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Intention vs. Consciousness

We've all heard the phrase "The road to hell is paved with good intentions", and I must admit, I was always a little confused by this. After all, having good intentions implies we mean well and want the best for everyone, right? But I've begun to see that having the best intentions doesn't necessarily equate to wanting what's best for all involved. Let's look at the definition of intention: a thing intended; an aim or plan. There is nothing in this that implies the planner gave any meaningful thought to their intended goal. A drunk person who gets behind the wheel of a car and hurts or kills someone most likely didn't intend to harm anyone! But needless to say, that doesn't make it OK. How many times have friends, co-workers or loved ones said to us, or us to them, 'I didn't mean to hurt/upset/anger you'. And I am as guilty of this as anyone else. So where do we go astray? How do we end up negatively effecting the people and things we care about, in spite of our good intentions, or more specifically, in spite of the absence of bad intentions? You're walking down the street and a group of 5 or 6 people waiting for a table at a restaurant are standing around blocking the entire sidewalk so no one can get by - they are oblivious to all of the pedestrians trying to go about their business. You spend the day cleaning and a family member or roommate cooks and neglects to clean up after themselves. A small crime to be sure, but many is the time when I've walked into my home after just such an incident and felt like I had been slapped in the face! The guilty party surely did not intend to upset or disrespect me. Most probably, they didn't even think about me. Perhaps they were rushing off to work or intended to return later to clean up, or whatever. And yet their actions have effected me due to the lack of concern for my living environment. A much more extreme and less forgivable example would be telling lies, being deceitful and then attempting to justify your actions by claiming "you didn't want to hurt anyone, your were trying to protect others" ie, you didn't intend to cause pain. But a fat lot of good that does when the truth of one's dishonesty is revealed - suddenly your good intentions are meaningless. Saying you "didn't intend" something implies an absence of meaningful thought or consideration for the people and environment around you, not unlike the drunk driver.

So how does this sort of thing happen, where's the disconnect? It seems to me that what is lacking is consciousness. By definition: 1) the state or condition of being conscious 2) A sense of one's personal or collective identity, including the attitudes, beliefs and sensitivities held by or considered characteristic of an individual of group 3a) Special awareness or sensitivity 3b) Alertness to or concern for a particular issue or situation. It's all about awareness, about being sensitive not just to your own needs and concerns but the needs and concerns of others involved or of a particular situation. That does not mean you have to live your life according to the wants and desires of others, but rather that you consider others when you move through your life. It means realizing that all of our decisions and actions effect many people, that we do not live in isolation. We have the potential to elevate or diminish others or the situation we are in. So I am trying to live with more consciousness in everything that I do. One small example of this for me is trying to use less plastic - bags, containers, etc. Nobody who uses plastic "intends" to hurt the environment and yet we do. So I'm trying harder! Because once we start to live with the understanding that our words, choices and actions have the potential to effect everything around us, we can raise the quality of our own lives. I don't know about you, but when those in my life - family, friends, customers, neighbors - are uplifted and joyful and feel heard and understood, I am much more likely to feel joyful and content too. And that makes living with conscious intention every bit worth the effort.