Manifesting intentions/Laws of Attraction in ancient philosophy?

[justin]

I know that IM/LoA seems to be categorized as a "new age" philosophy, but I'm wondering, does it have it's roots in the minds of any ancient philosophers (Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, et. al.)?

The theories--if they even existed then--wouldn't be exactly like today's, but I'm sure there were similar modes of thinking in ancient times.

Does anyone know where, or who, to begin with?

[AndyMartin]

It's supposed to be described in the Emerald Tablet of Thoth/Hermes Trimestigus. I haven't taken the time to research it, though.

Also, if you read some of the classic religious texts with this in mind, you can come away with a markedly different interpretation.

[Jm4362]

I think I read one of Steve's blogs that mentioned ancient personages that seemed to agree with IM, especially Jesus (not the Jesus of Christianity, but Jesus before Christianity claimed him as Savior). But I'm sure a lot of the ancient philosphers must have known about it on some level.

[jdiddy]

Originally Posted by Jm4362

I think I read one of Steve's blogs that mentioned ancient personages that seemed to agree with IM, especially Jesus (not the Jesus of Christianity, but Jesus before Christianity claimed him as Savior). But I'm sure a lot of the ancient philosphers must have known about it on some level.

Learning about intention/manifestation drastically changed the way I read the Bible and put a whole new spin on just about all of it. If you read it with that in mind, it takes on a whole new meaning. Jesus said some VERY profound things. And here's my current favorite verse:

"Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it is the wellspring of life" - Proverbs 4:23

Kind of takes on a new meaning when you think about how it relates to intention/manifestation, doesn't it?

[Andrew Brunelle]

Originally Posted by Jm4362

I think I read one of Steve's blogs that mentioned ancient personages that seemed to agree with IM, especially Jesus (not the Jesus of Christianity, but Jesus before Christianity claimed him as Savior). But I'm sure a lot of the ancient philosphers must have known about it on some level.

Here is something that I find intersting. I've never read the Bible, but I'm definitely going to look into it because I find that it does teach some very valuable lessons and also can give you a new perpective on life, but in the sense of looking at it via IM, that's a revelation I should definitely look into. I can see this becoming yet another book to read about IM.

[Richful]

The following is a translation of the Emerald tablet of Hermes:

"True, without falsehood, certain and most true, that which is above is as that which is below and that which is below is as that which is above, for the performance of the miracles of the One Thing. And as all things are from One, by the mediation of One, so all things have their birth from this One Thing by adaptation. The Sun is its father, the Moon its mother, the Wind carries it in its belly, its nurse is the Earth. This is the father of all perfection, or consummation of the whole world. Its power is integrating, if it be turned into earth.


Thou shalt separate the earth from the fire, the subtle from the gross, suavely, and with great ingenuity. It ascends from earth to heaven and descends again to earth, and receives the power of the superiors and of the inferiors. So thou hast the glory of the whole world; therefore let all obscurity flee before thee. This is the strong force of all forces, overcoming every subtle and penetrating every solid thing. So the world was created. Hence were all wonderful adaptations, of which this is the manner. Therefore am I called Hermes Trismegistus, having the three parts of the philosophy of the whole world. What I have to tell is completed, concerning the Operation of the Sun."

I don't know the history of this translation.

[bulanjing]

The first time I heard of it was in the Bible - "ask and you shall receive"...

Don't know if the Bible counts as philosophy, though.

[Andrew Lwe]

Originally Posted by justin

I know that IM/LoA seems to be categorized as a "new age" philosophy, but I'm wondering, does it have it's roots in the minds of any ancient philosophers (Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, et. al.)?

The theories--if they even existed then--wouldn't be exactly like today's, but I'm sure there were similar modes of thinking in ancient times.

Does anyone know where, or who, to begin with?

I suppose it has its roots in Buddhism and particularly in the concept of dependent origination.
It says that:
Consciousness gives rise to Name and Form. Name and Form give rise to Sense Gates. Sense Gates give rise to Contact. Contact gives rise to Feelings.
Basically it means that everything we feel is created by our consciousness. This is precisely what IM/LoA is about.

[Jm4362]

Today there were people giving away free New Testaments at my college.

So I picked one up.

Handy, huh?

Time to investigate this!

~Jm4362

[annie]

Here's something I've been thinking about...goes into the spiritual/religious parameters as well.

In the Bible, Job is the epitome of a just and perfect man with many problems. At the beginning of his record it appears that he did not understand the implications of the Law of the Harvest or the Law of Attraction.

(As a young person in Sunday school, it used to bother me a great deal when the teacher related to us the story of Job and his excruciating suffering and pain. The ecplanation was always that we must be patient in our afflictions and sufferings, just like Job!)

The rationalization was always that the devil wanted to test Job and that God gave him the privilege of literally wrecking this poor man's life and everything he had built up. I could never accept that kind of a God, one who would compromise or "make a deal" with the devil. My experience has confimed to me that his a God of love, a God of kindness, a God of patience...and he placed me on the earth that I might have JOY!

I could not conceive of his deliberately permitting this type of suffering to happen to a perfect person.

After reading the bibical account many times, it finally occurred to me that Job tells the real cause of all his disasters in the 3rd chapter, verse 25: "For the thing which I greatly feared is come upon me, and that which I was afraid of is come unto me"

In other words, Job acknowledged that he was afraid, that he was a worrier. What would he do if he lost his health? What would he do if he lost his wealth? What would he do if he lost his possessions? What would he do if he lost his business?

Such thoughts, apparently preyed on him continually.

The Law of attraction is that the things which we think and the things which we harbor generate our feelings, and these feelings result in our acts which produce the harvest.

For "whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap." Gal 6:7
For as a man thinketh in his heart, so is he .... Proverbs 23:7

This LOA stuff isn't new....it's been around since the beginning of time. And my personal belief is that The Law of Attraction is the power by which God creates everything. It's just in such a high form we can hardly comprehend it. LOA = Faith in motion.

[Wreck]

Originally Posted by annie

AFter reading the bibical account many times, it finally occurred to me that Job tells the real cause of all his disasters in the 3rd chapter, verse 25: "For the thing which i greatly feared is come upon me, and that which I was afraid of is come unto me"

Thanks for the insight! I've never noticed that, but I think you're right on!

[dorothy hanna]

Great post! Best explanation of Jobs condition, I've ever come across.