Some thoughts recently occurred to me about the notion of manifesting. The moment we talk about wanting to “attract” something “out there” TO us, we have 1) labeled it as something other than us and outside of us, and 2) ascribed a power to it, declaring a duel with it, entering into a competition with it as we compete to acquire it. OK, sounds a bit dramatic, but isn’t that what we’re doing?
Let’s say I decide I want a certain job because I believe that job will make me happy.
First, while I believe that the job exists somehow somewhere in a thing called a mind in some kind of abstract, loose way, evidenced by the fact that I believe I can possibly “attract” it, I nevertheless see it as separate from me, because it still must be attracted TO me.
Second, I have already given that job power to “make me happy”. And if I don’t win it – this thing that is outside of me – does that mean I won’t be happy? Well, I realized that the moment we can recognize the folly in this thinking is the moment that we can have everything!!! When we cease focusing on some slice of life, some fragment of our world that WE have “decided” we want, we free our minds to listen to God’s Guidance as we learn to hear the One Voice leading us down the path perfectly optimized for all.
As J reminds us in ACIM (W. P1.78.1.1), literally every decision is a choice between grievance and miracle – not “do I want a BMW or a Jag”.. : ) It’s all in how we choose to SEE each moment – through the eyes of miracle or grievance, not the “what’s” each moment brings, because those are out of our hands, folks.
And besides, do we really want the responsibility of deciding what to “attract”, even if we could? ACIM says, “Your function here is only to decide against deciding what you want, in recognition that you do not know.” (T.14.IV.5.2) When we free the object/situation/person from that position of being in competition with us and release it from the duel, it is then we can truly love it.
Once we can genuinely forgive ONE thing we have attempted to pursue – truly forgive that need to be in competition WITH it for acquisition of its so-called “power” to supply for our happiness, then our entire world is released from competition and vengeance, and we are free to love and be loved as God has created us.
Love, Amy