Manifesting Intentions Without Resistance (Blog)

[dECLAN]

There are no paths only wind trails on the sea...

I see this thread is starting to build up a head of steam. Some of the points raised are very important and should not be seen as attacking Steve. Dialectics have an important role to play in furthering our understanding.

We all have questions and it would be very foolish to assume that Steve has all the answers. If Steve's posts are becoming less and less helpful maybe it is a sign that its time to move on. The thing about knowledge is that the more you acquire the more you realize you are lacking.

[Patricia]

Funny how right from start, instead of discussing the article itself, this thread turned into a big questioning about whether Steve's recent articles are useful or not, the real intentions behind what he's doing, blah blah blah... It seems to me that this thread got completely off topic. Why aren't we discussing the ideas in the article itself? Agree or disagree, doesn't matter, but the kind of discussion that is going on here belongs somewhere else - a separate thread for this purpose, if people want to discuss that. But since this is largely off topic already...:

While reading all posts/opinions, I thought about quoting many things that were said and commenting, until I got to Bruce's post - which made it really easy for me to simply say "I sign below it, completely agree".

I also agree with this: to those of you who can't find value in what he's been writing, stop reading. Simple as that. If it bothers you so much that there is a possibility that he's in it just for the money, again, stop reading.

I have read articles at Steve's blog that were extremely useful and inspiring to me - and others not so much. I have read articles that didn't seem relevant to me at a certain point and at a different point they made perfect sense and started helping me a great deal - same articles, different life context = different perception. When I first stumbled apon the subjective reality and intention manifestation articles, I felt completely clueless and didn't quite understand what this was all about. I went to a very similar process to the one Bruce described. Meanwhile, these very same articles were being incredibly relevant and useful to other people. I guess this shows that what you extract from whatever you experience and/or read, not only at Steve's blog btw, largely depends on your current circumstances, beliefs, mindset, level of awareness, etc. This particular article was extremely useful to me. So much so that I will actually translate it to Portuguese and send it by email to my sister who doesn't speak English very well and will surely benefit from it as much as I did. The one thing I think it lacks, though, is contextualization - and by that I mean, to someone who comes to the blog the first time around and doesn't have a clue what this is all about, it can be hard to put it into context, so it could be useful to have more links pointing to other articles where people could read more about this. But then again, I'll have to agree that this is indicative that he's being more inclined to being loyal to long term readers than focused in gaining new ones. I also questioned the part that says "My external reputation is out of my control because it exists purely in other people’s minds..." But then Reyv's explanation made sense to me. So, overall, to me, this article was very helpful and I can't wait to put his tips into practice.

Originally Posted by treo

"I admit to myself, "OK, so more money will mean a more complicated tax situation. That's just a fact to be accepted, not something dreadful I need to fear. I can deal with it.""

That's just great, isn't it? Where'd one been without this wisdom. But, wait, there's more:

"Then I shift it over to an empowering belief by saying, "If I have more money, I can hire a good accountant to handle my taxes, so even though my situation may be more complicated, I'll be able to afford all the help I need.""

Pure brilliance! Simple and elegant. You'd never know to do that by yourself, would you?

"Pure brilliance! Simple and elegant. You'd never know to do that by yourself, would you?" - that doesn't matter. These are just examples to explain the concept. He's not saying that people wouldn't be able to think that by themselves.

Thumbs up, Steve. Thanks for this article. I'm sure many people having trouble manifesting their intentions will benefit from it.

[dECLAN]

Originally Posted by Patricia

I also questioned the part that says "My external reputation is out of my control because it exists purely in other people’s minds..." But then Reyv's explanation made sense to me. So, overall, to me, this article was very helpful and I can't wait to put his tips into practice...

and

Originally Posted by Reyv

You're confusing apples with oranges here. Steve's comment was made from a point of view centered on the ego, while you're comparing it with the notion of being centered on Source.

I don't think that this was answered comprehensively enough. Rather than giving me a convincing answer I was told TWICE that I was confused and misunderstanding Steve's words.

Originally Posted by Reyv

You have a basic misunderstanding of subjective reality right there. Steve never said that everything is created and exists within our physical mind.

Not good enough as far as I am concerned. Please don't pretend to assume how Steve's mind or anyone else's (including mine) operates.

I actually like to hear what Steve has to say in all this instead of a glossed over answer with little substance.

[ImOpen]

To those of you who can't find value in what he's been writing, stop reading. Simple

@ Patricia

Please, I can't take it. You're even a moderator on this so called discussion forum.

[dECLAN]

Originally Posted by Reyv

Steve never said that everything is created and exists within our physical mind.

Sounds like an oxymoron...

O miserable abundance, O beggarly riches!

[Michelle]

Originally Posted by Patricia

I also agree with this: to those of you who can't find value in what he's been writing, stop reading. Simple as that. If it bothers you so much that there is a possibility that he's in it just for the money, again, stop reading.

So true. Everyone has a choice here. The criticism has been little focused on the message or value of a certain article, but instead has gone more in the direction of personal attack and ridicule of Steve, and his work.

Speaking as someone who is criticized publicly daily for her work: it is very easy to stand on the outside - consuming, complaining about others, while making zero contribution.

If any of you truly understood this, you would be careful not to be violent in your criticism.

[dECLAN]

Originally Posted by Michelle

This criticisms have been little focused on the message or value of a certain article, but instead have gone more in the direction of personal attack and ridicule of Steve, and his work...

Michelle because you posted straight after my post I am assuming that your post is referring to me personally. I would like you to point out where EXACTLY I have been violent and personally attacked Steve and his work.

I merely asked a question which I thought needed some clarification. I don't think that I should be made to feel bad because I questioned something.

There seems to be an tendency to accept all of Steve's IDEAS as Gospel and anyone who questions or criticizes is ostracized.

Speaking as someone who is criticized publicly daily for her work: it is very easy to stand on the outside - consuming, complaining about others, while making zero contribution.

It seems to me that you are taking this way too personally. If you bothered to read any of my previous posts you WILL see that I have in fact made a contribution to this forum.

I think that it is healthy to question that often times it is really a desire to understand something fully. You shouldn't assume that the person questioning is of zero value or is here simply to complain and criticize.

[Michelle]

deClan, my post was not specifically referring to you, but to the thread as a whole.

breathe.

[Dbarker]

Originally Posted by dECLAN

I see this thread is starting to build up a head of steam. Some of the points raised are very important and should not be seen as attacking Steve. Dialectics have an important role to play in furthering our understanding.

We all have questions and it would be very foolish to assume that Steve has all the answers. If Steve's posts are becoming less and less helpful maybe it is a sign that its time to move on. The thing about knowledge is that the more you acquire the more you realize you are lacking.

I would agree that opposite opinions are important for learning and growing. Without them we would not see beyond our own ideas. It would seem that some are attached to a particular position and have difficulty separating emotion from what is their own perception. Buddha said that attachment (to anything) was what caused suffering. When we feel anger, resentment, defensiveness, or other emotions beside unconditional love it is due to attachment to something - a position, a person, a philosophy, whatever.

The same can be said of fear (of which the article was about. ) I don't know about the level of writing as I try to not judge, but search for something, anything to gain from everything I read. Sometimes all I need is a simple sentence to spark a thought and get me back on the path and so that is what I look for.

[Patricia]

Originally Posted by ImOpen

@ Patricia

Please, I can't take it. You're even a moderator on this so called discussion forum.

I'm not exactly sure what you mean by that... Could you please clarify?

[theknightwhosaysni-NI]

Hi there, i want to reason a bit about the last question of Steve post, from a subjective reality mindset (as we call it)

The really insidious part — the part that keeps me up at night thinking about it — is whether the intention of the Million Dollar Experiment itself is responsible for my discovering that I needed to work through my fears to allow the original intention to manifest. Will a powerful intention actually manifest the very tools necessary to help it manifest?


Will a powerful intention actually manifest the very tools necessary to help it manifest?

If everything is consciousness, intention manifests nothing. YOU manifest things by intending them.
If you manifest “the tools necessary to help your intention manifest”, it is because you believe you need tools to manifest your intention. Nothing is obliged to happen in a way or another, you choose the way it happens. (and by YOU I mean the big you, the counsciouness)

It is the same with alpha and beta reflections. Nothing says anywhere that we have to have alpha reflections and then beta reflections. You choose it to happen this way because you believe it has to. Because you believe you have to align yourself with your intention. If you believe you have to snap your fingers to have what you want that’s what will happen.
When Jesus said : “If you had faith only the size of a mustard seed, you would tell the mountain “go in the sea!” and it would go”. (homemade translation, they are not the precise words but you get the idea) Well that was not a metaphore I think.

All these concepts (tools for manifesting intentions, alpha and beta reflections, visualisations etc.) are just tips and techniques to make you believe it will work. You believe that by applying the tools you will manifest your intention quickly. The trap is that you believe more in the tool than you believe in your intention. I mean that the important thing is not the tips and techniques in themselves, it is the fact that those tips and techniques make you believe it will work. And this is the actual reason it works, not because of the tips and techniques.

I like the idea that the true nature of reality is simple and elegant. This is why I was so amazed when I first questionned the nature of reality (thanks to Steve articles about what he named “subjective reality”). ‘God is everything, and you are part of it’, or ‘Everything is consciousness’. Trully I loved that because everything would flow out from that. History, Religions, the complication of science, (even aspects of the theory of relativity, and of quantum physics), time, wisdom, love, life decisions, choices and opinions...everything can come out of this simple statement and that’s why I like it. [Everything exept the WHY. (I am not satisfied with the answer : “because you have to experience”, but I digressed)]
I thought applying many concepts over subjective reality as if they were given, like the alpha and beta reflections, tools for manifesting intention etc. complicated the thing. They are time limiting beliefs for me because if I believe in an alpha and beta reflection, I can’t manifest my intention in the next second and I have to wait for the next month or so to see it happen.

[Patricia]

Originally Posted by dECLAN

I don't think that this was answered comprehensively enough. Rather than giving me a convincing answer I was told TWICE that I was confused and misunderstanding Steve's words.

I didn't say you were confused or misunderstanding Steve's word. I didn't even imply that. When I said:

"I also questioned the part that says "My external reputation is out of my control because it exists purely in other people’s minds..." But then Reyv's explanation made sense to me. So, overall, to me, this article was very helpful and I can't wait to put his tips into practice..."

I was referring to my personal perception and experience with this particular article, I really can't see why you perceived this as having been directed at you... And I wasn't really trying to convince you of anything, don't get me wrong here. You're entitled to your own opinions, just like everybody else. We are all just trying to contribute by sharing our perspectives here. If Reyv's explanation wasn't comprehensive or convincing enough for you, that's fine. But he (she?) was simply sharing his perspective, trying to explain something that had been questioned. At least that's how I see it.

And, again, I think we should all try to keep focused on the purpose of the thread here. And discuss the article itself and the ideas behind the article. The sparks are unnecessary, this is supposed to be a place where we're all trying to grow, so let's keep that in mind and drop the personal attacks, as this is gonna take us nowhere...

[dECLAN]

Originally Posted by Patricia

And, again, I think we should all try to keep focused on the purpose of the thread here. And discuss the article itself and the ideas behind the article. The sparks are unnecessary, this is supposed to be a place where we're all trying to grow, so let's keep that in mind and drop the personal attacks, as this is gonna take us nowhere...

I agree.

Dbarker is quite right when (s)he said:

Originally Posted by Dbarker

When we feel anger, resentment, defensiveness, or other emotions beside unconditional love it is due to attachment to something - a position, a person, a philosophy, whatever.

With that in mind lets move on...

[Ollie]

Well, this article was well timed for me. I just recently (two days ago) hit upon the concept of accepting fears instead of trying to 'squirm' away from them. It was nice to see Steve mention something similar. My approach to it was from a slightly different angle, and Steve's comments helped see the concept a bit more broadly. I also rally appreciated the comments about seeing intentions as an entire package.

I've always found myself being self-critical anytime I think positively about myself. For instance I was playing the piano and I thought "I'm playing rather well," and then part of me responded: "Not that well. Who do you think you are kidding?" This time, instead of trying to change to a different thought as quick as possible (like I usually do), I decided to face the this critical voice. In my mind I imagined it as a big dog outside my house, and every time I tried to walk to the road it would bark at me. Instead of running back in the house I imagined myself just accepting the dog--petting it, talking to it, giving it a treat. I imagined that instead of a big mean attack dog it became a fluffy little thing running through the grass and chasing a ball.

This worked pretty well because now instead of getting a critical voice inside my head when I think positively about myself, I think about a cute dog running through the grass. Sometimes it gets so excited it starts peeing everywhere. Silly dog!

[wolfgang]

"That's the point, that there's nothing to talk about and nothing to take away. I do not know for how long you have been reading Steve, but his articles used to be different."

OK, it took a lot of words for Steve to say some simple things that hangs in the IM/LoA world and makes people hopeful and maybe they spend money on products to get it. But, there's plenty to talk about fear and how it effects getting things done. Even with the older style of Steve's stuff without all the LoA wording fear is a big issue for self improvement. Can anyone honestly say they don't have any fears and that hearing about how Steve is dealing with it and the IM experiment doesn't make you think about your own personal trials? Maybe these aren't grand thoughts but isn't it useful to think about where fear may be keeping a goal from working out? Or maybe there's no fear around goals and that would be something to talk about too. I appriciate the banter on it just for the fact that I'm now wanting to say that I found value in it. It may have been more bland if everyone was happy go lucky and all IM/LoA about it.

That said, I also think it's all been said before in spritual writings, so there is some rehash that way. Like one poster mentioning Buhdda. So here I am talking about what Buhddists go on about because Steve wrote an article and reminded me of those ideas. That is that attachment to desires lead to suffering. And fear is a sign of attachment. Fear of your goal not working out, which (duh) gets in your way, you are less confident. What about a fear that Steve's writings are deteriating and not providing thought provoking material (joking)?

[dalante]

While you are all busy arguing on this thread, your goals are not getting done... Do you possibly fear them?

[munish]

Steve Pavlina is undoubtedly one of the greatest philosophical minds of this century.

[ImOpen]

Originally Posted by munish

Steve Pavlina is undoubtedly one of the greatest philosophical minds of this century.

You must be kidding.

Steve seems to be very intelligent, and I'm sure he could learn a lot, but right now his knowledge in the field
of philosophy is comparable to what you get after reading the back of a Buddhism for dummies-book

[wolfgang]

Originally Posted by bix

OK, here are several more things to think about: (1) people are different, (2) some people are difficult to deal with, (3) mary had a little lamb. Why, let's go and try making sense of this stuff. I am sure someone will have an epiphany doing that (I am dead serious!). And these are three things to medidate on instead of just one. If you refuse to take this from me, why are you taking that from Steve?

IS that how you answer my question that you quoted? To answer yours, those three things are not on topic and don't even relate back to the blog entry. But, OK, maybe I get that you are saying that those three ideas are just as on par as addressing fear as personal development ideas. But, are they?

All I'm saying is fear does get in our way and why not think about that while we are discusing a blog entry? I see you started another post so this thread will stay on topic. I too think a lot of LoA is markeeting.

But with this topic, are you saying you already know how to handle your fears and that the ideas of looking at the total picture and turning fears into consequences is something you already know? If so, it would be interesting to hear how you got there or how you see goals and fears being related. If you already got there and want to post, why not relate to the ideas and tell us how it operates in your life. Or if you still have fears, you can look at it with these ideas in mind. I don't think any of that trying to grasp and the topics or make sense of terminology.

I do know that I've started to have awareness of lurking fears that are holding me back since reading this blog entry and that is a good thing.

[iry]

I just want to say that I’m glad to know about www.stevepavlina.com.

[Katrina]

Originally Posted by bix

Yes, that's exactly the point. I apologize if my post sounded too blunt, but you got it right, I was trying to say that the article was discussing things so basic that you could get more useful thoughts just thinking about the word "fear" or any other word of your choice than thinking about the article.

I do not know about you but I kind of grown accustomed to the fact that when people write an article they try to fill this article with something more complex (not in the language, but in substance) than a few trivialities. For the increasing number of articles on this site I get a feeling that Steve neither tries to do this nor is capable of doing it.



Yes, absolutely. To the extent suggested by the depth of the article, I can imagine that any given person knows how to handle his fears as well. The entire article can be summarized into "you have fears and you have to know what they are to overcome them". I can not believe you or anyone else did not know this before.

I fully appreciate that you may have had some non-trivial and valuable thoughts while reading the article. I, however, state that you could have had these (and other) thoughts without reading it, just by having yourself think in the general direction of "fears". Occasionally stimulating thoughts about abstract things like "fears" is not nearly enough for a blog claiming to be about self-improvement, yet alone for the business centered around it.

Certainly. People could probably learn to do everything ever written in every personal development book every written if they sat down to think about it. That's nothing new.

Sometimes people are blind to what's in front of them. Sometimes they don't think things are that simple. Sometimes people are so used to patterns that they never think to sit down and actually consider how to tackle problems like fear. I'm guilty of this. When I look back, I wonder how I could have been so sleepy to let bad habits go on for so long, etc - but I am what I am and sometimes I need a little wake-up call to make me look at what's right in front of me.

[danas]

Yes I feel that what Steve wrote is simple, but wow! it works!!!
I did the exercize of writing down my fears that may block my success, and within 3 hours the universe answered with a grand oppurtunity, I would have thought impossible only a day earlier
I am shocked!!! and so is everyone I tell.
I feel people here are wasting so much time by distracting themselves from the main point when they critisize this blog., instead of just overcoming their fears, and manifesting their dreams.
yes its simple, now stop analyzing and try it out- thats my reccomendation anyway
thank you steve!

[wolfgang]

Originally Posted by danas

I did the exercize of writing down my fears that may block my success, and within 3 hours the universe answered with a grand oppurtunity,

Thanks for sharing, this sound like why the blog and forum is here. Can you expand on what you were addressing in your life or is it a private matter? I'm glad you have benifited and am curious on the specifics. Like what kind of fears you had, how you accepted them as consiquences and what goals started working for you.

[danas]

sure, if it helps, I can share:
Im a filmmaker, my films are very short and usually political, I fund them myself, they are completely uncommercial. I live in a small apartment, in a small city, in a small country.
I want to make a change through my art. I have always taught for a pretty low salary, but this year Im not teaching, and decided I want to live from my art somehow. which until now Ive hardly done. When I added the million dollar intension, I really laughed out loud, heres an unemployed artist that wants to make a million dollars...
Anyway my intension is to have my films/ art shown at the best venues worldwide, so that as many people see them. I want to touch the hearts of many people, and that I will make good money from it so I can share more, and focus on creating. I also intended to reach a wider audience.
There are fears such as : I want to start a family, what if men are afraid of sucessful women and Ill be lonely, what if I sell myself out for money and waste my time making the kind of films I hate...and more, such as its hard work, what if I run out of ideas etc...
Anyway, after working out these fears with my pen & notebook at 8pm,
by 11pm (timezone difference) I got an email from Hollywood CA, inviting me to take part in a 3 day workshop in Hollywood on how short filmmakers can become feature-film -filmmakers, including personal meetings with the biggest names in the film and TV industry in America. they saw one of my films at a festival in Europe and decided to invite me, as well as screen my film (which is only 5min long)
I replied "YES, I accept"
I hope that encourages someone

[Holoscientist]

There is a simple explanation to the stagnation in Steve's inspiration: Over the past 2 years he has laid out knowedge he has synthesized over his entire adult life, keeping up a dizzying pace and producing many truly inspired articles in the process. Now that he has shared his life knowledge with us it has naturally become increasingly difficult for him to come up with new ideas at the same pace. Having said that, I still find fresh ideas or formulations of existing ideas now and then.

We may have to accept that the value of his ideas from now on for those of use who've feasted on his best articles is in applying them rather than being ever-hungry for more: I certainly can be faulted for knowing his theory far better than being proficient at applying it.

For Steve this may be the time to turn away from blogging to lecturing etc. Or if he brings about his "lightworker housing" idea of supporting others wishing to make a difference then that contribution might well be his next one in line. But it may well be that Steve might need to expand the complexity of his system, for example considering how dumb people might be led to change their life; or those who are so deeply disturbed that external assistance is needed: this is something which I help people with through my work in classical homeopathy, which is essentially a system of medicine that treats 'stuckness' at the spiritual level as it treats both physical and psychological ailments. EFT is another approach mentioned in the forums, which can be used to deal with blocks to manifestation. Thus studying different forms of psychological or spiritual healing, doing one-on-one coaching, etc. might be the next step; he might reach less people that way, but gain in depth of understanding of the sort only possible in intimate healing work.

Most importantly, though, where Steve might be limited is in the fact that his intentions are culturally conditioned, and it might be hard to step outside of one's culture and consider entirely other avenues of life. Of course he did step outside of his particular religious upbringing, but he still presents with the classically American characteristics of desire for financial and career success, strong individualism, etc. The answer to this is that we are each free to apply his ideas to our own set of values. Thus we can choose to manifest a tight-knit community practicing "collective" not "personal" development, rather than an arguably typical hectic family life in a typical suburban home in a city overflowing with the excesses of affluence. The power of his ideas is that they can universally be adapted to different belief systems (say by substituting "a million dollars" with "a rich community life" or "following Jesus faithfully" or "bringing about world peace" or whatever), and for that we can be grateful that Steve has given us his Magnum Opus of tools for living more consciously in whatever manner we choose to.

[trekr5]

bix/IMOpen

I find Steve's articles very useful and informative and all I can say to the people that choose to criticise his posts and this forum:

If you don't like what he writes, then don't read it. It's as simple as that

The whole purpose of his blog is to make you think and shake you out of your usual consumer-driven complacency where all the "answers" are handed to you by companies and the government. What is wrong with that? He doesn't say "this is the gospel, believe it or else" He writes an article and encourages you to try it out in your own life and note the results. How is that strange or odd?

If it is beyond your capacity to understand this then find something else to do with your time and stop ruining everyone else's enjoyment of it.

[The Yarnist]

Maybe it could work if he integrated something new and fresh into the blend - parenting for example.

I'd love to see more of this. There have been some articles where I wondered if Erin was doing all the parenting because some of Steve's suggestions (I'm thinking specifically about his "How to be an early riser" article in which he suggested practicing waking up) were not doable for me as a nursing mother of 3. However, I didn't really believe that to be true so I do wish he would talk more about Personal Development/Intention Manifestation while parenting small children.

I got a lot out of this blog post though. I especially liked "A fear is an outcome you resist.". I had trouble understanding how accepting something undesireable was preferable even though I knew what is generally believed about LoA (mainly, that the universe doesn't distinguish between "good" and "bad" so all thoughts are creative- even the "resistant" or "avoiding" ones.)

[ImOpen]

Originally Posted by trekr5

If you don't like what he writes, then don't read it. It's as simple as that

Originally Posted by trekr5

The whole purpose of his blog is to make you think and shake you out of your usual consumer-driven complacency where all the "answers" are handed to you

Discuss ideas, articles, and podcasts from StevePavlina.com.

Otherwise, I really like what Holoscientist (although I don't like how he uses the word "science") said. I to think that it's hard to keep throwing out wisdom in that grueling pace, like Pavlina has done before. And I also think that he needs to "break out of the american box" in order to gain new perspective on things and thus more inspiration and things to write about.

Living in a Las Vegas suburb and getting life lessons from Zig Ziglar could be great, but there should be more.

[rini17]

Originally Posted by trekr5

bix/IMOpen
If it is beyond your capacity to understand this then find something else to do with your time and stop ruining everyone else's enjoyment of it.

When someone ruins my enjoyment, he makes me think much more deeper than I otherwise would. If the "ruining attempt" is completely unfounded, it isn't any problem for enjoyment to continue .... so in neither case bad thing happens and no need to fear.

Morale: Don't fear that your experience will be ruined by negative forum posts, unless you want it so.

[wolfgang]

Originally Posted by danas

There are fears such as : I want to start a family, what if men are afraid of sucessful women and Ill be lonely, what if I sell myself out for money and waste my time making the kind of films I hate...and more, such as its hard work, what if I run out of ideas etc...
...festival in Europe and decided to invite me...
..."YES, I accept"
I hope that encourages someone

Thanks for the details of your working out some fears and the syncronicity you experienced. Makes you wonder about how the universe works, ha? Was it just the fact of writing your fears that allowed you to accept them or what did you do to accept/acknowledge them as consequences?

I would expect results more closely identifyable that relate to actions that I'd end up taking because I'm not held down by my fears, if I were to do the work of writing and accepting them. That my attitude would change and then I'd operate/behave in such a way that my goal gets some actions done by me. I should apply these ideas more for myself and see. I mean, identifying fears and such might be what I need to get off my a#$. Or maybe I'm just not ready for the changes/goals I want to pursue so I'll let the fear hold me back some more. Like even if I turn my fears into consequences I may not want to experience them yet.