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The Law of Attraction

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In a previous article entitled, “10 Steps to Discovering Your Life’s Purpose,” I mentioned that, for me, “purpose” is the Rosetta Stone of all personal development ideas. Discovering your purpose and then living it depends upon understanding some basic principles of how things work. Of all the principles I have found, an understanding of this Law of Attraction is the most important. When it comes to building the life we choose, this is the cornerstone, the solid rock upon which all else depends.

Although I have been avidly soaking up personal development ideas since the late 60’s, it wasn’t until the early 90’s that I first heard it so clearly described. The short and sweet definition of the Law of Attraction is . . .

“That, Like Unto Itself, is Drawn”

The image that comes to mind is a magnet pulling iron filings toward itself. You can’t see how it’s happening – the actual mechanics of it is invisible – but you can see the obvious results. Like magnetism or electricity, it’s not necessary to understand the details of how it works. It’s enough to observe that it does work, and then busy ourselves with how best to put it to work in our lives.

Thought Momentum

This discussion of the Law of Attraction doesn’t focus on things (like magnets and filings) but upon the more subtle tools we use to create our lives: our thoughts. Whatever we think about grows. The more time and energy we invest in thinking about any given subject, the bigger it gets and the more influence it exerts in our experience. A thought attracts other thoughts like it, and creates its own momentum, like a snowball rolling downhill. The bigger it gets, the faster it grows.

The seed thought that is attracting others like it could be a memory of the past, a mental image of a possible future, or whatever is happening now. Regardless, the Law of Attraction responds to it in this present moment. Always.

Here’s an interesting wrinkle in how this works. The Law of Attraction always works by inclusion and never by exclusion. It responds directly to the thought itself, regardless of whether you are mentally saying “yes” to it or “no” to it. If you picture in your imagination something you do not want, the universe gets the picture only, and not the idea of “do not want.”

Thinking “Not That” Doesn’t Work

Unwanted things and events are present in our lives because of our attention to them. Most of us are constantly creating unknowingly, since we are just now beginning to understand that our lives are created by what we think about all day. Even if we are mentally “shouting” at the top of our voice, “No, no, not that – I never want that in my experience,” the universe gets a clear picture plus the extra energy of your strong emotion and dutifully brings to you the very thing you hoped to avoid.

Recipe for Manifestation

Your attention to it plus your strong feelings about it is your point of attraction. It is all about attraction and has nothing to do with repulsion. You get whatever you think about most and feel strongly about – whether you want it or not.

The Buffer of Time

Our thoughts come and go all day, every day. Does that mean that every time a disagreeable thought goes by, we are creating a disagreeable future? The answer is, “Yes, but . . .” Yes, our future is molded by the thoughts we think but, fortunately, we have the benefit of the buffer of time. Otherwise, our lives would be quite a tangled mess, being instantly created by our undisciplined minds. Monitoring every single thought and editing them all on the fly would be a Herculean effort. Fortunately, there is a much easier way.

Your Internal Guidance System

All we have to do is pay attention to how we feel right now.

Do you feel good? If so, you are, in this moment, creating something beneficial that is known in the depths of your being to be a positive, helpful direction for you.

Do you feel bad? If so, you are, in this moment, creating something detrimental that is known in the depths of your being to be a distraction for you, taking you away from the direction you really want to go.

Emotions Are the Key

Your emotions are a very powerful and very simple internal guidance system. They let you know, in any given moment, whether or not the thoughts you are thinking right now are bringing you closer to something you want or something you don’t want.

Emotions Simplified

It’s deceptively simple considering the wide range of emotions we experience, each with their own names and levels of intensity. But forget all that for a moment and simply ask, “Does this feel good, or does this feel bad?”

If it feels good, this train of thought is working for me, helping to create the life I desire.

If it feels bad, this train of thought is working against me, helping to create a life I do not want.

Our internal guidance system is infallible and elegant in its simplicity. That doesn’t mean it’s easy to implement after first hearing about it. Old habits die hard. It takes patience and perseverance to get in the habit of noticing how you feel right now.

Notice How You Feel Now (and now . . . and now . . . and now . . .)

Whenever you feel bad (no matter what label you apply to the emotion) it takes discipline to develop the habit of taking a step back, finding that objective point within, and asking yourself, “OK, exactly what am I thinking here that has created this unpleasant feeling?” That’s the first step.

Once identified, the next step is to ask yourself, “How would I reposition these thoughts to attract what I want rather than what I do not want?”

Once identified, do it! Think about what you do want to create. Spend more time feeling good as a result of adjusting the attracting point of your thoughts than you spend wallowing in negative emotion. This allows you to balance the scales, and with the benefit of the buffer of time, it insures that overall, you are attracting what you really want.

Manifestation’s Fast Track

Do you want to manifest it quicker? Simply spend more time thinking about it while feeling good and less time thinking about it while feeling bad.

Quicker still? Ramp up the intensity of your emotions while clearly visualizing your desire. Thoughts accompanied by strong emotions are the fast track to manifestation. (Thoughts devoid of feeling are comparatively neutral – their power of attraction is weak.) Thoughts, visualizations and imaginative flights of fancy fueled with strong feelings jump-start the Law of Attraction and minimize the buffer of time.

Accentuate the Positive Viewpoint

Remember the importance of defining clearly what you want. Whenever your experience brings you opportunities to notice clearly what you do not want, make a quick mental note of it and immediately turn it around and reposition it as something you do want. This is crucial to manifesting your desires because when you say to yourself, “No, no . . . not that . . . anything but that!” and you are feeling strong emotion, the universe, through the Law of Attraction is getting the message loud and clear. The universe is getting a strong, focused, passionate picture of THAT and is already in the process of bringing into your experience the very thing you are trying to avoid.

Deliberate Creation

First, feel good. Do whatever it takes for you to feel good. Listen to music, pet your puppy, take a walk, eat chocolate, work out, go fishing, or take a nap. This good feeling is the fuel to ignite your dreams and desires. Once you are in your good-feeling state, become still and quiet and spend 15 or 20 minutes clearly envisioning what you want. See it, smell it, hear it, touch it, taste it, and mostly FEEL IT! Feel good about it. Feel great about it. Feel grateful for its manifestation in your life. Be enthralled with it and feel the joy of it now, in this present moment.

This is the very same process used by billions of people every day. In fact, everyone. The difference is . . . you are learning to do it deliberately, on purpose, by design. Most every one else does it by default . . . unaware.

Manifestation for the Unaware

Most people fill their head with what they do not want by saturating their minds with whatever drivel the TV happens to be dishing out at the moment, gossip and the news – bad news. Then they get upset about it, which adds fuel to the fire of their visualizations. The Law of Attraction goes to work with the power of the universe and dutifully manifests in their experience exactly what they have invested the most time thinking about, supercharged by the intensity of their emotions.

Manifestation for the Aware

Since we now know that whatever we give our attention to grows larger and whatever we feel most strongly about manifests quicker, it’s easier to notice what our emotions are telling us in any given moment. Whenever you feel the first twinges of an unpleasant emotion, ask yourself, “Am I creating what I want deliberately, on purpose, or am I creating by default what I do not want through lack of awareness?” You know the answer, so flip-flop your thoughts and focus on what you desire instead. Your mood will improve almost instantly.

Pull (with the power of attraction) . . . Don’t Push

Because of the mechanics of the Law of Attraction, it doesn’t work to push against the things you do not want. The more passionate you are about not wanting something, the more quickly you attract it into your life. That’s why the typical approaches of so many of our social programs are so ineffective:

The War Against Drugs.
The War on Terrorism.
The War on Poverty.

By pushing against these things (anything), you are actually activating the vibration of it within your being, fueling it with the power of your passion, and therefore rapidly attracting more of it into your experience. Instead of helping, you are part of the problem, unknowingly participating in it’s perpetuation.

That’s why Mother Theresa refused to participate in any kind of anti-war demonstrations. I don’t remember the exact quote, but she said something like, “Whenever they begin holding demonstrations for peace, count me in!” She clearly understood the futility of pushing against that which you want to avoid.

Choose to Feel Good

Remember the Law of Attraction is constantly responding to your thoughts and feelings. You can’t turn it off. You can’t call a “time-out.” These thoughts can be the result of some physical experience happening now, or a memory, or an imagined future. The universe responds to each of these thoughts the same and delivers to you a future defined by the predominate thoughts and feelings of your past. Only in this present moment do you get to choose. So choose the thoughts that make you feel good.

Getting Un-stuck

Why does it seem so hard to get un-stuck from undesirable situations? Everywhere you look is more evidence of the life you do not want. Therefore, the overwhelming balance of your thoughts are focused upon what you do not want. This is where the importance of discipline and will-power comes in.

It’s up to you to create in your imagination an appealing, clear picture of the future you do want and infuse it with the most positive emotions you can find. You have to do it deliberately and incessantly to offset the evidence of what your senses are telling you about the details of your every day life.

To tip the scales and attract the life you want instead of more of the life you do not want, you have to make your imagined future predominate in your thoughts and most intense in your feelings. So do your best to fill your mind with what you want and avoid thoughts about what you do not want.

The more you do it, the easier it will get, and the easier it gets, the more fun you will have, and the more fun you have, the better you will feel, and the better you feel, the quicker you manifest. Begin from where you are and do what you can. Be patient, be grateful for the knowledge that you can change what’s going on “out there” by paying attention to what’s going on “in here.”

“Deliberately guiding your thoughts is the key to a joyful life, but a desire to feel joy is the best plan of all . . . because in the reaching for joy, you find the thoughts that attract the wonderful life you desire.” – The Law of Attraction, Esther and Jerry Hicks

Since first becoming exposed to the work of Esther and Jerry Hicks in the early 90’s, it’s been wonderful to see how their ideas have been adopted and adapted by so many other creative people. The principles of manifestation through the Law of Attraction and the deliberate creation of a joyful life have been incorporated into other books and songs. (Including mine.)

If these ideas resonate with you, I highly recommend going directly to the source and get the message as delivered by Esther and Jerry Hicks. I have always found their style to be very accessible, clear, logical, and pertinent. Their books and audio talks go right to the heart of the matter and answers countless questions eventually asked by all people sincerely interested in personal development.

Their book, entitled “The Law of Attraction: The Basics of the Teachings of Abraham,” is a good place to start. For more in-depth insights, I also recommend, “Ask and It Is Given: Learning to Manifest Your Desires” and “The Amazing Power of Deliberate Intent: Living the Art of Allowing.”

Dr. Wayne Dyer is also a fan of Esther and Jerry Hicks. He wrote the forward in “Ask and It Is Given” and did a good job of paraphrasing much of their material in his own style in his book, “The Power of Intention,” which is also available as a live presentation video by Dr. Dyer. The Power of Intention DVD.

These are the most powerful, insightful and helpful books in my collection. Get them, you’ll be glad you did!

The Secret

I was really excited to see these powerful ideas begin to emerge in the mainstream. There’s a fascinating DVD called, “The Secret – Extended Edition” which presents these principles in an easy-to-digest format. It’s perfect for introducing someone to these life-changing ideas. It’s has a Hollywood “look” so it’s a lot like watching a movie, except the subject matter is perhaps the most important thing we can learn to enhance the quality of our lives. Several successful people are interviewed as they share what discovering the secret has meant in their lives. It’s fast-paced and it’s good enough to watch several times. What is the secret, you ask? The Law of Attraction, of course!

The people interviewed in “The Secret” movie were even featured on Oprah’s TV show. It’s very encouraging and gratifying to see more and more people receptive to these ideas that allow them to take control of their lives and create the future they desire. Seeing these ideas hit the mainstream gives me hope and encouragement for the future of our race.

Each Step Gets Easier

You are obviously interested in personal development or you would not have attracted this website into your experience or continued to read this far. The information is out there. (And the knowingness of its value to each of us individuals is in here, if we just learn to translate what we are feeling.)

It’s a great time to be alive. Never before has so much good information been so readily available so that we all can take the next step in our own personal evolution.

I recently had the pleasure of meeting Esther and Jerry Hicks and participating in one of their workshops on The Law of Attraction and The Art of Allowing. It was a moving experience and as I was driving home after it was over, the question came to me, “What if I believed in the Law of Attraction with the same certainty that I believe in the Law of Gravity? What would I do differently? How would my life be if I lived by these principles and approached these ideas with the same knowingness that I hold for the Law of Gravity?

When I jump into the air, because I believe in the Law of Gravity, I fully expect to come back down to earth rather than floating off through space. If I really did have the same certainty about the Law of Attraction, how would it affect the way I launch my thoughts into space? Would I choose them more carefully, infuse them with positive emotion more deliberately?

The On-going Opportunity for Personal Development

I have been gradually incorporating these powerful principles into my life for many years and I’ll admit I still have lots to learn. Sometimes, I am amazed at the speed and precision when I am aware enough to notice the Law of Attraction sculpting my life according to my thoughts. Other times, it seems like a slow process. It’s fun and fascinating though, and it just keeps getting better and better.

As we continue to deepen our understanding of this pivotal principle of creation, this Law of Attraction, we see the precision and fairness of how it unfailingly responds to our thoughts. As we begin to notice the resulting changes in our lives, we realize the power of our free will, if we will but choose it. What a blessing it is to be alive at this exciting time of rapidly expanding consciousness globally, while we continue to learn to become ever-better deliberate creators.

It is my wish for you, my expectation, that you will continue to find what feels good to you, and you will continue to refine the mental image of your ideal life – your perfect life.

And, you will continue to invest more time on the mental vision of what you are attracting and less time on what you are wanting to avoid.

And, as a result, you will continue to create an ever-more joyful life, as you become more and more identified with your innermost being, who you really are.

And, as the joy in your life increases, I expect that everything else will fall perfectly in place.

As we all continue learning how not to send mixed signals to the universe with our thoughts, our experience will continue attracting more joy, peace, satisfaction, and meaningful contribution to one another as we continue to fine-tune our vibrational alignment with our evolving understanding of the laws of the universe.

“Life is a promise; fulfill it.” – Mother Theresa (1910-1997)

While reading, did you choose to hear the relaxing instrumental music linked at the beginning of this article? To learn more about it, click here.

Listen FREE to the songs below . . . chosen to enhance the ideas in this article.

It’ll Be All Right Now It’s one thing to understand intellectually that the thoughts we think mold our experience, and another thing to live every moment as if it really is a basic law of nature. http://www.somemusicmatters.com/DescX.html#Anchor10 No, Yes! Examines the folly of continually holding conflicting thoughts at the same time. Yes I can. No I can’t. I want that. But do I really deserve it? Around and around it goes. http://www.somemusicmatters.com/DescX.html#Anchor10 Way of the World Life is so huge . . . so diverse . . . the possibilities are literally infinite. What’s the best way to sort it all out and carve out a little niche of our own? http://www.somemusicmatters.com/DescX.html#Anchor1 May You Have Joy Have you ever felt a warm appreciation for someone in your life, and just wanted to wish them well? http://www.somemusicmatters.com/DescX.html#anchor12 Songs by Tupelo
The Subtle Side of Manifestation This in-depth, 4-part article explores the principles and laws that deliver what we desire. Celebrate life through the awareness that you have control of your future. Your Passion as Your Compass Allow your passions to stretch their wings and the direction of your life could surprise you – in a good way. Celebrate life with passion! Manifestation Fill-In-the-Blank Formula Here’s a simple technique you can adapt to your own style. First, I’ll give you the formula as I currently use it. Next, I’ll discuss each word so you’ll see how it has evolved into its present state. Then, I’ll add some supporting information to provide you with a ready-to-go affirmation for your own experimentation. This manifestation technique is built around one simple sentence . . . The Trouble with TV Does TV enhance our life experience or get in the way of living our lives? Celebrate life with this refreshing perspective on the boob tube. The Dilemma of Desire What is desire? Where does it come from? Why do we have it? Does it serve us in a positive way, or does it distract us and keep us perpetually in discontent? This article sheds some light on these important questions so that each of us can find our own answers. Articles by Tupelo