Remember Louisa, who works in the entertainment industry? She was telling me recently that she had been imagining experiencing a really big, new life change. She was excited and thrilled with the happy outcome she had in mind and for weeks she’d given it plenty of attention. She was feeling pretty good about it all.
It all went to hell in a handbasket
And then, and then…gulp…she realized that a week had gone by and she hadn’t given it a thought. Louisa told me that she’d asked herself if the desire was no longer important. The answer was she still wanted it. What happened? Why was I back to the old thoughts she wanted to know.
It’s training. Creating new tracks in our mind for our thoughts to move along isn’t always an overnight task. Nah, it’s rarely an overnight task, unless it’s something that isn’t part of a deeply held belief system. Our core beliefs run deep on the tracks that we’ve formed over the years.
Given that we’re either attracting what we want through our deliberate use of consciousness or we’re experiencing a mixture of wanted and unwanted stuff also through our consciousness, means that we must train ourselves to move beyond what our current experiences tell us.
Beyond reality
It’s great to know that we are not limited to our outer reality, and yet…we can still find ourselves with limited thinking based on our current or an old reality. So here we are, aware that in consciousness we can create whatever we want and still getting caught up in the old habits of imagination. What’s to be done?
Prioritize that’s what – make deliberately using your conscious a priority, make it the most important thing you can do in a day. After all it is, isn’t it? We’re talking about everything that goes into making your entire life…who wants to leave that to chance?
There’s always the inherent struggle of the inner spiritual man of imagination, the builder of your life, with the outer man of reason and senses. This duality is part of our human experience. And boy those senses are pretty seductive aren’t they? Look at this they say, listen to that, taste this wonderful doughnut…sorry I know that’s just me. I’m working on it, honest.
And that’s what happened to Louisa…she got distracted by the busyness of her life, her job, her kids, her husband, her classes. Everything was important, except the one thing that supported her desire. We all do it.
Keep your mind on the job
I’m not suggesting that all the things that were important to Louisa should be put on one side…they are important, as they would be to you or me.
What I’m suggesting is that we must deliberately exercise our inner spiritual being and determine the direction it takes. Daily.
We can all invest five minutes a day thinking from the imagined end of our fulfilled desire. How wonderful it feels, what our friends are saying to us, how we see ourselves in this new state. Anything and everything that the outer man or woman, not to be sexist, of senses would do.
And then we do it again tomorrow and the next day and the day after. The difference between doing it once or twice and doing it every single day, consistently, is the difference between being thrilled and amazed at the circumstances, situations and opportunities that arise and staying just where you are. I think its a no brainer.
Encourage one another.
Elle.
Images Song_Sing
Elle, I love how realistic your posts are. Rather than pretend it is easy, you remind that even those who practice the LOA for years need to do just that: PRACTICE. So easy to drift into old patterns and habits, and realize only the same-old, same-old.
Thank you Carol…I try to keep it real…after all we’re all in the same boat here. Sometimes I get it wrong though. 🙂
Dear Elle, hi there. I’m with you every day, you help me so much. Just today I had a small miracle in my life: I applied for a job a week ago. I needed a note from a certain journal that they would publish my paper, and I needed it like yesterday. I wrote to a man in charge whom I have never met, I sent him my paper, and I started expecting an answer and a note from him – I have to emphasize that those kind of things usually happen really slow around here, but I needed it ASAP. So I wrote myself a nice accepting letter saying that everything is fine, the paper is perfect for the journal, and that I could come tomorrow and pick up my note. And all day I sent myself all sorts of junk, just to get that “you’ve got mail” feeling all the time, and to have that highlighted line on top of my inbox. And there it was – a letter: I didn’t even have to go to pick up a note, he sent it to me by email. That could make a difference in my job application. But I already feel like I got a job. And I have so much support. Today I listed all the people who said “fingers crossed” in the past week, and all the people I will call or write to tell them I got the job – there are 37 of them (Elle, I have to tell you, you are on the list 🙂 you did wonders for me in the past few months)- now if that isn’t a blessing, I don’t know what is.
And one more thing – isn’t the phrase “hope for the best prepare for the worst” just horrible? Me and my friend were just talking about how we were brought up in that spirit, and of course, “don’t jinx it” when you say something nice had happened to you or you just say a positive thing. Or “don’t laugh too much – you’ll cry later” 🙂 horrible stuff, right? Thank God we have the ability to recognize how wrong it is and chose not to live by it, and help others to break free from living in constant fear from the worst possible scenario.
Ana, I know all these phrases – I used to be in a state of thinking if I could imagine the worst thing that happened in any given situation, then I’d be able to handle it. Can you imagine? No, on second thoughts, please don’t!
You are such a breath of fresh air Ana and it’s such a joy that you are willing to share your experiences, they are so encouraging to us all. And you’re absolutely right, I’m imagining wonderful things for you. 🙂
I’ve been working on my “mind movies” every day and, yes, it can be a challenge to do it EVERY day. So I created a log and put it on the fridge so I’ll see it all day. Those little thoughts (and feelings) of what we want sprinkled throughout the day (and more intensely during meditation) really help. Like Carol, I love how you write!
Paige, what a great idea…I’m going to use your technique this week and see how it resonates with me. Because it’s mainly those little, nitty gritty irritations that seem to hold on the longest. 🙂
Beautiful reminder, Elle…one I needed to hear today. Overwhelmed with “busyness” I tucked the new kittens by my side as I took the time for a meditation…they promptly fell asleep as I centered and my dreams rose above the light layers busyness allowed 🙂
As always Joy you share beautiful words and expressions with us and I thank you. 🙂
Hi Elle,
Thank you! This post is perfect for me today. I needed a reminder about creating new tracks. I’m writing a book, and having been published before am all too aware of the difficulties that arise after the manuscript is finished. I need to let go of those old tracks and focus on the day-to-day joy of creating. If we truly love every minute of today, the future will unfold with equal joy.
Thanks for the nudge! Hug,
Mary Carol
Mary Carol I shall be excited to read your new book! It’s great that you’re now focusing on joy and how right you are that in doing so your future will unfold in and with more joy. As we say across the pond – good job you!
What you said to me the other day about love and fear… I’ve been thinking a lot about that. I let go of that negative thing that was bringing me down and I feel like a new woman. Thanks for being there with all your glorious optimism all the time, even when I think its B.S. 😉
You’re welcome Katrina 🙂 We’re always dying to the old to experience the new, even through what seems, to our ego, to be B.S.