What does it actually mean to meditate without intention? And what lies behind the term
“intention” itself?
What does the term ‘intention’ mean?
To begin, a closer look at the term itself should clarify its meaning. With the
description “I intend something” is often associated in general usage with
focusing on a goal or describing actions directed towards a goal.
Upon closer inspection, however, the term ‘intention’ has a different semantic basis.
It describes the “view” of those aspects from which a person wishes to distance themselves or
move away, i.e., to “turn away.” Intention thus means “to disregard something,”
and the syllable “Ab” (away) is used as in the word “Abflug” (departure) – for the place I
am leaving, in contrast to the outward journey. Or also “abfahren” (to depart) – as a movement with the
aim of moving away from something.
Intention thus highlights those elements one no longer wishes to (experience) and
does not focus on the goal itself; otherwise, one would rather use the term
“hinsichtlich” (with regard to). Intentions are therefore implicitly linked to an (unmentioned) goal,
but predominantly to what someone wishes to distance themselves from. For
example: “I intend not to smoke anymore” or “I intend to leave; I
can’t stand this office gossip anymore.”
Why then the use of aimlessness in connection with meditation?
As we often mention in the courses, there is nothing to achieve in meditation, as meditative
consciousness is always present and only seems to be overlaid by various mental
states. The aimlessness of intention, as a form of abstinence,
supports the perception and acceptance of the present as it is. Intentions would be those
perceptual contents that are targeted as needing change.
In short: “I refrain from wanting to change intentions (i.e., all those aspects that
should have no place in meditation).”
For example, the intention might be to want to change a disturbing stream of thoughts
in order to achieve a (supposedly true meditative) stillness. This intention is
registered in meditation and accepted in an aimlessness regarding the stream of thoughts and the
implied goal – that is, observed without comment or judgment.
Meditation involves a state of being that observes all inner and outer views and
intentions without setting transformative impulses, such as judging oneself or
commenting on external processes. Jiddu Krishnamurti summarized this briefly with the
quote: “I have no objection to what is happening.”
Aimlessness denotes the omission of resistance to something. In the sense of
meditation, one refrains from wanting to change the present moment – thus
a form of mindfulness and respect for the nature of what the meditating person perceives and recognizes emerges. It allows for a neutral observation of
inner and outer realities without concepts and analysis.
Aimlessness in Meditation
What does the term ‘intention’ mean?
To begin, a closer look at the term itself should clarify its meaning. The description
“I intend something” is often associated in general usage with focusing on a goal or
describing actions directed towards a goal.
Upon closer inspection, however, the term ‘intention’ has a different semantic basis. It
describes the “view” of those aspects from which a person wishes to distance themselves or move
away, i.e., to “turn away.” Intention thus means “to disregard something,” and the syllable “Ab” (away) is
used as in the word “Abflug” (departure), for the place I am leaving, in contrast to the outward journey. Or also
“abfahren” (to depart) – as a movement with the aim of moving away from something.
Intention thus highlights those elements one no longer wishes to (experience) and does not focus
on the goal itself; otherwise, one would rather use the term “hinsichtlich” (with regard to).
Intentions are therefore implicitly linked to an (unmentioned) goal, but predominantly to what
someone wishes to distance themselves from. E.g., “I intend not to smoke anymore,”
“I intend to leave; I can’t stand this office gossip anymore.”
Why then the use of aimlessness in connection with meditation?
As we often mention in the courses, there is nothing to achieve in meditation, as meditative
consciousness is always present and only seems to be overlaid by various mental states.
The aimlessness of intention, as a form of abstinence, supports the perception and
acceptance of the present as it is. Intentions would be those perceptual contents that are
targeted as needing change.
In short: “I refrain from wanting to change intentions (i.e., all those aspects that should
have no place in meditation).”
For example, the intention might be to want to change a disturbing stream of thoughts
in order to achieve a (supposedly true meditative) stillness. This intention is registered in
meditation and accepted in an aimlessness regarding the stream of thoughts and the implied goal,
i.e., observed without comment or judgment.
Meditation involves a state of being that observes all inner and outer views and intentions
without setting transformative impulses, such as judging oneself or commenting on external processes.
Jiddu Krishnamurti summarized this briefly with the quote: “I have no objection to
what is happening.”
Aimlessness denotes the omission of resistance to something. In the sense of meditation,
one refrains from wanting to change the present moment, thus fostering mindfulness and
respect for the nature of what the meditator perceives and recognizes. It allows for a neutral
observation of inner and outer realities without concepts and analysis.
