Photo by Dana Nollsch, www.PhotoZen.us

Abundance consciousness is not the easy way, at least not at first. It requires commitment, focus and persistence. To practice, we re-train our minds to focus on what we desire, even as we acknowledge the reality of what-is. Eventually we reveal more ease, flow and grace in our loves. It’s the beauty way. ~ Socha

For years I have studied and practiced the law of attraction, first coming upon the concepts reading Florence Scover Shinn’s book, The Game of Life & How to Play it (published 1925) and later enjoying everything by Abraham Hicks. Even after years of practice, I still find that I need refreshers now and then. The point of my study in the law of attraction is to invite a life of ease, grace and flow by focusing my thoughts on what I desire to create rather than on what isn’t serving me in each moment. In other words, it’s based on the premise that thoughts become things, or that our external world is influenced by the quality of thoughts we hold in our internal world.

If only it were so easy! Our conscious minds, and the thoughts of which we are aware, constitute only about 5% of our brains’ operations. Another 95% of what we’re creating with our minds and thoughts is subconscious or unknown to us at any given time. As valuable as it is to have many programs open and operating in the background of our experience, these thoughts too create our reality for better or worse.

We are often unaware of the decisions that float outside our conscious awareness. These subconscious decisions may significantly impact our life scripts, and our behavior, sometimes resulting in situations that are negative or painful…The conscious use of thoughts, words, and sounds, vibrate into mater, from the invisible to the visible, affecting all outcomes in your life. In the same way, subconscious thoughts and feelings also vibrate into matter, which is why it is absolutely essential to bring the subconscious into conscious awareness. ~ Luanne Oaks, Ph.D.

What I notice is that sometimes our minds are as cluttered as our lives. Perhaps we’ve had intuitive hits we’ve buried because we choose not to follow their lead. Perhaps we’re getting signals from our bodies that our health isn’t what it could be, and we’re prompted but resistant to making lifestyle changes. Perhaps a relationship or job is feeling a bit unhealthy, but we don’t really feel we have the courage to address the problems in the moment. So maybe our thoughts about these things become like a pile of papers on our desk. When a new, inconvenient thought comes up, it may feel easier to add it to the stack of papers than it is to closely analyze it in that moment. Soon we have a stack that’s tumbling onto the floor and lives that feel like a huge mess.

How powerful are we then at creating a positive reality, when our inner and outer worlds become a scary mess? Perhaps if our world is not providing the abundance, joy, ease, love and nurturing that we’ve been craving, it’s time to take a pause to look at what is happening inside of ourselves. What are we denying? What emotions are we stuffing in order to make it through another day?

Just as important, we may acknowledge that we are part of the human condition. We have runaway minds much of the time. When we have a judgmental thought (for ourselves or others), we can also forgive ourselves, return to love and compassion, and then choose the next focus for our thoughts.

While you can’t choose your first thought or your first feeling, you can choose your second thought and your second feeling through self-observation and the use of free will. ~ Luanne Oaks

Some questions to ponder:

What word would you use to describe your experience of reality in this moment?

How are your thoughts serving you?

What energy or emotion lies buried beneath the surface of your consciousness?

What clues in your life-experience prompt you to go deeper into awareness?

What will you choose as the next focus for your thoughts?