Law of Attraction - Lack

suk

Do you have examples of the hints or signs you mention above?

I just meant that it leads to learning more about the 'big picture'/what the nature of the universe is. I would say that it's a combination of experiences, and then hearing or reading something in relation to what you've been thinking about, it's like a spark that goes off.

I will always admit that the journey is more about knowledge/truth to me than anything else. Initially it felt like a lot of spiritual ideas offended my intellectual side, for whatever reason, it just had to be dismissed even if I 'want to believe'. On the other hand, there are things that I've come to believe that I never imagined I could accept. There's a point when you become an intuitive learner, where you can feel whether something feels true or not in your body. I think this is the best way to get the signs and hints. What these are will depend on what's relevant and meaningful for you.

Examples can be various kinds of synchronicities, dream-messages, ideas in meditation, things like that. I don't know if I'm making sense to you.
 

suk

What if someone has spent a lot of time on self-awareness/reflection and the desired results are still not achieved. Does 1+1 always equal 2? You mentioned you can't fool spirit, so if the desired results are not achieved it means you didn't really do the self-work. On the flip side if you happen to manifest something you desire, but lose it is that another way of sending the same message that basically you didn't work on what you needed to or evolve beyond some shortcomings?

Yeah, you've touched on my main problem with the LOA, it's just a sophisticated kind of manuscript for self-loathing.

Self-awareness/reflection always produces results, but if they're not the 'desired' ones, then maybe your expectations are a bit unrealistic -- that's my initial thought. My second and third thoughts are that spirit works in strange ways, that we can't immediately recognise as what we need. So if things don't appear to improve on the surface, it doesn't necessarily mean nothing is going on. Everything that happens to you, or in your life, is there to teach you. Whether it's good or bad is besides the point, in the sense that one of the things to overcome is the expectation or wanting a particular thing to occur.

We all need to evolve beyond our shortcomings, the self-work is never 'complete', we're never 'perfect'. It's only when we let go of expectations or this idea of what perfection (perfect happiness, perfect stability) looks like, can we actually be at peace. That's when real good things can happen, otherwise it's all a different kind of misery you're asking for.
 

suk

You used some pretty offensive words in your post to indirectly describe people who believe in the LoA.

LOA people offend me too.
 

suk

Thanks for raising some great points, G6.

Some more thoughts --
Regarding 'you can't fool spirit', if you force yourself to be positive or something that you're not, it's going to hurt you eventually. Call it whatever you want, it's a kind of repression, and it doesn't come from a place of love. So in the short-term, you can be positive and that will attract good things, but the root cause of whatever is causing 'lack' isn't being addressed.

I have problems with the idea of 'lack' too. It's brilliant, really. The system places you in crippling fear through exclusive control of the world's resources, then the LOA comes along and tells you your attitude is the problem. Have you noticed that governments do this with the unemployed as well? It's grotesque.
 

Mi-Shell

Where does depression or mental illness figure into all of this? I guess I'm trying to get at my main reasons for thinking LOA is too simplistic or superficial. Depression and mental illness also low self-esteem? Anything that can be attributed to lack of success is a character default? Just doesn't work for me with people I've experienced in life who are successful and spiritually unevolved or not successful and pretty self-aware.

I have read the lengths of this thread with much interest, especially because several of my clients have recently fallen afoul with the LOA in a very big way. To such an extend, that they endangered their life due to slumping into deep depression, hopelessness and suicidal actions.Of course they did not seek medical attention, because THAT would in itself be seen as "negative energy" and they did not want to attract mental illness towards themselves.......
The other problem with the LOA is, iffff a client confides in a mental health worker, psychiatrist, these professional try to convince the client, that the LOA is pure new Age nonsense and may go so far as declaring it a "system of delusions" - as in schizophrenia.
I recently had to get 1 person out of the mental hospital in (better not name the place here) by explaining to the MDs what this LOA is and proposes to do...... :bugeyed:
Yes, many people with latent depressive tendencies feel attracted to this system and then fall into a depressive anxiety ridden slump, especially NOW in these times when negativity, fear mongering and hatred are being put on a pedestal by the new US administration. These gentle souls (LOA followers) belief, that humanity is slowly evolving to a better, peaceful and compassionate way of acting -human to human and human towards environment and all other life forms and now feel, they are being slapped in the face, as policies return to the dark ages...... While all of us are upset and rant and vent our frustrations, share our ridicule and discuss actions of resistance, gentler souls see all this venting and even listening to news casts or friend's discussions ans negative energy, that they fear they are attracting - or we are attracting for them / towards them...... So they feel helpless and run over by it all, imploding inside themselves with nightmares, anxiety attacks and ultimately depression .....
A vicious circle........

I have written a blog post about just this problem and how I then in my shamanic practice, when appropriate, work with these clients to lessen the fear, pressure and help them work out their frustrations.

As of AT rules I can not provide a link myself, but via my blog you could find it....
 

GotH

These gentle souls (LOA followers) belief, that humanity is slowly evolving to a better, peaceful and compassionate way of acting -human to human and human towards environment and all other life forms and now feel, they are being slapped in the face, as policies return to the dark ages...... While all of us are upset and rant and vent our frustrations, share our ridicule and discuss actions of resistance, gentler souls see all this venting and even listening to news casts or friend's discussions ans negative energy, that they fear they are attracting - or we are attracting for them / towards them...... So they feel helpless and run over by it all, imploding inside themselves with nightmares, anxiety attacks and ultimately depression .....
A vicious circle........

I understand that you are saying this practice isn't helpful for those with mental illness. That it keeps them from dealing with the reality of their problems. Fortunately not all followers are "gentle souls" or fragile and not all followers think that humanity is getting any better. In fact it could be quite the opposite and that is why some turn to the practice. Again, I know you are speaking about those with mental illness who follow but I'm guessing that these folks would have issues no matter what is prescribed to them. Side effects seem to accompany most treatments..
 

Citrin

I do believe that positivity will attract more positivity; however, positivity is not the same thing as success, or even happiness. I think of it more as being about hope: When you choose to see the good in an otherwise hard life, that's being positive, and in so doing you also acknowledge that more good is yet to come; you know this because there's already plenty right here, right now, if you look for it. Positivity is a candle that doesn't dispel the darkness, but gives you a little extra light by which to navigate it--and it's a promise that you can always light that candle whenever you want.

So to me, being positive isn't about attracting good things, and I don't think positivity is even capable of that. As you point out, plenty of positive people are suffering and plenty of negative people are living it up. However, it can make your world a little brighter, and hopefully enable you to help light other people's candles. In return, they light yours again, and it keeps going round. In that way, I do think that being positive will attract both a more positive (or accepting, even if not happy) outlook and more positive people.

I love this! Perfectly explained. I think positivity and all is awesome, and it has definitely helped me feel better in life, much better. And yes, most people will probably go further if they believe in themselves, love themselves, make goals etc...

What really makes me go "wtf?" is those people who take it too far, who claim you can basically "attract" a new car, a fancy house, a jacuzzi, by positivity and "putting it out for The Universe to give" and such. Usually those people also have a very expensive course teaching you how to become a master of manifestation and such. Sigh...
 

GotH

What really makes me go "wtf?" is those people who take it too far, who claim you can basically "attract" a new car, a fancy house, a jacuzzi, by positivity and "putting it out for The Universe to give" and such. Usually those people also have a very expensive course teaching you how to become a master of manifestation and such. Sigh...

But it has worked for me and others too. (check out RiverRunsDeep's post) And no, I don't have a program to sell you. :joke:
 

G6

I just meant that it leads to learning more about the 'big picture'/what the nature of the universe is. I would say that it's a combination of experiences, and then hearing or reading something in relation to what you've been thinking about, it's like a spark that goes off.

I will always admit that the journey is more about knowledge/truth to me than anything else. Initially it felt like a lot of spiritual ideas offended my intellectual side, for whatever reason, it just had to be dismissed even if I 'want to believe'. On the other hand, there are things that I've come to believe that I never imagined I could accept. There's a point when you become an intuitive learner, where you can feel whether something feels true or not in your body. I think this is the best way to get the signs and hints. What these are will depend on what's relevant and meaningful for you.

Examples can be various kinds of synchronicities, dream-messages, ideas in meditation, things like that. I don't know if I'm making sense to you.

This makes sense in terms of how to seek meaning from your experiences. LOA seems more like a magic wand prescription for prosperity. I'm not sure I'm intellectually offended by LOA I just don't see enough evidence to support it.
 

G6

Yeah, you've touched on my main problem with the LOA, it's just a sophisticated kind of manuscript for self-loathing.

Self-awareness/reflection always produces results, but if they're not the 'desired' ones, then maybe your expectations are a bit unrealistic -- that's my initial thought. My second and third thoughts are that spirit works in strange ways, that we can't immediately recognise as what we need. So if things don't appear to improve on the surface, it doesn't necessarily mean nothing is going on. Everything that happens to you, or in your life, is there to teach you. Whether it's good or bad is besides the point, in the sense that one of the things to overcome is the expectation or wanting a particular thing to occur.

We all need to evolve beyond our shortcomings, the self-work is never 'complete', we're never 'perfect'. It's only when we let go of expectations or this idea of what perfection (perfect happiness, perfect stability) looks like, can we actually be at peace. That's when real good things can happen, otherwise it's all a different kind of misery you're asking for.

The "sophisticated manuscript for self-loathing" you state above I would add can also be a sophisticated manuscript for shaming others. This is the aspect of LOA I find most off putting. What you describe here about being happy with who you are and what you have seems in conflict with LOA because it is about manifesting what you don't have or lack, which in turn seems to set some people up for unmet expectations aka "misery".