“You get what you intend to create by being in harmony with the power of intention, which is responsible for all of creation.” -Wayne Dyer
When doing any type of healing work, it is important to set an intention beforehand in order to communicate what you would like to heal/learn/receive from Spirit. This is certainly true when it comes to working with plant medicine, as you will often be asked what your intentions are before coming to a ceremony.
Merriam Webster defines "intention" as "what one aims to do or bring about." So inherently tied to this idea of intention is the power of creation since intention is what sets manifestation in motion. The power of intention can be seen as a force in the Universe that we all have access to and it empowers us to co-create within that infinite field of possibility.
When the Plant Spirits open our minds to other dimensions, planes and portals, it can be overwhelming and daunting at times. Therefore, intentions are one way to narrow the field in order to bring focus to your experience. I like to think of intentions as the rudder or sail of one's ship while out on the vast sea of consciousness. They will help you to guide and navigate the journey and at times can also serve as an anchor when things get stormy and start to feel a little too "out there."
Once we set our intentions, it is also important to let them go and trust that we will receive whatever it is we need in that moment. So inherent within the Intention Setting Practice is the act of surrender because rather than trying to control our experience through our intentions, we are simply showing the Universe that we are coming to this work in a serious and sincere way (vs. haphazard or recreationally). It explains the 'why' behind our actions.
Something else to keep in mind is that sometimes intentions are met and exceeded and other times it appears we didn't get anything close to them at all. The reason for that is because we always get what we need and not necessarily what we want. Since no problem can be solved at the same level of consciousness it was created, be prepared to be surprised by the lessons and guidance you receive. Remember that what you need may not be something you are consciously aware of and so trusting and surrendering to Spirit, who is co-creating your journey with you is of primary importance. Staying open, curious and receptive to the unknown will greatly help release attachments to any particular outcome because in the end, one of the main lessons the plants have to teach us is how to let go of the need to control!
It's also important to know how to craft your intentions in a way that is specific, clear and concise. It also doesn't hurt to communicate them as a polite request vs. a demand we are entitled to (after all everyone, including the spirits appreciate when we show respect). You'll also want to keep it short and sweet because in the throes of ceremony, when the energy is getting intense, it'll be much easier to recall.
One way to frame your intentions is to ask a question, keeping in mind that Master Plant Spirits like Ayahuasca are encoded with a Divine Healing Intelligence that know your soul's entire blueprint past, present and future. So perhaps you might start with something like:
Show me how…
How can I heal…
Guide me to…
What’s the best way to…
Help me to…
Teach me how…
Here are some examples of clear intentions:
How can I heal my ongoing gut issues?
Guide me to open my heart so I can heal my relationship with my Mother.
Help me to release old ancestral patterns around scarcity and lack.
Finally, one other practice to incorporate into Intention Setting is Gratitude Giving. Whenever we ask for something and open ourselves to receive, it is important to do so from a place of gratitude for all that already is and whatever we are meant to receive. So when you sit down to write out your intentions, I suggest taking a few conscious breaths, getting still and silent in meditation for a few minutes and calling into your heart-mind all the things you are grateful for. Then when you are feeling full and abundant, allow your prayer-requests to come through from that place of gratitude. This acts as a superconducting magnet for positive forces in our lives.
Personally, I feel that intention setting is more of an art than a science and when we learn to master this art, we can start to bring intention to everything we do in life. This is another one of the greatest teachings of ceremony because when we learn to live with genuine intention each day, we can actualize our power and ability to create great beauty in the world. Life becomes the ceremony and the power of intention can set all kinds of miracles in motion.