I'm deeply interested in the Law of Attraction (LOA) and have added it to my growing library of spiritual studies. I believe there are similarities between LOA, quantum physics, and Tibetan Buddhism, and I'll explore their intersections in future articles as I learn more. For now, let's look at what the Law of Attraction is.
Very simply put, the Law of Attraction states that we create our own reality.Â
We do this through our thoughts and what we project to the world. It's not about working harder or forcing something to happen; it's not about who we know or how much money we have. LOA is about understanding the nature of reality and using those universal laws to manifest whatever a person wants.
We can get what we want - or not get what we want - by attracting it into our lives. Sounds simple, doesn't it? But there's a catch - it's more than sitting around thinking things into existence.Â
LOA - The Basics
The core, fundamental tenet of LOA is that to create or manifest what you want in life, you must first feel what that thing or experience feels like. For example, if you want a million dollars, you must feel what it's like to have a million dollars. You must live in the reality of having the money for it to be attracted into your life and show up in your bank account.Â
What feelings do you have when you have a million dollars? Are you happy, content, grateful? You need to get out of your head and into your heart to create the reality you want. If you can do that, LOA states that it must show up.
Don't work harder. Feel better.Â
Figuring out what you want and then feeling it is vital. How you get it is irrelevant and is where many people get stuck. Once you can live in a reality where you already feel like you have the thing or experience you want, it will manifest in your life.Â
Another essential part is to drill down to figure out what you actually want, put out the intention, and not worry about how it's coming. So, do you really want a million dollars? Do you want the freedom to travel when and where you want (well, you'll probably need more than a million to do for an extended amount of time…)? Or maybe you want the freedom to make your own schedule and work at something you love, even if it's low-to-no pay.
Let's say you want the freedom to travel business/first class whenever and wherever you want, and have the freedom to make your own schedule at a job you love. You must start to live with the feeling that you already have those things. What does it feel like to sit in a comfortable, wide seat with no one elbowing you? How do you feel about getting on the plane early, having your luggage come out first, etc.? How do you feel going outside in the morning and exercising in glorious sunshine? How does running errands or going to the gym feel in the middle of the day?Â
You might have trouble believing this, but there are people worldwide living this way successfully. The key is to learn how to embody and become the feeling you want and not obsess over it. LOA is easy and not easy at the same time.Â
A Personal Example
I lived in downtown Manhattan in New York City for 30 years. I was happy and content for about 20 - 25 years there, but at some point, I started feeling cramped in my shoebox apartment and like I'd grown out of the stress of big city life. I didn't understand the Law of Attraction yet, but I visualized and felt what it would be like to walk around three sides of my bed, not have it crammed against the wall. I felt a larger living room space, seeing the sky, having a common area for all tenants, etc. I filled myself with the feeling of being in more livable space.Â
Fast forward several years, and I moved to Santa Fe, New Mexico. As I was walking around my apartment one day, it hit me, and it hit me hard. This was what I had been dreaming of in NYC. The universe even threw in a western view and two mountain ranges, so I could see spectacular sunsets from my living room window or patio.
I have three times the square footage in my two-bed, two-bath apartment. My kitchen is large enough that my NYC living room rug is now the throw rug in there. For the first time in my life, I have a washer and dryer in my unit - I thank the machines every time I use them.Â
I can see the glorious New Mexico blue sky from my windows. There's a public space with a pool, gym, and community rooms. And I can walk around all three sides of my bed now! For the same rent as in NYC. It really is heaven.
It never dawned on me that I would find what I wanted but in a different state. I'm filled with immense gratitude whenever I look up at the stars or the deep blue sky during the day. And don't get me started on my love for the clouds here!
Gratitude is also a key to manifesting what you want.
I'm working on career-related manifestations now, so I'll let you know how it works out. I keep getting caught up in the how. How will I make money? Will I stay in the food space? Will I write books? Will I be a marketing consultant? Those questions are usually followed by me frantically doing research, networking, or trying to force the answer in a timeframe I want. And LOA doesn't work that way.
I was brought up believing that the harder a person worked, the more successful they would be. I always thought that going out of my way to help others would be reciprocated. That the only way to feel content and satisfied - and to get what I want - is to work, work, work. So it's natural that I sometimes fall back on my old habits of working too much, but I now know this is the wrong way to approach getting what I want.
I'm feeling my way to the happiness I now know I deserve!
I'll share some of the teachers on this subject in future articles. For now, just know that if you want to practice the Law of Attraction, you need to get in touch with how you feel, how you really feel, and live from that perspective. There's joy, exploration, and quantum physics at play here.
Now go find happiness with whatever you're doing!
I really enjoyed this article! I had the pleasure of meeting you when I was a volunteer at the 2014 TEDxManhattan event.
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