Despite ten-plus years of exposure to “Law” of Attraction teachings, I’ve never felt comfortable with them.
Plus, over the years lots folks have come to us frustrated, burnt out, used up, and blaming themselves after trying to make the “Law” of Attraction work for their businesses. Something wasn’t quite right, and yet I couldn’t put my finger on it.
Then, in 2007, I came across a translation of an ancient Sufi text that gave me some startling insight. It’s not that these popularized teachings are dead wrong– they aren’t. What they are is incomplete.
Two Parts to Tackle– Abundance and Attraction.
There are two parts that I feel need addressing, and it will take two posts to tackle them. The first part has to do with the idea of material abundance, that there is plenty for everyone. That All-That-Is wants you to have everything. As Joe Vitale (who appeared in the movie, The Secret) has put it, the universe is your catalog–just order what you want. (I’m paraphrasing, but not far off from what he said.)
The second part is this idea that if you change your “resonance frequency”–your mood, your emotions, your thoughts– then different things attract to you, kinda like being a magnet with channels. This idea even goes so far to say that you can “create” what you want out of nothingness, and bring it to you.
This post is about the abundance issue. Part two will cover the resonance/creation issue.
Before we dip into either of those parts, I need to bore you with some esoteric stuff about layers of reality. What, you aren’t bored by esoteric stuff? Cool! Me neither!
The Four Layers of Reality
Sufism describes four layers to our experience of reality. Despite some minor differences, the essential concept has remained consistent across all religions and mystical paths that I know of– at least the ones that have stood the test of time and aren’t just fads.
First Layer: Oneness, Source, God. This layer is that completely immersed and drowned experience that All-Is-One, and there is no difference between you, a chair, and your mother-in-law. It’s all from Love, and it all returns to Love. Actually, in this layer there is no you, chair or mother-in-law. “Just” undifferentiated Oneness.
Second Layer: The Qualities, aka “the Soul.” This layer is formless, and yet has individuated essential Divine qualities. Sufism talks about the 99 Names of God, things like Love, Strength, Wisdom, Compassion, Truth, Justice, Peace, Friendship, Gentleness, Appreciation, and on, and on.
Third Layer: The Unseen World, aka “the Heart.” This layer is the realm of angels, spirit guides, jinn, and other creatures. Also the realm of the deeper emotions. Note: Just because information or guidance comes from a being in this realm, doesn’t mean that information or guidance is always best for you.
Fourth Layer: The Physical, 3-D World. Where you, I, and your business live most of the time.
Here’s where it gets a little tricky: everything is Source. It’s not like layer 4 isn’t completely, totally, and inseparably One with Oneness. But, there are the Veils.
The Veils of Perception
In order for us to have this human life, there has to be the experience of separation. Me, you, the chair, the house, the cat, the mountain, Zane Safrit, Naomi Dunford, Charles Bronson. All separate, and all One simultaneously.
In reality, the separation is an illusion, and it’s carried out through veils that stop us from seeing Oneness. These veils can be beliefs, ideas, pictures. They can also be Divinely-imposed veils that keep us in ignorance as part of our path. Some we can work on, others are lifted through grace. A few will never be lifted while we are alive.
Okay, Now That You Know That, Let’s Tackle Abundance
Abundance. There is plenty for everyone, and that the Divine wants you to have an easy life and easy provision.
This is an absolutely true and proven teaching. However, there is one problem.
Abundance is not a Layer 4 teaching- it’s a Layer 2/3 teaching.
You see, the definition of “ease” changes depending on what Layer you are witnessing through. If your in-the-moment experience is Layer 4, then you might define “ease” like this:
“I’d love to have a million bucks, and live on the beach, and do nothing but whatever my whim of the moment is. Of course, I want to help people and be of service, but I want my material life to be really easy.”
However, at the heart and soul level, the definition of ease changes quite radically. When we’re talking about receiving provision and work, ease of heart is defined more like this:
Your heart is at ease when your work: (1) benefits others and is of use, (2) does not incur any “sin” or “karma” problems with your own heart, (3) is honest.
This teaching about ease and abundance in provision is a teaching of the heart, and has nothing to do with whether you are a millionaire or not. Is your heart at ease with your work in the world? That’s the question. You have been promised that there is work that can support you that will bring ease to your heart.
Not exactly what our egos want to hear, but notice if your being relaxes knowing that you don’t have to measure success and abundance by anything in the Layer 4 world.
One More Thing About Abundance
The further from Layer One we get, the thicker, heavier, and more disconnected is our experience of reality. The slower, less plentiful, and more boundaried. I wrote about capacity and abundance in another blog post, and that teaching applies here. Source is unlimited, and yet the physical world is a limited place. Source has always been around, outside of time. The physical universe was birthed from Source, and exists within time and space- finite.
We have a limited amount of time on the planet. There is a limit to how much fresh water is available. There is only so much fossil fuel in the earth.
There is an unlimited amount of the Qualities in Layer 2. You can have an ever-expanding amount of Love, Strength, Compassion, Forgiveness. These nourishing qualities will never run out.
However, your bank account can empty. So can your fuel tank. People do die of cancer, among other things.
Pay Attention! You Aren’t Being Judged!
When your bank account is empty, or your life is otherwise troubled, it doesn’t mean anything spiritually about you and your path. This is an important distinction, so that you don’t mistake the natural limitations of the physical world as some kind of judgment on your soul. Bringing sincerity, creativity, curiosity to those limits can be incredibly freeing.
And sometimes accepting those limits is equally freeing.
Then Does My Business Have to Live in Poverty?
No. You can work towards having a thriving business, to increasing your bank account, to enjoying the physical world more, absolutely. However, remember that you aren’t the only person sitting at the table. Spending some time deciding what is “enough” is critical to this.
Without accepting limits or considering what is enough, we end up with sub-developments of McMansions and other types of excesses that have led to the United States and other industrially-developed countries using up far more than our fair share of the pie.
It’s insane and cruel to think that the teeming billions around the globe who live in poverty could have whatever they want simply by focused, intense thinking about it. But, they can, and many of them do, have far more happiness– Love, Wisdom, Compassion– than those of us who live in these materially-obsessed cultures.
Get what I’m saying? Plenty of Love for everyone, but not plenty of Mercedes for everyone.
Creativity, ingenuity, and technology can go a long way towards more efficient, more equitable, and more sustainable use of resources. And, accepting limits is a part of being mature.
Heart-ease of provision. Abundance of Love. Acceptance of Physical Limits.
With these three, you’re standing on solid spiritual ground. As I said, I’m going tackle the “attraction” thing in the next post, so let’s pause for moment:
Question: How does your heart feel about accepting the limits of the physical world, while opening to the immensity of Love?
WOW!
Great post … need to absorb it more … but awesome.
Supah question … I need to meditate on it
THX Bro
Lyle T. Lachmuth – The Unsticking Coach´s last blog post..My Blog’s Type Preference Is …
In my experience, the only reason we ever want anything from the material perspective is because of a belief that it will make us feel something we are lacking – happiness, love, acceptance, peace… Once we find a way to tap into that place within, we no longer need to seek from outside. And from that place of balance, the world really does become limitless.
I love what you’ve written here and look forward to the next installment!
Melanie´s last blog post..Abundance is Not Something We Acquire
Excellent. Makes LOTS of sense.
JoVE´s last blog post..Play review: Belle Moral
This is one of the best pieces you’ve written Mark. It’s important to know the subtleties & use discrimination. So much these days is bundled & sold as thesolution but it’s all surface & shallow.
This subject is huge. One other aspect to it is what I tweeted the other day, which begs more time than I have right now.
Pamir | Reiki Help Blog´s last blog post..Modern Reiki
Excellent post. I love the depth – and I totally agree… nothing inherently wrong with the teachings of the “Law.” But, sometimes – they are very incomplete. And that trips people up and frustrates people.
Thanks for explaining this so powerfully and eloquently
Jenn Givler´s last blog post..Could You Build a Business Using Only Social Media?
Mark, I love how you’ve developed the thought path here. I, too, wince when I see how the “Law” of Attraction as it’s generally understood causes people to feel so terribly wrong when they don’t appear to get what they want.
The materialization of the idea of the experience of abundance is the source of so much struggle. (Phew. What a sentence that is!) And yet true abundance, as you imply, is experienced in the level 2/3 space – and certainly by level 1 there is nothing left to experience abundance, and nothing left but abundance.
The thing is, when you get to level 3, 2, and 1, the words go sideways. It’s simply not possible to really express the experience of, for instance, allowing everything to be as it is in words. It’s like you can’t describe riding a bicycle in words that allow someone who’s never ridden to pick up a bike and go. There’s a physical learning process involved in bike-riding, and there’s a “beingness” learning process involved in what you’re describing.
But the words are definitely signposts and pointers, and you’ve done a beautiful job with that! Kudos!
Grace Judson´s last blog post..Ask Grace: More about fear
“How does your heart feel about accepting the limits of the physical world, while opening to the immensity of Love?”
Thank you for this profound question, Mark, and for the great teaching from which it flows.
My heart feels safe, contained, deeply held, and at peace, when I accept the natural order of physical limits, held within the infinity of Love.
Without boundaries, there is no creation. Without the One, there are no boundaries.
Thank you.
Hiro Boga´s last blog post..Creative Connection: Where’s Your Muse When the Baby’s Spitting Up at 3 am?
Oh, yes, abso-freakin-lutely. If it weren’t for that transmission, well, I don’t want to think about it.
That’s why I said the words are signposts. Pointers.
And the marvellous thing about transmission is that it’s not really about the words. Sometimes you can be talking with someone about something apparently completely unrelated and mundane, but just the place that person is coming from provides the transmission of a deeper awareness.
Yum.
Grace Judson´s last blog post..Why Ben Zander is a hero for today
@Lyle- You’re welcome- it’s taken me quite awhile to absorb all of this myself, so take your time.
@Melanie- Exactly! Beautifully and succinctly put. The next installment should be coming this week, God-willing the creek don’t rise.
@JoVE- Glad it landed for you.
@Pamir- This subject is HUGE. It’s taken me eight years of study on the Sufi path, plus previous spiritual studies to really taste even a small piece of this reality. Incredibly simply, and yet the work of a lifetime.
@Jenn- You’re welcome! We’ll see how I do with the next piece. Never too late to completely stumble with this stuff.
@Grace- You are absolutely right. Words exist within limited time and space, and what we’re describing comes from something larger than the time/space reality, and so the words can only really point to it.
Except. Except that sometimes, with the miraculous presence that is lent, words can be a vehicle for a transmission of experience, where the words do become the experience.
That’s why I stick around my spiritual guide.
@Hiro- Isn’t that the truth? Boundaries are such a deep gift, and yet we fight and struggle against them more often than not. I love how you brought that out here- really helpful insight and expansion.
Dear Mark,
Hats off to you,this website is the pinnacle of your work. You teach how to identify our mission and objective in our life to propel towards our goal through the power of wisdom, I would like to share some content which will be benefitial for the readers on stress management, different concepts according to different relegions If I can, please confirm me so that I can post It through email.
Once again thanks alot,
“Everyone is put on this planet for a reason. Find out what that reason is – and doorways will open for you.”
You’re doing for us, here is a gift from my side for you.
“And We will most certainly try U with somewhat of fear and hunger and loss of property and lives and fruits; and give good news to the patient”
(Noble Qur’an, 2:155)
Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of U who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give U rest. Take my yoke upon U. Let me teach U, because I am humble and gentle, and U will find rest for your souls”
The Bible, Chapter 11, Verses 28 And 29.
Alexander The Great
On his sickbed and during his last hour alive, Alexander the Great told his generals “After my death, when U put my body in the casket, let my arms hang over the edges with my palms wide open, so the public can see my empty hands while I am leaving the world.”
After Alexander the Great died, many dignitaries came to view the royal funeral and were very surprised to see his arms hanging over the edge of the casket with his palms wide open. They asked questions about this unique scene.
A wise man told them “O’ People, Alexander the Great is telling us that when he ruled the world, great treasures of gold, silver and wealth came to be under his possession. Yet, indeed he is leaving the world empty handed.”
In conclusion, a surprisingly effective remedy for stress and for our problem is to “remember death”, your technique in a different way (Remembrance)
“Remember frequently the one who will destroy all your pleasures – death! For there is no one who remembers death when in straitened circumstances, but his situation will become easier…”
Prophet Muhammad (P.B.U.H),
Take care and may god bless all of you.
Hina.
@Hina- I love the quotes! In our consumer culture quotes like that can sound scary, but the truth is they are deeply comforting to the heart, which only wants to serve.
Thank you!
God, i loved this blog….. lot of ‘deep stuff’ in here..
Im a sufi schoolar, and from inside it is 100% true with the LOA….
i gotta add ur FB bro..
its Odie Rachmat..
GBU…
Salaam aleikum Odie Rahmat- and thank you for coming by, brother, and for your kind words.
I agree with your blog wholeheartedly:). I cringe every time I hear some one boast about their ability to manifest this or that…abundance etc. Where is the credit to the Creator in all this? As if the universal source has no credit. To all those self-proclaimed “manifestors” My new statement is, if that is in fact true…then why are you not manifesting for all those suffering in this world.? Why not manifest to wipe out hunger, sadness, war, and bring peace, harmony, and love to all? I am a believer when I can see these “manifestors” get that done.
@Terrie – Exactly.
“plenty of love for everyone but not plenty of mercedes” the best soundbite description of abundance I’ve ever encountered.
@Peggy
The new year is a perfect time for change and self improvement. Make 2010 the year that you attract the life you deserve. Let positive thoughts lead to productive actions and then to the perfect life!
I so enjoyed reading your post, don’t stop now! It’s nice to make connections like this.
Thank you. From deep within. This subject has been a source of considerable stress between me and my husband, I, who was speaking FOR the ‘law of attraction’ (hate that term, it means so many different things to different people), and he, who has been so against it, for the very reason that he can’t accept that his chronic fatigue was something he ‘deliberately attracted’.
I’m forwarding this post to him; I hope it will open up this subject for us so we can move forward around the topic in love. I’m very grateful.
(Not to mention the impact it’s going to have on my business – have to sit with this a bit longer!)
.-= Jane Duncan Rogers’s lastest post: It’s that Business Inspector again! =-.
Great! I’m so glad it’s in service to your relationship. How beautiful!
And Part II is coming in the next couple of weeks, near the end of April… stay tuned, folks.
This is a great article. I haven’t been able to find “Part Two,” covering the resonance/creation issue. Can you point me in the right direction?
Thanks
Hi Parlan- thanks for asking and for your kind words! If you look here, it’s the pdf download called “Backwards.”
Thanks for this.
I, too, have worked with the “law” of attraction. And I feel like I worked with it as far as I could, with what was being offered about it.
I don’t know much about sufism (more now) but what you said resonates.
Abundance is not about material things. For me, abundance is knowing that I have what I need, and following what my heart lets me know that I truly need. I don’t need a house on the beach because, though it would be nice, my heart is perfectly happy with a small apartment in the city. funny that.
Thanks for putting the good words out. They need to be heard.
Blessings
This is great, and I want to read “Part Two,” covering the resonance/creation issue. Where can I find it?
Thanks
Parlan, part two can be found at:
http://www.heartofbusiness.com/the-core/
That goes for everyone else wondering the same – I had to do a bit of digging to find it.
Thanks for posting that, Sam. “Backwards” on that page is part 2.
Mark, as a long time student of Mussar, (Jewish mystical teachings) this physical world along with its limitations teaches me about humility and the awe that goes along with its unfolding mystery. Thank you, now onto the next article…Lizbeth