
The Power of Intention
Learning to Co-create Your World Your Way
Book Edition Details
Summary
"The Power of Intention (2004) by Dr. Wayne W. Dyer explores intention not merely as personal determination but as a universal creative force that we are part of and can access. This spiritual guide explains how to connect with this energy field through principles like kindness, love, and receptivity, offering specific ways to co-create your life and manifest your desires."
Introduction
Have you ever wondered why some people seem to effortlessly attract success, meaningful relationships, and abundant opportunities while others struggle despite their best efforts? The answer lies not in luck or circumstances, but in your ability to connect with and harness the universal field of intention. This invisible force that creates all life is not separate from you—you are an expression of it. When you align your thoughts, emotions, and actions with this creative power, you become a co-creator of your reality rather than a victim of circumstance. The journey ahead will transform how you understand your relationship with the universe and reveal the extraordinary potential that has always existed within you.
Connect to the Universal Source of Intention
Intention is far more than wishful thinking or positive affirmations. It represents a universal field of creative energy that exists everywhere at once, continuously bringing new life and possibilities into existence. This force operates through seven distinct faces: creativity, kindness, love, beauty, expansion, abundance, and receptivity. When you understand that you emerged from this same creative Source, you begin to recognize your inherent connection to unlimited potential. Consider the remarkable story of Matthew McQuaid and his wife Michelle, who struggled with infertility for five years. After countless failed medical treatments, they had one frozen embryo remaining—their final hope. Matthew began practicing Japa meditation, aligning his thoughts with the universal field of intention. He described experiencing a profound knowing that transcended doubt. Against all medical odds, that single frozen embryo, suspended at minus 250 degrees for six months, successfully implanted and developed into a healthy pregnancy. What Matthew discovered was that the spiritual essence of their future child had to reside somewhere beyond the physical realm during those frozen months. This realization opened him to the truth that intention operates beyond material limitations. His daily meditation practice allowed him to harmonize with the creative force that makes all life possible. To activate this connection yourself, begin each morning by acknowledging your divine origin. Speak aloud: "I am connected to the universal Source of all creation." Throughout your day, notice moments of synchronicity and abundance as evidence of intention working through you. Practice seeing beauty everywhere, extend kindness without expecting anything in return, and remain open to unlimited possibilities. These simple shifts align your energy with the seven faces of intention. Remember that you don't create intention—you allow it to flow through you. Like plugging into an electrical current, your role is to maintain a clear connection by releasing resistance in the form of doubt, fear, and limiting beliefs about what's possible for your life.
Remove Obstacles and Raise Your Energy
The primary barriers to accessing intention lie within your own thought patterns and energy levels. Everything in existence vibrates at specific frequencies, and higher vibrations naturally transform and elevate lower ones. When you operate from fear, anger, resentment, or scarcity thinking, you create resistance that blocks the flow of creative energy into your experience. Wayne Dyer shares his personal transformation regarding his relationship with his in-laws, which had been a source of ongoing stress and frustration. For years, he would prepare for family gatherings with anxiety, focusing on everything that annoyed him about their behavior and attitudes. He realized he was creating exactly what he expected by dwelling on negative anticipations. Everything changed when Dyer decided to bring his intention for peace and harmony to these encounters. Instead of reacting to comments that previously triggered him, he began responding with curiosity and kindness. When his mother-in-law made statements he disagreed with, rather than arguing or feeling irritated, he would say things like, "I never thought of it that way, tell me more." This simple shift from resistance to receptivity transformed the entire family dynamic. Over time, something remarkable occurred. Not only did Dyer begin enjoying these gatherings, but his family members also started expressing more tolerant and loving attitudes. By raising his own energy and refusing to match lower vibrations with more of the same, he created space for everyone's higher nature to emerge. To implement this approach, start monitoring your emotional state throughout each day. When you notice feelings of frustration, anxiety, or negativity, pause and ask yourself: "How do I want to feel right now?" Then consciously choose thoughts and responses that align with peace, love, and understanding. Surround yourself with uplifting music, inspiring books, and positive people while limiting exposure to news and conversations that drain your energy. Practice the five magic words whenever you feel off-balance: "I want to feel good." This simple phrase immediately shifts your focus from what's wrong to what's possible, opening channels for intention to work on your behalf.
Manifest Your Desires Through Aligned Action
True manifestation occurs when your inner world of thoughts and feelings harmonizes perfectly with purposeful action. This isn't about forcing outcomes through willpower, but rather about becoming so aligned with intention that right actions flow naturally and effortlessly. When you think from the end—visualizing your desired outcome as already accomplished—you begin acting from that reality instead of from lack or need. Dyer's daughter Skye exemplifies this principle beautifully. Despite having a lifelong passion for singing, she felt stuck in traditional academic study and yearned to create her own music. When she expressed doubt about leaving college to pursue her artistic calling, her father encouraged her to think from the end by envisioning her completed CD as already existing, waiting to be brought into physical form. Skye embraced this approach wholeheartedly. Rather than focusing on obstacles or what was missing, she held a crystal-clear vision of herself in the recording studio, surrounded by talented musicians, creating the music that lived in her heart. She acted as if the universe was conspiring to help her succeed. Within weeks of this mental shift, the perfect studio became available, ideal musicians appeared seemingly out of nowhere, and her CD "This Skye Has No Limits" manifested exactly as she had envisioned. The key distinction here is between wanting something and knowing it's already yours. When you want something, you affirm its absence. When you know it's coming, you prepare to receive it. Skye didn't hope for musicians—she expected them. She didn't wish for studio time—she trusted it would appear. Begin by writing down your primary intention in present tense, as if it has already occurred. Read this statement every morning and evening, feeling the emotions of having achieved this outcome. Take at least one concrete action daily that demonstrates your faith in this inevitable reality. Most importantly, express gratitude not just for what you want to receive, but for the creative power that makes all manifestation possible. Stay alert for opportunities, synchronicities, and guidance that support your vision. When these appear—and they will—act upon them immediately, knowing they are intention's way of bringing your desires into form.
Summary
The power of intention reveals itself as the fundamental creative force that brought you into existence and continues to operate through every aspect of your life. As this exploration demonstrates, "You can't reach the power of intention by being offended. By all means, act to eradicate the horrors of the world, which emanate from massive ego identification, but stay in peace." Your greatest contribution to positive change comes not from anger or resistance, but from maintaining your connection to the Source of all creation. Today, make the decision to see yourself as a co-creator rather than a victim of circumstance. Begin with one simple practice: spend ten minutes in quiet meditation, feeling your unity with the universal field that creates worlds. From this centered place, set clear intentions for what you wish to experience, then take inspired action while remaining open to how the universe chooses to fulfill your desires. Trust in this process completely, knowing that the same intelligence that beats your heart and grows flowers from tiny seeds is working on your behalf in ways beyond your imagination.

By Wayne W. Dyer