I use the term 'the law of attraction' because it is well known, despite the fact that its very being well known has in a way caused it to become vulgarized. I myself tend to feel an aversion to things that are just 'trendy' in a way, which is why I've never liked the term law of attraction too much, as it has become a sort of pop-culture spirituality in a way. But nonetheless, what the term refers to is a legitimate and long-standing spiritual tradition, whether or whether not it is ultimately true. So, I would just like to open up a discussion on it, and particularly on everyone's experience with sincerely attempting to put it into practice. To say you sincerely put it into practice, can't just mean you thought about or visualized something for a few minutes for a few days, and then if what you imagined didn't happen you said it was BS and gave up. I mean sustained effort, where you made a serious effort to direct your thoughts at all points of the day towards what you desire, maintaining the feelings of having what you want, and not letting your random thoughts throughout the day contradict the desired end. This constant practice being combined with practice of focused visualization and imagination. And continuing this over a significant period of time. And if you have, I'm curious what your results were. What I can say for myself, is that there was a time when I took this very seriously. And during that time period, I didn't necessarily manifest everything I desired right then, but that was the time period in which I was in an ecstatic spiritual state in which I experienced almost constant synchronicity, and a certain 'flow' to my life and reality in which everything flowed together in such a way that it was like there was no division between anything, and like it all seemed to obviously be one consciousness, my consciousness. A common spiritual/religious belief is that spiritual truth brings freedom. I recall reading a certain book containing these sorts of principles, in a 'christian' context, how the only way there could be actual freedom is if we have the ability to manifest into our lives from our minds. Or else we are bound by circumstances which are beyond our control, and thus we cannot possibly be free. This makes a certain sense to me, although if you accept that premise either the principles are true...or we really aren't free. Which can lead to a certain nihilism if you become disillusioned by these principles, which is something I can attest to. And so, that idea that it is the only way we could truly be free, is a big part of what makes me unable to completely let go of this way of thinking. Though I cannot say I have given it real effort in quite some time. Whenever I try, my disillusionment arises again, I feel it may well be pointless and stupid, and so I stop. But, I feel at some point here I should give it a real go again. And so yea, what are your experiences? Have you ever given it sincere and sustained effort? What were the results?
So I may not be getting it, but sounds interesting. Are you talking about putting yourself in a mind frame to help further your life goals? Like I want to do x, and constantly think of positives to get there? Sorry if I'm way off base. Sent from my iPhone using Grasscity Forum
It's like, your reality is a manifestation of your consciousness. And so you can direct your reality, by directing your mind. And the way to do this in an intentional way, is by having everything your mind does be consistent with the desired result. Feeling as if you already have it, visualizing it happening, and not letting your thoughts contradict what it would mean to obtain it. Practicing this steadily throughout your life, as well as periods of focused visualization/feeling.
Sounds like that would require a very determined mind, something I don't consistency have lol. Sent from my iPhone using Grasscity Forum
I had a period when I was 17-18 where I took this seriously and I did find it to work. it's situational however, you can't just will it to be so. One example I had done as a test was kick a little soccer ball I had in my house(just under the size of about softball) at the window in about particular spot. 3 out of 4 shots hit the target dead fuckin on. This was at a time I already believed in it and was well into it. I started going for bigger results, lots of money, great social life, vacations, a girlfriend/best friend. After a year I had my first real gf, got into the trades and made good coin. I don't know when but at some point I abandoned the practice, why and how I forget. I know I had a feeling of there being something more, desires are not the end game to life kinda thing. It definitely works from my experience.
would you say that you were more focused to obtain those things when you were "believing in it"? like you had the want/thought/desire for something, so you actually went after it? or was it you just want something so bad, do nothing and it happened?
It's an attitude and uncompromising knowingness. You believe it so much you know it's going to happen , doubt and belief go hand in hand, knowing transcends that. What it really did in my experience was create future situations which I could then (if in tune enough) take control of undoubtedly because so much was built up to the moment of its happening. I dunno why I stopped it sounds really sick to hear it play out in my head again haha
How much of it, if any at all, would you attribute to hard work paying off and opportunity knocking? It seems to me a lot of this that I read from different people sounds like its more them focusing and working for something while doing it with a "I won't lose" attitudem but then instead of giving themselves the credit of hard work they attirbute it to "the law of attraction" or "the universe/god" I'm just tryin to see what else there is to it
The hard work is in the mentality, really. It creates opportunities...lol you can't say I won't lose either, in that you say not, therefore potentially disrupting the flow of thought ( or watever the eff you Wana call it). What's there to it is what it is, what the fabric of this world consists of. chronic complainers always find something to complain about. Happy go lucky people likewise find their place. It definitely is in part hard work, but it's made easier by having the right attitude. Think about it, you can have an endless amount of thoughts or attitudes towards something. It is your choice, such is the beauty of the mind. Where I'm at now is trying to achieve a state of constant no-thought, whereby doing so allows the natural and pure essence of self to manifest. I could care less about these material things.... Edited spelling
The law of attraction isn't a long standing spiritual tradition.. it's part of The New Thought movement which was developed in the United States in the 1800's. Sure, you could say a couple hundred years is a long time.. but is it really when compared to the entire spiritual history of man? Not really. So don't kid yourself, it's a rather new thing in the spiritual realm. Now the idea behind it, that's been around since.. well forever. You envision what you want and what you're going to do.. then you do that. If you have doubts and let those doubts get out of control, there's a good chance you'll fail at what you were doing. In order to believe that focusing on positive thoughts will be the main cause of positive thoughts materializing, I'd have to believe that the mind is more than the brain.. and I don't. I do believe that our brain is a powerful organ and can perform incredible feats, but only within the brain.. and in order to materialize a positive thought, passes along what is needed to the body. So it does pay to focus on what you want.. to stay positive. That just doesn't come naturally, you need to envision and act upon.. you need to make a conscious effort to think and do positive things to strengthen your subconscious brain. There's so many tricks and such to go about it.. There's mental ways of going about it, like meditating and envisioning it.. but also physical ways. Simply put, just doing what you deem positive.. but there's neat tricks too. Forcing yourself to smile, even when you're alone, can lend a hand to your happiness. It's activates the neurons that normally kick in when you smile, which is typically in the area of your brain responsible for happy emotions.. and that increased activity makes it easier for your brain electricity to flow. When you're sad, you usually walked slumped down.. and when you're happy you usually stand tall or swing your arms more.. thing is, if you're sad and your force your body to walk as if it were happy, it'll have a similar effect as forcing a smile. Guess the point is, it's as true as karma.. and everyone sees karma differently. I see it as being a dick and pushing away nice people in your life, next thing you know you're surrounded by dicks and go "whelp, that's my karma.." when it was really just you. It always was and always will be. You need to be the one to make what you want to be true to come true.. envisioning it is only one piece of it all, you still need to carry it through. Side note, a few months ago I was working with an old fence.. so it was a bunch of planks with nails sticking out. I almost stepped on a nail and after that I kept thinking "Don't step on a nail.." I might of repeated it for like 15 seconds after the near miss.. and then stepped on a nail. As soon as I did.. I thought "fuck you law of attraction" and laughed at myself. Way I see it, I was more likely actually distracting myself by focusing on not doing it that I ended up doing it..
I referred to the law of attraction as a sort of pop-culture spirituality, used the term 'nevertheless' followed by saying 'what the term refers to is a legitimate and long-standing spiritual tradition.' So, you said exactly what I said, as if you were correcting me.
I referred to the law of attraction as a sort of pop-culture spirituality, used the term 'nevertheless' to distinguish the term from the idea behind it, followed by saying 'what the term refers to is a legitimate and long-standing spiritual tradition.' So, you said exactly what I said, as if you were correcting me.
For this to be true, wouldn't everyone else also need to be a creation of your conscious? Meaning you are essentially learning from simulated failures and success -yuri
My viewpoint when I was really into this was yes, everything and everyone is a manifestation of my subconscious. Another perspective could be some sort of an intersection of separate minds though. Or individual units within a larger unified consciousness. And so yea, basically, your mind projects outwardly based on its internal activity, and you learn and can change based on those results.
I don't mean to go off on random yet related topics.. but what I was getting at is that it's not really a long standing spiritual tradition. The concept behind it is old, envisioning what you want to do.. Law of attraction is relatively new in terms of our spiritual past, it's literally American made. I've always had a pet peeve with the law of attraction.. cause I feel like it enables people to not want to work as hard for what they want. Why bother when you can just think about it right? It makes people feel like thinking the thought is more important than enacting the thought.. when they're equally as important, one reliant on the other. That's why I said it's as real as karma.. and I don't believe karma is actually real. I'm not knocking positive thoughts or envisioning your goals and hopes.. like I said, equally important. Your brain is a powerhouse.. when you just think about throwing a ball, a neural track will be active that's runs pretty much the same path as if you were actually throwing the ball. Same when you watch another person throw a ball.. or even think about another person throwing a ball. That's a good thing because it will strengthen that neural track so the information and neural activity can flow faster.. each time it's activated, it offers less and less resistance. At the same time, that don't mean shit unless you enact and practice that thought.. So if you're a kid growing up, enjoys throwing a baseball and wants to become a pitcher.. if every daydream and spare thought you have is envisioning yourself throwing and throwing and throwing, while actively participating in the sport.. you'll probably end up a top ranked pitcher. You're building both mental memory and muscle memory.. But.. if all you do is daydream about pitching and never actually threw a ball you're entire life, when you go to tryout to be a pitcher.. you're going to get laughed out of there. You seem like you don't like the label of the law of attraction.. so no need to get disturbed by my poking at it, all it is is a new age label for the concept behind focusing on your desires. So to answer the question to your OP.. yes, give it another go.. but always remember what it is.. a pop culture label that was created by an American comedy writer in the 1800's.. Envision what you want to want and enact it.. it's up to you and you only, not some mystical force.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WbS9jZOlQjc "What you need to do is visualize some roast beef and some mashed potatoes with gravy. The problem is you have a bad attitude about starving to death."