The Law of Attraction

[Tom Carlson]

I thought that maybe it was just me who has not hear about The Law Of
Attraction. About a month ago, Linda and I had a 2 hour drive [one
way] and on the way to and from, listened to a reading of "The
Secret" which was read by the author.

The Law of Attraction says people's thoughts (both conscious and unconscious) dictate the reality of their lives, whether or not they're aware of it. Essentially "if you really want something and truly believe it's possible, you'll get it", but putting a lot of attention and thought
onto something you don't want means you'll probably get that too.

Widespread popular interest for the law of attraction reached its
peak after the release of the The Secret (2006 film). After the
film's release, the book, "The Law of Attraction" made the New York
Times Best Sellers list, drawing more attention and interest to this
topic.

Here is a link to the website for The Secret.

http://thesecret.tv/index.html

In a nutshel it is centered on "Ask and believe and you shall
receive."

I have always believed that Thoughts turn in Attitudes and Attitudes
turn into Actions. This theory is confirm by the law of attraction.

Any thoughts, knowledge or experience with or about The Law of Attraction?

Tom Carlson

 

[Doug Hatcher]

One of the Immutable Laws of the Universe.

The Law of Attraction.

It is not that we really attract that material item to us, rather we become attuned to that vibration of the thing or condition, or we tune our consciousness to that pitch of the Cosmic Keyboard. We harmonize with it, and and by forming that thought create a vital thought form. The thought is vital, the Cosmic is always vitalizing.

Through the faculty of Intuition, the Universal or Cosmic Intelligence presents to us the insights and inspiration that we need to manifest that reality in our lives. We are still the active agent to make it happen.

The knowledge or insights are always in terms of our own understanding, and abilities, because the vital thought form is self acctuated, coming from our own knowledge, and consciousness.

The thing or condition to be attracted must be,
In Harmony with Cosmic and Natural Law,
be of benefit to more than just yourself,
not be the cause of loss to anyone else.

Tom reading your posts you are already working with this Law we all are to a certain extent.

The key is to use this Law to create the life we want for ourselves and Humanity.

I do not claim to be an expert, just learning and working with these Laws.

Doug

There are other Laws as well.

 

[Erlene]

A very similar book is The Energy Bus with regard to the law of attraction. Great read!

Another good book that I'm not finished with is Attracting the Perfect Customer.

 

[Doug Hatcher]

Quite a nutshell to crack.

Quoting Tom,
"In a nutshell it is centered on "Ask and believe and you shall receive."

It it is more involved than this, other wise we could merely ask and recieve at will. Why get out of bed!

If we want it, we are responsible to work with the Laws but we must still do the work in conjuction with the inspiration that comes to us.

The Heart, Mind, Arms, Legs and Back Bone of the Cosmic belong to us to use for our own benefit.

 

[SpringCity]

There are tons of books on this and it actually goes all the way back to the Bible. My favorite writer on the subject is Emmet Fox.

 

[Beth]

The concept was new to me. A friend of mine gave me "The Secret" last year. I read it, and am very intrigued by the concept, altho found the book soooo repetitious that I never finished the last couple of chapters.

I agree with Doug, and think a lot of us already are using this law... believing that you can be a florist and setting out to make it happen are examples. I have moved on to a different field, but have had the experience of "I would LOVE to do this" and setting out to get the appropriate training and make the relevant contacts to set the thing in motion, several times.

Curious about Emmet Fox.. will check him out.

 

[theRKF]

There are tons of books on this and it actually goes all the way back to the Bible. My favorite writer on the subject is Emmet Fox.

There are many authors on this - most of popular New Age authors cover it, from various perspectives, from Tolle, Chopra, Hicks, etc.

While popular, it's quite contrary to Biblical teaching, which upholds the sovereignty of God, not the ability of men to shape our surroundings.

Ryan

 

[Frank]

Ryan, I beg to differ...

While popular, it's quite contrary to Biblical teaching, which upholds the sovereignty of God, not the ability of men to shape our surroundings.

Ryan

"What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them." - Mark 11:24

"Whatsoever ye shall ask in prayers, believing, ye shall receive." - Matthew 21:22


Frank

 

[paradise bird]

While asking for, praying for, and believing in what you desire are strong there is still nothing like getting up off your ass and making things happen for yourself. Combine this with your mind games and you have something strong and a little more realistic. Hard work seems to be the thing that sometimes gets me what I want.
The Great and powerful sky magician looks favorably opon those who help themselves.
P. Bird

 

[SpringCity]

There are many authors on this - most of popular New Age authors cover it, from various perspectives, from Tolle, Chopra, Hicks, etc.

While popular, it's quite contrary to Biblical teaching, which upholds the sovereignty of God, not the ability of men to shape our surroundings.

Ryan

"What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them." - Mark 11:24

"Whatsoever ye shall ask in prayers, believing, ye shall receive." - Matthew 21:22


Frank

What Frank said, plus a whole lot more stuff in the Bible which I don't have in front of me so can't quote at the moment. But Emmet Fox wrote many books on it. There are tons of different sects of Christianity and ways of interpreting those words on the pages of the Bible so I guess people have to try to understand it in the best way they can and the ideas I've read made a lot of sense to me.

And it's not "mind games" for me, it's aligning my thoughts with God and His will for me.

Others may have a different idee or mindset on it but I'm not gonna belittle or tell you you're wrong. You do your thing, I'll do mine.

 

[theRKF]

"What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them." - Mark 11:24

"Whatsoever ye shall ask in prayers, believing, ye shall receive." - Matthew 21:22
Frank

I don't want to hijack the thread, and I don't want to start a big religious battle, so this is my last public post on the issue. Happy to discuss further via email and PM.

Those passages are in the context of believers who have had their hearts changed by the Holy Spirit. They aren't "carte blanche" to just chase after the things of the world and "make" God give what things you desire because you're able to muster enough belief to manipulate events. When you have the Holy Spirit and the Lord is sanctifying you, your heart is changed and you begin to pray according to His will. When you pray for things that are according to His will, they will be fulfilled.

Your quotes from Mark & Matthew are from the lesson of the fig tree. What was the lesson? Faith produces fruit. If you do not bear fruit, you will be destroyed. What is the fruit of faith: "love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control" I don't see health, wealth, success and gaining all your wordly desires in there.

James 4:2b-3
You do not have, because you do not ask. 3 You ask and do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your pleasures.

James 4:13-16
13Come now, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit"— 14yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. 15Instead you ought to say, "If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that." 16As it is, you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil.

James 3:14:16
14But if you have bitter(M) jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth. 15This is not(N) the wisdom that comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual,(O) demonic. 16For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice.

Romans 8:7
For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God’s law; indeed, it cannot.

The Secret / The Law of Attraction / Self Actualization / New Thinking / New Age Philosophy / Whatever you want to call it flies in the face of the position held throughout church history. It's true that in recent years some groups have been influenced by new age trends, and the result is people like Benny Hinn, Joel Osteen, the Health & Wealth movement, etc.

This approach is opposed to the course of redemptive history that says "while we were first sinners, Christ died for us." Before Israel was a nation, God chose them. God acts, we respond. Thinking we can manipulate God through faith turns God into a vending machine.

It comes back to the lie that Satan told Eve: you can be like God. Sinful, fallen humans want to be God - want the power, want to fulfil their selfish desires for wordly items - wealth, success, fame, power.

We're all free to believe what we want to believe - but let's not call it what it's not. The bible knows nothing of manipulating God or events by our "faith" - even that faith is a gift from God. Call it whatever philosophy makes you happy, but don't co-opt the bible as a foundation for something else.

Ryan

 

[SpringCity]

I never want to try to manipulate God. It's not possible anyway.

 

[rsef]

'Excuse Me, Your Life is Waiting' by Lynn Grabhorn is my favorite. I read it at least once a year. I've read The Secret as well, but it didn't resonate with me as well.

I think you need to find your own personal way of working with this. For some it's prayer, for others it's a mantra. For me, it's, 'you get out of life what you [emotionally] put into it.' By this I mean, even if I '...really want something and truly believe it's possible...' I will only get it IF I'm feeling positive with my whole body, mind and soul. Negative energy about one area will spread to all other areas. Positive energy does the same. So when I can feel positive, I start seeing things I want appear. When I'm negative--not so much.

My best tip for getting out of the negative thoughts is to find something (anything) positive about the situation, then focus on THAT thought.

The words you use to yourself matter. If 'money' makes you all anxious and twitchy inside, try 'finance' or any other word that feels better to you. Same for any other word--if it makes you feel icky, find a word that doesn't. It's much easier to focus on the positive if you're not fighting the word itself.

'Ask and you shall receive' is a good starting point. If you're interested in more dialog, send me a PM.

RSEF

 

[bloomz]

I don't know about yours, but my God will let me be *anything* I want to be, and it is all totally driven by my thoughts and intentions.

The "Secret" is a remake of Wayne Dyer's premise I've been following for years -

"You'll see it when you believe it."

If your God won't do the same for you, maybe it's time to reframe your image of Him.

 

[Doug Hatcher]

I am attracted to this thread.

Thanks Tom for bringing this up, it has caused me to sort of re-think, re-learn what I had learned before on this topic. I have had some good insights.

As a Law it works with or without our knowledge.

It works on all levels.

Thanks again.

Doug

 

[bloomz]

I thank you too Tom - I do believe this stuff and the principles eschewed within it are the most important things in life.

And I care less what a thousand churches opinions on it are.....

"Lord, protect me from your followers."

 

[paradise bird]

The lord help those that help themselves.
Amen to that
P. Bird

 

[Erlene]

One of the most important ways anyone can help them selves begins with attitude. Much of what the books in this post are about is attitude. Surprising how well attituded works

 

[JCT]

Tom, I'm only familiar with Law of Attraction through Esther and Jerry Hicks' books - The Law of Attraction and Money and the Law of Attraction. Great CD's for listening in the car. Their major premise (as I hear it) is, everything you want in life should be easily achieved by simply moving 'downstream'. You shouldn't have to fight for the good things in your life, with positive thoughts and actions, good things will come.

I can relate a little story from last spring. I wanted to add a Tuxedo line for rent at my shop. We're right across the street from the high school, in a very central location for wedding work as well. Called one dealer, he promised to get back with me after Mother's day. Called and called and called to no avail. I tried another vendor a friend recommended. Same thing. No follow up. Finally dawned on me, this shouldn't be so difficult. So I've moved in a different direction, downstream...

I think alot of it relates to 'energy' as well, or attitude as Erlene says. If we keep focusing on 'I'm not busy, I'm not busy, I'm not busy', you know what, you're not going to be busy. In keeping your focus on positive thoughts, 'the customers are coming in, the orders are being filled, my bank account is increasing, etc, etc, it happens.

So in saying that, it does all come down to your belief system - whatever form it takes.

Hoping everyone here has a profitable end of the year - jenny

 

[Tom Carlson]

Tom's postscript to The Law of Attraction

I sure enjoyed the posts that followed from this thread I started and maybe it has about had it's course, so may I add a thought.

The scriptures say that if we ask for wisdom with nothing wavering it will be given to us liberally.

I like to link that of the parable of the master who gave talents to his servants, 5 to one, 2 to another and 1 to the last. The first two multiplied what the received, but the last servant feared his master so he buried his talent for safekeeping. He was rebuked.

Back to the wisdom given to us freely. It is of no value unless we put it to work. That may take guts and most certainly, it takes faith.

And I believe!!! Tom Carlson