I have been on a one-track mind to enlightenment!
Recently I've been reading some very insightful works... Things like Buddhism, philosophy, meditation... In keeping with said theme, I have finished a book titled The Astonishing Power of Emotions, and as the name implies, the book teaches the reader how to utilize their emotions to their advantage.
The first topic the book discusses is the power of thought.
"In the creation of everything that exists, thought always comes first."
I was one of those people who, even despite being Catholic, did not believe in the power of "thoughts and prayers" -- I believed they were a nice sentiment, but nothing more.
Oh, how naïve I was!
"As more thought is offered to any subject, the thought begins to take form until there is manifestation of that which humans call 'reality.'"
(Image created using an AI art generator on Night Cafe)
Everything had to begin from something. Even all of creation -- the Big Bang™ if you will -- had to be thought into existence, to take shape in reality, whether it willed itself to be or if it was thought by another.
It is an interesting concept. The very first cloud became a cloud because it told itself to become one. A flower is a flower, something completely different, because its thoughts, and therefore its energy, willed itself to be one.
Suddenly God becomes a very simple belief; if all He had to do was think everything into existence, then why would the story of Creation be difficult to believe? Or the belief that "I can do and be anything" -- if all one has to do is think it, then why not?
The book then goes on to explain why we have emotions to begin with.
"That sixth sense, which was active within you on the day you were born, requires no training in order for you to understand that it exists. ... You do not need training in order to recognize that you are feeling emotions."
You may be familiar with the saying "trust your gut" or your sixth sense, if you will. There are things that physically are not real but that we know exist, regardless. Sixth sense and emotions -- these are all connected with the spiritual realm.
The reason why we feel emotions is to let us know whether we are in tune with our spiritual self, "soul," or "other self." If we feel positive emotions, such as happiness and pride, then we are on the right path towards our purpose. Whereas if we feel negative emotions, such as shame and anger, then we are not aligned with our purpose.
"Whenever you know what is lacking, you know more clearly what it is that you desire. ... The Nonphysical part of you evolves."
The final piece to this puzzle is simply allowing life to take the wheel. The book explains that similar to the things that were just discussed, the things that are not physical but still exist, there are natural forces and laws constantly at work!
Take gravity, for instance; it cannot always be observed, but we know that it is what holds us in place.
The book explains that the Law of Attraction works hand in hand with our emotions. We produce our own magnetic field, and we can only attract that which we ourselves put out there. "You get what you give," right?
"If I feel unappreciated ... the Law of Attraction cannot surround me with people who do appreciate me. That would defy the Law of Attraction."
The most effective concept for me, though it may be a simple one, is the idea of a stream. There is upstream and downstream. Naturally (remember that word -- naturally! You should always live as naturally as possible!! 🙏) downstream is the easier of the two options, and that's the point:
"Nothing that you want is upstream."
Moving upstream is working against the current; basically, resisting against the forces at work.
This shouldn't be interpreted as, "I can't put any effort into achieving my goals." It is saying, as opposed to fueling worry and irritation -- "I need to come up with money," "What do I need to be doing?" "How can I get from A to B right now NOW NOW?!" -- you simply relax and go with the flow. Everyone believes that once you've figured out the goal, you need to move towards it as quickly as possible, when in reality you just need to wait and watch for the opportunities.
"The most common misunderstanding ... is the belief that I need to get where I want to be right now. ... When you feel an urgency to be somewhere else, you are pushing hard against where you are. This is upstream."
And, of course, keeping your thoughts positive. If you are telling yourself, "It isn't going to work out anyway," then it obviously won't. No one else's thoughts or circumstances are your own -- so make yours, yours!
"In the same way that a ball will roll downhill of its own accord (or gravity), your desires are rolling towards their conclusion as well. Once you have created the desire, your work is done, and natural forces and laws will take over."
