Reader question: Do we create our realities or are we victims of circumstance?

Reader Question: "[Author] Gary Zukav says that we need to think of our experiences as not just something that happens to us but something we create. But can that be said of everything? This is what I don't understand. What happens when we are victims to rape, or slavery, or gossip. Did we set those things into motion some how?"

This is one of the most important things, in my view, for people to grasp in order for them to move towards being full-fledged deliberate creators. We are ALL responsible for EVERYTHING in our lives. All of the time. Things we label "good" as well as things we label "bad." Most often those things we find to be bad are simply the Universe's way of teaching us a lesson we needed to learn. If we can start to look at each experience in this neutral way and just accept what is, instead of condemning something as undesirable, we will begin to truly come into our own power.

So how would a good person be responsible for something horrendous happening in their life? This goes back to what I've explained in some of the older posts about how vibration is responsible for drawing all things into our lives. If a person fears being raped, for example, they are focused on the concept of rape and hold a lower, denser vibrational set point in regard to this topic. Since the Universe does not discriminate between what is wanted or not wanted, only the topic being thought about and vibrated by a person, it will always return in kind with more of the same. Hence, someone who didn't seem to "deserve" it, becomes the "victim" of rape.

I've seen this in action. One example is a family that is so fearful of intruders that they lock themselves away behind fences and gates. Even the children have picked up on this fear and get scared when someone rings the doorbell. The one time the gate is left open, guess who wanders in? A crazy homeless lady. How did she end up in their yard and not someone else's? She was a vibrational match to the exact thing they were fearing and trying to avoid. So you see, fear only functions to manifest the unwanted with a quickness. Same with worry.

When one begins to understand that each of us attracts everything in our experience vibrationally, it becomes more clear how unwanted situations can arise. We must accept full responsibility for everything that happens to us, since nothing but our own thoughts and feelings put us in a position to receive them. Even those poor souls who were the subject of torment during World War II, were, in a way, responsible for what happened to them. This is not to condemn them or say what happened was acceptable by any means. But there ARE people who made it out of the Nazi concentration camps alive. Think about what the difference is between those and the others who perished in the gas chambers. The movie "Life is Beautiful" depicts this wonderfully. It's all about your mental state.

Once you learn to control your thoughts at will, redirecting any fearful or negative thoughts into positive ones (mentioned earlier as "flipping your switch"), you begin to understand that we live in a benevolent Universe. You can remain ultimately safe in any circumstance as long as you have faith in this concept and learn to deliberately create your world with your thoughts and vibrations. People often witness what we call "miracles." I believe these miracles are simply Law of Attraction at work.

There is an idea Abraham-Hicks refers to as "vibrational escrow." Here is where space is being held for things a person attracted to themselves in the past. Whether you attracted them consciously or by default (not paying attention to your thoughts), these things will manifest. Sometimes people get frustrated when they've come to a place where they are aware of their thoughts and manifest many wanted things, and yet something unwanted still happens in their life. When this is the case, don't make yourself wrong! Just trust that there is a deeper necessity for this occurrence, in order for you to learn something. Look for the lesson and keep moving forward.

Playing the victim is just giving your power away to things or people outside of yourself. Step into your power by taking radical responsibility for everything you've created in your life! You will be rewarded in myriad ways, including feeling good! And feeling good is the basis of all good things. Follow your bliss and remember.... don't worry! Be happy!

Reader question: Why doesn't the Universe understand the concept of "no?"

Today's reader question is about the idea that whenever you focus your attention on "no war" or "no sickness" or "no debt," all the Universe understands, energetically, is the opposite of those concepts. This is to say, the Universe does not hear the word "no" and simply delivers more of whatever it is you are pushing against.

To understand this more deeply, we must understand that there are two sides to each issue. Health and illness, wealth and scarcity, happiness and sadness, etc. They are both ends of a spectrum dealing with the same topic. Each end has a different vibration. You can even feel this in your body (as suggested in the last post) when you say the word "war" for instance, focus on your midsection and you may notice a slight tensing or stress feeling. When you say "peace", it is a different feeling in the body, lighter and less tense.

So when we push against an issue we do not want, we are simply focusing our attention on that issue and becoming a vibrational match to it. It does not matter that we are against this thing, all the Universe knows is that you are focused upon this, and not the opposite end of the spectrum.

Hence, the best way to change something you do not like in your life is to focus upon that which you DO want. Fully ignore the aspects of it that are displeasing to you. All they do is lower your vibration (we are energetic beings, emitting vibrations 24/7), causing you to become a vibrational match to all kinds of lower, denser energies.

Ever experience or witness someone going on a downward spiral? When it seems like things couldn't possibly get worse, something else bad happens. One thing after another goes wrong, bringing this person into a state of despair and hopelessness. Do you know how this happens? It's simple. When the first bad thing happened, they placed their full attention on it, bringing their vibrational level down to that of this mishap. By worrying and obsessing over it, they remained in this vibrational place, making them a perfect match to other things of this nature. I've had it happen myself... car accidents, DUI, breakups, they all tend to snowball if you are unaware of how energy works. It is basic Law of Attraction. You get what you focus on.

How does one avoid or recover from such a downward spiral? Find things to focus upon that make you feel good. They don't even have to be related to the issue bringing you down. Anything that is high vibrational by nature, such as petting a cat, thinking of someone you love, doing a hobby that makes you happy, helping others, singing, listening to happy songs and beautiful music, all of these are great ways to "flip your switch." It will be different for each person, as we are all unique and different things make our heart sing.

Try this next time you find yourself worrying or thinking negative thoughts. Find your best way to flip your switch, to raise your vibration instantly. This will help you keep your vibrational set point high, and then upsetting things won't be able to happen because it just won't be a vibrational match.

This is not to say that things we label "bad" (what is bad, really?) won't happen at all. You must understand that the Universe, or God, if you will, ultimately knows what is best for us. We will never see or comprehend all that goes on in the orchestration of everything happening in our lives. However, the Universe does have everyone's best interest in mind, always. Some of the things we label "bad" end up helping us learn and grow. We can't see from our perspective, the ways that something which seems unpleasant now will empower us or lead to another happening that will be pleasant.

I tend to experience bad things in the best possible way. For example, I was rear-ended recently. The man who hit me said his brother owned a body shop and I should call him. Fortunately, there wasn't any real body damage, only the paint was scratched. I took the car to the shop and ended up getting the whole car buffed and polished for free (which it badly needed.) Things like this always happen to me, if bad things happen at all. You can make a conscious decision- set an intention- to also have bad things happen in the best possible way. It's interesting to see the outcomes, when you know in your heart you will always be loved and well taken care of.

New Series: Reader questions about Law of Attraction

I have been receiving a lot of questions lately, about how the Law of Attraction works. I've decided to address these questions in the following blog posts.

Today's LOA question:

What do people mean, exactly, when they refer to "the Universe?"

This term, Universe, which I take for granted, seemingly causes confusion with those who may have been brought up under a certain religion or with certain ideas regarding Creation and how the Earth came about. It hadn't occurred to me that others may have a harder time grasping the concept of what is included in "the Universe" and the power that it holds. Although I'm sure the word is used in various ways, I will do my best to explain how I understand it.

Let's begin with the common definition: The universe is defined as everything that physically exists: the entirety of space and time, all forms of matter, energy and momentum, and the physical laws and constants that govern them. However, the term universe may be used in slightly different contextual senses, denoting such concepts as the cosmos, the world or Nature.

Ok so now we have the whole broad concept of a unit which contains space, matter and time as well as energy. So basically everything. All of it. The beingness and the nonbeingness. Light. Dark. Warm. Cold. All ends of every spectrum. Everything that has ever happened and will happen, since the future is already included in this as well. All probabilities. Chance. Serendipities. The master plan. Anything anyone ever believed in. Ever. And everyone's dreams and aspirations.

This is quite a monstrous concept to wrap one's head around. But if we can get to this point, then we can start to ponder the physical laws and constants that govern the Universe. These are the laws such as the observable laws of nature- the theory of relativity, gravity, and causality. The one we are only beginning to hear of in the mainstream now is the Law of Attraction.

What is the Law of Attraction?
Wikipedia says this about it:
A more modern consensus among New Thought thinkers is that the Law of Attraction says people's thoughts (both conscious and unconscious) dictate the reality of their lives, whether or not they're aware of it. Essentially "if you really want something and truly believe it's possible, you'll get it", but putting a lot of attention and thought onto something you don't want means you'll probably get that too.

I figure Universe refers to All That Is, Creation, Source, God's Kingdom, etc. It has many names. It is the driving force behind life. It includes everything. Everything is one with it.

READER QUESTION: So, does this mean for one to believe in the universe they would have to believe in God? But it sounds like the universe is a seperate being or alive energy than God. How can that be?

Since "God" has essentially a different meaning to each person, it is quite difficult to explain something in relation to God. The way I see it, the Universe IS God. They are one and the same. When I say the word Source, it can also be used interchangeably with Universe. It can sometimes be an animated idea of an entity that does things or doesn't do things, like God would. Humans are one and the same as Universe- we are a physical manifestation of Source energy. Just as some say we are made in the likeness of God. So since we are really all one with every person and thing in our midst, since we all originated from the same expanding creational force, we are therefore not separate from God or the Universe. Sometimes we understand such concepts better when we pretend God is something outside of ourselves.

When we come across hard times and send out prayers, wishes, intentions, it seems easier to direct them at something that is separate from us. If we could really conceive the interconnectedness of everything in our world and out of it, we would simply recognize ourselves as the powerful entity to whom we should pray. This is the job of a lifetime, to adopt what some call Christ Consciousness. Recognize your true nature as a loving, benevolent Universe expressing itself in physical form.

READER QUESTION: May i ask, why you feel that [the Universe] is innately loving?

Contrary to most major organized religions, I believe that there is no actual source of darkness. I think that the Universe is created solely of vibrations like light, and when things seem to go wrong in life, this is simply the evidence of the degree to which we are blocking out the light. I feel Abraham-Hicks have done a superb job of explaining this in a way that makes sense to me. So, at the very beginning of our lives, we come into this world feeling blessed and knowing our true worth. We are the closest we will be to the loving, kind, high frequency, white light that is our Source until we leave this earth upon our death. Near death experiences have often revealed similar descriptions of such a divine sensation in the light.

Since frequencies can be categorized, one might call these vibrations "good" or "bad," however "high" and "low" are really more suitable. One frequency is not better than another. But, when we are talking about sending out vibrations that match those of things we would like to attract into our lives, we would tend to divide the types of outcomes into good or bad categories. Desirable and undesirable. High frequency things we desire are just ways for us to align ourselves, our deepest beings, with Source energy. Those things that make your heart sing. Think of a time when you were feeling very passionate, grateful or "in the zone". This is you, being your true self.

Our human bodies have sensors to help us recognize when we stray from our natural, joyful state of being. These are called emotions. Some say emotions are "energy-in-motion." Cute word plays aside, the point is that when you suddenly feel that tightness in your stomach or chest when someone says something causing you a low vibrational response- this is your guidance system. With some practice, you can learn to trust this tool and make wise decisions with it and find the path of least resistance.

Try this exercise: Sit quietly and think or say the word "hate" to yourself. Pay close attention to how your body feels. Each person has a different reaction, so get familiar with yours. Then think or say the word "love" to yourself. Do you feel a difference in your body? You can try with the words "true" and "false," or "good" and "bad" or make up your own. Try telling yourself a lie and seeing how your body reacts.

To wrap up, let's recap: The entirety of Creation, the Universe, originated from an energy source that only emitted high frequency vibrations and eventually expanded from thought to light to sound to matter (maybe not in that exact order.) This means everything and everyone is an extension of this positive, loving Source, or God. We are made in His likeness, leading me to believe that the part cannot be made of something different than the whole. Therefore, we and the rest of our Universe are innately good. Anne Frank believed this. I would have to agree.

I hope this entry has cleared up some of the cloudiness around this larger-than-life topic. Tune in soon for more questions and answers from the readers. Feel free to email me if you have anything you would like to me give my opinion on or discuss. =)

Be Well!

Margot

Motivation and Meditation

Sometimes I notice that everything I do seems to happen in waves, or phases. Whether it's exercising, studying, eating well, or meditating, these things ebb and flow as time goes on. When I get into something, I do it with real determination. I don't mess around! And I can always feel the satisfaction after doing so. So why, then, must it inevitably wane and become something of a nagging nuisance when the energy falls and this task is then the last thing on my mind?

Maybe it's something to do with biorhythms. Or female cycles. Or being human. Who knows? Today I finally sat down and meditated. This is one of the hardest ones for me to get into the habit of doing. And it doesn't make any sense. I've had amazing things happen after less than a week of serious meditation practice. I could feel myself in the flow of life, manifesting my dreams, attracting all the right people, accomplishing everything I had wanted to do effortlessly! It was obvious to me that this is what they mean when people talk about why meditation is beneficial. I was sold!!!

So why didn't I keep on doing it? I really can't answer that question. It makes no logical sense. I suppose I could say that I am always doing exactly what I am supposed to be doing, that there are no mistakes, and that I will meditate daily when I am meant to do so. But that makes me feel like a cop-out. I can rationalize anything. Why make excuses? Why not just find a way to develop the discipline it takes to sit down and be quiet for 20 minutes each day, consciously?

I could set my phone to remind me. I have tried forming meditation groups with the intent of forcing myself to meditate using the power of peer pressure. Unfortunately, those people felt I lived too far away to continue coming to the group. Maybe since I've moved I could try that again. Meditating with others has always proven much easier. The surrounding vibration is much higher and it's easy to just get in the zone.

I'm ready to reap the benefits of regular meditation. All I need to do now is meditate. Sounds simple enough. Maybe a little EFT tapping could help...

Healing and Allowing

I've been working diligently on building my energy healing and nutritional counseling business. However, it wasn't until just this last weekend that I finally understood how healing really works. Until now, I've been focusing on the technical aspects of health and wellness, like learning which foods, herbs and supplements are good for helping which diseases and various other processes that can help one achieve overall wellness.

It finally occurred to me after dealing with my own nagging health problem and meeting a very intuitive healer via a series of divinely orchestrated events, that all of those aspects are helpful, but it really comes down to one basic thing. Allowing the Universe, All-That-Is, God, or Source Energy (fill in your preferred term here) to lead you to a solution. It's all about listening quietly to the little clues that are being constantly given to you. Once you find yourself in a receptive state, things just begin happening and people and events line up that combine to solve any problem, big or small. Luckily, I only had a minor problem to deal with in order to learn this lesson.

I did notice that people kept asking me whether or not I meditate. I would always give them the same answer about how I live my life in a meditative state which was designed let me off the hook for having to sit down and have a real structured practice. Well, after people were asking me this on what became a daily basis, I decided to take heed and sit my butt down to meditate.

This one meditation session later appeared to have set in motion a whole series of fortunate events. I didn't see it connect at first, but now it's clear to me that the meditation must have played a significant role in allowing the flow. A friend of mine, one of the ones who asked if I meditate, made mention of the idea of "releasing" that same night. When I went to sit down and meditate, I decided to put on a guided meditation tape I have, just to make the whole process a little easier to get back into. Guess what the meditation that randomly played was focused on? You got it- Releasing! It was one where you breathe in positive and send out the negative. This stuff really works!

I'm excited to see what else I can invite into my experience by continuing my meditation practice. In fact, I'm motivated to go and do it right now. =)

Trusting What Is

It seems that most of the situations we humans have trouble with are all of the ones in which we lack faith. We forget that the Universe knows exactly what it is doing, and is always arranging things for our ultimate best interest. Whether the issue is financial trouble, romantic trouble, family trouble or otherwise, it all comes down to the same lesson. We are so limited in our thinking, and from our perspective, it appears that everything is not ok.

When one takes a step back, however, catching a glimpse of life from the outsider's perspective, we realize that it doesn't matter which path we take. We will always end up where we are supposed to go. There are no wrong decisions.

Other people might try to convince you that what you are choosing is not right. Here is where we have to determine whether they are mirroring an aspect of ourselves which may not be fully confident in the decision being made. Many times, however, it is simply their ego trying to make sure you don't do something that they don't like.

In moments such as these, one must get quiet and look within. Ask the Universe, your guardian angels, spirit guides, your Higher Self, or God what the best option for you might be. Make sure you allow enough peace and silence in your day to be open to receive your answer. Then, as they say, "Let go and let God."

Trust that everything is always unfolding exactly as it ought to. If you have no doubt that you are safe, and things always work out for the highest good of all involved, there is no room for fear. The Universe can orchestrate things so much more magnificently than we ever could. It only makes sense to release the perceived control and allow the Universe to do its job. It may take time to develop this sense of trust, but once it is there, it never goes away. Life becomes so much more joyful when you realize that it's not your job to worry about how everything should happen.

When something unwanted happens, just take a nice deep breath and reassure yourself that you are loved and protected at all times. Lean back and witness with a sense of awe how it all unfolds, knowing that everything is always ok.

Peace Cats

I am just getting settled in to a new apartment with my two kitty cats, Deliah and Mia. We are cohabitating with one roommate and one other cat. The humans are getting along famously, however, the kitty cats are having a harder time. After two of the three cats have demonstrated their dismay with the new situation by pottying in the most inappropriate places they could find, and all three are continually hissing and spatting at each other, i decided to approach this problem from a new angle.

I sat down and did some rounds of EFT, or Emotional Freedom Technique, on the resident cat, Miss Kitty. (If you don't know, EFT involves tapping on energy meridians to clear energy blockages responsible for any and every problem you can think of. See www.emofree.com for more info.) She was hiding in a closet after being reprimanded for her naughty deeds of the night before. Being a once-feral cat, she has been hiding behind a bed the entire time I've been here (almost a week.) She was not interested in getting to know me or my feline friends.

So I did the tapping and then had a little conversation with her and asked if she would be my friend. I reached out a hand to let her sniff, and believe it or not, she came out of her shell and transformed into the most affectionate kitty ever. She had me rubbing her belly even!

When Mia cat came in to see what was going on, I sat between the two of them and tried to soften the exchange. Miss Kitty is still miffed about the other cats, and showed me that with her claws when I went to pet her in Mia's presence. I did a couple more rounds of EFT, and the two cats were able to sit as close together as I've seen them yet. It's not a love fest yet, but I think we're making good progress. I will continue with the EFT and see where that takes us.