Welcome to Mysteries over Martinis! This blog is a mix of unexplained phenomena and personal encounters served up with a mystery-themed cocktail. It’s a recipe for intrigue!
Force of the Cosmos
Ingredients:
1 oz Smirnoff No. 21
1 oz Cranberry Juice
.5 oz Triple Sec
.5 oz Lime Juice
Shake all the ingredients together well. Strain into a cocktail glass and toast to good fortune.
Law of Attraction or Flaw of Attraction?
The law of attraction gained attention in 2006 with the popularity of “The Secret.” The law states that we attract that which we give our thought and intention to whether it is positive or negative. However, this is by no means a new concept. Psychologists, religious leaders and spiritualists have been studying the phenomenon for years. The belief is that as you focus your attention on something, you stimulate an emotional response. Thoughts and emotions are energy which gets transmitted into the universe. The magnetic power of the universe then draws similar energies together. In short, like attracts like.
Proponents of the law of attraction believe that our primary purpose in life is to create. When you stop or fail to try, you give up your greatest power. They believe that those who think life is a set of random circumstances are manifesting by default. Those who live life in such a manner, may experience a certain level of dissatisfaction due to feeling powerless. However, those who have mastered the law of attraction live a life of joy and abundance.
The rules for utilizing the law of attraction are supposedly quite simple:
- Ask: Know what you want and ask for it. The universe can’t deliver without first knowing what it is that you want to have manifested into your life. Be sure to ask for what you DO want and not what you don’t want.
- Believe: Believe that what you are asking for is possible and know that it is on its way to you. Do not try to focus on how the universe will deliver your wish. It’s not your concern, it’s up to the universe to work out the details.
- Receive: Be ready to receive what you’ve asked for. Know that you are worthy and deserve what you desire.
The third step seems to be much harder than you’d think. In order to receive your wish, you must not resist. Resistance occurs when you doubt that the process is working, feel impatient, or consume yourself with negative emotions. Resistance negates the ability to allow your desire to manifest. In many instances, we often wish for something when we are lacking it. For example, you wish for money because you’ve incurred an unexpected expense and you’re concerned you won’t be able to make your house payment. Making the wish for money is simple, but it’s not so easy to let go of the fear, worry, stress etc. Those negative emotions send out energy which will void the original request for financial abundance.
Any thought you continue to think becomes a belief. Many beliefs can serve your highest good but others do not. If you believe you are inadequate or unworthy then you will attract less of what you desire. Beliefs can be changed but it takes time and discipline. One of the most commonly suggested ways to remove these obstacles is by meditation. The process of meditation is to comfortably sit in a tranquil place where you won’t be disturbed. Focus on your breath or place your attention on sounds of nature. If a negative thought pops into your head, push it out and continue to focus on your breath. Though you are not consciously thinking positive thoughts during this process, the lack of resistance raises your vibration. Doing this for 10-15 minutes a day will allow your desires to flow into your experience.
Another suggested exercise to allow greatness into your life is the use of visualization. The universe cannot distinguish between the vibration you are living and the vibration you are imagining. Using visual imagery may assist in triggering an emotional stimulus. You could start by recollecting a memory that brings you joy or try to imagine the end result of what it is you’re wishing for. Any thoughts that fill your head with happiness will make you that much more receptive.
What if you’re not sure where you are currently in your emotional state? The law of attraction suggests that the best way to gauge where you are emotionally is by evaluating your dreams. Dreams are the result of the brain stringing together our daily thoughts and images into a nonsensical fashion. Therefore, the dream contains indicators to what you have been giving a significant amount of thought to and reveals what you might be in the process of attracting into your life.
The concept that we create our own reality is a fascinating one. However, there are some who feel the theory has holes. Let’s say you believe in karma, past life lessons and/or fate. How would that play into the law of attraction? For example, you and your partner are not getting along. You wish for the relationship to succeed and begin visualizing happy times together. But what if the person you’re with isn’t who you’re destined to be with? Most of us have been involved in a situation where the notion of a relationship ending seemed detrimental at the time but later you realize it was a blessing in disguise. Would the law of attraction not work in this case because fate has something else in store? If there is a bigger picture, then maybe the law has a caveat: You can create anything you desire as long as it serves your highest good.
I have a hard time believing that animals and children ‘attract’ abuse and torture. This is an uncomfortable topic to think about but it’s where I’m torn with the concept. I just can’t imagine how such horrific acts could be manifested by innocent beings. Perhaps these are life lessons but it’s a tough pill for me to swallow.
The law of attraction states that you put your wish out for the universe and do nothing but know it will come to fruition. It’s hard to believe you don’t have to put any effort forth in order to manifest what you want. Almost everyone gets where they are by the steps they chose to take. My dream is to be a professional writer but how is that supposed to happen if I’m not writing and sharing my work? You may want $1000 dollars but you can’t expect it to materialize out of thin air. The universe has to find a physical way to deliver it so you may have to do something in exchange for that money.
Another issue with the theory is that it is difficult to envision what $1 million feels like if you’ve never had it in your possession. It would seem more reasonable to start on a smaller scale with your wishes and work up to the big ones. I’m no saying it’s impossible but it may be improbable.
The following are stories of 3 of my loved ones who have had luck regarding the law of attraction.
My mom has been talking about getting a new couch recently and jokingly said she hoped to win enough money to pay for one. She went to the casino yesterday with the intention of just having fun. She returned home $1100 richer. She was ecstatic! Winning more than a couple hundred dollars is not the norm for her or most of us. I believe that her positive mental state and her choosing to do something that could potentially generate more money are the reasons she was able to manifest the money to purchase a new couch. This is not an extreme case, but it was a very plausible desire and therefore was able to be manifested quickly.
My dear friend Jennifer was in need of a new car. Her truck was on its last leg and she knew it would probably not survive another Iowa winter. She verbally stated aloud that she’d like to receive a reliable car without having to purchase it. She also wrote her wish down in a notebook. She had mentioned to a few people that she would need a new vehicle before this coming winter. A couple months after making her wish, Jennifer mentioned her concern to her cousin. Her cousin said she was planning to buy a new car in the near future and when she did, Jennifer could have her current car. Six months later, Jennifer was given the automobile. She now has it in time for the upcoming winter. Jennifer meditates almost daily and has a very positive attitude. I believe this contributed to her manifesting the 2009 Dodge Journey.
The greatest manifestation I’ve ever been witness to comes from my father. I got engaged in September of 2007. We had decided to get married in Jamaica in October of 2008. We wanted our families to be a part of our big day so many of them made arrangements to attend. At the time, my parents were a little concerned with the travel expenses so my husband and I set aside extra money to help them out if need be. In February of 2008, my dad stopped by my place of work. The office I worked in had a security entrance so I went out to the vestibule to meet him. My dad would occasionally swing by to drop something off for me like mail I had not forwarded to my new address etc. We were alone and he was in his usual good spirits. He told me he had something to tell me. He said, “You’re not going to believe this. You should sit down.” I thought he was being dramatic so I laughed. Then, he said, “No, I’m serious. You should sit down.” Being the obedient child I am, I did as I was told. He continued, “I went online last night to check my lottery numbers and there they were!” He smiled ear to ear.
It didn’t register on my end so I asked, “There what was?”
“My numbers! I won!” He reached into his bib overall pocket and handed me a check. I opened it up and it was a check issued to my dad from the Iowa State Lottery for $70,000.
“Oh my God! I can’t believe this!” I began to cry tears of joy and hugged him. I handed him the check and grabbed his top overall pocket and said, “Button that shit up! You don’t want to lose it on the way to the bank.” It was one of the happiest moments of my life. I couldn’t think of anyone who deserved it more than my parents. Needless to say, they paid their own way to Jamaica and spread the wealth a bit. After my dad won, my mom told me that he had insisted that he would come up with the money somehow. His belief and dedication to playing the $100,000 cash game paid off.
I do believe in the law of attraction but I think it’s far more complex than the 3 simple steps outlined above. Just like with anything else, it takes time and practice to master a skill. Great things can be achieved if you set your mind to it, but perhaps the universe, God, source or whatever you like to call it has something else in store for you. Create to your heart’s content but keep the faith if you should not receive everything you ask for.
If you’ve had a mysterious encounter you’d like to share, please e-mail me and be sure to like the Mysteries over Martinis Facebook page. Weirdness is always welcome!