lawofattraction

the 'law of attraction' as it is popularly called is a method by which we draw into our lives what we desire or treasure most - if that is where our focus is. although as an expression it didn't gain popularity until 2006, there are other also well known expressions which have been around much longer.

what you sew, you shall reap.

what goes around comes around.

what you put out, come back to you.

and other expressions you might not associate with this principle -

like attracts like.

birds of a feather flock together.

people use this principle all their lives. afterall, it doesn't happen too often that something simply drops into our laps, followed by the thought "wow, i never knew i wanted it so much!". we don't recognise it for what it is but we use it all the time.

even a child does, saving their pocket money to buy something particular even if that means doing extra chores to come up with the money sooner. or perhaps their daydreaming about it will be noticed by a parent or grandparent and it will be purchased for them as a gift. when a student has a particular career in mind he or she will focus on courses which will give them the best chance of ending up in the job of their dreams. when someone decides they want a car, how much thought goes into it before they actually get on. first, theres the desire to purchase, imagining being behind the wheel of their own car. thinking about what type of car, which colour. then comes the issue of money - maybe they will have to borrow, maybe not. but if they go out with a particular car, year and model in mind the odds are that sooner or later they will find it.

why focus on what you want? because you fix it in your mind. you keep it in mind when planning for something - you set what you desire as your goal. with it in the back of your mind you are more likely to notice the serrindipity which will bring it closer. what is serrindipity anyway, but chance opportunity? you just have to notice the coincidence to act upon it.

but keeping your goal first and foremost in your mind every moment of the day is not how it works. like learning at school, what you focus on slips into your subconscious. once you have learned your abc's and maths, did you constantly have to think about them nonstop? or was the knowledge there to be recalled when you needed it. you didn't forget the alphabet just because you haven't recited it in say the last decade or so since you left grade one, did you? we 'program' our subsconscious all the time. we are just not aware of it.

perhaps you are more familiar with this principle under phrase that was used prior to the popular 'law of attraction' - creative visualisation. creative visualisation is the use of images to reinforce what we desire to manifest in our lives. again, it's something we do all the time without realising it. daydreaming, fantasizing, mental rehearsals, and imagination are all examples of visualization. we have all daydreamed about an upcoming vacation or a visit with a favorite friend. many of us have fantasized about winning the lottery or getting a better job. however we don't just use it for positive reinforcement.

we also often use visualization to roleplay experiences we do not want in our lives. we mentally rehearse our greatest fears over and over in our minds. have you ever imagined how you would respond if you were robbed or attacked, mentally rehearsed an imagined argument with your co-worker, had a daydream about the death of a loved one, or imagined the worst possible outcome to a situation you were experiencing? it's not something you want to happen, but in case of mentally going over something we dread, we may be lining ourselves up failure in a different way - wanting to avoid the situation altogether, or letting an opportunity slip by at the last instant because the fear of what might go wrong is too great in us.

and this is the crux of the matter - when it comes to programming the subconscious, it doesn't matter whether we focus on something positive or good for us, or negative and bad for us. 'as you sow, so you shall reap' applies whether the outcome is to our benefit or not. in fact all those expessions could go either way.

and remember this one 'misery loves company'.

'birds of a feather flock together' and 'like attracts like' mean that regardless of your outlook on life, you will find yourself in the company of those that feel the same. so if your outlook tends to misery, of course you will be attracted towards those that share your perspective, and they too will be drawn to you. gossipers keep company to have someone to gossip to and social clubs form because of common interests, be they chess clubs or outdoor bowling. like does attract like given the opportunity. the downside, of course, is ostrasization, and it is a difficult thing not to fall to. when some social environment, however well intended is their desire to remain open to those of different perspectives or opinions, that will go out the window when one particular mindset begins to dominate. those not in agreeance are simply censured, suppressed or shut out.

remember that other expression, 'don't rock the boat'.

you may feel this is drifting off subject, but what i want to point out is just how much of the priniciple of attraction works in our lives whether we realise it or not. and how on a personal level and even to a degree on a social level it doesn't matter whether it is a positive or negative thing we focus on, it still works.

but when used positively the outcome can change our lives, something which has been long recognised. businesses train their employees to use visualisatin to improve performance and production.coaches use visualization with athletes because research has shown that mental rehearsal is an effective way to increase athletic performance. students use visualization to improve test scores while therapists use imagery to enhance relaxation skills. dieters are taught to image a thin and beautiful body. medical scientists have watched the power of mental imagery increase the immune system as well as lower a person’s blood pressure and heart rate; therefore, medical professionals often teach patients visualisation techniques to assist in their healing process.

programming our subconscious on a personal level makes what we desire in our lives possible, making it feel attainable or achievable. with a goal in mind we are on autopilot so to speak, so that automatically we are doing and noticing things which will make it possible. just as we automatically recall what we learned at school in everyday life. this does not rely simply on pictures. mental images do not always come in the form of a picture. some people use words, thoughts, or sensations to create a mental image. (a popular method is making a picture board, sticking on it any photos from magazines, etc, which relate to what you want in your life.) you can determine what components you use to create mental images by observing your daydreams or fantasies. do you see clear pictures, or do your daydreams consist of blurred images with clear thoughts? maybe you provide you own narrative or commentary. or perhaps add your own scents or become emotionally involved.

but the key reinforcement through repetition. repetition is how we first learned our abc's and our first maths equations. what you repeat to yourself is what sinks into your subconscious. and as we have already observed, it doesnt matter if it's good or bad, positive or negative. so when it comes to shaping our lives positive reinforcement is important! it must be something we want more of, not less of in our lives. because the subconscious doesn't discriminate, that is a conscious process.

here is another example of how what your mind dwells on - which is repiticious thinking - affects your subconscious. have you ever decided on what car you want, and then it seems no matter where you are, you notice one. or when you are looking for a house any you pass while out driving which might match your price-bracket or needs/ideals you find yourself automatically looking at wistfully and imagining what it would be like to own it.

this is from two articles in an australian magazine, "that's life!", feb 6 2009 issue. read them carefully. hope is described as "an often underrated powerhouse emotion. it's about trusting what you want. when you hope, it's like making a wish." but....