Manifestation /Law of Attraction

[Bbq1]

Just getting really interested in the idea of manifestation as I've heard it can be really powerful. Can anyone recommend a good but very 'readable' book on the subject?
TIA

I started to read The Secret after hearing it mentioned loads but little idea what is was about. I'm all for your mindset helping you achieve things or holding you back - they'd badsic psychology- but I put the book down the moment I read it perpetuating the idea that any and all bad things happen to you because you've had a negative thought. Even something like "I don't want to get cancer ".

Biggest load of and really dangerous to people's mental health.

There is evidence that if you feel ‘lucky’ you are more likely to put yourselves in situations that may open up more opportunities. Like the Derren Brown experiment when people patted the ‘lucky dog’. You obviously can’t make things happen just by thinking about them, but if you focus a lot on something you are more likely to take step (sometimes bolder steps) to try and make that happen.

That is shocking. I've had cancer myself and never, ever connected it to anything like that. I'm a positive person and just thought laws of attraction etc were an extension of positive thinking. I now know to steer more clear maybe. Thanks for those responses explaining the negatives.

I tried this when i was younger with mixed results.

The thing I learned though, is that you don't manifest what you want, but what you believe.

The word want used to mean 'lack' many years ago (as in waste not want not).

So guess what will happen if you go around telling the universe you 'want' the perfect job/partner/ house

You will manifest your belief in your lack (at the present time) of those things

And simultaneously do your own head in many times over.

I don't think The Universe is a sentient being that punishes folk who use words by modern rather han historic meanings.

Positive Mental Attitude can quickly become toxic. There is a lot of negativity associated with it, ironically. If you don't get what you wish for, you haven't wished hard enough? It's nonsense.

Read Derren Brown's book "Happy", he covers PMA and the Secret.

Be realistic. Work hard. Stop thinking the universe owes you things, stop believing happiness is the end goal rather than a feeling of experience.

Manifestation is BS.

I really enjoyed The Magic - completing tasks for 28 days. Some is VERY woo, like sprinkling magic dust on your food

It's a known fact that positivity attracts positivity. I have read all of Rhonda brynnes books...stroked the crystals you name it. However, I was mentally unwell and actually needed professional help not a lump of rose quartz.
I do think there's little harm in practising gratitude, but you have to accept that some things in our life are totally out of our control.

A really good way to avoid reality and to happily see only what you want to see. A painful crash ahead somewhere along the way. But if it helps, go ahead, of course.

I've read the secret and liked it to a point, but found it quite money oriented.
I enjoyed the Abraham Hicks books.
Op check out the Abraham Hicks vids on YouTube first.
See if you can relate first.

Ah @Bbq1 that makes it easier to give my opinion in that case. No Christian should be manifesting (as laid out in the principles of Law of Attraction). This is a good video explaining why.

No but if you are going around focusing on the fact that you want something, you are usually focusing on the lack of it, seeing others with it and feeling envious, focusing on how life is less good right now without it etc.

If, and its a big if, manifestation does work, then that's why it won't work for many people if that makes sense. The focus becomes on what they don't have.

Like attracts like so you have to focus on your current blessings and as buddhists do, release attachment to outcome.

Anyway I tried it and that was my conclusion.. its all a bit of a catch 22. Ymmv

I'm actually appreciating a lot of what people are saying. It's not about avoiding reality or believing I am owed things, not at all. I've definitely mixed it up with positivity or gratitude, I think. I already have the "perfect" home, husband, job and family. By that I mean they are all the things I love in my life. Obviously nothing or nobody is perfect but I am very happy with my lot in life. It was to help me focus on fitness and weight loss with positivity that I was looking for. I certainly don't want, except or need anything material.

Also think it is a load of bull. I follow some people on Instagram who go on about and it feels like a self fulfilling prophecy if it happens the manifesting worked but if its didn't you weren't manifesting enough/wanted it enough.

Op was it more like a kind of sports psychology type of thing that you're looking for?

Thank you @Sepiarose I've watched the video, makes a lot of sense to me. Like I said I've mixed it up with being positive I think. It was for nothing material, but for weight loss and health - but that's a commitment I have to make for myself.

DEFINITELY AVOIDING MANIFESTATION NOW!

Esther Hicks on you tube.
But you need action alongside positive thinking.

Not sure why everyone is getting their knickers in a twist.

Perhaps mindfulness would be helpful for you in that case? There is an online course you can do, Palouse mindfulness. It's free and accredited.

Crocs, because some of us have been harmed by "manifestation". Or witnessed it do harm to others. It's not just a benign thing. There is probably value in parts of it, but it's worth being aware of the reality too (that it's not magic and it won't magically create things for you) and the potential harms.

A bit off piste but many years ago an ex paid hundreds of pounds to work coach to try to improve his business. Said work coach supplied several cds that the work coach had made.

Ex put one cd on in the car so proud of how much his business would improve with his new found knowledge.

I really did not have the heart to tell him it was word for word taken from the book THE SECRET. Yes I already had the book it cost me £11.
He was an idiot then probably still is.

Of course. Thank you. Some pp's do seem very upset about it.

Thank you so much @BertieBotts. I will look into that.

Yep. Second this.

Read this https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/relationships/4558825-do-you-believe-in-law-of-attractionthoughts-create-your-reality, OP, if you want to hear how messed up manifesting can make people feel.

I honestly think Abraham Hicks is the most overtly manipulative money making scheme of the whole Manifestion cash cow. Avoid that.

There are some elements of value in it. Believing something is possible makes it far more likely than believing it is impossible. If you believe you are lovable or employable or that life is good and generous, then you will instinctively act on those beliefs and generate positive outcomes. If you believe you will never find love/a good job then you will project a gloomy, difficult, obstacle-laden attitude that will put off prospective lovers/employers. A lot of successful people tend towards extremely positive thinking.

But the whole burden of responsibility when it comes to illness, to child poverty,. war, famine, natural disasters is simply grotesque.

I'm a very 'casual' manifester, I think.

I've never spent a penny on any books or courses on the subject, but I'm generally quite positive and have been very lucky in lots of different ways. I've found that good things tend to happen without too much effort, which makes me think that more good things will happen. But I'm also someone that tends to take action rather than passively waiting for things to happen to me. Is that something you're already doing?

Also, really sorry if any of that sounds unbearably smug - I've never uttered those words to anyone in real life, it's never come up!