Intent is actively present,
continuously at work in the whole of creation.
Wisdom is present to intent:
Wisdom sees and understands
intended ways of working – the truths of intent.
There is intent, intentionality behind the whole of creation… intent as will, a will force behind, and emanating from the Source… a will force intentionally establishing a particular relatedness between Source and all: There is but one Source; with all – the whole of life and its members – being instruments. There is an intended relatedness, “relatedness” (versus relationship) in that this term lifts up for us the systemic interaction between Thy will, my intended work, and intended ways of working. We see the relatedness of Source and instrument at work in the words of Christ, Thy will (not my will) be done on this earth (MT6:10). Wisdom is present to intent, sees and understands intended unfolding, a seeing and understanding that is accessible through the intuition of wholeness. Thus making it possible for us to honor this intention of will – to be and become instruments. It is our having this ultimate truth actively present in heart and mind that both enables and makes possible our keeping on the path of intent.
Reflective seeing in regards to our keeping on the path of intent is aided by a bit of imaging of mind and its way of working. Most simply, at essence, mind is an organizing process (versus structure; structure of the brain, for example). We can see mind at work through our witnessing of the swarming of bees, through our witnessing of the synchronous flying of an endless flock of blackbirds; witnessing in the sense of our being open to and appreciating the mystery, the wonder, the beauty and the awe of what is before us (versus the reductive closing of analysis, for example).
Reflecting wholistically on mind, we can see two distinct, but complementary – each completing the other – organizing processes. One being the mind of existence, the other being the mind of essence; one anchoring itself in existence, the other in essence; both having intentional purposes, intended work. Both – with right orientation/relatedness – enable our bringing the world of our making into congruence with the world of intent.
The mind of existence – the organizing process of reason – needs structure to have meaning… structures and structuring not limited to the physical and material, but including such things as relationships, words, etc. A need that is more satisfied through naming. We can gain a bit of seeing in this regard by imaging ourselves walking through a woodland and observing within ourselves, the hearing of a sound… and our being (or perhaps not being) able to say/to know that the sound comes from a bird… that bird being a chickadee; the sound we are hearing being its mating call. And further, we might notice that often (particularly when interacting with nonhuman entities) we personify; we give it characteristics, create thoughts about it, that make it more like us – humanize it so to speak… a personifying process often aimed at building a relationship – a seemingly closer bond between it and us… an energizing process, with energies such as liveliness, renewing, excitement and interest becoming more available and accessible to us… energies we often experience between one another as human beings.
The mind of essence – the organizing process of wisdom – looks to spirit and process – the seeing and understanding of process… the processes of unfolding, of seeing and coming from essence… processes of intent, the accessing of the wisdom of intent – seeing intended unfolding. We can get a glimpse of its working by reflecting on an experience common to many: considering, designing, acquiring, building, remodeling a house for self, family, friends… a home for us. Often, herein, is an imaging of processes, processes related to intended ways of working of the house, processes such as preparing a meal, the sharing of a meal, the welcoming and engaging of friends, etc. … a seeing of processes that form the structuring – mindful structuring that guides the creation of the structures we commonly refer to as the kitchen, family room, dining area, great room, etc.… structures that enable the living out of the virtues and values we intend and hope for, virtues and values aimed at enriching and inspiriting – drawing spirit into – our way of life… structures that enable our way of developing, our way of being and becoming; that which can bring about for us, and others as well, a real sense of home, of being at home, a life sustaining, a life renewing sense of home.
Reflecting further, we can begin to see the wholistic complementary working of these minds. First off we can see both the naturalness and necessity for structures and structuring such as food, housing, clothing, relationship, etc. All of which seem to be essential for sustaining our existence – our very presence on earth… requirements not only for ourselves, but seemingly common to other members of life as well. Likewise we can see the significance and sense of purpose that enters the seeing of and coming from essence… and the inner realness we experience through the accessing and manifesting of spirit. We can, with a bit of effort, differentiate – distinguish between – essence and existence, between spirit and material, between process and structure. And at times we can experience the division within ourselves, of our being drawn towards one or the other, often wishing for/seeking for both. It is intent that enables us to transcend that which divides, to realize wholeness, to experience the complementary working of essence and existence – to experience the intentional mind at work, the intentional mind being the mind of wisdom guiding the mind of reason working as a complementary whole. It is the accessing of the wisdom of intent that enables seeing processes, processes for guiding our structuring and structures with intended ways of working on earth, ways acknowledging and honoring our membership in the whole of life. With right orientation, with intended relatedness; with the minds of essence and existence working wholistically – working intentionally – thus allowing spirit to enter into existence; with the daily nourishment of spirit necessary for advancing our humanness, our becoming fully and truly human; with spirit entering as a manifestation of will, the will of intent; the necessities of existence – that which we pursue – will be and become truer reflections of intent, of Thy will, not my will.
Returning to the work of keeping on the path of intent, a few thoughts emerge. The first and most critical is never losing site of the ultimate truth: One Source; all else instruments. Other thoughts emerge related to hazards along this path – hazards viewed more appropriately as temptations, temptations that turn us away from the Source; that lead us off of the path of intent.
One such hazardous temptation shows up in the structures and structuring we create around intentional processes. We can see this at work in structures, hierarchical structures, institutions, etc., that we have formed and brought into existence. It is quite natural for those involved and associated with such to develop through time a real sense of ownership and identity with the structure. Hazard creeps in when we begin to see the structure as all-important… seeing and treating it as more important than the intentional process and purpose around which it formed, which through time disenables its intended work, its intended way of working; thus ultimately the structure/structuring losing its relevance, its reason to exist.
Another temptation can show up in the gaining of knowledge and expertise regarding structures and structuring. As our capacity to create and manipulate structures increases, we can be led along a path that blinds us to intended ways of working… a path that turns us more towards our will, towards ourselves, with lessening regard for the whole of life, and diminishing consideration of ultimate consequences to the ongoingness of life itself.
A third temptation relates to our natural (perhaps habitual) inclination to personify – to impart human characteristics – to the nonhuman. We see this in the world of existence – both with living and that which we consider inanimate. We also see it in regards to the Source. Here the humanizing process introduces the hazard of obscuring will, obscuring the intent and intended relatedness of Source and instrument; an intended relatedness that is quite apparent in this excerpt from the going forward gospels:
Jesus said to his disciples: This is my commandment: Love one another as I love you. No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends, if you do what I command you”(JN15:12-14).
Finally, we have mentioned heart and mind, but written mostly about mind. Thus a thought or two about heart to complete this writing. Openness, as it is with the mind, is essential to the working of the heart… in particular, openness to love entering. The essence of our instrumentality is for us to be and become instruments for love entering into the working of the world. Given that, it is critical that we have some understanding of openness of heart – processes in that regard. The process that comes to mind is that of forgiveness, forgiveness that opens the heart to love entering, to spirit dwelling within, and manifestation of both. Now forgiveness is not about forgetting – striving to put the offence out of existence. But there does seem to be a need for, a real sense of, “turning it loose,” letting go such that we – through hate and anger – are not blocking love entering. Now life experience tells us that, that which we turn loose can return, not just once, but again, and perhaps again and again. The hope here lies in that its returning serves to awaken us to the necessity for heart to be open – open to love entering – reminding us of the necessity for our consciously choosing an organizing process of love versus being receptive to the common, often habitual process of anger and hate.
Anger and hate come to us and through us from existence. Existence is the common source of both – and both are of this world. They are instruments the world uses to be our master – to cause us to be a slave of existence, a slave of the world.
It seems it would be uncommon, perhaps impossible in its purest form, for either hate or anger to enter through essence. This thought produces a glimpse of the intentional purpose of the Christ impulse – the intentional why of Christ coming to earth, coming into existence… a coming into existence that carried with it the real possibility of his being “captured,” of his becoming of this world, rather than of the Father who sent him. The glimpse of the intentional why: to make real our potential to escape the slavery of this world – neither being mastered by it, nor seeking to be master of it… both of which honor and pursue false images – images of our making, not of the intent and unfolding image of the Source… a potential made real by his fulfillment of intent – completing his work – and the manifestation of Spirit which followed… a Spirit forever present and available to all… all of which leads to seeing the intentional what of Christ being related to returning, our returning to the Source, a process we often think of or name as salvation, as being saved, and the intentional why of Christ being related to becoming, our becoming fully and truly human, becoming intentional beings; ultimately becoming an intentional people of earth.
