LoA: Can it work for the skeptical?

[MediocreDeity]

Hello there everyone!

I'm new to both these forums and Steve's blog in general. I stumbled upon it a few days ago and have found myself mesmerized. I can't seem open new tabs fast enough...

Anyway, rather than write up a general introduction post, I thought I'd just jump right in with a question!

My question is about something I've been wondering since I started reading about the Law of Attraction.

I read in one of Steve's articles about people who try out the Law of Attraction, and then when it fails for them, use that as proof that it doesn't work. Steve was saying that, well, it isn't going to work unless you believe that it will, and that those people were more or less just waiting for it to fail from the start.

I have a bit of a problem. I am a very skeptical person by nature. I have wished many, many times in my life that I wasn't, but I am. (Oh how much easier my childhood would have been..) I would LOVE for the Law of Attraction to be real, and for it to work, and for me to apply it to my own life.

However, how can I make myself start believing in something when every part of me is screaming that it can't be possible? If I must believe it for it to work, but it must work in order for me to believe, I am in a bit of bad spot.

I am not asking for any sort of proof from anyone with this post, that's not my goal here.. What I'm wondering is, if I really and truly want it to work, but I can't seem to kick the skepticism, what can I do?

With anything else, I'd simply run a trial and see whether it worked for me or not. But if that method is more or less sabotage for the Law of Attraction, I'm not sure where to go from here.

For the record, I don't intend to sit around thinking that it won't work every step of the way. I'd really like to give it an honest effort. However, reading that it won't work if I'm secretly harboring doubt has me wondering how it's possible for me to make it work. I can't just magically eliminate my doubt, can I? It also seems to make a fair evaluation of this impossible.

I'm hoping maybe someone here has gone through something similar and might have some advice. If not, maybe someone who HAS gotten this law to work for them might just throw a few positive thoughts my way.

Either way, can't hurt.



Michele

[OlderWiser]

The concept behind this is that your experience of reality is subjective, and your thoughts and beliefs and ideas and concepts and so on shape your reality.

The other concept is that you are generating your own reality ALWAYS, whether or not you believe you are, so you may as well do it consciously as opposed to unconsciously.

I think the biggest hurdle to get past is the idea that reality is objective, and that some outside force is actually what's running your life. Fate, luck, some random god or gods, coincidence, however people justify it, the vast majority of people in the world believe that the world just sort of happens and they just react to it. Once you get past that hurdle, a great deal changes in your reality.

I have a long list of things I can directly attribute to my own beliefs, perceptions, etc., things that I manifested into my life because of these beliefs. I didn't know diddly squat about the idea of reality creation, and I would have laughed at anyone who told me I could create my own reality, and I would have been very angry with anyone who tried to tell me I was responsible for my own reality, and yet, I was still manifesting my life, even if I did it without knowing it.

The best first step is to just put aside the skepticism for a while. You can pick it up later if you want to. It's not like it's going anywhere if you don't use it. Just put it aside and ask the Universe to show you just exactly how subjective things are, and to show you in ways that you'll understand and appreciate, and then wait and see what happens. You may be in for a big surprise...

[icutoffheads]

Originally Posted by MediocreDeity

Hello there everyone!

I'm new to both these forums and Steve's blog in general. I stumbled upon it a few days ago and have found myself mesmerized. I can't seem open new tabs fast enough...

Anyway, rather than write up a general introduction post, I thought I'd just jump right in with a question!

My question is about something I've been wondering since I started reading about the Law of Attraction.

I read in one of Steve's articles about people who try out the Law of Attraction, and then when it fails for them, use that as proof that it doesn't work. Steve was saying that, well, it isn't going to work unless you believe that it will, and that those people were more or less just waiting for it to fail from the start.

I have a bit of a problem. I am a very skeptical person by nature. I have wished many, many times in my life that I wasn't, but I am. (Oh how much easier my childhood would have been..) I would LOVE for the Law of Attraction to be real, and for it to work, and for me to apply it to my own life.

However, how can I make myself start believing in something when every part of me is screaming that it can't be possible? If I must believe it for it to work, but it must work in order for me to believe, I am in a bit of bad spot.

I am not asking for any sort of proof from anyone with this post, that's not my goal here.. What I'm wondering is, if I really and truly want it to work, but I can't seem to kick the skepticism, what can I do?

With anything else, I'd simply run a trial and see whether it worked for me or not. But if that method is more or less sabotage for the Law of Attraction, I'm not sure where to go from here.

For the record, I don't intend to sit around thinking that it won't work every step of the way. I'd really like to give it an honest effort. However, reading that it won't work if I'm secretly harboring doubt has me wondering how it's possible for me to make it work. I can't just magically eliminate my doubt, can I? It also seems to make a fair evaluation of this impossible.

I'm hoping maybe someone here has gone through something similar and might have some advice. If not, maybe someone who HAS gotten this law to work for them might just throw a few positive thoughts my way.

Either way, can't hurt.



Michele

It works nonstop for everybody. Creating your own reality is something you are doing right this second and have been doing your entire life, just completely unaware of it. You experience the state of your consciousness as a physical reality. So if you are skeptical you will experience that. The more aware of how your reality mirrors "you" back to "you" the easier it becomes to choose which state of being you want to feel and experience.

This is why some people are always sad. Some people are always pissed off. Some people just have the world out to get them, and some people just have it really easy. Some people have it really really hard.

Oh how I just wish I could shake everybody awake. All I can do is work on me.

Well, I live in California and there are a lot of conscious minds out here. Lots of people talking about this, and waking up. It's exciting.

oh and....1111. have fun with that following you around everywhere, but just know that its trying to tell you basically what i said above. but it's easier because it's a number, and it'll pop up everywhere so you experience first hand what it's like to create your reality, even on a very low meaningless level such as numbers. hah even the skeptics come in here saying how 1111 follows them around everything but of course they dismiss it. I mean why even attempt to have an open mind right?

[MediocreDeity]

Originally Posted by OlderWiser

The best first step is to just put aside the skepticism for a while. You can pick it up later if you want to. It's not like it's going anywhere if you don't use it. Just put it aside and ask the Universe to show you just exactly how subjective things are, and to show you in ways that you'll understand and appreciate, and then wait and see what happens. You may be in for a big surprise...

I will certainly put forth every effort to put the skepticism aside. If I didn't have at least some desire, I wouldn't be here! I guess what I'm mainly asking is.. if I give this an honest shot and really try as hard as I can to push the skeptic aside.. is that enough? Reading some of the things Steve was saying sort of made me worry more than I had before. "What if I'm doubting in the back of my mind and sabotaging myself?" Of course, worrying like that, if I am understanding this process correctly, is further self-defeating..:P

I will certainly try your suggestion though, and ask the Universe to show me in ways I can understand. Maybe I'll be reporting some of them here some day.

[MediocreDeity]

Originally Posted by icutoffheads

oh and....1111. have fun with that following you around everywhere, but just know that its trying to tell you basically what i said above. but it's easier because it's a number, and it'll pop up everywhere so you experience first hand what it's like to create your reality, even on a very low meaningless level such as numbers. hah even the skeptics come in here saying how 1111 follows them around everything but of course they dismiss it. I mean why even attempt to have an open mind right?

I think that I am having an open mind. I am trying to put aside my skepticism, and even asking for help doing just that. My post isn't meant to be a skeptical "prove this to me" type of post. But more of a "how can I overcome my skepticism to give this a real chance" type of post. I'm genuinely asking for help on learning how to make this work for me. I'm trying to understand just how much doubt can harm the process, and what I can do to solve that problem. The 1111.. I will let you know if I see it. I'd like to see it.

[shasah]

I had the same problem and decided to approach it from a different angle. I set aside the spiritual and universal side of it and started on the subconscious side of it. Once things start working for you due to "communication" with your subconscious, it is much easier to see the other aspects with an open mind. I'm still on my journey and enjoying the ride. Good luck!

[Acting Like Godot]

Actually your posts show that you've misunderstood several fundamental aspects of the LOA. Still that is not really surprising. It takes some time before you can figure it out.

Your skepticism does not block you from creating with your mind.

It only blocks you from consciously creating with your mind, in the ways that you are skeptical about.

[MediocreDeity]

Originally Posted by Acting Like Godot

Actually your posts show that you've misunderstood several fundamental aspects of the LOA. Still that is not really surprising. It takes some time before you can figure it out.

Your skepticism does not block you from creating with your mind.

It only blocks you from consciously creating with your mind, in the ways that you are skeptical about.

Thanks! I think I'm starting to get that from reading people's replies. I think that my original question is still valid though. If I change it to include this information, my question is still.. how do I break this circle? If my skepticism blocks me from creating consciously in the ways that I am skeptical about, then how do I stop myself from doing this?

[MacFly]

I think I'm the best person to answer this, because I was a skeptic for years.

You have to understand that your own mindset is a critical element in the process. So, "trying out" LoA won't work, "let's give it a chance to this bs" won't work, because it proves that you don't believe in it.

Why it matters?

Nothing can happen in your reality without you believing it is possible. It's created by you (as creator), but for you (as ego) it's SCARY to be the creator of all, so your ego isn't aligned with you as the creator.

You want all the good things, but don't want to be responsible for things like death of your family member, suffering, bad luck, problems, illnesses.

So, if you try LoA, you'll get exactly as much as you believe in it.

Anyway, you don't have to believe in LoA, believe in your goals.

Whatever happens, it'll prove you. You'll be right. This is LoA, reality proves you.

[OlderWiser]

Originally Posted by MediocreDeity

But more of a "how can I overcome my skepticism to give this a real chance" type of post. I'm genuinely asking for help on learning how to make this work for me.

It's mostly a matter of changing the way you think. When you catch yourself thinking negative stuff, you redirect your thoughts into something else. When you find yourself caught up in a belief that may not be serving you well, you acknowledge it and then express your intention to release it. It's just a process of doing it bit by bit, I find.

For what it's worth, I used to be the most cynical, skeptical, free-of-hope person you could meet. I was extremely negative (and my life reflected that, too!). It's certainly possible to get around that. Just being open and wanting to expand your ways of viewing the world is a good start.

[MediocreDeity]

Originally Posted by MacFly

Whatever happens, it'll prove you. You'll be right.

Yes.. This is exactly what I am worried about. I don't want to go into it with a "let's try this BS" sort of attitude. I actually don't think I have that severe of an attitude at the moment. I don't disbelieve it any more than I believe it. I have a difficult time believing or disbelieving anything in a concrete way.

If you were in my place, as a skeptic, but you were able to overcome this.. Can you give some tips? I understand how it will hurt me, but what no one seems to be able to answer is how to actually overcome it so that it won't hurt me. That's really the aim of this post.

I'm looking for ways to change what isn't working for me, not so much more information about why it isn't working. I recognize that it isn't working. That's why I'm here!

So, how did you get past it? Thanks!

[MacFly]

Originally Posted by MediocreDeity

If you were in my place, as a skeptic, but you were able to overcome this.. Can you give some tips?

I can give you some tips, but it needs your cooperation. You have to allow me to do it.

Stop your mind. Any thought that is in your mind. Stop them. Disconnect from your thoughts, and realize you're not the always talking entity in your head. Realize that you're the watcher consciousness. From there, you can believe in whatever you want.

But, on the top of your old beliefs, you can't get it to work. You'll manifest the collision of your old beliefs and LoA.

[MediocreDeity]

Originally Posted by OlderWiser

It's mostly a matter of changing the way you think. When you catch yourself thinking negative stuff, you redirect your thoughts into something else. When you find yourself caught up in a belief that may not be serving you well, you acknowledge it and then express your intention to release it. It's just a process of doing it bit by bit, I find.

For what it's worth, I used to be the most cynical, skeptical, free-of-hope person you could meet. I was extremely negative (and my life reflected that, too!). It's certainly possible to get around that. Just being open and wanting to expand your ways of viewing the world is a good start.

Ah thank you! I've found both of your replies helpful. That makes sense. I will try to be as mindful as possible of when I am having thoughts/doubts that are counter-productive so that I can release them.

I think some of my frustration with this is that the problem I am trying to solve is both creating the problem I am trying to solve and stopping me from solving it... But what you suggested is a lot more manageable, and a lot easier for a newbie to wrap her mind around.

[MacFly]

Originally Posted by MediocreDeity

Ah thank you! I've found both of your replies helpful. That makes sense. I will try to be as mindful as possible of when I am having thoughts/doubts that are counter-productive so that I can release them.

I think some of my frustration with this is that the problem I am trying to solve is both creating the problem I am trying to solve and stopping me from solving it... But what you suggested is a lot more manageable, and a lot easier for a newbie to wrap her mind around.

wish you the best

remember what Einstein said

“You cannot solve a problem from the same consciousness that created it. You must learn to see the world anew.”

it's LoA in other words.

We think that our way of perception of reality is the ONLY and ONLY way. The truth is, it's just one of the billion ways.

[MediocreDeity]

Originally Posted by MacFly

I can give you some tips, but it needs your cooperation. You have to allow me to do it.

Absolutely. I am serious when I say I am going into this as open-minded as I possibly can. I am willing to try just about anything, as long as it doesn't hurt anyone of course.

Originally Posted by MacFly

“You cannot solve a problem from the same consciousness that created it. You must learn to see the world anew.”

it's LoA in other words.

We think that our way of perception of reality is the ONLY and ONLY way. The truth is, it's just one of the billion ways.

Thank you. Yes, that is exactly why I am here. I don't want to continue on with things the way I am if there is a better way. I am constantly questioning my perception of reality. My skeptical mind doesn't stop at my own perception. I have no attachment to my current way of life.

I appreciate your help.

[nicbrahms]

If I was in your shoes, and I think everyone has been once they started with all this, I would do the physics and quantum physics behind it first. This helped me greatly as my sceptical mind was satisfied that this law was based in fact. I would then go from there. (Insofar as fact exists as a creation of mind).

Hope this helps, you tube have great vids about reality creation and truth about reality, and the holographic universe, look up the double slit experiement, heisenberg principle, schumann resonance these were great starting points for me. Also have a read of a vibrational universe, a thought universe, Napolean Hill wrote a great book. Also The science of getting rich.

All the above can be found on the internet.

[Acting Like Godot]

Originally Posted by MediocreDeity

If you were in my place, as a skeptic, but you were able to overcome this.. Can you give some tips?

Sure. What you need to find is your "permission slip". A term which you may not be familiar at this time, but might hear more about it eventually.

Now here are some potential permission slips. Which of the following do have you had some experience in, and/or believe could or does work?

- Prayer. Are you religious? Any religion will do.

- Hypnosis. Do you know anything about it?

- Meditation. Have you tried it?

- NLP. Taken a course in it, perhaps?

- Conventional goal setting. Do you know the principles?

- Occult / magick. Have you dabbled yet?

- Science. Are you scientific? For example, do any of these terms make sense to you - (Many Worlds Interpretation / "consciousness causes collapse" / nocebo effect / Bohm's implicate order / Robert Jahn / Heisenberg's uncertainty principle).

- Psychology. Carl Jung's synchronicity; Maslow's peak experience; Rosenthal's effect; Freud's superconscious. Any of these make sense to you?

[MacFly]

ALG gave you a great advice.

What he talks about is, basically a trick, and with it, you can manifest whatever you want without basically changing your old view of reality.

If you're a scientific type of guy, use some scientific, mathematic explanation about your goal, and realize that it is possible scientifically.

If you're religious, you can believe that God will give it to you.

If you believe in meditation, you can get what you want by meditating.

All the methods do one thing, give you the "permission" to manifest what you want.

[wolfgang]

Being skeptical can be a good thing too. That may ensure that you figure out how to convince yourself by looking at all the angles and getting all the information such that you won't fail when you go about conscious intentions.

I would say proceed and don't worry that you are calling yourself a skeptic or have doubt. Those things are only blocks when you want them to be. It's your work to understand yourself in this regard. What is the benefit for you to insist you are a skeptic and that that will cause LoA to not work? Question the belief and find out if the benefit really is something you want. It is a block, just like any block. Blocks just mean your overall system has rigged something that was decided to be of benefit for you at some time but may not be a benefit now. And it's only a block when perceived as one - when the benefit of the belief doesn't match what or how you think you want it to be.

Some where I got the idea that with complete acceptance and surrender there are no blocks and manifestation is always meeting what you want anyway. Because with acceptance and surrender you would not be comparing what is to what you think you want - which is where blocks show up, in the mismatch of what is and what you think should be.

If you are skeptical, shift it to curiosity. If you think being skeptical is getting in your way some how.

You may just be having curiosity and the doubt is just not knowing enough about it to see the law of attraction. You don't really have to do anything to see the law of attraction operating in your life other than realize your life is made up of what you are. What is in your life you put there and is you.

[dazzle]

However, how can I make myself start believing in something when every part of me is screaming that it can't be possible? If I must believe it for it to work, but it must work in order for me to believe, I am in a bit of bad spot.

Beliefs are so overrated. You don't need to believe in the LoA to make it work for you but you also cannot hold the belief that it's impossible. An open mind is required and since you are already in that place open your mind up a little more.

I would consider if you want evidence that you think of your history, past events or situations you were in - even current situations. You could start with things like your financial situation - were you ever broke? If so what were your dominant thoughts about money? What are your relationships like with other people and what kind of thoughts do you have about them? Then try to see how the LoA fits in with those situations.

[gigij]

I always advise people to work backwards from a significant event in their lives. Or some sort of 'co-incidence' that they may notice has happened. Examine their thoughts and beliefs previous to the event and see the correlation.

For example I was out walking at my cottage, fondly remembering about the many times I had done the same thing with my dog, who had recently died. No particular intention though. When I got back to the cottage there was a text on my phone from a friend who had found a stray puppy that needed a home. Now I have a dog to walk with again. Once you know the LOA and start seeing how it is working in your life already, the little things that happen every day, then you can shift around and start using it consciously.

Just start paying more attention to your thoughts and the 'co-incidences' in your life and that can strengthen your belief.

[EireChick]

Originally Posted by wolfgang

Blocks just mean your overall system has rigged something that was decided to be of benefit for you at some time but may not be a benefit now. And it's only a block when perceived as one - when the benefit of the belief doesn't match what or how you think you want it to be.

Great definition, Wolfgang. Love it!

[Angela]

How about just leaning into it? If you choose to, you can just go ahead and pretend you have no doubt for some short amount of time that your unconscious mind thinks is ok. Simply act as if you believe, and see how it goes.

I was a fairly disdainful skeptic at one time, and for me one day was what I was willing to give it. No stinkin' 30 day trials for me; 24 hours was my maximum. So I gave it a 1 day trial -- just laid aside my skepticism for 1 day. And got very good results! Those good results upward spiralled me into an entirely new life.

Maybe you'd like to give it a go. Ask your unconscious mind: how much of a trial am I willing to give it -- how long would it be okay for me to have total faith (or to pretend that I do -- the results are the same either way) and to fully experience what it's like to live at total cause in my life? Then just commit, and keep your word to yourself. If doubt arises, simply acknowledge it, thank it, let it know it can come back in full force at the end of your designated period, and then just let it go.

If I were you, I'd start by putting aside your identity label "skeptic." Put aside, temporarily, the thought that "I am a skeptical person by nature," and take on, just for whatever short period is okay, "I am unlimited possibility and unlimited choice, and I am safe and supported." (or whatever works for you.)

Start a new thread in which you declare yourself to be totally at cause in your life, open to infinity. See what happens. If you don't like the results, you can always have your doubts back!

[MediocreDeity]

Originally Posted by nicbrahms

If I was in your shoes, and I think everyone has been once they started with all this, I would do the physics and quantum physics behind it first. This helped me greatly as my sceptical mind was satisfied that this law was based in fact. I would then go from there. (Insofar as fact exists as a creation of mind).

Hope this helps, you tube have great vids about reality creation and truth about reality, and the holographic universe, look up the double slit experiement, heisenberg principle, schumann resonance these were great starting points for me. Also have a read of a vibrational universe, a thought universe, Napolean Hill wrote a great book. Also The science of getting rich.

All the above can be found on the internet.

Thank you for the suggestions! I will certainly check those out!

Originally Posted by Acting Like Godot

Sure. What you need to find is your "permission slip". A term which you may not be familiar at this time, but might hear more about it eventually.

Now here are some potential permission slips. Which of the following do have you had some experience in, and/or believe could or does work?

- Prayer. Are you religious? Any religion will do.

- Hypnosis. Do you know anything about it?

- Meditation. Have you tried it?

- NLP. Taken a course in it, perhaps?

- Conventional goal setting. Do you know the principles?

- Occult / magick. Have you dabbled yet?

- Science. Are you scientific? For example, do any of these terms make sense to you - (Many Worlds Interpretation / "consciousness causes collapse" / nocebo effect / Bohm's implicate order / Robert Jahn / Heisenberg's uncertainty principle).

- Psychology. Carl Jung's synchronicity; Maslow's peak experience; Rosenthal's effect; Freud's superconscious. Any of these make sense to you?

Thanks for this post. I think I see where you're going with this, and it sounds like a fantastic idea. I'll answer your specific questions below. Perhaps you can help me tie some of these things together?


- Prayer/religion - I am agnostic, but I really love a lot of the things Buddhism has to say. I'm as far from an expert as possible, but I've read some basic books and think that's probably where I'd head if I was going to pick a religion.

- Hypnosis - I don't know very much about it, though I do think there is something to it. I haven't tried it personally, but I have seen/read enough to make me think it's definitely possible, at least to some extent.

- Meditation - I do this daily and I love it.

- NLP - I have not taken a course, but I have read some books. Definitely a lot of helpful ideas.

- Conventional goal setting - I'm not sure. (Which probably means no.)

- Occult/Magick - Dabbled in highschool a bit out of curiousity, but it's not really my thing

- Science - I know some of those terms but not all of them. Will Google the rest once I get home from work. But yes, science is definitely a good bet as far as something my mind will be at ease with.

- Psychology - I take a lot of this with a grain of salt, but I would say that I believe it is helpful for the most part.

Originally Posted by MacFly

ALG gave you a great advice.

What he talks about is, basically a trick, and with it, you can manifest whatever you want without basically changing your old view of reality.

If you're a scientific type of guy, use some scientific, mathematic explanation about your goal, and realize that it is possible scientifically.

If you're religious, you can believe that God will give it to you.

If you believe in meditation, you can get what you want by meditating.

All the methods do one thing, give you the "permission" to manifest what you want.

Thanks MacFly! Yes, I agree, that is fantastic advice. I am feeling pretty excited about this.

Originally Posted by wolfgang

Being skeptical can be a good thing too. That may ensure that you figure out how to convince yourself by looking at all the angles and getting all the information such that you won't fail when you go about conscious intentions.

I would say proceed and don't worry that you are calling yourself a skeptic or have doubt. Those things are only blocks when you want them to be. It's your work to understand yourself in this regard. What is the benefit for you to insist you are a skeptic and that that will cause LoA to not work? Question the belief and find out if the benefit really is something you want. It is a block, just like any block. Blocks just mean your overall system has rigged something that was decided to be of benefit for you at some time but may not be a benefit now. And it's only a block when perceived as one - when the benefit of the belief doesn't match what or how you think you want it to be.

Some where I got the idea that with complete acceptance and surrender there are no blocks and manifestation is always meeting what you want anyway. Because with acceptance and surrender you would not be comparing what is to what you think you want - which is where blocks show up, in the mismatch of what is and what you think should be.

If you are skeptical, shift it to curiosity. If you think being skeptical is getting in your way some how.

You may just be having curiosity and the doubt is just not knowing enough about it to see the law of attraction. You don't really have to do anything to see the law of attraction operating in your life other than realize your life is made up of what you are. What is in your life you put there and is you.

This is true. I certainly don't WANT it to get in the way. I appreciate your thoughts on this. I am definitely curious about most everything, even things I outright find absurd, but I don't think the LoA sounds absurd. I'm really glad I posted this because everyone's replies are really giving me a totally different view on this.

[MediocreDeity]

Originally Posted by dazzle

Beliefs are so overrated. You don't need to believe in the LoA to make it work for you but you also cannot hold the belief that it's impossible. An open mind is required and since you are already in that place open your mind up a little more.

I would consider if you want evidence that you think of your history, past events or situations you were in - even current situations. You could start with things like your financial situation - were you ever broke? If so what were your dominant thoughts about money? What are your relationships like with other people and what kind of thoughts do you have about them? Then try to see how the LoA fits in with those situations.

There are some things that I can refer back to in my past and even my present that can be interpreted as evidence. These things are actually a large part of what made me curious about this in the first place. (That some of it seems familiar/fitting already.) I think concentrating on those things is a good idea. One thing that I've been thinking is that even if the entire thing WAS totally wrong, people are still somehow getting positive results from it. It almost doesn't even matter as long as it's working.. What I'm currently doing ISN'T working, so no matter what, it's already a step up. So, in a worst case scenario, it's still coming out "worth it" to try.

Originally Posted by gigij

I always advise people to work backwards from a significant event in their lives. Or some sort of 'co-incidence' that they may notice has happened. Examine their thoughts and beliefs previous to the event and see the correlation.

For example I was out walking at my cottage, fondly remembering about the many times I had done the same thing with my dog, who had recently died. No particular intention though. When I got back to the cottage there was a text on my phone from a friend who had found a stray puppy that needed a home. Now I have a dog to walk with again. Once you know the LOA and start seeing how it is working in your life already, the little things that happen every day, then you can shift around and start using it consciously.

Just start paying more attention to your thoughts and the 'co-incidences' in your life and that can strengthen your belief.

Thanks! I do know what you mean. Those sort of things happen all the time and I will certainly try to pay more attention to them.

Originally Posted by Angela

How about just leaning into it? If you choose to, you can just go ahead and pretend you have no doubt for some short amount of time that your unconscious mind thinks is ok. Simply act as if you believe, and see how it goes.

I was a fairly disdainful skeptic at one time, and for me one day was what I was willing to give it. No stinkin' 30 day trials for me; 24 hours was my maximum. So I gave it a 1 day trial -- just laid aside my skepticism for 1 day. And got very good results! Those good results upward spiralled me into an entirely new life.

Maybe you'd like to give it a go. Ask your unconscious mind: how much of a trial am I willing to give it -- how long would it be okay for me to have total faith (or to pretend that I do -- the results are the same either way) and to fully experience what it's like to live at total cause in my life? Then just commit, and keep your word to yourself. If doubt arises, simply acknowledge it, thank it, let it know it can come back in full force at the end of your designated period, and then just let it go.

If I were you, I'd start by putting aside your identity label "skeptic." Put aside, temporarily, the thought that "I am a skeptical person by nature," and take on, just for whatever short period is okay, "I am unlimited possibility and unlimited choice, and I am safe and supported." (or whatever works for you.)

Start a new thread in which you declare yourself to be totally at cause in your life, open to infinity. See what happens. If you don't like the results, you can always have your doubts back!

Thanks! That is a fantastic idea! I think I can do pretty much anything if I set a time limit. (The breaking bad habits 30 day article was actually the first one on this site that I read, and what made me stick around to read more.) So, this idea really works for me. I can for sure do a day. I feel pretty confident about at least a week or two. I am so happy about all of the ideas everyone is giving me and this one I think I will certainly use, along with a lot of other helpful things people are saying. But I think your advice is certainly a good base starting point for me!

[Acting Like Godot]

Perhaps I should explain in greater detail what is meant here by "permission slip".

If your idea of reality is common and conventional, then that is how reality will appear to you - for you have created it that way. Similarly, if your idea of reality is weird and unusual, then that is how reality will appear to you - for you have created it that way. No matter what your idea of reality may be, that is the way reality will appear to you. It will always be to you what you perceive it to be - there is no escape.

Now, currently you still predominantly hold a common and conventional idea of reality. However you have now heard of the LOA, and you'd like to experiment a little. Your "permission slip" to experiment is that little bit of oddness in your reality, which you do already genuinely subscribe to, or which you genuinely believe in. It is the rule that has the potential to bend and break all the other rules in your reality.

So for instance, let us say that in almost every way, you are an ordinary person with an ordinary life and ordinary reality. However, you happen to be a staunch Christian. Being a Christian, you believe that God exists. You also believe that this God is invisible, omnipotent, omniscient, divine, all-knowing, personally interested in you, and fully capable of an endless array of miracles.

Theoretically, therefore, God could bend and break every rule in your reality. Tomorrow, you might well wake up and find that a specific miracle might happen in your life. God, with His endless number of tricks and treats, could intervene at any time in any aspect of your life - your home, family, career, social, health, finances, country etc - and provide a solution, a gift, a helping hand. And none of the above should be THAT controversial to you, if indeed you are a staunch Christian.

God therefore becomes your permission slip. And prayer feels natural to you, because you are a staunch Christian. But then what is prayer? It is after all a form of thought. In other words, it is a means of creating and attracting and influencing and shaping. It's an LOA mode.

It just happens to come more naturally to you, because you already believe in God.

And then the next step is to experiment with HOW you pray .......

---------------------------------

If God is not your thing, then you might have other permission slips. I've mentioned religion in general; and also hypnosis, meditation, NLP, goal-setting, science, psychology, magick. There are still others that I have not mentioned - EFT, Silva Method, reiki, energy work etc etc.

Some of these are more generalised than others, and each of these come with their own philosophies, different aspects of which are sometimes advantageous, sometimes disadvantageous. Still all of them can serve as permission slips.

[ukdreamer]

You would get a really great "working knowledge" from reading the Teachings of Soke Draconis and it's free at creotology.com I know that's what worked for me to get me past my skepticism since then I understood the principles at work.

[SmartAlx]

You have to ask yourself if you can get past the fact that the LoA is not scientific. If you believe that underneath everything, order and logic prevail, then you are going to have a hard time with the LoA.

See, the gurus say that it is constantly working, whether you try it or not. Even when you think it's not going to work, and it fails, the mystical "source" obeyed you and made it fail. So it's impossible to test it and prove it false. That is a scientific principle called falsibiability. It's a prerequisite for a concept to be scientifically valid, and the LoA doesn't have it. Doesn't necessarily mean it's not true. You just can't prove it, so it's not scientific. You can't prove aliens are true either, but many scientists believe that they should exist.

Listen to me. It's almost like I believe in the LoA. HAHA.

[Acting Like Godot]

I could say a lot about logic and the LOA - it's a very interesting topic, actually - but I will just limit myself to one point.

Logic is based on what you know. Based on what you know, you extrapolate and reason and deduce, and you arrive at a conclusion about what should or should not be possible, or what can or cannot be done.

Thus logic works very well in closed, self-contained systems - such as chess, a Sudoko puzzle or a mathematical theorem. That's because everything you need to know - in other words, all the relevant rules and information - is encompassed within the system itself.

But logic can work very badly in practical reality. Why? Because logic is based on what you know. If you accept that:

1. reality is far too complex and dynamic for you (or any other human mind) to truly know; and

2. there will always be a lot in reality that you do NOT know,

well then, you will understand why logic is inevitably flawed in reality. Because logic is based on an incomplete picture.

Everyday, there are experts in every field who are caught by surprise, in their own fields. Scientists, doctors, historians, journalists, archaelogists, CEOs, economists, stock market experts .... They are surprised by unexpected events, new discoveries, unanticipated developments.

Why? Because they applied their logic. Then reality decided not to follow their reasoning.

[SmartAlx]

Indeed, aliens are unscientific because we lack the knowledge to prove or disprove their existence. So too with the LoA.

Not so sure if this is the same thing as logic though. Scientists believe that aliens should exist because logic dictates that they should, that Drake guy's equation and all, you know. Meh. I'm not inclined to argue about it. It might just be a matter of semantics anyway and those arguments never go well.