Q & A on visualization, increasing "wanting", and faith...

QUESTION:

"I'm starting to do Grabhorn's "playbook." One thing I found is that I can write all the affirmations but I have a hard time generating the real passionate, exciting feelings about the things I wrote that I want....Also I don't know if you read Shatki's Visualization book, I have a really hard time visualizing....I used to practice Vipassana meditation years ago staying at a monastery in Thailand but I don't practice meditation anymore...however I'm finding doing yoga is like meditation in action....:-) Sorry for the rambling...do you have any suggestions on how to help generate genuine "wanting" feeling and passion about the things I do want? I think it's probably a faith issue or feeling of undeserving. I bet the resistance mostly comes from feeling of undeserving of the "dreams" I dream--or the things I REALLY want happen....!"

ANSWER: Thanks for writing - it's great to hear from you! Personally, I am not a big fan of Grabhorn's Playbook - I LOVED "Excuse Me, Your Life Is Waiting", but I didn't find the playbook that helpful for me to better the use of pure "Law of Attraction" techniques any more effectively.

Two books that I think are MUCH, MUCH, MUCH better are Joe Vitale's "The Attractor Factor" and Dr. Robert Anthony's "Beyond the Power of Positive Thinking".

As far as visualizing goes - chances are you are what is considered an "auditory" or "kinesthetic" learner (meaning you learn and internalize knowledge by hearing it (auditory) or feeling / moving / touching / handling it - more "hand's on" (kinesthetic)). I have read the Gawain book, and though I think it is excellent, it wouldn't do anything for someone who's imagination is more "sounds" or "feelings" based. So don't be too hard on yourself! The yoga would indicate that you are definitely primarily kinesthetic - so you would respond better to finding symbols and touchstones that you could hold and feel, or finding ways to dance/act out/create an actual model of what you want vs. someone else who might visualize (a visual learner). Find a creative way to actually try it/feel it/test-drive it (or something like it).

Also, I wouldn't jump too quickly to thinking that you have a faith issue, or that you subconsciously believe yourself to be undeserving - I don't think that is really it. The truth of who we really are is that we are divinely deserving, and I think your inner self knows that... The best thing I have found for generating a more energetic "wanting" for something is to get really clear and honest with yourself about WHY! ...And then, why that, and why that, and why that, and so on. Go through multiple levels of "why" - for instance: I want my divine right relationship. WHY? Because I want to love and feel loved in return. WHY? Because I like those feelings. WHY? Because it is so fun to be out doing something I enjoy and feeling that way. WHY? Because it is warm, and sweet, and colorful, and the world feels safe. WHY? Because I know that I can handle anything, especially when I have someone to share it with. ...And so on.

Another good thing to try is to take out pen and paper and WRITE a list of all the things that could POSSIBLY be BAD or negative about HAVING what you want. It may feel hard at first, but, believe me, they ARE there in your consciousness (if they weren't, you would have what you wanted already). Try to list at least 20 things - push yourself. Then, AFTER you have 20-30 potential negatives on your list, begin to create a new list where you dismantle each one of them, by writing TWO things that will be even better in your "new" life when you DO have what you want and/or what you would like your truth/reality to be on that subject. For instance: "I want to appear on a national TV show." What could possibly be negative about that? List 20-30 things: "1. Might lose privacy, 2. Might get really busy and not have time for my life, 3. Some people won't like me, 4. Who am I to profess to be an expert on this stuff?, 5., 6.,...,etc. After you complete your list, THEN start a NEW one: 1a) I can use my P.O. box to protect my privacy, 1b) Wayne Dyer still has some privacy - he is a good role model for me, 2a) The Universe won't give me more than I can handle, 2b) I like to be busy, and traveling to speaking engagements would be fun!, etc.

Those are two powerful exercises that will benefit you tremendously. I wish you well - let me know what miracles start to happen!

Peace and Joy,

Andrea

God has ONLY 3 possible answers...

There are only 3 possible answers from the Universe for anything we want to create:

1. Yes.
2. Yes, but not right now.
3. I have something even better in mind for you.
   

Notice that "no" is not an option. There is NO "no" in the Universe!

The Universe is a big "YES" machine... The answer is "YES" to anything and everything you intend to create! It may not be right this minute, or it may in fact be leading you to something even better (as yet unknown) in store for you, so it may not seem like that sometimes, but...

The answer is effectively "YES"!

...So keep dreaming, keep imagining, keep visualizing, keep creating!!! What IS in your mind IS what you are creating! The answer is "YES!!" (...or EVEN BETTER!)

Ohhh, You Gotta Believe!

(...AND, believe LONG enough for it to actually manifest!)

I have been hearing a song lyric in my head for a number of days now, and the only part I hear is "Ohhhh, you gotta believe..." I don't even know what the song is, but I just keep hearing "...you gotta believe!" And, it is apropos, because I have a story to tell about that very idea (faith, believing in your own power to manifest your dreams, etc.) that happened to me a couple of weeks ago...

I was en route from Seattle to Las Vegas, booked on a flight that was due to arrive at about 11:30pm, but all of my friends were already in Las Vegas, and I wanted to get there sooner. The ONLY flight I could take that would make any significant impact on my arrival time was due to depart Seattle at 3:30, and was already 3 seats OVER sold!

But I had faith - I was going to get on that flight!

I sat down and took a few moments to do my own version of a formal manifestation technique (a combination of Intention, Meditation, Theta Healing, and Success Visualization), being sure to include that my manifestation was 'for the highest good of all concerned' and would come about in the most benevolent fashion. I combined it with a heaping cupful of faith that my "order to the Universe" would actually work, and I set about taking action AS IF I was DEFINITELY getting on that flight!

I went to the airport early and checked in my bags, got on the official "stand by" list, headed toward the gate for "my" flight, double-checked with the gate agent to let them know I was there, etc. I continued to have faith with every action, every word, every thought, that though I did not yet know HOW it was going to happen, I was definitely getting on that flight. Now, as I write this, it sounds like it was easy to have faith that my manifestation worked... But, this is precisely when the Universe tests us to see what we are willing to settle for, to see at what point we are going to give up and throw in the towel, thinking that it didn't work...

The Universe will ALWAYS give you EXACTLY what you are WILLING to settle for.

There were countless "encouragements" from the environment indicating that I should give up and start making other plans: The raised eyebrows of EVERY airline representative we spoke to that day, the actual words "I don't know what to tell you" and "well that one is oversold, but there is a flight at 7:30pm that has open seats", or "I don't know..." (with accompanying non-verbal subtext of "fat chance kid"!) as they looked at the mighty computer screen! The gate area was overflowing with hoards of people rushing the gate to get on to the fight, so determined themselves that they were not even sitting down to wait for the aircraft to arrive (not that there was a place to sit close by anyway) It wasn't even Southwest Airlines, and still I have never seen so many people so anxious to get on a plane when it wasn't the holiday season! Through it all, I kept mentally repeating to all the naysayers "that's not my reality - my reality is that I am getting on that flight and going to Las Vegas early!". Even as they were boarding 100's of people and the gate area was emptying, I still had faith and was not willing to even look at the gate information for the later flight (because I still believed (against all odds) that I wouldn't need it) and therefore, I did not need a contingency plan! When I talked to my friends, I said "the airline may not know it yet, but I am getting on the early flight!" I held on.

Then, after hours of waiting, when there were only a couple of people left to board, the airplane obviously full, there was an announcement indicating that they needed to hold boarding the last few passengers to attend to a passenger who needed assistance. Lo and behold, 10 minutes later, off come a woman and her husband who were unable to take the flight for which they had already boarded! I know it was not a medical emergency (because they were ushered aside to seats right in front of us where we could overhear their discussions about next steps) but I sent them prayers all the same. As the airline announced our names, I knew that not only had my manifestation worked, but also, because I included "for the highest good of all concerned" to it, I was confident that it was going to work out even better for the couple who vacated the seats too!

When we stepped up to get our boarding passes, the gate agent said "today is your LUCKY day, because that NEVER happens!" I smiled, and thanked her in agreement, even though I knew that "luck" is something we manifest for ourselves!

So, all that to say: Hold on to the faith! It IS working (even when it feels like it is taking a long time (or more time than you'd like)) and...

You gotta BELIEVE (long enough for it to actually happen!) Happy Manifesting!