Since mental health is one of the most important things we should be paying attention to I have had to give a lot of thought to the Law Of Attraction. In many ways, I see how it hurts people rather than helps them. I believe this is due to most people, including the movie "The Secret", oversimplifying the L.O.A. Being a part of the spiritual community, if I can call it that, has made it difficult to disagree with these ideas. It feels like most who practice some form of healing work believe in everything they are told. For me though, I see what is wrong with a lot of what we do in life and I believe we should all question everything we are told or taught. There is usually someone profiting off of encouraging us to believe in something that isn't necessarily true for us -even if it rings true for someone else
When I was younger I used to be disappointed and heartbroken quite often when something I thought was going to work failed. I started to think the worst for any situation that came up like a test, or a party I was going to. I would think I was going to fail or the party was going to be awful. By what some have said about the L.O.A. thinking that way meant I was going to attract that energy. But it did the opposite. Those events, tests, or projects at school always turned out better than I thought they would. I learned at a young age not to get excited or feel like I was going to have a great time, or do really well on a project. It was definitely beneficial when I changed my thinking to avoid the pitfalls of disappointment from others, and myself. It was how I coped then, and it is why I first questioned the law of attraction.
I have also noticed that people are quick to say what they gained from using L.O.A. but not the work they had to do to get there. In fact, I think many people do not even realize the work that they may have done, or that others need to do before attracting what they want. I also don't think they realize the lessons that come along with what they want as well. Examples are: not wanting it once you manifest it, how to handle wealth, friendships that change with wealth and fame, toxic productivity, and realizing what is truly important in life. Wealth and fame are not what truly matters, but they offer lots of lessons in life. Even if you are trying to attract a romantic love into your life many lessons come with that, and before you can attract that. It can be very hard to see the patterns in your life that are preventing you from making the L.O.A. work for you. And what is more important is the hard stuff. Mental growth, learning to love yourself, discipline, overcoming life's obstacles.
Life is about the journey, NOT the outcome. Our soul's plan is for the journey. This journey is not to feed the ego, although it can -this journey is about the soul's evolution. It is about being a better person and making better choices for yourself, others, animals, and the planet. I feel that the L.O.A. encourages you to focus on the outcome. You do not need to see the outcome in your mind to be heading in the right direction. Being present in every moment is what we should be focusing on. Releasing all thoughts and pressures we feel by having faith that everything in our lives is trying to show us something to help us grow and evolve as humans. We are here to create heaven on earth not to attract what the ego wants or focus all of our time on that.
I think that for some people who have attracted wealth, fame, or some other form of abundance they have made it to the point in their life where it is time for those things to come in. We all have access to abundance but what do we really want? What do we really need? Some people may have an easier time attracting the things that the ego wants, but of course, they don't realize or recognize that. They just go on the internet and tell everyone else that it is easy!
I also believe that there is no "universal" way of life or being. This means I do not believe in a "one-fits-all" mentality. What's important here is that the ego needs to be released to truly utilize the L.O.A. Some people may have an easier time attracting things that are mostly of the ego -like money, popularity, and abundance of goods and services. But, most of us are working on a lot of things that do not fit what our ego may want -inner work, self-love, built-in beliefs. We have many, many blocks in this world from many different variables in our lives that start before birth. We cannot compare ourselves to others. There are just too many variables, some that we do not even realize exist. These variables have to do with the choices we made for our lives before we were even born.
I do believe that we are constantly manifesting in our lives. The reason is that we are ALL of the things we want and do not want. The separation we put between the things we want and where we are at is part of the problem. If you desire it, there is a way to it, whatever it is. It is meant to be yours, already in your energy field. Set up that way before you were born. But your soul wants to grow and learn while it is in human form. So you cannot just think I am rich and become rich. Instead, ask the universe to help you see the things in your life you cannot see that are blocking you from being rich or landing your dream job. Ask yourself what you have not learned yet. Remember that your life is not happening to you, it is happening for you. Every bad and good thing.
We have to change our mindset, our approach to life, and our perceived problems. When we see things clearly -because that is what we started with manifesting, then the rest will follow. Changing mindset is very difficult. This is another problem with L.O.A. talks and movies. It is not easy to see all the ways you may be sabotaging yourself, but they make it seem like it is. Again, start with manifesting an understanding of where you are at. Focus on seeing your blocks, and built-in beliefs about life and yourself. Dig deep, use reiki and other forms of healing to help you see outside of yourself. Try to see where you may be taking life too seriously, or taking things too personally as well.
I think the key idea that is missing from most discussions about the L.O.A. is that start with where you are at, manifest understanding and being able to see your life clearly, and then manifest wealth and other forms of abundance that appeal to you. Everything in life is available to you. Easy to say but hard to believe. The more you work on yourself the more this will ring true to you.
Everyone has moments or periods in their life of victimization. The "I am not pretty enough", and "I am not smart enough" for example. I believe that some time in this space of mind is useful but we need to recognize eventually that exactly the way we are already is exactly who and what we need to be to accomplish what we set out to in this life. Your perceived level of attractiveness or intelligence is what it needs to be, what it is supposed to be for you to learn and grow. The ego is what wants more. The ego is what says if I were pretty I would have accomplished so much more. If I were smarter I would have my dream job. (Often comparing yourself to others.) While obsessing over what you are not your life passes by, and what you were meant to be slips farther away. But do not worry, we have all been given plenty of time to figure it out. And if not in this life, then the next!
What is meant for you will come to you! But life is about the journey. And some of that journey will be lousy like a week of rain. In those days mindset is the most important. Learning to be happy wherever you are even if it is not where you want to be, or at least you can be present and thinking about yourself and life better. More on this in my next rambling on Affirmations.