and vitality. All of the routines are pre-recorded so you can practice on your own schedule. In addition to being a fun and rejuvenating experience, this program offers invaluable tools for personal empowerment and growth. Click on the link below to learn more and start practicing today.