Friday, November 26, 2010

Does Guilt about Money Block Receiving It?

Guilt about money or anything (held long past a specific event) blocks you from receiving more of what you desire. Why? It is an opposing thought to what you really want to experience.

People have been looking for, studying, and putting into practice any number of ways to attract more money into their lives (or love, success, etc.). One thing that gets a lot of focus time is the impact of those pesky limiting beliefs, but what about money-related guilt?

Guilt is meant to draw our attention to the fact that what we did or did not do could have been done differently, or not done at all. Then we are supposed to make amends, as needed and if possible, and not repeat what we did, and, hopefully, make better choices as we move forward.

But we hang onto guilt; and quite often, especially in regard to money, we do not realize that although limiting beliefs affect our experiences and results, unrecognized guilt is doing even more to impact us and our results.

Here are some forms of money-related guilt that may be present in your life.

-You connect your self-worth to money. There is self-judgment or guilt about not being and having enough. There are people with bundles of money, or what you would consider satisfactory for you, who still do not feel about themselves they way they desire to. Evidently, self-worth and a bank balance are not reliant on each other. Think about how linking self-worth and money affects Law of Attraction.

-You believe money can or should come to you only one way or only in certain ways. If you’ve had a financially challenging time and someone assisted you, or maybe you had to sell some things, or use reserved funds, this can lead to guilt feelings. Think about how limiting HOW money comes to you applies to Law of Attraction.

-You have a debt problem. Whatever resolution or approach you take about this, you may feel a level of guilt about it. This can lead to all sorts of self-judgment. Think about how this impacts Law of Attraction.

-You feel you misused the money you’ve had. Well, if you feel that way, you likely have a good idea about what not to do anymore. But also ask if it really was misuse or if other beliefs and blocks are causing you to feel and think this way, such as a belief in lack and scarcity that is stronger than your belief in infinite abundance. If you stay attached to the belief that you misused or misuse funds (and in lack and scarcity), think about how this applies to Law of Attraction.

-You feel guilt about having limiting beliefs and how this has affected your life. Think about how this influences Law of Attraction.

Yes, you may feel guilt about one or more of what is listed above or something not listed, and it may be justified; but how long must you carry that? How contrite or guilt-ridden would you have to feel in order to BE and have what you desire? If the Law says what you feel is what you experience more of, then no amount of guilt or any form of negative self-judgment, justified or not, is going to flip results in your favor; or, at least, not as wholly as you would like.

You cannot serve Source, yourself, or others fully if everything you do or attempt is tinged with guilt and self-judgment. You may, indeed, make headway and seem to move forward even with these feelings, but it will likely feel like (and be) a struggle; you may receive money and success, and still feel undeserving; and you may find receipt of money and success is not sustained, much less expands. You cannot feel, speak, act, radiate expansiveness at the same time you feel guilt or self-judgment . . . not about money, not about anything.

One thing is certain about guilt carried long past what caused it: it does not nurture, support, or encourage self-love. If you hold such a grudge against yourself, it is likely you hold similar feelings towards others and even towards your life. Think about how this applies to Law of Attraction.

If you did something wrong, it is in the past, even if you still experience the effects now. The important and necessary focus is: What are you going to do and how will you grow from here?

You are what you practice.
© Joyce Shafer

Sunday, November 21, 2010

Do You Focus on the Opposite of What You Desire?

Focusing on the opposite of what you desire is like aiming at a tree rather than at the target then feeling frustrated that you did not hit the bulls-eye. You know, we all do this at times.

How often we say we desire something then put a great many of our thoughts on what is opposite of what will help us achieve, attain, accomplish, allow, or open to receive it more effortlessly.

I wrote receive it more effortlessly because we create quite a struggle for ourselves when our repetitive thoughts and feelings are aimed at what we do not want rather than on what we desire. Ultimately, what we desire (I know this is repetition) is the feeling we expect to have when we have what we desire. We must aim at and hit the desired feeling first so that everything that comes after the feeling connects us with our desired outcome. Understand that as your ultimate desire is a specific feeling, you want to allow leeway in how what you say you want shows up because it may not be exactly what you imagined, but something even better.

Mother Teresa understood this concept (truth) when she said she would not march against war, but would march FOR peace. Esther Hicks said that when you say NO! to something, it is important that you realize this is the same as saying yes to more of it because it is where your attention is more strongly placed. So, what can you or should you do about all those negative, opposite thoughts that enter your mind?

You would make yourself crazy trying to control the tens of thousands of thoughts that pop into your mind each day. Thoughts happen . . . because you are always processing a lot of information, old and new. It is what you choose to do with or about any unsupportive thoughts after they happen that is important. And, how you start your day contributes to how you manage yourself the rest of the day.

A while back I noticed an odd habit each morning once I got moving: my first thoughts of the day were not positive; they were complaints, concerns, fears, and mostly focused on what I did not like or want any more of, often some of the same old stuff morning after morning. All such thoughts were opposite of what I desired. Of course, this got my attention.

I understand how Law of Attraction works, and that what I think leads to what I feel, and what I feel influences my choice of words and actions or non-actions, which influence my results. Understanding these truths is one thing; putting them into practice is another.

Allowing negative thoughts to continue means I choose to focus on the opposite of what I desire: good feelings (feeling enthused about my day and my life) and more positive experiences during the day. Also, best if we are realistic and recognize that you and I are not required to always be in Super Positive Land in order to move forward on desired outcomes. We will enjoy ourselves more if we are, but it is not required in every moment, in order to take action that will lead us to our goals.

Focus on what gets us to our goals IS required (aim at the bulls-eye instead of something to the left or behind you). Part of what leads to negativity and frustration is that we are not hitting our desired goals or hitting them as easily as we would like. Increase your odds of their attainment, move closer to them, and you start to feel lighter and more enthusiastic to go for more.

So, what did I do about my morning tendency toward negativity? I decided to choose my thoughts before I get out of bed each morning. The thoughts I have chosen are ones of appreciation, genuine thankfulness for a new day, new opportunities, new things to learn, and the blessings that I have in my life and those on their way to me. And if a negative thought tries to wiggle its way in, I remind myself of what I truly desire and move into that feeling space (as many times as this takes). Opposing thoughts cannot occupy the same space. One of them has to win. I CHOOSE which one I want to win.

Nor do I try to fool myself into believing I will never have negative thoughts (fears, concerns, criticisms) because I know that is unrealistic, and believing I have to be that way all the time will set me up to self-criticize. Knowing I can shift such thoughts if I choose to is empowering. Actually doing it is personal power in action.

What are some of the ways we focus on the opposite of what is desired?

• This is too difficult vs. How can I make this more effortless?
• I am not happy with my bank balance vs. How can I deeply feel and appreciate the true abundance in my life so I stand in that vibrational frequency, which will open me to ways to improve this and to receive even more abundance?
• I lack what it takes to succeed vs. What can I do to start from where I am and learn and grow?
• I am fearful about (XYZ) vs. What can I do to allow and expand trust in myself and especially in Source?

Do you desire more abundance but constantly go over a mental list of what you feel is lacking in your life, or criticize or envy those who have what you desire?

Do you want a better relationship but consistently focus on what you think is wrong with your partner rather than what you appreciate about him or her?

Do you wish your relationship with your children (or anyone) was better, but more often than not you focus on catching them doing something wrong rather than doing something right?

Do the majority of your thoughts (and actions) lead you to what will help you attain or accomplish your desired outcomes?

Keep in mind that it is not about never having negative thoughts . . . you will; it is about making the choice to refocus yourself when they happen. Do this often enough and it becomes a natural part of you.

You are what you practice.
© Joyce Shafer

Friday, November 12, 2010

What Is the Language of Manifestation?

Oh, for a magic word or phrase that would make this manifestation thing easier! Is there a proper language you can use? Absolutely.

We would appreciate if manifestation of what we truly desire was as easy as uttering (or shouting) Abracadabra! Interestingly, that word is derived from Avra Kehdabra, which means, “I will create as I speak.” You’ve likely heard or read this so many times already: The source field matches, as a manifested experience, what you communicate to it. What deters, alters, or repels what we want is if we don’t use the language properly for the Law of what we would call Desired Manifestations.

Of course, most of us know we speak to ourselves and others in a number of ways: with words, actions, facial expressions, hand gestures, conscious thoughts, subconscious thoughts, and state of mind. Just as we can improve our communication skills we can train ourselves to communicate better or properly with the field of manifestation that Source created for our use.

No matter how many systems about attraction or manifestation you study, to be effective, you must communicate in the right language; and that language is a specific feeling. You can use words to write it or say it, but unless you really FEEL it, you are not communicating it. Not really feeling it is like sending a signal that travels so far then stops before it reaches its destination. You may call this feeling gratitude, appreciation, thankfulness, or something else that matches the specific idea of this; but this is the language that will send what you truly desire into your frame of reference. I say frame of reference because everything you desire is available. It is up to you to believe it is yours to receive and to receive it.

Any feeling opposite of gratitude, appreciation, or thankfulness communicates belief in lack rather than in availability, which causes non-delivery or delivery of less than what you want. This opposite supplies you with exactly what you communicate: I say I want this good thing, but most of my behaviors and thoughts communicate the opposite. By my own ways, I oppose delivery of exactly what I say I want or something even better.

But you know this. So why is it so darn difficult to just do this? You are well-practiced at communicating in negatives and doubt instead of in positives and faith. You are a master of fear, worry, and perceiving and speaking scarcity and lack. The way to build your communication skills and become a master of desired manifestations is to catch yourself when you begin to feel the opposite and remember what works; that the Law works to fulfill what you communicate. Find something, anything, to appreciate. Each night or each morning, make a list of 5 to 10 things you appreciate in your life, and really feel the appreciation. Train yourself to get into the habit of feeling appreciation.

You are conditioned to believe you have to wait for something to show up or change to your liking to feel this, but the truth is you have to feel it first so that something can show up or change to your liking, to match what you feel. The feeling is your heartfelt invitation for what you desire to become your experience. When you feel anything else, it is like not sending an invitation or not opening the door, or more accurately, not accepting the invitation sent to you by Source to receive what you request. This has been repeated by the masters over thousands of years. It has always been a truth, and the only way you can create the shift in your life that you desire is to first create it in you . . . despite appearances. Appearances are the result of what caused them. And any appearance can shift when you reframe how you perceive it.

Yes, clear mental images complete your deliberate communication, but genuine gratitude, appreciation, thankfulness for What Has Been, What Is, and What Can and Will Be starts and completes the conversation. This type of conversation allows you to be at one with Source’s desire to fulfill any request and with the Law of Manifestation. This may be your greatest challenge: to realize this as truth and to live it in trusting faith. It may feel difficult to do this and do this consistently, but you will get better at it with daily practice.

Appreciation shifts you from thinking and feeling opposed to what you want. Appreciation opens you to feel trusting faith, whenever feeling that is a challenge to you at first. Appreciation conveys that you are thankful, and this translates into you allowing more to appreciate to come to you. When you genuinely value what you receive for all it provides or teaches, you receive even more to appreciate . . . because you GET what IT Is All About and what you are truly capable of. A related example is when you send a gift to someone and never receive an expression of appreciation. If this happens repeatedly, you stop sending gifts. In the case of manifestation, you, not Source, are both giver and receiver. Source empowered each of us in this way.

Start from where you are today. Appreciate that Source provides a way for YOU to manifest and that you are aware of how it works. The quote, "Give a man a fish, feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish, feed him for a lifetime," is a good example of what Source created for us: an infinitely abundant manifestation ocean, the tackle (tools) to fish with, and awareness of how to use these tools. Let go of thoughts such as, “I hope I can catch a fish,” or “I never catch any fish,” or even, “I really need a fish,” and hold onto, “I know that all I have to do is drop my line in and in right timing the fish I desire is/are mine.” Note: If you want a bigger fish, you have to use a bigger hook. In manifestation this translates into asking more largely.

Appreciation is an integral part of your asking.

You are what you practice.
© Joyce Shafer