What Are You Really Attracting

by Lauren Kennedy http://www.InsitetoExcellence.com

The ability to create is a an extraordinary gift. Creation is an integral and innate aspect of all consciousness. We are unable to hold, touch, see, hear, or measure consciousness with our five physical senses. But we can experience the results of consciousness. We feel it when we connect with something or someone deeply, at a point beyond our mental judgment of behavior or personality. We can see and hear the influence of it in the world and and beings around us. And we can touch it when we experience that inner voice, that inner knowing, that perfect flow, that creative urge, that imaginative idea, that impulse to be more, to expand. But, no, we can never measure it.

Consciousness is not the result of our brain, it is not dependent on our beliefs, it is not affected by our intellectual intelligence, it is not increased or diminished by external circumstances, and it is not concerned with our ego or our personality. It is the awareness behind our thoughts, the observer of our life experiences, the subtle urging toward honesty and virtue in intention and behavior.Consciousness is the space in which we integrate our experiences and create who we are.

Consciousness is our True Spiritual Identity, our Authentic Essence.

In recent years, Creation, manifestation, and attraction have become the focus of many spiritual philosophies and many techniques for growth. Creation and company are championed as the key to enjoying an abundant, happy life. We are told that, through our beliefs, desires and our focus, we create everything in our lives.

However, some interpretations of the process of creation or manifestation, sound suspiciously akin to control. Some experts claim that we create or attract everything – every situation, every circumstance, every person that we experience in our lives. They claim that we are entitled to do and to have everything that we want. We can have it all, even with the 24 hour time limit in a day. They say that we, ourselves, are responsible for any abuse, natural disasters, illness or negative events that we experience in our lives, because we have created or attracted them to us through our own negative beliefs, conscious or subconscious, and/or negative energy.

Furthermore, our creative powers seem to extend to controlling other life forms. They claim that nothing exists (except perhaps potentially) until we choose for it to exist, decide that it exists, and believe that its existence is real. And the most grandiose declaration of all, is the claim by some, that humans are responsible for the evolution of the Divine.

Attitude, Beliefs and Perspective are Influential

Without a doubt our attitude, our beliefs and our perspective influence our lives immensely.
A positive attitude can help us get through the storms of life. Our belief systems can enable us to recognize ways to benefit from seemingly adverse situations and to form new ideas for ways to avoid similar pitfalls in the future. An expanded perspective can allow us to see beyond our mere ego concerns, grant us some understanding of the larger picture, helping us to suspend judgment of situations, people, behaviors and creatures that we fail to fully comprehend.

Certainly, we are responsible for creating our attitudes, our perceptions, our intentions, our thoughts, our priorities, our degree of awareness, our integrity and our actions. And it is these aspects which are responsible, to a large degree, for how we experience ourselves and our lives. However, a formula for creating, arranging or focusing those aspects in a particular way, in order to guarantee that we will only attract the circumstances, situations, acquisitions, people, and achievements that we desire, is non existent. While we are responsible for how we choose to experience the situations in our lives, not always can we control exactly which situations they will be.

Universal Laws Guide Consciousness to Expanded Awareness

For that to occur, all humans would have to think, feel, believe, desire and conceive everything in the same way. And that would be quite a creative achievement since we typically agree on very little, from our favorite color to more serious matters. In addition, all the elements of nature would have to be under our complete control, and we would all have to agree upon the direction that control should take. And if we maintain our past and current status quo of priorities and behaviors, Universal Laws, created to guide all consciousness to ever greater awareness, evolution, expansion and experience, would have to be suspended when human desires found them to be inconvenient.

The Divine Creative Source initiated the movement of energy, guided by an intent towards expansion, diversity, experience, and evolution. This process has been unfolding, in accordance to Divine Guidelines or Universal Laws, since before the first single cell organism began its evolutionary journey.

Creation is the magnificent process by which the Universe unfolds and evolves. It is a cooperative process. The Universal Consciousness or Divine Source provides the energy/building blocks and the Guidelines for the Evolutionary Process, and consciousness uses that energy to recreate itself, experience its creation, and recreate itself anew. Consciousness uses energy and intent to evolve spiritually and physically in each moment.

Creation is the Result of Consciousness

Consciousness is the source of all creation. All physical form is the result of consciousness, not the other way around. And all physical form has some level of consciousness, hence some level of creative ability.

The gift of creation was not intended as a tool for humans to dominate other varieties of consciousness. Nor is it a tool for us to get our ego desires met , regardless of the cost. Our desires are the impetus or the carrot that propels us to reach higher, to be more than we are, to risk when we otherwise may not.

The Universe responds to the true essence of our desires. A poorly worded affirmation will not confuse the Universal Consciousness. It knows our heart, our desires, our needs and our true intentions, even if we are in denial. Yes, we will certainly manifest the essence of our desires, but the exact circumstances are not our personal domain. And it is the essence of our desires, plus our true motivation and intention, to which the Universe responds.

The Universe May Give Us what We Want, but It Always Gives Us what We Need

For example. Perhaps Joe wants to be a CEO. But what is Joe’s true motivation for wanting that position? Is it because he just loves the company and wants to lead it to excellence? Or is his true, innate desire based on his need to feel more important, or perhaps to feel powerful? The Universe responds to that innate desire, not the particular goal. Joe will attract situations into his life that can help him realize his innate importance, so Joe can finally Be and Feel important, no matter his circumstances. And he may just get that position in the process. He also may not. But the Universe will bring him the opportunity to realize his true desires. What he does with that opportunity is up to him.

If he becomes so focused on the goal that he chooses actions that are ruthless, dishonest or demeaning; if he has a hidden agenda behind his stated motivations or intentions; if his attitude is one of entitlement, one of disrespect for other people, creatures or nature, or one of judgment or apathy; or if he rationalizes actions that compromise integrity or spiritual principles; he may achieve his goal, but his true innate desires, empowerment and importance, will depend on retaining it. He will have failed to achieve the desire to feel important and empowered unconditionally. He will have failed to experience himself as important and empowered just for who he is. Plus, he may have created a new fear, the fear of losing that position, and the temporary fix that goes with it.

The opportunity to experience the fulfillment of our true desires depends on our actions, true intentions, and attitude along the way. When we have a single minded focus in pursuing our particular vision of our goal, we may over look other opportunities that would serve us much better. When we dismiss uncomfortable situations that arise in our lives as negative, not part of our own plan, or the result of our negative mindset, we may be turning our back on the very opportunities we attracted as the result of our true desires. The very opportunities, with the perfect ingredients to enable us to truly create our essential desires – if we greet them with awareness, honesty, expanded perspective and an open mind.

All Life is Endowed with the Gift of Creation but not over other Life, even less Conscious Life

Another area in which there seems to be confusion about the difference between control and creation is the claim that we control the existence of something other than ourselves, some other consciousness than our own, simply by making a decision about whether or not it exists. To assume that the trees, for example, which have been proven to have consciousness, don’t exist unless we believe, perceive or expect them to exist, is claiming that humans have the authority to banish other forms of consciousness into oblivion just by thinking them away. The stars that have died, exploding their guts into space, forging the elements necessary for the creation of life, existed long before humankind. So it seems unlikely that human beliefs and expectations are responsible for their coming into existence as a part of our reality. Although people use to truly believe that the world was flat, I am pretty certain that it was round a few hundred years ago, too. However, their fears and adherence to dogma, resulted in them experiencing a world that was flat, thus limiting their movement, their freedom and their imagination.

Perhaps, the notion that we are responsible, that we create or attract every situation, person, or circumstance in our lives is suppose to make us be accountable and feel powerful. But it is coupled with the following suggestions which often foster self blame and guilt. For instance, they suggest that we avoid any thought about or contact with people who are struggling or experiencing difficult circumstances in their lives so that we are not tainted by their negativity. They claim that since it was their own negativity that created the situation, it is up to them to change it. A difficult task if one is a subsistence farmer in a drought ridden area of Africa. Or it may burden someone suffering from a debilitating illness with an added sense of guilt, uselessness and inadequacy.

This line of reasoning sounds strikingly similar to the thinking behind the ancient Hindu cast system. It justifies and encourages apathy, judgment, and divisiveness. But Spiritual Advancement requires us to dedicate ourselves to tolerance, unity, humility, compassion and service. That is the Spiritual Evolutionary Path.

External Circumstances are NOT the Measure of Spiritual Advancement

The experts have taken their conclusions one step further by stating that people who are living a comfortable affluent life, represent individuals who are the most spiritually advanced. There are a few flaws and inconsistencies with this entire line of reasoning. First of all, wall street has recently demonstrated that not all wealthy people obtained their abundance by spiritual principles, so their level of spiritual advancement is in question. And there are other wealthy people who, throughout history, have done much worse than wall street to obtain or maintain their financial empires.

Secondly, since the experts state that there are no victims, that it is we who are responsible for every situation, any abusive treatment, every negative occurrence, I find it curious that they have failed to propose that all prisons be eliminated. According to them: we attract any wrong doing to ourselves; we are responsible for it; there are no victims. If there are no victims, there can be no criminals. We can’t have it both ways. Unless of course, we are talking about control, not creation.

A rather grandiose idea resulting from this philosophy is that we can control nature as well. If we are responsible for our situations and circumstances, then natural disasters must be included. Therefore we are responsible for controlling where and when volcanoes erupt, an earthquakes strikes, or where hurricanes form and travel. These so called “disasters” are essential processes for the Earth. Without them, the Earth would cease to be a living planet and would cease to support life as we know it. Our desires  frequently result in the destruction of nature and other living creatures, especially when we refuse to change our behavior, even as we devastate, disrespect and enslave the earth and her life forms.

Spiritually Advanced Beings or Humans Demonstrate Respect, Compassion,

and Tolerance for All Life (regardless of personal judgments)

Our reign of control on Earth, thus far, has been to the detriment of nature, other creatures, the Earth and even other humans. Now we want to control the Divine Process of Creation itself. Once again we are taking a bite from the fruit of the Tree of Life, with the mistaken belief that with the right knowledge, we can control our lives, the earth and the Universe, in a manner better to our liking. We have created a brilliant philosophy, that gives us the right and the responsibility to control Creation so we can avoid the forces, process, consequences and reality of the Divine Universal Laws.

While I believe that ultimately there are no victims, our current understanding, awareness and connection with consciousness on a spiritual level is minimal at best. We have focused on technological and intellectual evolution rather than spiritual. At our current level of spiritual and conscious evolution, we have yet to understand the intricate workings of the Universe, or even our own Soul. So we are pitifully under qualified to determine another person’s level of spiritual awareness, based on his external circumstances.

Take a person that is born disabled. Did they think negative thoughts in the womb to bring this condition upon themselves. Was Martin Luther King, Jr. responsible for his own assassination? Well, I suppose one could claim that. After all, he would never have provoked someone to kill him if he had just stayed in his place and kept his mouth shut.

And what about Christ. I imagine, during the time of Christ, the bishops also thought that their own opulent lifestyle and privilege were the result of their superior spiritual advancement. Hence, they felt totally justified when they conspired with the Romans to get rid of that poverty stricken rabble rouzer, who had the nerve to debate with them on matters of religion.

Many decisions are made at the Soul level, so in that sense there are no true victims. But to assume that a person can actively discreate their own Soul lessons, is putting the responsibility for their physical circumstances in the incorrect dimension.

However, I also believe that we can, in many, if not most circumstances, learn to improve our situation and we can always expand our attitude, perspective and awareness. But most importantly, by expanding our level of awareness, perception, intuition, tolerance, honesty and compassion, we can, without question, improve how we experience our lives and the people and circumstances in it.

When We Change Who We Are, We Change How We Experience Our Life

And that is the point of creation, on a personal level. It is ourselves that we are really creating and recreating. By changing who we are on a deep level, we also change how we experience our lives, and ourselves, in any type of situation.

Life is a grand adventure in creation and experience. It is an on going, ever changing, process of imagination and intention, expression and experience, creation and recreation, giving rise to ever greater awareness of spiritual consciousness in physical form.

Life’s purpose is to experience and express itself freely. Control and constriction are the antithesis of life. Expression lets us announce who we think we are. Experience is the window into knowing who we are actually being. Creation is the process of transforming ourselves into who we want to Become. Through honing the skills of honesty, awareness, and perception, we can better master the tools of imagination, honest intention and desire, enabling us to recognize and respond to the situations and experiences in our lives for the benefit of our conscious, spiritual evolution and life in general. We are much more than the sum of our thoughts, beliefs, and feelings. And we are certainly much more than our visible external accomplishments and life station.

Without Fear, Courage would Fail to Exist

Without new and unexpected experiences, creations would stagnate for lack of motivation, new visions, insight, imagination, desires. Experience is the medium through which we know who we are being. Can you really know that you are courageous, if you have never experience and walked through your fear? Can you truly claim you are honest, that honesty is a priority, if you have never had to choose honesty in the face of loosing something you hold dear? Are you certain that you are a person who lives according to their truth, and with integrity, if you fail to take positive action, choosing instead to avoid knowledge of the situation. Are you being a person that lives according to spiritual priorities if you gaze off into space or nod in agreement, instead of speaking up and standing firm in support an innocent person, or against a policy, agenda, a plan, or some action that could result in harm to another – even if doing so may result in unpleasant consequences for you?

Do we look the other way when the corporate executive is involved in underhanded dealings or do we have the courage and integrity to face our fears and report the offense. Do we need to find someone or something to blame for an unpleasant experience or do we learn what we can, and move on. It is our responses to our experiences that express who we are. And our attitudes, our perceptions, our beliefs, our desires, our integrity, priorities and spiritual values are the qualities that determine who we are creating ourselves to become.

We can not avoid situations that would challenge our commitment to integrity, courage, or honesty and expect to experience ourselves as people who hold those priorities dear.. And it is those experiences that expand and evolve us at a deep conscious and spiritual level. It is those experiences that allow us to realize that we have become more. It is those experiences that give us the vision, the confidence and the desire to reach and stretch ourselves to a new, more evolved version of ourselves.

We can choose to remain comfortable and satisfied with our current state of Being or respond to life’s challenges and experiences with awareness, honesty, enthusiasm, integrity, and compassion. Either option is acceptable. Sooner or later, the impetus toward evolution will evoke enough discomfort to motivate us to move forward. We have free will, but the deck is stacked in favor of change and evolutionary momentum.

Our True Intentions, Motives, and Actions are the Measure of our Spirit

How we respond to our experiences is the measure of our spiritual growth not the success with which we control the situations we experience. Many of the greatest humans came to unpleasant ends, were not recognized for their excellence by their peers, or were dismissed as kooks. It is not what they accomplished, but who they were, the integrity and honesty with which they lived, the wisdom they courageously shared, the compassion they showed, and the humility that they demonstrated, which was their greatest gift to life.

Life is not a burden to endure, a game to win, or an unruly process which we must conquer and control. Life is an opportunity to experience who we truly are. Life is an invitation to participate in the evolution of conscious spiritual growth and to contribute to the unfolding of the Universe.

And while we are invited to participate in the evolution of consciousness, we have failed to receive an invitation to take over the evolution of the Divine. Rather it is the Universal laws, created by the Divine Source, that provides the impetus and the energy to propel us to ever greater conscious evolution. We are the waves, not the ocean. But we are also the drop which contains the ocean.

Our station in life, the situations and circumstances that we encounter, positive or negative, are not the measure of our spiritual or conscious level, advancement or evolution. The real gift of spiritual and conscious evolution is that we begin to experience the undesirable situations in our lives as waves rather than tsunamis. We experience more self trust as opposed to self doubt, clarity rather than confusion, intuitive solutions instead of forced logic that runs us in circles, a sense that we will be okay no matter what. No more looking for the other shoe to drop. Conscious, spiritual growth and evolution is demonstrated when we respond with awareness, integrity, honesty, authenticity, compassion and positive change rather then control, blame, fear, arrogance or entitlement, in even the most difficult situations.

When we use the creative process to express and to Be a more consciously and spiritually evolved human, our intentions and desires are in alignment with our Soul, with spiritual principles, with Universal Laws, and with the Divine Creative Process for the evolution and unfolding of the Universe.

We are free to choose control, but it will be to our detriment in the end.

Creation in Not a Competition or Race for More Goodies

Creation is cooperative. I create and sustain my life through accessing Universal energy, breathing the oxygen that plants expel, sustaining my body on the life blood of plants (or for many people, of animals). I experience myself through my interactions with everyone and everything in my environment. I create new life by the exchange of fluids with another human, and I utilize the earth elements in the make up of my body and in the items I use in every area of life. Those same elements were forged in a huge star at the end of its life, as it extruded its guts in a massive explosion. And it sacrificed its life, solely to be in alignment with the evolution of the unfolding, expanding, Supremely Conscious Universe through the Universal Laws created by the Divine Eternal Source of Life.

It seems that God, Yahweh, Allah, Divine Source, Universe, by whatever name one chooses to address the All That Is, has given extraordinary consideration to this Divine Process of Creation and Evolution and the Guidelines by which it unfolds. Perhaps we can relinquish our desire for control once and for all. Perhaps we can focus on aligning our own consciousness with that Evolutionary Process and according to the Guidelines that are in place.

Perhaps we can:

• Accept the things we cannot change, (at least, in this point in time, with our current conscious, spiritual evolution)

• Change the things we can, (but only by adhering to honest intentions and spiritual principles

• Strive to know the difference, (which requires rigorous self honesty, courage, and connecting to that Authentic Innate Essence within.