Dear Pogue,

I’ve taken a pause in writing about the Universal Laws because, well this one caused me issues. Today I’m writing about the Law of Attraction (LOA). You’ll know of this one and probably think that you understand something about it. So many people know this one, and only this one. It’s been widely written about in recent years. It’s been turned into talks and films and…all this troubles me (and you know how laid back I am).

So, do I believe the LOA exists? Yes, absolutely and I’ve tracked back through time to ancient writings where it can be found. But I fear that enthusiasts and commercialism have made it something it is not. What I’m finding in differing places is the LOA being portrayed as the means by which you can realise all your dreams and what’s not to like about that? It’s being shown as a spiritual Amazon for many with a limitless credit card.

The principle of the LOA, as said, can be found in spiritual teaching such as the teaching of the Buddha who taught:

What you think about you become.
What you feel, you attract.
What you imagine, you create.

You’ll find Jesus teaching:

Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find.

Lao Tzu said:

If you correct your mind the whole of your life will fall into place.

The quotes and teaching go on across the diversity of religious teaching and philosophy. So the LOA, which has come into the world in the last few years with a bang is, actually, very ancient. Why silence on this principle for so very long? My belief is, and I have thought this one through for a long, long time, that single texts from teachings have been taken and not unpacked properly, if at all, or taught out of any concept of context. Let me explain. You and I have both been in places where a text has been snatched from a teaching with no reference to it’s context or setting. It just said what the person using it wanted to hear. But we know you cannot do that. What comes before that quote and after it is important. The setting is important. Context? Absolutely. And then there’s the culture which may be 3,000 years away from today. The language. So, understand, you can’t just plucked “nice” religious texts off of the page.

Rant over.

Tony Robbins sums up the LOA by saying:

Whatever you hold in your mind on a consistent basis is exactly what you will experience in your life.

Sound familiar. Remember the Law of Vibration and the Law of Correspondence. But I’ve found myself wanting to add to this. You see I have come to understand that, firstly there is a process involved that enables us to hold something in our thoughts and, secondly, the need to engage our emotions. We need to combine our desired goal with an appropriate and complimenting emotion. That’s where the energy lays and as you and I have discussed in previous Laws, energy vibrates and there is a resonance with things of a like vibration. So in order to attract into our lives we need to achieve the resonance that matches what we desire. We need to be able to hold it and establish a firm belief that it is ours.

Sound easy? But it’s not because holding something in focus, with a constant belief that it is yours, maintaining continuing positive emotions, requires practice. There is a need to be single minded.

The thing is, whether we are conscious of it or not, whether we are concerned about it or not, we are subject to this Law as much as we are subject to the Law of Gravity. So if we look at something longingly but our dominant thought is, I will never have that, guess what, you get what your dominant thought is. If our dominant thought in life is I will never have/do/be, then that’s exactly the road we walk.

Here’s the thing. I’m reading a LOA that basically declares that if I place a desire in my thoughts then that thing is mine. Forget the fact that I have failed many times in life and often question or doubt myself. That my mind flits from one thing to the next. That my default is to doubt, be suspicious and negative. Truth is the LOA requires us all to put in some work in order that we achieve results. Like anything else in our lives we need to practice and we need to exercise and…people aren’t telling me that!

You want to make this work for you? Then let’s get down and dirty and honest. How do you think? Are you sceptical? Have a history of failure? Surrounded by people who are quick to criticism, who take delight in telling you of your failings?

Let’s start with, “There are no failures, only lessons”. So you’ve received a lot of lessons? Well learn. The lessons will keep repeating themselves until such time as you do. Start with some positive self talk and continue doing it. You’re actually really as great as everyone else, it’s just that most people don’t realise this and aren’t in a place where they are getting told. Start feeding on that fact. Read books. Listen to talks. There’s is so much material out there. You may have a long journey ahead but take the first step.

It is a combination of thought and love which forms the irresistible force of the Law of Attraction.

Charles Hummel.

Get amidst positive people. Energy is contagious and if you hang with enough positive people their energy will help you. Begin to model the life you desire. Think about it and decide what it looks like. Small steps at first. My experience is that it’s easier to feel good about yourself when you’re healthy. Maybe some exercise. A better diet? You know what needs improving. Start visualising your goals. You need to do this consistently, as Tony Robbins said, and if you’re not use to this it will not be easy. Use pictures placed where you will see them. I’ve place pictures on my fridge so I am constantly reminded of my goals. And, yes, I have seen those things come into my life. But I practiced thinking about them and working towards them. You want great abs? Believe me, they’re not going to be there in the morning when you wake otherwise the whole world would wander around looking like Olympic athletes. But those inspired thoughts and dreams will deliver you the power to achieve them. Just think and dream with consistency.

A powerful way of aligning with the Universe and empowering your ability to achieve is to learn to consistently offer up gratitude, which will help you to realise what is right and good in your life. Gratitude is powerful and extremely positive. I think, and I’m sure you will correct me if I miss the mark, the Bible says that “in all things give thanks”. That’s the power of gratitude. It’s very uplifting.

Invariably the realisation of our dreams, the things we are going to attract, require action on our part. Most of all, and most powerful in the process is the need to act as if that thing we are consistently thinking about is already ours, has occurred. Is that what you would call faith, “the substance of things hoped for and as yet unseen”? Here is the same thing, different book:

When a person is devoted to something with complete faith, I unify his faith in that. Then, when his faith is completely unified, he gains the object of his devotion.

Bhagavad Gita

The LOA has been finding expression for many thousands of years. It has found this expression as part of a larger collection of teachings. We have been writing about a number of the Universal Laws of which the LOA is but one. Pogue, believe it as “the substance of things hoped for” but believe it within the context of all the Laws and understand you have a part to play in achieving the best you can have and be, because of this Law.

Yours, consistently thinking,

Wic