Sensing Life Through Intentions
Normally, we live according to our actions. We observe and pay attention to what we do, yet we almost never consider our intentions. More precisely, we take our intentions for granted. We accept as normal that they are solely for our own benefit. Inherently, all our calculations are directed toward self-benefit — seeking ever-increasing pleasures for ourselves while avoiding pain and suffering at all costs.
We must arrive at an honest and clear self-scrutiny, acknowledging this truth: by nature, our intentions are always and solely for self-service, self-justification, and self-benefit. Furthermore, we must come to a bitter and uncomfortable realization — that through this instinctive, selfish, and egocentric intention, we cause constant harm to others. This harm stems not from malicious actions but from the natural consequence of prioritizing ourselves over everything else.
Becoming constantly aware of the importance of intention over our desires, thoughts, and actions requires a special method and the right environment. Such an environment must enable and encourage a person to confront their instinctive attitude and approach to life and others. This confrontation is essential for seeing the impact of our egocentric intentions and understanding their far-reaching consequences.
Only when we fully and consistently observe the negative and selfish intention underlying everything we do — and feel the unpleasantness, even shame, of the harm it causes — can we begin to aspire to a radically different way of being. This new aspiration is not for improved actions or results but for a fundamentally different intention: a selfless, unconditional love and service that stands in stark contrast to our inherent selfishness.
This transformation requires more than desire; it demands a structured, empirical process supported by a purposeful human environment. Within this “greenhouse” or incubator-like setting, individuals can draw on unique natural forces that foster development. These forces, though always present, remain dormant unless consciously awakened through mutual effort and a genuine yearning for change.
From this state of heightened awareness, a choice appears: to remain within the instinctive intention of serving oneself at all costs or to actively and methodically develop a yearning for a completely new, opposite intention. This new intention involves living and acting solely for the sake of others, contributing positively to the interconnected system of reality. Such a transformation shifts one’s perspective from individual fulfillment to becoming a healthy, integral part of life’s unified and interdependent whole.
The deliberate and mutual intensification of this new aspiration within the right environment creates the conditions for true change. As this aspiration becomes stronger than the original egocentric inclination, we open ourselves to receiving the new intention from nature’s unique developmental forces. These forces cannot operate until we clearly and sincerely recognize the necessity of this change and demonstrate a readiness to embrace it.
To maintain this transformation, we must understand its purpose and the means to achieve it. Acquiring this selfless, unconditional intention allows us to gain a new perspective, enabling us to observe, research, and connect with the life-creating and life-nurturing forces of nature. Through similarity with this system, attained by adopting its selfless qualities, we align with the underlying principles that sustain all life.
This process requires practical engagement and real experiences. It is not a theoretical or philosophical pursuit but a tangible effort to work with others in a shared environment. Only through mutual cooperation and measurable feedback can we refine our intentions and align them with the ultimate purpose.
The overarching aim is to attain an intimate connection with reality’s single governing force. By acquiring a new, altruistic intention and aligning with this force, we come to understand and justify its role as the life-creating and life-sustaining power. This power represents the most perfect and absolutely good action possible in existence.
Through mutual efforts to cultivate this intention, we create a similarity with nature’s governing force. This new alignment transforms us into active partners within the system, capable of observing and contributing to its harmonious operation. By shifting our focus from desires, thoughts, and actions to the deeper realm of intentions, we overcome our inherent selfishness and embrace a selfless, loving way of being that fulfills the purpose of existence.