Desire to Deed: From Intention to Embodiment
I witness so many energy exchanges in the essence of “good deeds” - acts of service to others.
When done with purity, these deeds are beautiful. They uplift, they inspire, they ripple outward. But often, the original desire behind them gets lost. The act becomes more about doing than being, more about external action than internal integration.
This raises some important questions:
Why do we want to be of service?
How does being of service make us feel?
How does being of service serve us - or others?
Sitting with these questions may shift our relationship with service entirely. It may magnify our impact tenfold.
Service Without Integration
So much energy today is excreted outward. We serve to be seen, to feel validated, or to meet unconscious needs of worthiness. In this state, service can become shadowed by insecurity and impingement, rather than shining from authenticity.
Service isn’t just about what we do. It’s about how we embody what we are.
A Lesson From My Daughter
Recently, my 5-year-old daughter came home from school and said:
“I’m sad.”
I asked why, and she replied:
“There are so many birds that die, and so many sea creatures that get killed by people leaving their rubbish on the beach.”
Her sadness was real. Her awareness, already so wide.
I told her, “Yes, unfortunately there is a lot of life taken by people’s carelessness. This is part of life and a lesson within itself. Even though it may be hard for us to understand, these things allow us to see what we don’t like here on earth - and that gives us the chance to create change.”
She paused and said, “Should we go and nail a sign at the beach that says, ‘Please throw your trash in the rubbish bin’?”
I smiled and answered: “We could do that, but the best way we can create change is to lead by example. The power of witnessing succeeds the power of offering.”
Her heart softened, and she understood.
Desire vs. Deed
That exchange reminded me of a profound truth:
The more we offer impulsively, the more we expel.
The more we integrate within ourselves, the more we embody.
And embodiment is what others witness.
As Gandhi so wisely said: “Be the change that you wish to see in the world.”
Raising awareness is valuable. But showing awareness - through our everyday actions, choices, and embodiment - is powerful. It creates sustainable service instead of impulsive service.
Integration and Embodiment
When we integrate and embody our desires, our very existence becomes a “good deed” to humanity. Our service stops being something we do occasionally and becomes something we are continually.
This is the difference between effort and essence.
A Question for You
So I invite you to sit with this:
What desires do you have towards implementing change, and are you ready to integrate, embody, and allow others to witness them?
Because ultimately -
“That which we see with the eyes creates visions within the heart that contribute to the shift of our reality.”
- Chantelle Honey
With reverence and embodiment,
Chantelle
