Desire (Blog)

[Savage]

Use this thread to discuss the following entry from Steve Pavlina's blog:

Desire

[Think]

Originally Posted by Steve Pavlina

So this is the best way for the universe to bring you what you truly want — it only brings you abundance of whatever you truly enjoy. Without joy the default is scarcity.

But Steve,

Is this not a real phenomena?

Unfortunately I can only speak of personal experience - which of course is not shared, so I am relying on others having like experiences.

Does it not seem true that whatever thoughts you hold in your mind, soaked with emotion and expectation, are the things that you invariably attract into your life?

I know (knew) many people who have fallen into this downward cycle.. expecting the worst, fearing he worst, and receiving exactly what they expect. I think you refer to phenomena like this yourself in some of your posts.

And my intention is not to discredit the entire post, I am entirely for being genuinely thankful for everything that we can possibly muster up the feeling to be thankful for, but come on - if a lack of gratitude were to prevent the manifestation of certain circumstances how many things would the human race *not* be experiencing right now?

How many people are grateful for cancer? Hunger? Constipation ?

Mark

[danas]

Great post steve, it really hit the spot.
A while back I applied for an amazing workshop with which will really help my career, including meeting the worlds top people in my feild of work. Ive been accepted, but since I applied Ive been abroad twice, I was looking forward to staying in one place for a while. As the trip is coming up, I became sick- I kept saying to myself I really dont want to go, because its so much stress to leave the country again and again. (its happened almost monthly since Janurary2006.) but this morning I awoke with appreatiation, especially after reading your blog.
What I desired so much manifested, and now I better appreciate it! And I do. Thanks.

[billybrads]

I think what Steve is trying to say is that when people are not grateful for the level of health that they currently have in their life they receive less health.

It is not that they truly want or desire cancer. What happens is people are not grateful for the health that they DO have in their life, so the universe does not give them more health, because the universe does not want to give us something that does not bring us to our true state, joy.

For example somebody could want to be rich, so they are not satisfied with their current level of income. Thus instead of being grateful for what they do have, they are ungrateful that they don't have 'enough' of.

If we are not happy with a $100, then instead of giving us something we are not happy with, another $100 the universe gives us less or nothing. If we were happy and grateful for that first $100 then the universe will respond accordingly and give us more of what makes us happy, another $100.

Easier said then done though, at least for me...

[Jeff Lilly]

Let me make sure I understand:

1. I desire bananas (just to pick something at random ) and the universe gives me bananas, and I'm grateful for the bananas, then the universe will send me more bananas?

2. Or is it this way: I desire bananas, the universe gives me bananas, I'm grateful for the bananas, and the universe "thinks": "Oh, he's got the bananas, he's glad, I don't need to send him any more."

It sounds like you're saying (1) is right, which would be GOOD. I've been working with model (2), which ties me in knots, because then I don't know how to get more bananas!

Is it (1) or (2)? Thanks in advance, Steve!

[Alan!]

Think and Jeff Lilly may like to read the entire post again.

Its actually written quite clearly and succinctly if you care to understand and realise it. Ask and it is given. Ask and it is given and disdain it, the universe will hear you and stop sending you gifts that you don't like. Ask and it is given and appreciate the gifts, and the universe will give more.

[Savage]

Originally Posted by Jeff Lilly

Let me make sure I understand:

1. I desire bananas (just to pick something at random ) and the universe gives me bananas, and I'm grateful for the bananas, then the universe will send me more bananas?

2. Or is it this way: I desire bananas, the universe gives me bananas, I'm grateful for the bananas, and the universe "thinks": "Oh, he's got the bananas, he's glad, I don't need to send him any more."

It depends on your intention. If you desire more bananas, it's #1. If you don't desire more bananas, it's #2. Either way is fine. You can say "thank you" with or without intending increase.

The situation that manifests scarcity is this one: I desire bananas, and the universe gives me a banana. I'm pissed off that I only got one banana instead of a whole bunch, since I want a lot more than one. I resent the fact that I have only one banana, while somebody else right next to me got two. That's totally unfair. I guess that if I want more bananas, I'll have to find a way to get them. But isn't that greedy? After all, there are people who have no bananas. How can I justify having bananas when so many people have none? And so on...

[Jeff Lilly]

Thank you, Steve! That was very clear.

Your note on the manifestation of scarcity nicely describes my gut-level response to money, and explains why I'm tens of thousands of dollars in debt, despite having had a good income for many years.

I know you've been saying this same message in various forms for months. But it's like I only really heard it for the first time today.

Ok, time to turn this ship around!

[takkaria]

Originally Posted by Steve Pavlina

The situation that manifests scarcity is this one: I desire bananas, and the universe gives me a banana. I'm pissed off that I only got one banana instead of a whole bunch, since I want a lot more than one. I resent the fact that I have only one banana, while somebody else right next to me got two. That's totally unfair. I guess that if I want more bananas, I'll have to find a way to get them. But isn't that greedy? After all, there are people who have no bananas. How can I justify having bananas when so many people have none? And so on...

I'm not a Christian, but this reminds me of the parable of the vineyard workers in Matthew 20. The workers who work all day in a man's vineyard get a full day's wage, but complain that the people who worked for only one hour get the same wage. There's that same idea of being grateful rather than being ungrateful there, though it's not quite the same context.

[Savage]

Originally Posted by Think

if a lack of gratitude were to prevent the manifestation of certain circumstances how many things would the human race *not* be experiencing right now?

How many people are grateful for cancer? Hunger? Constipation ?

From a subjective perspective, what you perceive to be the experience of the entire human race is merely a projection of consciousness. There is no human race "out there" in a form that is separate from you. It's all you.

I have met cancer survivors locally and online who are deeply grateful for the experience and what it taught them about life.