The Law of Attraction

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The Law of Attraction

An excerpt from

by Sharon Janis

The basic idea of the law of attraction is that your thoughts determine your experience. You attract what you think about, whether you want it or not.

Like karma, the law of attraction is not about blame or guilt — it’s just a simple reaction, a law of the universe that applies to everyone equally, regardless of whether you are a saint or a sinner. What you focus your attention on tends to increase.

Of course, this law is just one of many coexisting universal laws, so I encourage you to keep your mind from settling into a simplistic view of any one universal law without taking into account the unavoidable potential for exceptions and conflicting views.

The law of attraction is based, in part, on the idea that the universe is made up of vibrations being drawn to other vibrations that are most like themselves — in the same way that plucking a string on one violin will cause a string on a nearby violin tuned to the same note to also vibrate.

This metaphysical (more than physical) philosophy says that your power of thought affects the outer world in ways that go beyond the physical realm, and that you have the power to effect changes in your outer world not just through strenuous outer efforts, but also by shifting how you think.

For example, if you are wanting to lose weight or relieve yourself of your financial debts, the law of attraction would suggest that you not focus too much on the problems at hand — in these cases on the larger sizes and unpaid bills — but that you spend time visualizing what you would like your life to look like. This way, you’re feeding the details of that vision with your thought energy, and if you do it right — so the testimonials say — you end up with the very house you visualized or the car you cut out from a magazine and pasted above your desk. Or even better, on spiritual levels you become happier, healthier, and more spiritually attuned, peaceful, and beneficial to the world.

What is better than a parlor game kind of approach to metaphysics is to learn the useful principles from these manifestation theorists — such as the idea of focusing your attention on what is good — and to combine these principles with solid spiritual information, wisdom, virtues, and practices to really uplift your whole life in ways you may have never imagined. Don’t just vision for an expensive new car, vision for a great, spiritually vibrant, divinely inspired life! Two main steps help you benefit from these metaphysical laws:

Discover what the universal laws of attraction are.
Getting to know metaphysical laws is an interactive and ongoing process of personal evolution and exploration into new vistas of understanding. You can’t simply learn metaphysical laws by only reading books or taking courses, because universal laws are like life itself — big, flexible, and endless in their expressions. Along with reading and hearing information about metaphysical laws, pay attention to how these laws manifest in your life. See whether you can find examples of when you’ve personally experienced these laws so that you can explore those events and develop a more personal and intuitive sense of how metaphysical laws work in action.
Apply the universal laws to your life.
This step sounds easy, right? After you discover a metaphysical rule or universal law, all you have to do is follow it. Yet how many people apply all the physical laws they already know in their own lives? People know, for example, how much money they earn, but what do they do anyway? Overspend. They have studied nutrition and health enough to know the laws of proper digestion, but then they go out and eat huge, greasy meals anyway.

Experiment with trying out different universal laws in your own life situations. For example, you may decide to stop thinking negative thoughts for a certain amount of time or to follow more austere rules of integrity, honesty, and faith. See if shifting to more positive thoughts and actions bring positive shifts to your outer life as well as your inner experience.

Your living is determined not so much by what life brings to you
as by the attitude you bring to life; not so much by what happens to you
as by the way your mind looks at what happens.

—John Homer Miller

Checking out some laws

Okay, these laws of attraction are not as neat and well-documented as government laws. Wouldn’t things be easier if you could just read a list of clearly coded laws explaining exactly what kinds of punishments or benefits you’d receive for following each one? But, alas, all you have are the breadcrumbs that have been left by those who have explored these laws. Here are a few of these laws for you to contemplate, consider, and explore. Let these aphorisms unfold in your own deep wise soul:

Everything comes from the universe and is delivered to you through people, circumstances and events by the law of attraction.

Be careful how you think. Your life is shaped by your thoughts.

All that we are is the result of what we have thought.

Whether you think you can or can’t, either way you are right.

Life is a mirror of your consistent thoughts.

What you resist persists.

Follow your bliss and the universe will open doors for you where there were only walls.

It is done unto you as you believe

Imagination is everything.

Applying the laws

The best way to apply these laws of attraction is to keep them in mind as you act, think, and express yourself into the world. Notice how you think about things and experiment with ways to create more positive with your words, thoughts, and actions. Also understand the power of the company you keep. Do your best to keep your mind focused on people, places, and things that are in harmony with your greater goals.

To share a personal example of how I apply this law of attraction theory in my life, I personally choose not to watch some of the popular shows that take place in hospitals, because I don’t want to draw more hospital experiences into my life. Some of the law of attraction teachers also suggest staying away from people who are undesirable in one way or another — whether sick, poor, or fat — so that you won’t take on their qualities. This teaching suggests that someone who works with people who have been harmed or violated in one way or another may be inviting similar experiences into their own life.

However, this somewhat heartless approach of avoiding anyone who is not perfectly free from flaws may actually end up attracting more of what you don’t want, because avoidance of things can also attract them to you. It is the energy of your mental focus that makes certain events or things manifest more powerfully. Who would really want to live in a world where people are so selfish that they don’t help others out of fears of getting some kind of “karmic cooties” from them? Taking a simplistic or selfish approach to universal laws can create these kinds of strange interpretations that are less likely to come about when the metaphysical laws are allowed to express naturally as part of your spiritual maturation.

Therefore, along with paying attention to what you are creating with your mind, thoughts, and words, and along with being careful about the company you keep, you want to also follow the law of allowing. Don’t put too much thought, attachment, or avoidance toward anything that you don’t wish to increase in your life. Keep your attention focused on higher spiritual matters even while in the midst of so-called “bad company.” Your higher focus will not only protect you from the potential ill effects of their company, but will also help you to be good company for them (which equals more good karma for everyone concerned!)

More about Spirituality For Dummies

“This book bridges the gap between conventional experience and the spiritual life. Spirituality for Dummies gives practical advice for entering the path of spirituality, borrowing wisdom from a host of religious, philosophical, and comedic traditions. Insightful, wise, and humorous, this book can and should be read by all, from novice to saint!"

— Dr. Christopher Key Chapple, Loyola Marymount University

From the Publisher (Wiley): Want to get in touch with your spiritual side? Spirituality For Dummies 2nd Edition shows you how to use spiritual principles to understand and improve your life, empower you mind, and nourish your soul. Complete with a CD filled with calming, spiritual music, it is your personal guide to serenity and spiritual healing.

Spiritual philosopher Sharon Janis shows you how to discover the deeper calling of your soul, survive and thrive through adversity, and look at the world with optimism. You’ll learn how to use meditation, yoga, prayer, and journaling for inward reflection and to spark new vistas as you unfold your own spiritual wisdom and move forward on your spiritual journey in your own individual way. You’ll find similarities and differences among a variety basic spiritual concepts from different religious and philosophical traditions, and you’ll discover how to:

* Find your spiritual path
* Uplift your body, mind, and spirit
* Fulfill your greatest dreams
* Spiritualize your relationships
* Cultivate your spiritual virtues
* Increase your inner peace and happiness
* Turn troubles into triumphs
* Recognize yourself as a co-creator
* Be a VIP: a very inspired person

The companion CD that accompanies this gentle guide brings you more than 60 minutes of inspirational music from around the world. It features the author and other artists performing songs and chants from Christian, Jewish, Buddhist, and Hindu traditions in their native languages.

The Spiritual Guide that Comes with It's Own Ego Test

CLICK HERE if you are offended by the title

spirituality

Humorous, edgy, profound, and enlightening, Spirituality For Dummies brings modern-day spiritual seekers a view and approach to life that is universal, personal, and optimistic, with the dependable style, clarity, and friendliness of the “For Dummies” series.

User-friendly descriptions of spiritual teachings, principles and practices are brought to life with with humorous anecdotes and insightful quotes from great thinkers, scriptures, and texts from many traditions. With a friendly and conversational tone, Spirituality For Dummies gives readers tools tofind and enter the spiritual dimensions of their lives in today's unique world circumstances.

Spirituality For Dummies guides readers to the awareness of their natural and inherent identity with spirit and the all-pervasiveness of divine spirit in everything. It does this with a realistic and common sense approach that is scientific in nature, without asking readers to subscribe to fluffy or black-and-white ideas.

Reviews for Spirituality For Dummies:

“You can be sure you will no longer be a dummy if you finish reading Spirituality for Dummies. This 330-page primer provides a general overview of spiritual knowledge and awareness, and offers specific spiritual exercises and principles designed to expand one's universal consciousness. Author Sharon Janis fuses mystical traditions with "new thought" to encourage individuals to see beyond mere appearances and use intuitive perceptions to comprehend the spiritual laws at work behind the outer conditions in their lives."
— Sacramento Bee

“Spirituality For Dummies is a Mecca for those who are sincerely seeking the genuine meaning and practice of spirituality. Sharon Janis fuses mystical insights drawn from the east/west approaches, resulting in a volume that opens the heart, exhilarates the mind, and inflames the soul. No matter upon which rung of the spiritual ladder you now stand, expect to be catapulted to the next level of awareness through practice of the wisdom-offerings in this scripture of Truth.”
— Michael Beckwith, Agape and "The Secret"

“If you feel empty inside (and not because it's been six hours since your last burrito), it might be time to search for the meaning of life in Spirituality for Dummies… Even skeptics can gain self-knowledge from the thought and visualization exercises strewn throughout the book, which demonstrate how to take a positive view of negative experiences and let go of emotional baggage—like going to a therapist, but cheaper. Janis explains meditation, yoga, and other practices in a chipper, down-to-earth style, using everyday analogies and many an exclamation point, that won't scare off the novice.”
— Village Voice

More Reviews

READ SAMPLE PAGES:

The Table of Contents

Chapter 1: "Finding Authentic Spirituality"

The eclectic and extensive index

What makes Spirituality For Dummies different from other contemporary spiritual books?

Breadth and depth of coverage – It is rare to find a contemporary spiritual book that covers the breadth and depth of topics covered in Spirituality For Dummies.

It's Universal and Personal– The author brings quotes and ideas from many spiritual, religious, psychological, ancient wisdom, scientific, and philosophical traditions together with personal insight and advice.

Friendly, knowledgeable guidance with no strings attached – The author’s goal in writing this book is to share beneficial ideas and worldviews that are accessible to people from all walks of life.

About the Author:

Sharon Janis was brought up by psychology-teacher parents and studied neuroscience and film at the University of Michigan, before spending ten years living a monastic ashram life – studying, chanting, and serving in deep spiritual immersion, while producing and editing hundreds of videos for the worldwide Siddha Yoga spiritual movement.

After a decade of monastic life, Sharon moved to Hollywood for a career as film editor, director, and producer of popular television shows and films – including many evening news and news-feature shows, Hard Copy, X-Men, and The Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers – winning a Los Angeles Emmy, an Associated Press National Board of Directors award, and many other accolades. With her combination of monastic life and Hollywood creativity, Sharon offers a fresh view and style that motivates, entertains, educates, and enlightens with a down-to-earth intimacy, touches of music and singing, and a generous dose of humor.

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Find more info and video and audio clips of the author at: http://www.spiritualityspeaker.com.

Every copy of Spirituality For Dummies comes with
A CD of inspiring devotional music!

The Spirituality For Dummies 2nd Edition music CD comes in the back of every book and gives a delicious taste of inspiring spiritual music, including Gregorian chanting, Christian songs, Buddhist texts, Jewish prayers, Hindu chants, Latin hymns, and gospel music, sung by artists including Erik Peterson, Cantor Kathy Robbins, The Eternal OM, the Desert Fathers, Kali Mandir, Premanand Trikannad, Swami Nirvanananda, and the author.

CLICK HERE to Play the
Spirituality For Dummies Music CD Tracks

Additional Works by Sharon Janis

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Visit the Night Lotus website of free multimedia spiritual resources

You are invited to be a part of this offering

A message from Sharon Janis of Night Lotus Productions, November 2011:

Welcome dear guest. For over a decade, we have served hundreds of people every day from around the world – with over a million guests entering the Night Lotus website to listen to recordings of devotional music or scriptural wisdom, to read uplifting spiritual and metaphysical writings that can help to spark new self-awareness, understandings, and realizations - based mostly on ancient wisdom treasures shared through modern eyes - and many guests come to watch inspiring videos about great beings, spiritual musicians and artists, heartwarming philanthropic efforts, and ancient wisdom traditions. The entry page for the Night Lotus offerings is: http://www.nightlotus.com.

These several hundred pages are just a beginning of what we envision as a continuing service project of multimedia resources offered free of charge. Our goal is to improve and expand these resources as part of a mission to bring light to the world through creative works - individually, and as part of a collective effort.

Some of our specific efforts include:

Explaining ancient philosophies in accessible ways that strive to preserve their potency. The Night Lotus website offers a number of books and articles that can be read online, some with multimedia additions. The goal of these works is to share spiritual wisdom, often based on ancient philosophies, through avenues that are accessible to most people. Our current offerings include Secrets of Spiritual Happiness, Breakthrough Consciousness, Things that Make You Go Oooommmmm, selections from Spirituality For Dummies, and more, including those on this page: http://www.spiritual-writings.com. We intend to add many more writings.

Offering audio of powerful Sanskrit mantras and other powerful philosophical resources from various traditions as easily as the click of a button. No longer does a seeker have to trudge up mountains looking for a morsel of spiritual knowledge. We already offer many great scriptures to listen to online, including the Glorious Bhagavad Gita Sung in English, the Shree Guru Gita, several scriptures from the amazing philosophy of Kashmir Shaivism recited in Sanskrit and English, the Buddhist Diamond Sutra Sung in English, and many more: http://www.spiritualscriptures.com. We are working to improve and expand these offerings.

Preserving devotional singing traditions, with a special focus on the “poet saints” of India, with bhajans, abhangas, qawwalis, hymns, and more. Our devotional singing page at http://www.devotionalsinging.com already offers over 100 selections to play online, including examples of our new "Bhajan Translation video project" that brings onscreen English translations to the audio of these ecstatic, heartfelt musical messages of higher truth. We have many more recordings and other devotional singing related projects in the works.

Producing videos about inspiring people, events, and topics, along with charitable videos that help to bring needed attention and resources to projects that help uplift humanity – with a special focus on disadvantaged children – around the world. These include the Peace Pilgrim Documentary, “An American Sage Who Walked Her Talk,” and many other inspiring video works that are viewable on the Night Lotus Video page at http://www.nightlotusvideo.com.

We welcome your support for our ongoing and future projects.

Help us to continue to offer and expand these profound resources that are freely available to seekers of spiritual upliftment in every corner of the world.

Night Lotus is simple, small, service-based effort, thus far too non-profit to be an official non-profit that offers tax deductions, but you will receive some special gifts for your offering, along with the good karma of investing in the good of the world.

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Night Lotus Productions
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If you have a preference of projects to prioritize based on your donation, please mention it in the comments, and we will take your wishes into account. If you would like to sponsor one of our projects outright, that would also be welcome.

Thank You.

Sharon Janis

Night Lotus Productions

"Bringing Light to the World Through Creative Works"