Why are there days when...

[MYselfconcept]

Hello,

I've read some of the articles written by Steve Pavlina, the Law of Attraction makes sense to me. I mean, I already had an awareness of it but not a name for it. I can usually see the negative effects manifest themselves quickly. But it takes longer for more positive intentions to happen. And there are times when my mood is good and I use positive thought but what I'm thinking about and want to see happen doesn't happen? Or at other times I wake up not feeling as enthusiastic about something. Of course I always get up to do my day. I never hide at home. j/k there. What I mean is, sometimes I can be thinking about something the night before but when I wake up the emotion will be different. Instead of feling hopeful about the outcome some worry might have crept in unconsciously. How do people override this?

We're basically taught to believe certain things and our self concept is influenced to a large degree by society. I was raised by a loving family, we are very close. But the world is not so friendly and loving and growing up there were a lot of people who did not associate with us because we didn't have a lot of money. Yet a love for education and respect for people was instilled in us at home. So getting a good university education was what naturally came from that even though the path was difficult. But negative thought energy from others is always there and teaching myself not to be influenced by that on a personal level is something that takes a lot of effort.

What about times when you have the highest intentions, picture yourself doing something, feel it deep inside and yet it doesn't happen? What is the cause of this?

[Andrew Brunelle]

Probably some deep-seated emotional blocks that you have not yet come to terms with. If you have a goal, you are the onlly one in the way of achieving it. It may have something to do with your emtional intelligence or even your mindset. It all depends what it is you want to happen. It is harder to fly just by willing it than it is to get an extra five dollars into your pocket. Just keep the positive mindset. Focusing on what is not happening intends whatever you are intending not to happen. Remember that. Creative observation.

[Angela]

I opened 'Ask and it is given' at random to see what would come up in answer to your question. Here's what I got:

"If I know so much, how come I'm not successful?"

There is never a reason for you to be without something that you desire. Nor is there ever a reason for you to experience something that you do not desire -- for you hold absolute control of your experiences.

Sometimes our physical friends disagree with that powerful statement, for they often find themselves without something that they desire, or with something that they do not desire. And so, they argue that they must not really be the creator of their own experience, for they would not have done that to themselves; if they were really in control, things would be different.

We want you to know that you always hold the power and control of your own life experience. The only reason that you could ever experience something other than what you desire is because you are giving the majority of your attention to something other than what you desire.

Pretty good for a random page, huh?

[cdn2wheeler]

Originally Posted by MYselfconcept

What about times when you have the highest intentions, picture yourself doing something, feel it deep inside and yet it doesn't happen? What is the cause of this?

Lots and lots of reasons.

Some will say, "You didn't believe enough."

Others will say, "You're your own god, you created this disappointment for yourself."

Yet others will say, "The universe (or whatever) is telling you you're not ready for it yet."

And others with say, "You're creating your own subjective reality. Nothing exists other than you. You really didn't want it [whatever the "it" is] anyway."

But, to me, all of those are excuses and they ring pretty hollow.

I've been reading Simple-ology and while I'm not finished it yet, it's given me an insight which I really didn't expect.

In a nutshell, it essentially says that our friend Law of Attraction (LoA) is little more than a human construct and really has little to do with how the universe actually works. The author makes a very clear distinction between what is hard reality - that is, the chair I'm sitting on, the computer I'm typing with and the air around me - and the way we perceive this reality - whether I think the chair is hard or soft, the computer is fast or slow, the air is cold or warm.

In the author's world, LoA is purely internal and has little influence on the rest of the universe except when it drives us to action. That, apparently, is a key component that's often missed in discussions of this nature.

I'm not finished the book yet so there are probably more surprises in store.

{note - as I was typing this, I see that some others have made a couple of posts. I haven't really looked at them so I don't know what they said, but I'd bet a paycheck that they'll come close to one of the things I wrote at the beginning of this post...}

[Angela]

cdn, you've said what simple-ology says about the law of attraction, but what is simple-ology? Just being aware of the difference between physical reality and our experience of it? Tell more, please -- I've heard others refer to this book, but what is it?

But I don't think it's hocus pocus to see that what you focus on is what you get. If you're looking for things to be grateful for, for instance, chances are you're going to find them. And if you're looking for things to be pissed off about, chances are you will find that, too.

From personal experience, I know that I can deliberately think thoughts that feel good when I think them, and I am becoming more and more aware that when I'm not feeling good, it's because of the thoughts that I'm thinking.

Nuthin' whoo-whooo about that.

p.s. you're splelling looked fyne to me.

[{aspiring_to_clarity}]

Originally Posted by Angela

And if you're looking for things to be pissed off about, chances are you will find that, too.

*Raises hand*

I can attest to that!

And I have also noticed that when I am feeling really crappy, I can now think about whether I want to feel that way and usually I choose not to. It's eversomuch better than the way I used to do things...which was to be pissed all the time about everything. I am pretty sure the people I deal with on a daily basis would agree.

[cdn2wheeler]

Originally Posted by Angela

But I don't think it's hocus pocus to see that what you focus on is what you get. If you're looking for things to be grateful for, for instance, chances are you're going to find them. And if you're looking for things to be pissed off about, chances are you will find that, too.

Originally Posted by {aspiring_to_clarity}

*Raises hand*

I can attest to that!

And I have also noticed that when I am feeling really crappy, I can now think about whether I want to feel that way and usually I choose not to. It's eversomuch better than the way I used to do things...which was to be pissed all the time about everything. I am pretty sure the people I deal with on a daily basis would agree.

I understand where both of you are coming from, and this is exactly what simple-ology discusses in one of the chapters.

Allow me to use an analogy.

A woman I work with has just left on her maternity leave. She's due any day now, but before she left she kept saying, "Wow! Everywhere I look I see pregnant women!"

She's undoubtedly right, because of her current condition. It's top of mind with her (and top of belly... but that's another story).

But I somehow doubt that the actual number of pregnant women waddling around is higher than normal; it's just that she perceives that there are more of them because that's where her head is at.

So it's not objective reality that's changed, and it's not as if her subjective reality has somehow created all these pregnant women. It's just because that's what she's noticing right now.

And so it is with your examples. It's not that things are particularly different in the world around you, it's just that you notice certain things more.

Originally Posted by Angela

cdn, you've said what simple-ology says about the law of attraction, but what is simple-ology? Just being aware of the difference between physical reality and our experience of it? Tell more, please -- I've heard others refer to this book, but what is it?

I haven't finished it yet so I really can't give you any sort of meaningful synopsis. Gimme a couple of days for me to finish it and integrate some of the things in it.

Or, of course, you could probably find the book in your local library and come to your own conclusions.

[Lola]

Originally Posted by cdn2wheeler

Or, of course, you could probably find the book in your local library and come to your own conclusions.

See? There you go again making us do our own work.

I think I'll just wait for you to tell us all about it. My "to-read" stack is quite tall at the moment!

[MYselfconcept]

Originally Posted by Andrew Brunelle

Probably some deep-seated emotional blocks that you have not yet come to terms with. If you have a goal, you are the onlly one in the way of achieving it. It may have something to do with your emtional intelligence or even your mindset. It all depends what it is you want to happen. It is harder to fly just by willing it than it is to get an extra five dollars into your pocket. Just keep the positive mindset. Focusing on what is not happening intends whatever you are intending not to happen. Remember that. Creative observation.

Most people describe me as sensitive and kind-hearted so I don't think it's a problem with emotional intelligence. But I do have a tendency to be mundane and a deep thinker. Often times I find it harder to keep the focus on the thing that I want (warm feeling for myself), the attention becomes diverted to other things. I read that our emotions are a compass. To keep positive energy flowing we must think warm thoughts and we'll experience happiness. Conversely, if we're experiencing unhappiness it's tied to negative energy. But both are part of my reality.

Often cynicism will creep in ie why would it be that what I want (positive) will actually happen for me? It's almost as if expecting the bad thing to actually happen. And it does. I'm ware of it. And I'm practicing mental exercises to increase the pleasant feelings to get what I want. Forming mental images of the desired outcome. Still, worry/doubt/overanalysis creeps in and has a snowball effect. It is possible to reverse an outcome, though? Isn't it? Whatever is our focus will become manifest. It's sort of like the polarities mentioned in one of the articles, isn't it? Things you don't want are diametrically opposed to the things we do want. So according to polarity they cancel each other out. Or even if one does have more energy it is drastically reduced. In my case, though, it would seem that the negative outcome manifests itself because it has more energy than the postive. So, in other words, even if a negative thought comes in, if an pleasant feeling is overwhelming, it will manifest instead of the negative. That's what I prefer to believe.

Unlearning bad conditioning takes effort. When society says you can't do something on an unconscious level it does get into your brain. And it takes a lot of work to see that the negative is what others want and not what I want. This means, too, that there will negative energy from such people that will be directed at me (or anyone else who wants something that naysayers do not want them to have). But what they wish is not what I want so I must not please them but please myself. Objectively I know this, but it takes effort to take it to the subjective level making it reality for me.

And alertness also plays a significant role in generating positive energy. When we're sleepy/tired it's harder to focus. Still, I wish it were easier.

[BlueCrane]

Also look at your own words, MYselfconcept :

"But the world is not so friendly and loving and growing up there were a lot of people who did not associate with us because we didn't have a lot of money."

This seems to be a deep-seated belief you unconsciously act upon much of the time. This may just be an experience you chose to have and now you're learning from it. Are your positive intentions going in the direction of money?

[MYselfconcept]

Originally Posted by BlueCrane

Also look at your own words, MYselfconcept :

"But the world is not so friendly and loving and growing up there were a lot of people who did not associate with us because we didn't have a lot of money."

This seems to be a deep-seated belief you unconsciously act upon much of the time. This may just be an experience you chose to have and now you're learning from it. Are your positive intentions going in the direction of money?

No, it's about personal fulfillment.

[benji]

I'm no expert at intention-manifestation, but I feel oddly compelled to take a swing at your problem.

Originally Posted by MYselfconcept

Or at other times I wake up not feeling as enthusiastic about something. Of course I always get up to do my day. I never hide at home. j/k there. What I mean is, sometimes I can be thinking about something the night before but when I wake up the emotion will be different. Instead of feeling hopeful about the outcome some worry might have crept in unconsciously. How do people override this?

Hmm unless you're a Buddha, I don't think one can easily override the experience of worry. In fact, I think at certain levels of consciousness it's inevitable. Rather than erasing it completely, the task is mastering it. Mastering your worry. Mr. Brunelle was on point when he mentioned 'creative observation.'

link:
http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/200...e-observation/

The blog explains how our intentions are derailed by our present moment bias. Indeed, your intentions for what is to come are heart-felt and positive. But by focusing on what is to come you leave what you already have empty. In other words: you leave your present moment bias in neutral (or negative).

While I'm sure things make a lot more sense after you've read that blog. I'll continue for the sake of responding to both of your posts.

Originally Posted by MYselfconcept

Often cynicism will creep in ie why would it be that what I want (positive) will actually happen for me? It's almost as if expecting the bad thing to actually happen. And it does. I'm ware of it. And I'm practicing mental exercises to increase the pleasant feelings to get what I want. Forming mental images of the desired outcome. Still, worry/doubt/overanalysis creeps in and has a snowball effect. It is possible to reverse an outcome, though? Isn't it? Whatever is our focus will become manifest. It's sort of like the polarities mentioned in one of the articles, isn't it? Things you don't want are diametrically opposed to the things we do want. So according to polarity they cancel each other out. Or even if one does have more energy it is drastically reduced. In my case, though, it would seem that the negative outcome manifests itself because it has more energy than the postive. So, in other words, even if a negative thought comes in, if an pleasant feeling is overwhelming, it will manifest instead of the negative. That's what I prefer to believe.

I'd recommend taking some time to observe your thoughts more. Become the observer and evolve from identifying with the thinker. You mentioned that you experience a creeping up of cynicism, almost like you have no idea where it came from. As if these thoughts belonged to someone completely separate from yourself. You want to keep a healthy attitude, one free of worry and doubt, yet despite your wants you still experience a string of negativity. So where is this negativity coming from? Obviously, they're coming from "yourself." Now heres the kicker.. what exactly is "yourself?" Are you the observer? Or are you your thoughts? Humor this idea for a little. Experiment with it and see what you find. Personally, I believe that we have complete control over our thoughts. And it's only when you begin to identify with your thoughts that they become uncontrollable.

Hope I helped a little!

[Jennihul]

If the balance of your thoughts are happy, pleasant and joyful, the balance of your experiences will be.

If the balance of your thoughts are worried, scared, fearful and negative, or angry...your life will reflect that.

I believe the law of attraction CAN be used to attract specific things. With a level of mental and emotional focus that is difficult for mortal men and women to maintain. But I believe it's ultimate purpose is to attract specific conditions upon which you build your own experience. Not necessarily a Lamborghini.

Happy, joyous people get happy joyous experiences.

Depressed, angry people get generally negative experiences.

People who are both, like most of us, get a mixed bag of experiences.

Then when your condition cauldron bubbling, you create in that specific cauldron, your specific life.

So strive to create a cauldron of the best, happiest most joyous feelings you can. Then the experiences that follow will be congruent with that.

If you get down or feeling negative, just figure out ways to change that back around. When you realize how important it is, it's a lot easier to get back there.

Jennifer

[cdn2wheeler]

Originally Posted by Jennihul

I believe the law of attraction CAN be used to attract specific things. With a level of mental and emotional focus that is difficult for mortal men and women to maintain. But I believe it's ultimate purpose is to attract specific conditions upon which you build your own experience. Not necessarily a Lamborghini.

Why not a Lambo? Or a Bentley?

Seriously... it's just a difference in degree, not a difference in kind, between using LoA to attract, say, a crisp new $5 bill and a Lambo (though I'm partial to the new Lexus SC myself... but that's just me).

So why not?

[Uplift]

Originally Posted by Angela

I opened 'Ask and it is given' at random to see what would come up in answer to your question. Here's what I got:

"If I know so much, how come I'm not successful?"

Pretty good for a random page, huh?

Thats deluxe, classic. I love it. In that pure, unclouded instant of intention, the result is easy.

I think that in all of this LoA, or manifesting, creating, whatever you call it, or believe how it works, a lot of times for lots of people, the tangled web stuff over rides all else. A lot of peoples lifestyles are a constant bombardment of deadlines, bills, appointments, and conforming to societal values. If there was a way of unravelling a week's thoughts and beliefs, both conscious and subconscious, and laying them on a table to look at, it would be crystal clear why things are as they are. And if we could look at brain wave cycles, comparing time in each state, alpha etc, it would be even clearer.

It really stood out the first time I went to Bali, around 30 odd years ago. Before tourism really hit it. The Balinese woke up, and made their offerings and prayers, wandered around chatting and laughing, playing with their kids, whole communities interacting, no rush, no deadlines. They just couldn't understand it. The first tourists would be in a frenzy, trying to get here and there, worrying about everything, planning this and that, minds whirring all over the place desperately trying to get everything crammed in. And, before long, many Balinese were in the same boat.

When I lived in Elliston, after about a dozen years or so, I went back to Adelaide, which is often described as a sleepy, garden city, for a visit. I had become really accustomed to life in a tiny, remote country town, and the first thing that struck me, that I never really noticed before, was concrete and bitumen everywhere. How stale the air was. I would arrange to catch up with friends, and meet them for lunch, and be struck by the way everyone was wolfing down food on the run, rushing to pay bills, buy this, take care of that, gotta fly...hectic, heads whirring.

Luv yu kids, luv yu honey...****...is that the time...I gotta fly...where's those bills...where's my clean pants, where's my gym gear, what time tonite...no can't, got a meeting...****, the car needs a service and the dishwasher guy is coming after lunch...where's those papers...look, Paris farted...oh yeh, breathe, relax, I am powerfull and strong and I'm a millionai... ####!!!!! the dog chewed my briefcase!!! Tell those kids to...

[MYselfconcept]

Originally Posted by Jennihul

If the balance of your thoughts are happy, pleasant and joyful, the balance of your experiences will be.

If the balance of your thoughts are worried, scared, fearful and negative, or angry...your life will reflect that.

I believe the law of attraction CAN be used to attract specific things. With a level of mental and emotional focus that is difficult for mortal men and women to maintain. But I believe it's ultimate purpose is to attract specific conditions upon which you build your own experience. Not necessarily a Lamborghini.

Happy, joyous people get happy joyous experiences.

Depressed, angry people get generally negative experiences.

People who are both, like most of us, get a mixed bag of experiences.

Then when your condition cauldron bubbling, you create in that specific cauldron, your specific life.

So strive to create a cauldron of the best, happiest most joyous feelings you can. Then the experiences that follow will be congruent with that.

If you get down or feeling negative, just figure out ways to change that back around. When you realize how important it is, it's a lot easier to get back there.

Jennifer

Good advice and I believe this, too. But what about psychic attacks? I'll give you a mini example. I'm relatively outgoing and I like making friends with people. As I mentioned in my intial post I was taught to respect all people and that means to see everyone as equal to myself. So as I said I like to make friends, I'm educated and in shape, and considered very attractive. Yet the town I live in is not so incredibly large and there are social hangouts that are frequented by a lot of people.

I have had this experience happen to me on many occassions. I will be talking to someone and then later they will feel embarrassed or something (and it's not because of the things I say or the way I behave). The thing is that in that same place is an individual who glares at me often, and I heard very recently was telling people misinformation about me. When I come into a room, that person glares, will rush up and say something or whisper to other people about me. It is not my imagination. Moreover I am not able to relocate at the moment but I do spend my time in other places in town But the town is not large so there are a limited number of places to associate. Also, you want to meet people who share your interests, and you should attract the same. And intially it works, but that individual I mentioned has influenced other people and now even when I walk into that social setting or another one, (and these are not bars), people who don't know me will talk to me. But later they will not.

I think positive thoughts but I have felt at times sudden fatigue. And I workout regularly-I'm an athlete-so this is not a health issue. I've also felt uneasiness at certian times when I wake up. Often times I'm cheerful but at other times I feel some uneasiness. And it's the same uneasiness that I sense when that peson is around. She's much older than I am and has a son who happens to go to the same social hangout. To tell you the truth it's a place for young people to hang out, meet, etc. It's not a bar and it is in a campus town.

I have read that people can be subject to psychic attacks. The sad thing about it is that even when you are minding your own business and talk to other people-even those who resent you- the darkness from those keeps coming. And what I heard last week from a woman who I was talking to who said that she had spoken to that older woman is disturbing. For a long time I had suspected that she was telling people negative things about me. And in casual conversation-initiated by a semi stranger-revealed something. The older woman has been telling people negative things about me. She says that I'm immoral and only want certain things. That is not true. The thing is that I live my life to treat others the way I wish to be treated so why would she say it? And why do people want to believe a lie over the truth?

In sociology (or life experience) people tend to believe a lie over the truth. It's not right. I've wondered why that older woman has been doing these things, why does she, her husband and even the director of the place have ill will towards me. And here's where much of the resentment comes from: I can easily approach people and start up a conversation with them. I'm able to talk to and hold attention from several people at one time. Often times women will be quite relaxed around me and very happy. One day, that woman's son was exiting a coffee shop with a woman who hangs out at the social club. The woman used to talk to me and a friend of mine. The older woman to tell you the truth-wants to marry her son off. So she got together with the director of that center and attempted to match the woman and her son up-EVEN though the woman (a 20 something student) had already shown no interest at all.

So they told her to tutor the older woman's son, and she did so. But one day she was exiting a coffee shop and I just happened to be there waiting for a friend. She ran to where I was and immediately started talking to me. Then the guy comes out and glares at us and walks on. The woman didn't mention him. I then asked how she had been. She said she had been tutoring the guy. I asked how it was going but she didn't want to talk about it.

Later, though, when I would go to the student club, his mother would pull people aside and glare at me. Then people who I would talk to would suddenly stop. She would come up to the table and ask if they wanted anyything to eat, etc. She's been doing that for a long time. And she will also come up interrupting conversations to ask people if they had gotten her email. It might sound comical but it's not. She and the director share email information about the people who stop in there. And that is how they got that woman's email to begin with (b/c only the director had it).

Then a while later the woman and I were playing pool. Actually I was playing with some guys and she was watching and cheering me on. Later she asked me to teach her how to play. Then that older woman's son cam in and tried to get her to leave with him. She refused. So he stood sulking. Later he told her she need to go somewhere to see something he had wanted her to see. She apologized to me and left. Then the next week she came in and we started to play pool and the guy walked in and told her he wanted to talk to her, asked her to take his picture. She said that she was playing pool and looked nervously at me. I smiled to him but he rushed to his mother and they were glaring. I could feel it. And the woman stumbled.

But later she began to avoid me and now only talks to the guy and his mother. The guy's mother will buy thee woman things to get her to talk to her son. There have been other instances like that. Later I was playing with some friends and the director was talking to the father of that guy and then they said no one could use the game room.

What's sad is that the club's mission statement is that it is a place that promotes friendships between different people and the majority of the people who go there are college students, or people associated with it. But what the mission statement is and what they practice are two different things. People tend to talk to me more readily than they do the others in there (and the director is young, too, in his mid 30s) and they don't like it. Especially when women talk to me.

I have a right to go there, though because I do have some friends who go there. Some who say they will only show up because I'm there. So I go because I like making friends. But the town is small and the campus is large but a lot of the people... well you know about 6 degrees of separation. And they are telling people negative things about me.

Even though I keep positive, it does hurt. And negative images do come into my own head, I begin to think about why they are doing this to me. Why do they resent me? Even when I greet them, ask how they're doing they glare at me. Or will openly attempt to get people to stop talking to me. So that is spreading around to people who go there. And as I said, I feel that hatred. I'm tired of it because life is not meant to be this way.

It's fine to live my own life but when people are blatantly trying to sabotage my life that is wrong. And what they say is defaming. I can tell that they're not happy yet they look to me as a scapegoat. I did take some time off from there but I do have friends who stop by that place on occassion-people I met there- who only come back because of me.

So what can be done to fend off their psychic attacks? I'm human. So when I'm sad, I will have sad energy and that attacts more of the same. That darkness from those people is spreading, too. "Bless those who curse you" is not that simple, their hatred flares up all the more.

Surely there are some on this board who know what I'm talking about. I'm a man who works hard to be where I am, to have gotten into this school, to be a positive person, I've worked hard to be in good physical shape. Yet they resent it at that place and-to truth-that place has influence over a lot of the young people in town because people talk to people, talk to people, ...

I treat people as I wish to be treated. And I look forward to things being well but when I greet their resentment with friendly smiles or goodwill I receive more resentment, hatred and dark energy. What do you suggest? And I will not leave that place because I do have a right to be there. And I have hope that not all people who go there will be influenced by the ill will and resentment of that guy's family and the director. It's that faith that also motivates me to go back, because not all people can be evil or be taken in by it.

[MYselfconcept]

Originally Posted by benji

I'm no expert at intention-manifestation, but I feel oddly compelled to take a swing at your problem.



Hmm unless you're a Buddha, I don't think one can easily override the experience of worry. In fact, I think at certain levels of consciousness it's inevitable. Rather than erasing it completely, the task is mastering it. Mastering your worry. Mr. Brunelle was on point when he mentioned 'creative observation.'

link:
http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/200...e-observation/

The blog explains how our intentions are derailed by our present moment bias. Indeed, your intentions for what is to come are heart-felt and positive. But by focusing on what is to come you leave what you already have empty. In other words: you leave your present moment bias in neutral (or negative).

While I'm sure things make a lot more sense after you've read that blog. I'll continue for the sake of responding to both of your posts.



I'd recommend taking some time to observe your thoughts more. Become the observer and evolve from identifying with the thinker. You mentioned that you experience a creeping up of cynicism, almost like you have no idea where it came from. As if these thoughts belonged to someone completely separate from yourself. You want to keep a healthy attitude, one free of worry and doubt, yet despite your wants you still experience a string of negativity. So where is this negativity coming from? Obviously, they're coming from "yourself." Now heres the kicker.. what exactly is "yourself?" Are you the observer? Or are you your thoughts? Humor this idea for a little. Experiment with it and see what you find. Personally, I believe that we have complete control over our thoughts. And it's only when you begin to identify with your thoughts that they become uncontrollable.

Hope I helped a little!

Thanks, benji. I wrote my post before reading your suggestions. I am self reflective. You bring up some important philosophical points. I know that my own thoughts playa role in what happens to me. Strong will is important. To learn more about what I'm talking about (which relates to my intial post) you might want to read what I asked about negative influences from other people.

Thanks to all who are offering advice on this thread.