Manifestation and the Supernal Triad

If you really want to manifest your desires you need to use the principles expressed in the Qabalah as the Supernal Triad.

I hope you haven't switched off at this point.  Yes, I know that unless you have studied the Tree of Life what I have just written is probably Double Dutch to you!  But bear with me - the concept is both important and easy to understand.

Before I go any further let me reassure you.  I am not saying you have to learn the basics of the Qabalah in order to manifest properly.  Rather, I am just saying that the Qabalah neatly outlines what you must do in order to manifest your desires, even if when you do so you do not realize what you are doing has a Qabalistic interpretation.

In Qabalah, the Supernal Triad is the top three "Sephiroth" of the Tree of Life.  It is the way the Supreme Being begins creation.  And used properly it is the way we, too, create reality from our inner dreams.

There are three points in the Supernal Triad, as you probably realize from the name.  They are "Kether", "Binah" and "Chokmah".  Some describe Kether as the Soul, Binah as the Womb into which the Soul enters, and Chokmah as the force of Creation that results when the Soul enters the Womb.  But there are also other names for these three Sephiroth, and those names show you what you need to do in order to manifest properly.

Kether, the Soul is also known as "Desire".  Binah, the Womb, is "Imagination".  Chokmah, Creation, is "Visualization".

In order to manifest you must have all three in balance.  Miss out any one of the three and you will have, at best, a very lukewarm power to turn your dreams into reality.  More likely nothing will happen at all and you will walk away from the whole concept of the Law of Attraction complaining it doesn't work.

The work of Manifestation begins with Desire.  If you do not really desire whatever it is you are dreaming of it will remain as just a dream.  Your desire has to be strong.  Like a flame in a furnace you can stoke up your desire as long as there is a spark of desire there in the first place.  But make sure you are focussed on a real dream.  Too many people think they really want to achieve something, but the desire is not strong enough simply because they have not truly identified their real dream.

Once you have fanned your Desire into a passion, it is ready to act - which it does by entering the womb of Imagination to create through Visualization.

Imagination is important.  Too many people go straight from Desire to Visualization and miss out the step of Imagination.  You need to use your Imagination to begin creating the right Visualization.  Stoke up your Desire, and then begin using your Imagination to create the right scene.  If you use your Imagination properly you will find it automatically leads to a powerful Visualization.

If you find you don't have enough Imagination to create a vivid Visualization, such that it seems, when you close your eyes, to be as solid as the "reality" you see around you when you open your eyes, you should work on improving your Imagination.  To some people this comes naturally.  Those are the people who find the Law of Attraction works for them the moment they hear about the need to Visualize, as long as they are Visualizing something they truly Desire.  But it can also be a learned skill.  Like any other skill, you need to study it and then practise it.  One way to build your imagination is to read voraciously.  Pick authors who write powerfully, whose books are filled with descriptive paragraphs.  Read those paragraphs and then picture the scenes in your mind.  After you put the book down, re-visit the scene.  Try to see it in detail.  And don't just see it - use all your other senses too.  Hear it.  What do you smell?  What do you feel?  If, for example, you are reading a Joseph Conrad book with the setting in a jungle in Southeast Asia, imagine yourself in that jungle.  You are so hot!  The sweat is pouring off you.  There are the smells of strange plants around you.  This really works!

I have mentioned Joseph Conrad.  Yes, his novels are now very dated.  But they are also very powerful and a great source of scenes to improve your skills of imagination.  Or try Ernest Hemingway - another now perhaps dated, but very powerful author.  John Steinbeck, perhaps.  If you are into science fiction (or maybe even if you are not!) try Ray Bradbury or Brian Aldiss.  There are very many authors who are really great at building a scene, where you can visualize what they are describing as you read.  Just remember to keep practising re-creating those scenes even when you are not reading.

Once you have gained the skill of re-creating in your mind the scenes from the books, use that same skill to Visualize whatever it is you desire.  Again, use all your senses.  As you do so, fill the scene you are Visualizing with your deep Desire to make this dream a reality.  By doing this properly you will be using the full Supernal Triad which is the Universal force of Creation, and you simply cannot fail.  You are using a Universal Law, and Universal Laws never fail.

If you wish to source any of the writers I have mentioned, try your local library.  Certainly Conrad, Hemingway and Steinbeck should be there as their works are absolute classics.  One disadvantage, though, is that you will have a limited time to practise your imagination skills.  Also, some people find it helps to highlight or underline the passages they want to visualize.  Don't do that to a library book!

An alternative is to buy the book from a reputable source.  I have listed the particular books I think you will find the best for this exercise, and given you quick links to the cheapest copies I have found on Amazon.  Just click the link and it will take you to the right page to order it.  The first list is if you wish to pay in US$ and the second if you wish to pay in UK£.

US Versions:

Joseph Conrad - "Heart of Darkness"

Joseph Conrad - "Lord Jim"

Ernest Hemingway - "The Old Man and the Sea"

John Steinbeck - "The Grapes of Wrath"

Ray Bradbury - "The Illustrated Man"

Brian Aldiss - "Hothouse"

UK Versions:

Joseph Conrad - "Heart of Darkness"

Joseph Conrad - "Lord Jim"

Ernest Hemingway - "The Old Man and the Sea"

John Steinbeck - "The Grapes of Wrath"

Ray Bradbury - "The Illustrated Man"

Brian Aldiss - "Hothouse"

Finally, if you would like some help in using words, sounds and images to improve your Creative Visualization techniques, try using Mind Movies.  This is a brilliant way of focusing your Desire through Imagination into Visualization, and therefore using the Universal Law of the Supernal Triangle to create reality out of your dreams.  Click here to find out more.

Visualization

If you have been studying personal development for long I am sure you have come across the concept of visualization.  My purpose now is to explore exactly what visualization is and why it is important.  How do you do it, and what difference does it make?

Visualization is imagining something so strongly, so clearly, that you almost feel as though it is really here.  Or, if you are very good at it, so that you really DO feel it is here!

Everything is energy.  Have you ever heard that before?  Well, it is true.  Absolutely EVERYTHING is energy.  The chair you are sitting on.  The floor you are standing on.  Yes, they are physical, they are material.  But what do we mean by physical and material?  Everything physical consists of atoms.  And atoms consist of sub-atomic particles - which are all simply energy.

When you dream of something, if you invest that dream with enough energy you will create the substance of your dream.  In order to do that properly you have to visualize it.  Really see it.  Close your eyes and imagine you are really there. 

Are you dreaming of a lovely holiday on a sunny beach in a hot climate?  Is that something you would like to turn into reality?  If so, do everything you can to feel as though you are really there now.  Prepare for this in advance of your visualization.  Begin by getting some photos of the kind of place you would like to visit.  Stick those pictures in an album.  Take some time to look carefully at each picture.  Burn it into your visual memory.  Are there any sounds that should be associated with this dream?  Maybe the sound of waves gently lapping at the shore?  See if you can find some recordings of this sound.  Search hard enough and you will find a recording like this somewhere online.  How about the sense of touch?  In the example I have given, there is the feel of sand slipping through your fingers.  You should be able to find some nice soft sand somewhere too.  Pick up a handful and let it slip through your fingers just as if you were sat on the lovely beach you have imagined.  Now close your eyes.  Bring back into your mind the pictures you put in the album.  Play the associated sounds - you can either literally play the recording now, or simply re-play it in your mind.  Feel that soft sand running through your fingers.  Smell the salt air.

How does all this make you feel?  It should, of course, make you feel happy!  Very happy!  Bask in that happy feeling.

If you do this properly, you are truly visualizing.  By visualizing you are creating an alternative reality.  Your visualization and emotion combined will have produced the right energy to turn your dream into a reality.  That reality has not yet turned into a physical reality, but it will at some point in the future if you allow it!

Do not underestimate the power of visualization!  It is a very powerful technique indeed.  Treat it, therefore, with some respect.

Never try to visualize something negative.  For example something bad happening to someone who has hurt you.  It is actually possible to create something very negative, something very bad in this way.  That bad thing may indeed happen to that unfortunate person, but whether or not it does, be certain of one thing - it will come back to haunt you and something at least as bad will happen to you.

Also, be careful in general about including real people in your visualizations.  It is one thing to dream of something you want to happen happening to you.  You may find when it materializes that it is not really what you wanted - but then you can simply change your visualization, fine tuning it so that it produces what you really want.  But it is quite different using the same technique to make something happen to someone else, no matter how good you think it might be for them.  Certainly hold them in love, with wishes for happiness, peace, and other positive states.  But don't be too specific.  Just as you can find you need to fine tune the dream you had for yourself, so it can be that the dream you had for someone else is not really right for them in their situation right now.  The difference is that they are unaware of what you have done and cannot therefore fine tune or ask you to fine tune it.  God gave us all free will, so don't try to turn yourself into a god and impose your own will on someone else, no matter how good you think it might be for them.

Sphere of Availability

Have you ever tried to use the Law of Attraction and found it simply didn't work for you?  Have you ever tried visualizing really hard for what you want, used good, positive affirmations for it, and still found it never materialized?

There can be many different reasons for not being able to materialize a desire.  The problem is not with the Law of Attraction, which works, but with the way in which you are applying it.

I have covered some of those reasons in other blog articles, but here I am going to cover a Universal Law many Law of Attraction coaches do not mention at all, gloss over, or even downright deny it exists - the Law of the Sphere of Availability.

We are taught not to set limits to our desires, that the Universe has no limits and neither should we.  We are told that the only limits on what we can achieve are the limits we set ourselves.

This is all very true.  There ARE no limits to what the Universe can bring to us.  Universal power is unlimited power.  The limits appear only when that unlimited power tries to express itself through a limited being.

I do not disagree with any of this.  In fact, I teach this myself.  But it is still important to understand and apply the Law of the Sphere of Availability, which seems to contradict everything I have just said above.

First, what is the Law of the Sphere of Availability?  It is a Universal Law that defines what is readily available to you and what is not.

If the Universe is unlimited, how come there is a Universal Law that creates limits on what you can achieve?

One way of looking at this is as the exception that proves the rule.  The Universe has no limits, but we do.  Self-created limits.  Limits we could do something to remove or at least stretch further, but nevertheless real limits that we have to recognize exist.  As long as a limit is there, it is pointless trying to ignore it.

Let me give you an example.  Suppose you want a 5 bedroom house, but at the moment are living with your parents and have no capital or income.  Is the 5 bedroom house within your Sphere of Availability?  If you are like most people, I would say no, it is not within your Sphere of Availability.  It may be that you are so gifted in your use of the Law of Attraction that it IS within your Sphere of Availability, but this would be extremely unusual.  It would make sense in this case to go for something more realistic.

At this point there will probably be Law of Attraction coaches and practitioners screaming at me, telling me not to add to the problem by making people believe there are limits.  Well, there ARE limits!  As I have said, there are ways of removing some limits completely and expanding the Sphere of Availability for others.  But until that is done, those limits are there and we have to respect this.

Work within your own Sphere of Availability.  Have big dreams, and visualize and affirm for those big dreams.  But also work on dreams that are within your current Sphere of Availability.  These will be much easier to achieve, and those early successes will encourage you.  They will also expand your Sphere of Availability, so you can now begin manifesting bigger dreams.  This expansion of your Sphere of Availability happens in two ways. 

Firstly, having acquired or achieved something, this has hopefully brought you closer to your big dream.  For example, the person who was living with his parents and with no income uses the Law of Attraction to get a job.  He now has income, and so he starts to visualize for his own apartment.  When he gets that, then his dream of a 5 bedroom house is very much closer and may now even be within his Sphere of Availability.

Secondly, the small successes make you realize that the Law of Attraction really does work.  This now makes it easier for you to use it for bigger dreams than you could have used it for earlier.  Perhaps not your really big dream yet, but certainly bigger dreams.

Put both of these together and you will find you can expand your Sphere of Availability quicker than you might have thought possible.

Ultimately there ARE no limits.  You ARE worth far more than you give yourself credit for.  You CAN achieve your biggest dreams.  But use your knowledge of the Sphere of Availability properly so that you really CAN get there rather than trying to manifest only "unrealistic" goals and then complaining that the Law of Attraction doesn't work!  As the old adage goes "learn to walk before you run" - but notice it DOESN'T say "you can only walk, so don't ever bother trying to run"!

Escape from Prison

"If you want to get ahead, you have to make sacrifices and work all the hours God gave!"

Has anyone ever said that to you?  For that matter, have you ever said that to yourself?

This belief is so common that I am sure, in one form or another, this has been said to you so many times that deep inside you really believe it to be true.  Even if you don't consciously think this way, subconsciously you probably do, without even realizing it.

Many people, on hearing this (or something very like it), have decided that they are simply not going to bother.  They don't want to sacrifice time with their friends and family.  They don't want to work themselves into an early grave.  So they opt out of the race to success.  They know that they are never going to make it without sacrificing more than they are willing to sacrifice.  And so they give up.

Most people I meet fall into one of these two camps.  Either they are working so hard they don't have time to stop and smell the roses, or they have thrown away all the ambitions they had when they were younger because they know they will never achieve them.

Do you fall into either of these two categories?

If so, you are missing a vital trick!

It is simply not true that the only way to become successful is to make unacceptable sacrifices.  You only believe that because you have been told it too many times, and now even repeat the mantra to yourself.  This creates an inner block which makes it virtually impossible for you to be successful.

For as long as you have this inner block it is as though you are in prison.  But in a prison cell you created for yourself.  And a prison cell for which you have the only bunch of keys.

There are several doors you must pass in order to break out of that prison, and you have a key to each of those doors.

The first door you must open is the one to the room that tells you what it is you really want.  Surprising as it may sound, most of us do not know what we really want.  You will need to sit quietly as you reflect on what it is you think you want and see what bubbles up to the surface.  If you do this properly you will probably find what you really want is quite different from what you thought you wanted.  Once you have opened this door you are well on your way to freedom from your self-imposed imprisonment.

The next door is one labelled "It is ok!".  What do I mean by this?  I mean whatever it is you really want, you have to know that it is ok to want it!  Recognize that the Universe (or God, if you prefer) really wants you to succeed.  You have a destiny you can fulfill if only you will recognize it.  Once you really become aware of this you will feel really positive.  And that positivity will propel you forward towards your goal.

Then there is the door labelled "Visualize".  Having found your real goal, and recognized it is right for you to achieve it, you need to find ways to focus your emotions on achieving it.  Some people refer to "affirmations".  As long as you invest those affirmations with a strong positive emotion, and repeat them in the present tense rather than as a hope for the future, then this is a good way to move forward.  Some people refer to a "vision board", on which they put pictures of whatever it is they want to achieve and what their life will be like when they have achieved it.  Again, this is good.  However you do it, visualize yourself having achieved success.  Feel what it is like.  Immerse yourself in it.  Know that you have achieved it.

Unlock these three doors and you are well on the way to escaping from the prison you have made for yourself and achieving the success of which you have always dreamed!

Alignment

Are you fully aligned with your inner values?

What exactly do I mean by this, and why is it so important?

When two things are aligned they are going in the same direction.  This can create a very powerful force.  An alignment of two countries, for example, is usually far more powerful than each country acting on its own.  The alignment of the movement of electrons in a piece of iron creates a powerful magnetic force.

When they are misaligned, the power is greatly reduced or even disappears altogether.  For example, if a piece of material has "paired" electrons which counter each other by moving in opposite directions it is simply impossible to create any magnetic force at all.

Many people, perhaps even the vast majority of people, are not properly aligned with their inner values. When they are not properly aligned, everything will be a real struggle.  Not because the universe is opposing them (even though it may seem that way to them) but because they are opposing themselves!

This very often applies when someone tries to use the Law of Attraction.  They begin affirming and visualising.  Nothing happens.  They become disillusioned and complain that the Law of Attraction doesn't work.  The reality is that it does work, but the Universe is getting conflicting messages from them about what they want to achieve.  Outwardly they are saying "I want this!" but inwardly they are saying "No I don't!".

There are many keys to using the Law of Attraction properly, and if you are a regular reader of my blog you will already have read a number of them, but this is probably the most important key.  If you do not align yourself properly with your inner values you are most unlikely to succeed.

The first step is to find out what those inner values are.  Unless you know what they are, how can you possibly expect your day to day life and your affirmations and visualisations to be in alignment with them?

Don't make the mistake of assuming you already know what those values are!  Many of us have superficial values that are not in alignment with our inner values.  These superficial values may be the values you have "inherited" from your parents, values drummed into you at school, or values you have picked up from your church, mosque, yeshiva, temple etc.  Don't get me wrong when I say "superficial" here.  I am not denigrating the teachings of any religion or institution or your parents.  By "superficial" I mean "on the surface" rather than "deep inside".  It may well be the case that what you believe superficially is the same as what you believe in the depths of your soul, but start with an open mind ready to accept that may not be the case.

There are many ways of determining your inner values.

One way is to start with something you have decided you want to achieve and then sit quietly thinking about it and see how both your body and emotional state react.  Do you feel a tightening around your chest for example?  A kind of heaviness in your body?  If so, this suggests what you are thinking about is not aligned with your inner values.  You may be surprised by this and feel it cannot be true, but this kind of bodily reaction is rarely wrong.  If you feel a lightness and a sense of freedom, this suggests what you are thinking about is aligned with your inner values.  If you feel a sense of foreboding or unhappiness, you are probably not aligned.  If there is a sense of happiness, or even joy, and completeness, you probably are aligned.

This method doesn't specifically identify your inner values as such, but it does at least determine whether what you think you want is aligned with them.

Another way is to go into a meditative state with the specific purpose of determining your inner values.  Each of us is likely to have a slightly different way of doing this, but the key is to begin your meditation with that as your clear purpose.  One method I find quite helpful is to imagine you are walking down a path into a beautiful garden.  See what is planted there and how it is growing.  You may find some plants are withering; these are probably desires you have which are not properly aligned.  Others are flourishing, and these will be desires that are properly aligned.  Ask each plant what it represents.  Don't struggle to get an answer.  Simply ask the question and then let it rest and move on to the next one.  All will eventually be revealed, but probably not all at once and not necessarily in this initial session.  Make repeated visits to your "Inner Values Garden" and gradually you will begin to get the answers, either during the meditation itself or through a sudden realization afterwards.

What should you do if you begin to find your inner values are in conflict with your stated beliefs?  This is a tricky one.  I cannot dictate what you should do but only point you in a direction.  I hesitate to say this, but you may need to consider whether the beliefs you thought you had really are the beliefs you should have.  If you don't wish to pursue that, then I suggest you speak to your spiritual adviser, your priest, vicar, immam, rabbi or whoever and ask them for their help.  It may simply be that you have misunderstood the signals.  But whatever you do, if there is misalignment something must change.  Either a spiritual awakening that changes your inner values, or a change in the superficial values you hold.  Without this you will be unable to have a settled life and will certainly find applying the Law of Attraction very difficult if not impossible.

As you build up a better picture of your true inner values, make absolutely sure that not only your future dreams but also your daily life is in alignment with them.  This will impact on everything you say and do.  It could mean you need to change your job and what you do in your spare time - so treat this process with great respect and make sure you do it well.

As Above So Below

No, I am not talking here about the film of that name.  I am referring to a phrase in the Emerald Tablet of Hermes Trismegistus, the father of hermetic or occult philosophy.

Here is the translation of that section of the Emerald Tablet as given by Isaac Newton (yes, the same Newton who gave us the laws of motion and an understanding of the law of gravity):

"That which is below is like that which is above & that which is above is like that which is below to do the miracles of one only thing."

One idea arising from this ancient phrase is that by making changes in yourself, in your mind and spirit, you can cause similar changes in the entire universe.  A heady and powerful concept!

This concept is the basis of astrology, ceremonial magic and alchemy, and for that reason has been rejected by many modern thinkers.  Personally I do believe in all three disciplines, although not in the way in which they are commonly presented (especially the case with astrology).  However, it is not at all necessary to believe in any of these disciplines to believe in the power of "as above, so below".

This concept shows you why personal development can be so important.  It is not just something that helps you have a better life, although clearly it does that, but also means you are literally making the world a better place.  How so?  Well as you make changes in yourself those changes become reflected in the world around you ("that which is above is like that which is below").  Those changes in the world around you then reflect in subtle but definite changes in other people ("that which is below is like that which is above").

This is the entire basis of the work a good ceremonial magician does. However, it is not necessary to believe in any mystical forces or the power of ceremonial magic to accept this principle.  Again, I DO believe in mystical forces, but even if you have no such beliefs you should still be able to accept some aspects of "as above, so below".  By changing yourself for the better you cannot but help to make things better for those around you, even if only by a small degree.

Within the Tablet there is a clue as to the way in which you can bring the power of the Universe into your daily life.  It says:

"It ascends from the earth to the heaven & again it descends to the earth & receives the force of things superior & inferior."

This is something I use in visualization and in other techniques to work improvements in myself and in the world around me.  I have referred to this in earlier articles, giving you a very solid clue how to work this magic in your life.

Here is the exact technique I use.  I begin by centring my mind and spirit.  I then "move" them upwards.  Whether you believe there is real or imagined movement upwards is actually irrelevant.  Personally I believe it is more allegorical than actual.  As they move upwards they merge with the Light that is at the centre of the Universe.  This is my "ascent from the earth to the heaven".  I then come back into my centre, but bringing that Light with me, "descending to the earth".  I now move this centred force into the centre of the world, become one with the world, and bring this oneness back to my own centre.  Now I expand it from my centre so my awareness encompasses the entire universe.  At this point I use this Universal power to achieve whatever it is I am trying to achieve at this time, be it a healing, an affirmation, etc.  I am "receiving the force of things superior & inferior".

Try it, and I believe you will surprise yourself with just how powerful a technique this can be.  It will be putting you in touch with a power that has no limitations whatsoever and which can achieve whatever you may wish to achieve provided you use it in the right way.

Personality Makeover

Have you ever wanted a makeover?  Or perhaps had one?

A makeover can make you feel on top of the world.  But the kind of makeover most people have is rather superficial.  It may be about a new set of clothes, cosmetics, a different haircut, or perhaps a combination of some or all of these.

The kind of makeover I am talking about here, though, is not superficial.  Rather, it is permanent if you want it to be.  Also it doesn't need an expert to do it for you - it is something you do for yourself.  I am talking about a makeover of your personality.

Why would you need or want a personality makeover?  Well, are you perfect?  I guess not.  Are there some areas of your life where you would like to be better?  Probably.  If so, that is all the reason you need.

You should begin by taking stock of yourself.  List your strengths and weaknesses.  Where would you like to be better?  Start narrowing down your list to those areas you would like to improve.

Once you have your list you are ready to begin.

In order to work the change you desire you will need to do the following three things:

1 Affirm

2 Visualize

3 Act

If you are familiar with personal development I am sure you recognize the first two.  You have probably tried affirmations in the past even if you don't regularly practise them now.  You may also have tried visualization.  By "act" I mean create the right body stance to match whatever personality characteristic you are trying to enhance.

Each of these techniques is powerful in its own right.  Used together they are an unstoppable force!

Exactly how you will use them will depend very much on the traits you are trying to develop.  I will give you an example here so you can see how it is done, but you must then adapt this so it fits the makeover you are applying to yourself.

Imagine you have decided you want to be happier.  You want to maintain your happiness even in circumstances which might normally make you miserable.

Begin by creating the right phrases for your affirmations.  Make them personal, make them "in the moment" rather than a future hope, and concentrate on the positive you want to develop, not the negative you want to reduce.  So you should have phrases like "I am really happy right now!", "Regardless of what is happening around me I am so happy!", "I am happy all the time!".  Add to this list with some phrases of your own.

Now begin to think of some times when you were really happy.  Picture them as vividly as you can.  Try to visualize all the little details - everything you could see around you, what you could hear, even the smells.  As you do so, call up the feeling of happiness you had then.

Extend this visualization to something that hasn't yet happened, but that will make you happy.  "Recall" it in just as much detail.

Begin acting happiness.  Get into the body posture you have when you are happy.  Smiling is an obvious start to this.  But not just smiling.  How about your shoulders?  Are they hunched forward (a sign of being miserable rather than happy)?  If so, sit up nice and straight with your shoulders pulled back.  Not strained, but naturally back.  Feel tall, as though your body is being pulled up into the sky.

Now put it all together.  Affirm, visualize, and act happy.  Not just the one time (although even just that once will make a big difference).  Keep doing it.  At least two or three times a day.  Every day.

Consider this just like a physical exercise routine.  Something you do regularly which gradually builds up the right muscles.

Within no time at all you will find you are so much happier.  Great!  Now pick the next trait on your list and work on that too, but not forgetting to keep working on the first one too.  Before you know it you will be a different person.  Just like those models you see in the makeover TV shows - but in a far more meaningful and positive way!

The Powerful Computer

Imagine you are responsible for a very powerful computer.  A computer that will create anything you want.  Not just design it, but create it.  Lock, stock and barrel.

There are just two little problems.

The first problem is that, because it is a computer, it has no way of knowing what you meant to tell it, only what you actually told it.  Whatever instruction you give it, that is the instruction it will follow – even if what you really meant to say was something different.

The second problem is that this gives you enormous power, so you must be really certain of what it is that you do want.

In order to master this computer, what you have to do therefore is spend some time carefully working out what you want it to create for you, and then spend more time making sure you create very clear instructions so the computer knows exactly what it is you want.

Now read those five paragraphs again, but this time leave out the first word, “imagine”.  You don’t really need that word, because you really are responsible for that very powerful computer.  Some people call it the subconscious.  Some prefer to call it the Universe.  And some will say it is a deity (and that you are not giving it instructions, but praying to it).  Actually it doesn’t matter what you call it, as the principle is the same.  So perhaps we will continue to call it the computer.

In order to achieve what you want in life, whatever that may be, all you have to do is learn to practise those two simple rules:

1. Find out what it is you really want.  That may well be something quite different from what you think you want.  It often is.  Set aside some time to consider this very carefully.  Write down everything that comes into your head, no matter how unrealistic or strange it may seem.  Then study what you have written.  Start to find the pattern that is there.  See what really “clicks” for you.  Meditate on it.  Now write out the main things you know you really want, the things that have real meaning for you. 
2. Visualize yourself having achieved what it is you want.  Picture it so clearly that you know it as a reality.  This is “creative visualization”, and it is the computer language you need in order to give the right instructions to that super computer inside you.

 Most people miss out both these steps, and then wonder why they never achieve what they want to achieve.  Spend time getting them both right and you will see enormous changes in your life.

There are many ways of doing Creative Visualization.  I find it is good to use a mix of methods – as long as each method you use really works.

One method is to create your own “Mind Movie”.  This is a term coined by Natalie Ledwell, who distributes a very ingenious system to let you create it and send the right message to your inner computer.  I use this myself and can assure you it works.  To get access to the Mind Movie system, just go here:

http://www.mindmovies.com/products/order_mindmovies.php?25923

Another method is to use a pre-programmed “Mind Movie” which is already set up and ready to send the message without you having to anything other than to watch and listen to it.  This is called “Mind Movies Matrix”, as it is just like the programming used in the film “The Matrix” to make the hero perform impossible seeming tasks.  “Mind Movie Matrix” includes subliminal messaging and brainwave entrainment.  To find out more about this just go here:

http://www.mindmovies.com/mm_matrix/transform_your_life.php?25923

Finally, you can let an expert take you right through all the steps you need in order to do your Creative Visualization properly.  I have found one of the best on the market is this one:

http://mval.li/?a=84&c=949&p=r&s1=

Now you have no excuse for saying you never get what you need or want.  You have all the tools you need to get everything you ever wanted.  Just use them!

Achieve Any Goal

Do you have some goals in life you would really like to achieve?  If not, you have probably come to the wrong blog!

In this short video by John Assaraf, one of the stars of "The Secret", you will learn how you can visualize, affirm and achieve any goal:

If you want to get a great series of positive affirmations to help you achieve your goals, try these here:
"Goal Affirmations"

If you want to what John Assaraf says to the next level I suggest you make what is called a "Mind Movie" which will really instill positive emotions and make your affirmations so much more effective. You can find out more about "Mind Movies" by going here:
"Mind Movies"

Willpower and Goals

Are you the type of person who has a lot of willpower to see a project through to its completion or do you feel your willpower is lacking? While many people think that some people have more willpower than others this is simply not true. Everyone has the same amount of willpower - what is different is the way you choose to use your willpower. 

It is easy to blame your lack of willpower for the choices you make and for giving up. How many times have you heard someone say, "I just don't have the willpower to follow through?"

The real question is: Do you really want to achieve your goals, or are you happy to continue using the excuse that you do not have enough willpower?

If you really want to achieve your goals, then you certainly can.  You simply have to make sure you have the right mindset and know you can achieve them. Make sure, though, that you are setting realistic goals. You may find, for example, a goal to run this year's marathon may be unrealistic if the last time you did any exercise at all was 10 years ago!

Take a look at each of your goals and make sure it IS realistic within the timescale you are setting for it. Sit quietly and envision yourself achieving it. If you can do this, great! If not, it may be time to scale back on it a little until you really can visualize the right outcome. Then, as you progress towards that goal you can always expand it until eventually you are achieving the original goal which was initially too ambitious.

I want to emphasize that "realistic" here has nothing to do with what others around you may be telling you. Your realistic goal may be considered far to ambitious by your friends and family, but that is not what counts.  What matters is what YOU can internalize as realistic.

Now that you have realistic goals, sit quietly again and picture yourself once you have achieved that goal. If your goal is to lose 10 pounds, visualize yourself wearing the clothes you will now be able to wear. See yourself in the mirror and admire your new, well balanced body. If your goal is to speak a new foreign language fluently, see yourself surrounded by native speakers of that language, having a great time with your new friends. Whatever your goal, really internalize all the positive outcomes of achieving it.

Do this frequently until it becomes a habit.

Create a picture board, or mind map, of your new life once you have achieved your goal. Just looking at this picture board should energize you and make you determined to achieve it.

Now, every time you feel your motivation lacking, your willpower slipping away, just look again at your picture board and visualize your life after you have achieved your goal. Do you feel your motivation return, your willpower strengthened? You certainly should! If not, you are either working on the wrong goal or you have not yet really visualized properly the difference it is going to make in your life!

Don't forget, of course, to create the write positive affirmations for your goal as well. I am not going to explore this important subject here, but check my blog and other positive sites for articles on affirmations if you are not completely familiar with how and why you should do this.

Shifting your mindset will probably not happen overnight. Usually it will take time and effort on your part. Just remember that nothing is impossible if you really want to achieve it, so your focus at the outset MUST be to ensure you have that strong desire to achieve it.

Finally, remember that goals change over time. You must be ready for this and adapt as necessary so you can continue to achieve your evolving goals.

Be Your Own Santa Claus

by

Dr. Debbie Thompson

For those of you who do not acknowledge or embrace the whole 'Santa Thing', please bear with me.

What if you could recreate the spirit and generosity of the Christmas season 365 days of the year? Be your own Santa Claus. You can!

Imagine you have access to a giant 'Everything In Life' catalog system. You can compare this catalog system to a giant Amazon.com or Sears & Roebuck catalog (for those of you who haven't entered the realm of Amazon.com online ordering yet).

You can order whatever you want to Be, Do or Have. This catalog contains an abundance of choices from the generous unlimited world that you live in. You are surrounded by opportunities. The effectiveness of your life catalog shopping is only enhanced by using the Law of Attraction.

When I was a little girl on the farm in Illinois, we ordered clothing from Sears & Roebuck, J.C. Penney's and Montgomery Ward. It was so exciting to fill out the order blanks all by myself with all of the numbers, colors and sizes. Before I filled out the order blanks I would spend hours and hours looking through the catalogs to choose what I wanted.

Have you taken the time to browse through your 'Everything In Life' catalog system and made your choices?

How to shop the 'Everything In Life' catalog:

• Expand your Law of Attraction knowledge
• Visualize your Be, Do & Haves
• Visualize resources, people and everything you need to know.
• Clearly define what you want
• Write your order out in detail
• Focus on what you want (not what you don't want)
• Magnetize your vision by bringing feelings of excitement like it has already happened
• Be in gratitude for what you have already... just as it is

Possible items you might be ready to order:

• BE - I passionately express myself through my art.
• BE - I joyfully live a magical, playful life full of friendships, adventure, vitality and unlimited energy.
• DO - I contribute to college scholarships for young women.
• DO - I move everyday for at least 30 minutes... walk, hike, dance, swim, etc..
• HAVE - My body is fine tuned for love, life, adventure, happiness, laughter and longevity.
• HAVE - My mind is clear and focused.

Supercharge your results:

• Create at least 100 Be, Do, Haves on your 'Santa List'.
• Express gratitude daily - Be generous with everyone (including yourself).
• Start a gratitude journal. (health... home... friends... flowers... mountains... the sunny day... )

This could be your first time hearing about Law of Attraction. You could be someone who has learned allot about Law of Attraction. Just know that the biggest thing that stands in your way of your Be, Do, Haves is your past: negative thoughts and beliefs that will want to argue with why your can't have what you are asking for.

Learn how to be very skilled at putting an end to these arguments.

Never give up on your dreams. Be your own Santa.

Discover how your energy can be aligned with your Be, Do & Haves as quickly as possible with a life changing energetic shift. http://www.miraculousyou.com/life-reset-123/sessions/

If you feel blocked/stopped in relationships, career, wellness or any other aspect of life a Life Reset 123™ session is an effective way to remove negative past influences, your unconscious blocks and expand your Prosperity and what matters to you the very most. http://www.miraculousyou.com/the-energy-doctor/

About the Author:

As a chiropractor and Life Reset Coach, Dr. Debbie Thompson started helping 1000's of people in the greater Seattle area in 1994. In 2012, she opened, 'Life Reset Chiropractic' in Glendale, AZ, and continues to assist people reach their highest vitality and wellness possible.

She completed her undergraduate studies at Colorado State University and University of Colorado. She graduated with a Doctorate of Chiropractic and Bachelor of Science in Human Biology from Western States Chiropractic College in Portland, Oregon.

In 1996, Dr. Debbie noticed her patients were not reaching their fullest physical recovery with chiropractic adjustments alone. She knew there had to be another way. Dr. Debbie's passion for her patients lead her on a quest where she discovered various energetic healing methods based on Quantum Physics which addressed physical, emotional, mental and non-physical issues.

While on this quest, she created her own energetic healing method called Life Reset. With Life Reset audios, teleclasses and webinars, Dr. Debbie is able to reach out worldwide. Life Resets consistently and effectively help to delete out past negative thoughts, beliefs, conversations and life experiences that have been standing in the way of your fullest potential. The result is giving you access to experience life far beyond what you ever thought was possible before.

Dr. Debbie shares simple and effective ways to "Ignite the ALL that YOU are!"

Silent Night

Happy Christmas One and All!

If you celebrate Christmas, I hope you and your family are enjoying this wonderful day.

But whether or not you celebrate Christmas, I would like you to take just a few minutes out of your busy day to watch this moving video:

Simon and Garfunkel wanted us to experience the incongruity of our celebration of Goodwill and Peace to All against what was really happening in the world.

But it doesn't have to be that way!

I believe passionately in the power of visualization.  So on this day of Goodwill and Peace to All I am going to visualize exactly that: Goodwill and Peace to All.  Taking all the feeling that has built up in the days leading up to Christmas.  The emotions triggered by the tear-jerker movies I have watched.  The feelings that have welled up as I have sung about peace and love.  I am taking all of this and pouring it into a 2 minute visualization for Goodwill and Peace to All.

Please join me in this right now.  No matter whether you are Christian or Muslim, Buddhist or Hindu, Sikh or Jain, Shinto or Wiccan.  No matter whether you believe in God or not.  It simply does not matter.  All that matters is that we all join together, all over the world, and visualize Goodwill and Peace to All.

As we visualize, so shall it be.

Thank you one and all, and may you enjoy the remainder of the festivities!

Goodwill to All

For many of my readers we are now very close to Christmas.  For those of you who are not Christians, don't worry.  I am not about to start talking about the birth of Christ or trying to "convert" you, and I would also remind you that the origin of Christmas is not Christian anyway.  In case you are interested in the actual origin of many of the things that happen in the Christmas holiday, I wrote an article about this last year, and you can find it here.

What I want to focus on today is the feeling of goodwill we should all have at Christmas.  Well, to be honest, the feeling we should have all year round!  But we have to start somewhere, and if we can elevate our goodwill during this season then that is a great start for spreading the same positive emotion through the rest of the year.

Charles Dickens gave us good reason to do this in his immortal story "A Christmas Carol".  My favourite quote from that lovely novel is "I will honour Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year. I will live in the Past, the Present, and the Future. The Spirits of all Three shall strive within me. I will not shut out the lessons that they teach!"

Spend some time in the next few days reading something Christmassy.  You could do far worse than reading "A Christmas Carol" itself.  Watch some of the tear-jerkers that tend to appear on television this time of year.  Virtually all of them have good and powerful messages if you will only open your heart and listen to them.

Begin this way to work on yourself, improving your own character.  Only by each of us changing and improving ourselves can we change and improve the world around us.  In fact, not just the world around us, but the whole world.  When we change ourselves we are changing the whole world.  As the poet John Donne said in the early 17th century "No man is an island, entire of itself, every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main."  So what happens within us also starts to happen within the world.  Make what happens something good, an increase in goodwill for all men (and women).

On Christmas Day I will post another short article around this theme.  But in the meantime can I ask you to do this one thing for me, whether or not you are able to log in and read my article then.  Remember how I asked everyone on Remembrance Day to spend two minutes visualizing world peace?  Well this time I want you to visualize goodwill.  It is actually the same thing - peace can only come from the goodwill of all people and all nations, and if there genuinely IS such goodwill there can only be peace.

Do this visualization for just two minutes on Christmas Day.  I know it is a busy day for most of us.  We have family around us, perhaps young children busy playing with their presents.  A big Christmas meal.  Yes, we are very busy.  But all I am asking is two minutes.  Just 120 seconds.  Is that really too much to ask?  You will find the time if you try.  And the more of us who try, the more goodwill we will spread throughout the world this Christmas Day.

Please do this even if you are not a Christian.

If you are a muslim for example, you will not be performing some infidel rite.  You will just be doing what the Qu'ran bids you, spreading peace.  "And make not Allah, by your oaths, a hindrance to your being righteous and observing your duty unto Him and making peace among mankind." (Qu'ran 2:224)

Whatever your religion I am sure it welcomes the spreading of goodwill and peace throughout the world.  So spread it on 25th December, when all of us who have read this will be doing the same in unison.

If you have access to the internet on Christmas day, visit my blog again and you will find a further article expanding on this and repeating my plea for a visualization for peace and goodwill.

Peace be with you!

Imagine

Imagine there's no heaven
It's easy if you try
No hell below us
Above us only sky
Imagine all the people
Living for today...

Imagine there's no countries
It isn't hard to do
Nothing to kill or die for
And no religion too
Imagine all the people
Living life in peace...

You may say I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world will be as one

Imagine no possessions
I wonder if you can
No need for greed or hunger
A brotherhood of man
Imagine all the people
Sharing all the world...

You may say I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world will live as one

As I write this article people all over the world are getting ready to mark Remembrance Day in a couple of days’ time.  Remembrance Day was instituted to remember the sacrifices of the many young men who gave their lives for their country during the First World War, which ended on the 11^th hour of the 11^th day of the 11^th month in 1918.  Nowadays it is extended to remember all who have sacrificed their lives for their country in war, both men and women.

During the 2 minutes silence at 11 am on the 11^th of November this year I will be imagining something John Lennon and Yoko Ono imagined early in 1971.  A world without war.  Or to put it in a more correct, affirmative way, a world filled with peace.  This is something I have always done on Remembrance Day since I was a child.

I do not imagine a world without religion though.  Religion has its place.  As long as it is not divisive.  It was the divisiveness of man-corrupted religion that made Lennon and Ono want to throw it away.  As Lennon himself said, he wanted a world “without this my-God-is-bigger-than-your-God thing”.  I imagine a world at peace, where we each seek the Truth in our own way, some of us by following a particular religion and others finding that Truth in a different way.  All of us recognizing and respecting the differences between us.

Nor do I imagine a world without possessions.  I believe the Universe wants all of us to enjoy the possessions we have and to provide us with even more.  It is simply not true that there is a limit on those possessions and that if I possess something it means someone else cannot possess what they want or need.  So there is nothing immoral about wanting more and going out and getting it.  But I also believe we are intended to use those possessions for good, using them to help all those around us.  In that sense my thinking is perhaps not so far apart from John Lennon’s as it might at first seem.

Probably most of you reading this believe in the immense power of visualization.  I certainly do.  If you do believe in this power, or even if you are not sure but are prepared to agree it may exist, and if you believe a world at peace is much preferable to a world at war, I would ask you to join me in a 2 minute visualization for peace.  Visualize everyone, regardless of country, race or religion, working together, living together in peace, being happy together.  Let us all do this visualization together for 2 minutes at 11:00 am on the 11^th November, this year, next year, and every year.

Imagine the power of that visualization!  Let’s do it!

Magic Spells - The Key to Success

by

Sarah T White

What is the key to success with magic spells?  In one word: visualisation.

Visualisation is a very powerful thing, and an important part of succeeding with magic spells. The mind is where your power comes from, and visualisation is one technique for unlocking that power and using it in your magic. Your inner spirit and mind control your emotions, your motivation, your success and happiness. Proper visualisation helps to focus your mind on your goals, and helps you to achieve them without realising you're doing anything different.

But what's the difference between visualisation and just daydreaming or an active imagination? And how can we apply visualisation to witchcraft and magic spells?

The main difference is that visualisation has purpose. It has a goal. It should also be more concentrated, controlled and directed (by you) than day dreaming. When you visualise in your spell casting, the visualisation itself is a big part of the magic spell. Without that section, your spell would not be so effective. So here's some tips:

• Make sure you start your spell completely relaxed, with time to spare. You don't want to rush a magic spell, that way you won't be able to devote the proper concentration and attention to it. Maybe play some soothing background music or neutral sounds, and dim the lights.


• Start your visualisation carefully and slowly. Practice making pictures in your head and holding on to them. Don't let them run away from you - you're in control. Start with black and white blurry pictures, then progress through sharpening the picture, adding colour, making it brighter and stronger and then adding detail.


• Block out all background noise and outside distractions. You should be able to "retreat" into your imagined world during the magic spell and become completely absorbed by it. The better you can do this, the more real it will be, and the better results your spell will achieve.


• Don't try to visualise a video - stick to still freeze-frames and photo-like pictures. Once you've practiced switching between these photos you can gradually start to introduce short moving sections.


• Successful visualisation in magic spells is about more than just the picture. You have to place yourself inside the scene. Hear what people will be saying to you and around you, smell your surroundings and the perfume of the people near you, touch the ground under your feet and the wind in the air, feel the emotions that you would feel if what you can see was really happening.

Take it slow, immerse yourself and pay attention to the small details that make the scene real. Successful magic spells all use visualisation as a core component of the spell, and magic and witchcraft would not be the same without powerful mind techniques such as visualisation. This is one way of opening the door to your inner power, and using that power to bring about positive change in the world.

Magic spells are easy to learn and simple to do. If you use them properly, you can do incredible things. Click here to learn more about successful spell casting, witchcraft and real magic spells.

Desires and Goals in Tune

A lot of people try “affirmations”, “creative visualisations”, techniques such as the Law of Attraction and other methods outlined in "The Secret", or other ways to achieve their goals.  They do this for a while, sometimes for a long while, but find nothing appears to be happening.  They are no nearer their goals than when they first started.  What is going wrong?

Does this strike a chord at all?  Have you found yourself in this position?  I know I have!  But not because there is anything intrinsically wrong with those systems.  They have certainly worked for many people.  So why didn’t they work for me when I first tried them?

Continuing the musical metaphor, I believe the biggest cause of failure is that our goals are simply not properly in tune with our real underlying desires.  And until they ARE in tune I can pretty much guarantee they CANNOT work.

The first task, therefore, of anyone attempting any kind of self-improvement or success programme should be to isolate all of those underlying desires.

The second task is to check that each of those desires are in harmony, and work on “retuning” any that create a discord.

And finally, once we are certain all our desires are congruent, we can then check that our goals are also congruent with these “tuned up” desires.  At this point we will find those personal development and success systems really start to work.

Enough of the metaphors!  What exactly am I talking about?

Let me give you a simple example.

Imagine a young man who has decided he wants to find his perfect “mate”.  He has bought a system that claims it will teach the user to seduce any young lady he fancies.  She will be swooning over him before she even realises what is happening (yes, there really are such systems for sale out there, although I have never bought one or recommended one to any of my subscribers).  He is delighted with his purchase and immediately begins putting the system into practice.  It doesn’t work.

Why?  Was the system itself wrong?  No, in fact there was nothing technically wrong with the system.  I suggest there WAS something morally wrong, but technically it should have worked.

The reason it didn’t work is that this particular young man is not as lacking in morals as you might have imagined at the outset of my story.  Deep down inside he respects all people as individuals.  He has an underlying desire to love and respect everyone, and to be loved and respected by them.  This desire is quite out of harmony with his superficial desire to “seduce” any young lady he fancies.  He does not recognise this conflict, as he has interpreted his desire to be loved in the wrong way, and believes it will be satisfied by applying this “seduction” technique.  But his very powerful unconscious mind does recognise the conflict, and refuses to allow him to achieve that goal which is not properly aligned with his real underlying desire.  Every time he makes an affirmation that is out of line with that true desire, his unconscious mind throws a counter affirmation into the equation, which completely neutralises it.

Now the example I have just given was perhaps rather an extreme example, and one which is easy to recognise and to fix.  This young man should recognise that his goal of seducing a young lady is simply not appropriate for him, and throw away the system he bought.  That system would only work for him if he were not, underneath, the moral person he really is.

Most of us, of course, are not trying to use our success and personal development systems for such an obviously inappropriate purpose.  But still the reason they are not working for us is almost certainly that we have not yet fully understood our inner desires and made sure our goals are properly aligned with them.  Until we do, every time we “affirm” or “creatively visualise” we will be fighting with our own unconscious mind.  And believe me, in a battle between the conscious and unconscious mind the unconscious always wins.

So take some time now to analyse exactly what it is you want out of life.  Meditate on each of the desires or goals you have identified – do you really want this, or is it just a passing fancy (or something someone else wanted for you).  Make sure they are all aligned and none are out of kilter.  Eliminate those that create a discord – you will not find it too difficult to recognise them once you get into the habit of this practice.  If you take the time to do this I can guarantee you will at the very least be happier.  I cannot guarantee whatever success or personal development system you are using will then work – apart from anything else this will depend on the quality of that system itself.  But you will certainly be much better positioned to get better results from any systems you apply.

Author:

Graham A Dragon

How Dreaming Changed My Life

By Alison Ottaway

Were you one of those kids who was always told off for looking out of the window at school?

I wasn’t.

I was usually looking at the teacher.

You see, I’ve never been a natural dreamer. Dreaming wasn’t part of my upbringing. Security and down-to-earth practicality were. Dreaming was one of those indulgent, ‘waste of time’ activities.

Thing are different now though. Now I know that dreaming is one of the most powerful activities I can engage with.

No one told me about the power of dreaming. I had to figure it out for myself.

It’s the changes I have made in my life that have taught me this truth: If you want to change your life and go after the things that you really want, you need to dream.

How dreaming helped me lose half my body weight:

My introduction to the power of dreaming was at the age of 20, when I was over 20 stone (280lbs). I’d had a problem with weight throughout my childhood. It made me sad because I knew that the real me didn’t look like the one I saw in the mirror! Approaching my 21st birthday I saw my 20s stretching ahead of me and I thought, ‘I want my 20s to be fun, fun, fun! There are so many amazing, exciting things I could do.’ I used to imagine the fun that I could have. The people I could meet, the places I could go, the clothes I could wear, the men I could flirt with and how beautiful I could look.

It was dreaming – and how I felt when I thought about what could be- that gave me the strength to change. It directly informed the start of my weight loss process (refusing some chocolate raisins offered to me on Boxing Day). And my vision kept me going – when the last thing I wanted to do was get out that exercise tape, when I really wanted to eat chocolate, when I thought of the enormity of the task swamped me.

Of course, once I’d started changing, I saw the results – the looser clothes, the changes in my face, the increase in my energy…and as I got closer and closer to realising my dreams and my visions spurred me on even more.

How dreaming got me doing what I love:

At 26 I was well and truly entrenched in the corporate life. I’d successfully climbed the career ladder and was working for Microsoft. ‘Wow’, some might say. But I dreamt of a different life. One that was more fulfilling, more meaningful and more vital – where I really cared about what I was doing and I made a difference. I decided to take a 3 month sabbatical from my job and travel. I taught English in Brazil, trekked the Inca trail in Peru and visited Australia and New Zealand, before working with ethnomusicologists in deepest Russia.

These 3 joyous months really encouraged me to dream. I was seeing, feeling and living possibilities. I started to conjure up a another life – one where I was doing what I loved, using my own talents and fascinations – being myself and doing work that didn’t seem like work.

I returned from the trip and started to make the changes I needed to find another job. I left behind the golden Microsoft role and took a job with a music charity in London. I continued to dream and those dreams kept beckoning me onwards to more change. After a year in the music industry, I returned to college. The confidence I was gaining helped me get bolder and last year I set up Path Less Trodden, to help other people follow their passions and live their dreams. I’m now using all of my gifts to bring support and inspiration to others and doing work that I love every day.

Are you convinced about the power of dreaming yet?!

Let me hit you with one final example from my own change catalogue:

How dreaming moved me 1000 miles:

I love everything Italian: The sun, the food, the people, the music, the language. It didn’t actually visit Italy, however, until 2003. Following that first visit, which cemented my love, my visits became more frequent and longer, because I felt so great there…I felt more like me.

Along with this passion for Italy, I’ve always hankered after moving to a different country, but part of me used to think that I just ‘wasn’t the sort of person who did that kind of thing’.

In 2009 I moved to Italy and have made my home here in Tuscany. Again it was dreaming that got me here. This time, my dreams coincided with a period of illness. It lasted 6 months, and I was forced to move back in with my parents. It was during this period that my dreaming came into sharp focus – ‘If only I can get better, I’ll move to Italy…that’s what I really want’. I’d dream about the sun, the rolling hills and my beautiful Tuscan home.

I did get better, and as I did I slowly put the steps in place to enable me to get here. Now I’m surrounded by what I used to dream about: La Dolce Vita!

I learnt some useful things from looking at the teacher and my books at school, but dreaming wasn’t one of them. I’ve had to learn for myself and from my own experience just how important dreaming is to getting a life that you actually want.

Want to have a life you love? Visualise it. Flesh it out: Live it, breathe it, smell it and taste it. What does it look like? Who’s there? How do you feel?

Let’s make a stand for staring out of the window and give dreaming the credit it is due for the vital part it plays in bringing you a body, home and life that you love.

This article was originally published in www.thechangeblog.com.