Manifest and The Secret

[springtime]

Was curious of what you guys think of the whole manifesting thing.  Someone told me about the book Secret and how great it has been for them since they have been practicing.  They were trying to manifest a great relationship and it felt like it finally happened for them.  They seemed so happy and excited about a month ago and then they tell me that the guy just ended it for no reason (through a text, did not even call).  They were completed blindsided and crushed. 

The book talks about visualizing and focusing on what you want in you life.  If you practice this, you can manifest anything you want in life.

Is anyone familiar with manifesting and does it work for you?

[Synergy]

springtime,

What a great question!  I've been wondering this for awhile.  Readers have suggested this in the past, and I don't think I get it.  What's the difference between this and just wishing for something?  I've visualized myself with the person I want to be with, but I don't know if I'm just fantasizing or wishing/hoping.  I guess I should pick up the book, but as a single mom with two young daughters and a career, I've made excuses not to.  I guess if I stop calling psychics I'll have more time to read!    I'd love to hear what you guys think of this, as well. 

[guesswho]

I've heard about this a lot too and was thinking of doing this myself.  My ex swore by The Secret.  Basically you're supposed to visualize what you want as if it's a done deal.  Act like you know it's going to happen and picture exactly how you want it to happen and stay positive, no negative energy.  I know lots of people who say it works. 

I went on to the website for it where they have personal stories and one woman got her ex back by visualizing everything.  She thought of what she wanted him to say, how she wanted him to feel, and when he would come back and it worked out for her, timing and everything.

lol  I think my ex used that on me because I never thought I would ever want him back and then one day all of a sudden I want him back!!  I literally feel like he put a spell on me, if there is such a thing.  I don't know how I did a complete switch. 

Anyway, I think this manifestation stuff is worth a shot.  Can't be any worse than calling psychics...

[hoplessaries]

I have been practicing this and having some positive results. The hard part is not allowing doubt to interfere with positive thoughts. I always think of the worst case scenario for every situation and that is not good. I saw a video and this woman compared this practice to placing an order at a restaurant. She said once you place your order with the universe, you have to think positive thoughts and act like your order has already been filled and not to second guess it or allow negative thoughts to over ride the positive thoughts. She said something to the effect of if you were at a restaurant and you ordered chicken and then changed it to steak and then changed it back to chicken and so on... It made sense to me put in those terms because you'd never get your food... LOL. They also say don't say things like "I am never going to get out of debt" but rather "I am out of debt" or "I am getting myself out of debt and will have better credit than I have in the past..." I believe these things take time and that you will get what you want but you have to whole heartedly believe in what you want and not doubt it..... That is where I struggle. I want things but sometimes feel they are unattainable. I do visit the website often and read testimonials and even met someone in my city who changed their life with this practice. I am going to do the same... There are a lot of stories about reconciliations or manifesting the perfect, ideal match... Best of luck to you all.

[sunandmoon]

Jordie I think a lot of the reason it's not working is because it's about a specific person. Like they say, you are supposed to say things like "I wish for a partner who treats me in xxxx manner". Not something like "I wish xxxx would love me again"

And I also remember reading that you don't say "I don't want anyone that smokes or drinks" but rather "I desire someone who has a healthy lifestyle such as mine"

I actually did something similar for a full moon last spring. One of the things that I asked for was that if my old car needed work, that I could attract someone into my life that could fix it reasonably for me. And I wished I cold attract enough work so that I could comfortably pay my bills. (wish I could find that list, I just pulled it out of a notebook a couple of weeks ago and now don't see it. It was interesting to look at it again after all those months).

For some stuff though, we still need to do some work though! My sister is in a "Jesus will provide" type of religion and I told her that until a paycheck showed up in my mailbox every week without me going to work, I'm not sure I fully believe that. In that same manner, I know I needed to keep putting feelers out for work etc.

My .02 

[sunandmoon]

I'm pretty much the same way. While I completely stress about my finances, I just know things will work out somehow. They always have, always do.

The only reason I said that to you was that you ended it with this:  "However, I have not been able to apply this way of thinking to my current situation. I think fear is what gets in my way. Fear of believing it will and feeling let down if it does not."

As for my ex, I certainly fully believed for quite awhile, even before I started to call psychics, that things would work out as he was (hd been) soooo into me. I completely thought this was his way of teaching me a lesson (once before he stopped talking to me he told me one day he'd be gone and I'd be sorry). So I certainly believed then too. Then the psychics told me he'd be bac etc. I just think dealing with a one on one makes it tougher to manifest, that's all.

[melancholia]

I have been practicing this and having some positive results. The hard part is not allowing doubt to interfere with positive thoughts.

This. So much this.  Whenever I try it and I manage to keep things positive, it works out really well.  But doubt inevitably creeps in (because I am an insecure individual and I know this), and if I doubt long enough, everything starts to unwind. 

I wonder how the people who have been successful with it manage to keep things so positive?

[kindred]

Hi everyone, it's me Debbie Downer again  . I have tried so much in the way of manifesting including positive thinking, reciting mantras, creating a vision board, and reading The Secret twice and I still have negative things happen but yet many positives as well. From my interpretation of the book (which may be different from others) is that everything that happens to us is a result of the way that we think and this is where I have a problem. So following that thinking, when people get terminal illnesses, their homes get foreclosed on, car accidents, heartbreaks, and all things negative that is a result of their own doing because of their thinking? That is absolutely absurd to me!! Logically speaking, life is all about perspective so I can see how changing the way you view things would make you have a "better" life because if you change the way you view a situation from a setback to a stepping stone then now that negative has become a positive. Needless to say, I am not a believer in The Secret and I think they were just out to make money.

Here is an excerpt from the book that was particularly disturbing:

"They say, `I'm fired up, I saw this program and I'm going to change my life.' And yet the results aren't showing. Beneath the surface it's just about ready to break through but the person will look just at the surface results and say, `This stuff doesn't work.' And you know what? The universe says, "your wish is my command."

To me this reads as the authors making sure to have all their bases covered. If good things don't come your way using The Secret it is all your fault, you did it. But when The Secret "works" it is all us, we did it . According to that quote, the universe is more apt to hand over a negative quickly yet a positive will take a long time. Good things and bad things will happen to all us, no doubt about it but there is no way I am buying that all of it is a result of our thinking.

[waiting4godot]

Try reading the Ester & Jerry Hicks books about the teachings of Abraham. We all can manifest, The Secret is very basic. Read something and possibly listen to their CD - It can work.

[hoplessaries]

kindred - i understand your doubts, as i, myself have the same ones from time to time but i have seen evidence of this working. i don't think positive thoughts make you exempt from every day struggles but can help you deal with them in a better sense. a lot of times our blessings come in disguise. what we think is a bad situation is just a stepping stone to a better situation sometimes.

[TimeHeals]

@hopeless:

'a lot of times our blessings come in disguise. what we think is a bad situation is just a stepping stone to a better situation sometimes.'

I also believe this. A VERY WISE PERSON said to me just recently that when bad things happen, its God's way of grooming us for happiness, the good things to come. I believe this to be true. Also so true - sometimes blessings come in disguise. Unfortunately, it is something we sometimes cannot see when we are in what I call the 'black hole'. 

Maybe we can form a group here to keep the positive thinking, and help each other manifest, Visualize what we want, without regard to how it comes, and possibly help each other with ways of keep away the doubts and becoming strong believers and faithful. Can;t hurt, but CAN help......

[TimeHeals]

Hi everyone, it's me Debbie Downer again  . I have tried so much in the way of manifesting including positive thinking, reciting mantras, creating a vision board, and reading The Secret twice and I still have negative things happen but yet many positives as well. From my interpretation of the book (which may be different from others) is that everything that happens to us is a result of the way that we think and this is where I have a problem. So following that thinking, when people get terminal illnesses, their homes get foreclosed on, car accidents, heartbreaks, and all things negative that is a result of their own doing because of their thinking? That is absolutely absurd to me!! Logically speaking, life is all about perspective so I can see how changing the way you view things would make you have a "better" life because if you change the way you view a situation from a setback to a stepping stone then now that negative has become a positive. Needless to say, I am not a believer in The Secret and I think they were just out to make money.

Here is an excerpt from the book that was particularly disturbing:

"They say, `I'm fired up, I saw this program and I'm going to change my life.' And yet the results aren't showing. Beneath the surface it's just about ready to break through but the person will look just at the surface results and say, `This stuff doesn't work.' And you know what? The universe says, "your wish is my command."

To me this reads as the authors making sure to have all their bases covered. If good things don't come your way using The Secret it is all your fault, you did it. But when The Secret "works" it is all us, we did it . According to that quote, the universe is more apt to hand over a negative quickly yet a positive will take a long time. Good things and bad things will happen to all us, no doubt about it but there is no way I am buying that all of it is a result of our thinking.

Sorry, forgot to post about my thoughts on your last paragraph: I also do not understand why a negative comes quickly, yet a positive takes so long. Really doesn't make sense. In the Secret they say something about the universe not recognizing 'no'. or 'not'. So, I don't buy into ALL is a result of our thinking, either. And, of course they are out to make money - they really cashed in on dvd's, books, and there even was at one time, and probably still is, 'coaching' services available that some guy on the site was pandering. Not unlike the scammer fake psychics, in my opinion.

[hoplessaries]

I agree with you, Time. Of course they made money but I don't feel the public is being sold a fairytale. I think people make the biggest mistake by thinking negatively. If you go into it with a smart ass attitude and you're determined to prove "The Laws of Attraction" don't exist, why would you expect things to materialize? You have to whole heartedly believe in it and not be a skeptic with an axe to grind.... I am speaking generally and not directing this at you, kindred. I am just saying.

[sunandmoon]

Try reading the Ester & Jerry Hicks books about the teachings of Abraham. We all can manifest, The Secret is very basic. Read something and possibly listen to their CD - It can work.

Wow, I have a podcast from them a year ago. Which reminds me I want to delete it from my ipod and phone as I hate when a piece of it comes on during a music shuffle.

I'm with Kindred. I never read the book but I did download the widget (I do like free) and I get the emails but I rarely read them anymore. The only thing that really ever worked for me was in my financial sense but I've always had that "luck" so what does that mean?

a lot of times our blessings come in disguise. what we think is a bad situation is just a stepping stone to a better situation sometimes.

But you don't need to manifest or follow the Secret or Hicks or anything for that to happen. It's life, that's all. aka "when one door closes, another opens"

And yes, I'm sure "they" would say I've just done it wrong so.....

[TimeHeals]

I agree with you, Time. Of course they made money but I don't feel the public is being sold a fairytale. I think people make the biggest mistake by thinking negatively. If you go into it with a smart ass attitude and you're determined to prove "The Laws of Attraction" don't exist, why would you expect things to materialize? You have to whole heartedly believe in it and not be a skeptic with an axe to grind.... I am speaking generally and not directing this at you, kindred. I am just saying.

I have to disagree - I think they DID market that whole thing as a fairytale. And I dont beleive anybody would go into it just to 'prove' it doesn't work.  Like I said, some things happened, some things did not, lots of bad happened too, during the time i was being positive, and believing and such, but they put it out there that life is just going to be so wonderful and blissful, when we all know that just is not reality.

A change in perspective, attitude, view on things does help, just like you and kindred said, in that its all in how you handle any particular situation.  And I do believe a lot of times blessings come in disguise - I know I have experienced that in the past, but some bad things come without blessing or the proverbial 'silver lining'.

I just don't think people should be 'fooled' into thinking life is going to be all wine and roses by utilizing the principles of Law of Attraction. But, it can't hurt to try - and I DID try it, and am trying it again, but more within the biblical teachings, which by the way, The Secret stole from.

That being said, I did have a vision board made up, with pictures and writings and things. Now, I just will change a few things, add a few, remove a few, and say my prayers believing things will be the way I want. If anyone else is going to try this, maybe we could share notes, progress, etc. 

And Welcome to the forum, hopless