I've only been consciously holding intentions now since August, 22nd, and have been modifying how I do it since I started according to what I learn. Here's how I'm currently doing it:
INTENTION- The Ideal: I am captain of the starship Enterprise. (Here, I state my intention with as much clarity and detail as I can, in the present tense. The clearer and more specific my ideal is, the more I'll usually have written as it will help me mentally paint a clearer picture. Over time, the description usually gets longer as my ideal develops.)
- Visualize and Feel it. (After reading my ideal a few times, I then mentally picture myself being/doing/having the ideal. I do it with as much detail and feeling as I can muster up, trying to feel like the ideal is in my current state of being. This is where the majority of my time is spent holding my intention, making it as mentally real as possible. I also practice meditative breathing while doing this, to help put me in a receptive state.)
- Be Thankful: I am the cause (or the cause is within me, depending on how I feel about the intention) and being captain is the effect. I am thankful for my position as captain of the starship Enterprise. (Whenever I think Thankful, I think "aware and appreciative." I often let my mind wonder over the different circumstances of this reality and be thankful for each one of them.)
Right now, I have a list of 22 intentions, covering health, provision - which are "things" from basic food, water and shelter on up, and relationship. I'd rather hold fewer intentions than I have now, as I believe I could spend a little more time and energy focusing and holding each one. But I guess it is what it is. I usually feel pretty refreshed, energetic, and in a pretty darn good mood when I get done.
I would imagine that the longer I do this, the shorter my list will get and the shorter the amount of time I'll have to hold each intention.