Law of Attraction Classics: Suggestion is Power - Vision and Manifesting - Charles Bristol

I recall a thrifty neighbor of mine who, although a man of intelligence and mature years, had his hair cut at only certain times of the moon. I don't remember whether it was when the moon was waxing or waning, but he maintained that whatever phase he selected caused his hair to grow less abundantly than if he had visited the barber at other times.

I asked him once where he got such an idea. He glared at me as though I were belittling his intelligence, and I never did get an answer to my question.

What I have said about plant and animal life may cause a lot of materialistic people to take violent issue, but it must be remembered that at work in the world are many forces of which we know little or nothing. Consider how many new principles were developed in World War II.

Without question, human imagination, visualization, and concentration are the chief factors in developing the subconscious mind's magnetic forces. You have often heard the statement, "Hold that pose!" That, of course, means holding the mental picture or vision. Here again, suggestion---repeated suggestion---plays its part.

For example, you would like a new home. Your imagination goes to work. At first, you have only a hazy idea of the kind of house you would like. Then, as you discuss it with other members of your family---or ask questions of builders or look at illustrations of new houses---the mental picture becomes clearer and clearer, until you can visualize your ideal house in all its particulars.

After that, the subconscious goes to work to provide you with that house. It may come into manifestation in any number of ways. But do you really care whether you build it with your own hands, or whether it comes to you through purchase, or from the actions of outsiders? How it comes to you is of no great consequence!

When you are after a better job or planning a vacation trip, the process is the same. You've got to see it in your mind's eye, see yourself as holding that job or actually taking the trip. Some of our fears become realities through our imaginations, just as Job's did. Fortunately, many of them do not---as long as we hold the mental picture only temporarily, or at least not long enough to focus it fully upon the screen of our subconscious.

The Biblical warning, "Where there is no vision, the people perish," is a fundamental truth, whether considered individually or collectively. For without the mental picture of accomplishment, little is done. You want a better job? You'll get it when you give your subconscious mind a mental picture of yourself holding that jo.

As I write this, I think of the many experiences confided to me by those who have used this science during the years. I want to give you some of their stories, for in them you may perhaps find clues to an even more effective use of the principles and the mechanics which I am setting forth.

Being Flexible

When you think about being flexible, what do you think of first? Which aspects of being flexible are important, which are essential, and which ones can you take or leave? You be the judge.

In each of our lives, there will be times of joy and times of sorrow. In pain, we are born. In pain, we leave the world. Somewhere in the midst of living, growing, and understanding life in our maturity, we find ourselves seeking to find what we were born with. Innocence is precious. We really never lose it. We might for a time lose innocence, but life is too large for one perceptual being to embrace fully with the mind and the heart.

Innocence comes alive the moment we realize life is beyond our control, our ability to perceive, and our emotional capacity to feel. It is here we realize that life is beyond our control and we open our hearts and mind to something greater than ourselves. Our ego finds its proper place in our lives and we shift from being the central core of life's existence and attention to something much greater. At this point, we begin to place our life, our heart, our mind, and our soul into the very wisdom that has created us.

I trust that what you've read so far has been informative. The following section should go a long way toward clearing up any uncertainty that may remain.

This movement from self-centered awareness to life-centered awareness allows us to perceive and have revealed to us information greater than what we know life to be to what can be known through us. Here, we become flexible with life, instead of, life having to go our way. This level of knowing creates a 6th sense, a super sense of awareness, an awareness in higher consciousness. We become more soul than body at this point. We become the awareness that brought us into this world. We become spiritual beings having a human experience. We become sons and daughters of the Universe.

When we remember who we are. We re - member ourselves back into the awareness at birth and at death. This awareness is with us always. We sometimes forget who we are. But, when we re - member who we are. We reconnect ourselves into the sense of knowing we grow through life and we also go through life. Through it all, our soul is in process of maturing and in process of remembering. With this in mind, our ups and our downs find consolation in our essence - in our spirit.

Now might be a good time to write down the main points covered above. The act of putting it down on paper will help you remember what's important about flexible.

A Place of Sanctuary - Creating Sacred Space

The World Health Organization (WHO) describes health as “the condition of perfect bodily, spiritual, and social well-being and not solely the absence of illness and injury.”   As described by the WHO, how many of us feel emotionally, mentally, physically, and spiritually healthy on a daily basis?  We work in structures called ‘sick-buildings;’ we go home to care for families so tired we are almost unable to function; and we increasingly lose our connection with any sense of our place in the universe.  How do we reclaim our life and start to think that our life matters and that we are important in the overall scheme of things? One way of doing this is to create our own sanctuary/sacred space. 

Creating our own sacred space restores our peace of mind and enables us to stand back from the turmoil in our lives in order to provide a place where we can reconnect with our sense of self and reclaim our power.  Exploration of sanctuary is to create a link to the Divine as our soul asks us to love, accept, and provide hospitality to ourselves when we are spiritually hungry.   Spirituality is more than a psychological and emotional need: it is an inherent biological need as our energy, our spirit, and our personal power is all one and the same force. We need daily sanctuary as our heart and soul depends on it.  When we give ourselves the gift of sacred time in a special place, we are feeding our spirit.  Theodore Roszak writes, “We can now recognise that the fate of the soul is the fate of the social order; that if the spirit within us withers, so too will all the world we build about us.” 

Creating Sacred Space in your Home, Workplace, and Garden

The first consideration in creating a sacred space in your home, workplace, or garden is defining the purpose in doing so.  Some of the questions for consideration include:

1.  What is it that you want your sacred space to provide for you? 

2.  Where will your sanctuary be located?

3.  What feelings do you want? 

4.  What attracts you to your sanctuary?

5.  What features do you want? 

6.  What colours do you want?

7.  What sounds do you want?

Ideas and Options for Creating Sacred Space in your Home, Workplace, and Garden

In your place of sanctuary, some of the items you could include are:

·  Candles – you can use candles to provide colour and when burning provide a point of focus for meditation.  Scented candles can add a touch of fragrance to your environment.

·  Plants – your plants will require care, and not only will make the air more healthy, but will encourage you to attend your place of sanctuary.  Plants can also be used to enhance particular colours and fragrances you wish to add to your well-being.

·  Water – adding desktop water fountains to your place of sacredness will not only provide the soothing sounds of water, but will also block out other noises in your environment.

·  Music – music as my Dad used to say, “feeds the soul.”  Use music you like, such as, sounds of nature or instrumental music, to provide a place of soothing for your soul.

·  Aquariums – live fish and the sounds of water provide healing energy for your sacred space.  In the Chinese culture, live fish are thought to be ‘good energy.’

·  Rocks and stones – are considered in many cultures to be sacred.  Use in your place of sanctuary and, when you are tired or stressed-out, re-arrange your ‘rock garden.’

·  Walls – walls can be used to act as, or hang notice boards on, where you can post favourite pictures, quotes, and ideas.

·  Spend at least 10 minutes a day (20 is better) in refreshing and renewing your spiritual self.

Finally, in creating your sacred space, remember you are unique.  There will never be anyone on the planet like you and you have a right to spend time caring for yourself.  As Richard Bolles in his book What Colour Is Your Parachute says, “You are God’s gift to the planet and your uniqueness is the gift to the rest of us.”