Since the publication of the Seth books in the early 1970’s, the idea that we create our own reality has become a standard part of New Age thinking. The basic idea is that we attract certain types of events and conditions into our experience as a result of our beliefs, expectations, thoughts and emotions. These “coincidental” events largely determine the overall quality of our experience.
I have personally applied myself diligently in this area for nearly 30 years. One could say that in some areas I have been amazingly successful, but in others I have completely failed to create conditions I worked hard to achieve. I am quite certain that we do indeed create our own reality, that we have been doing so unconsciously all along. I will present convincing evidence supporting that conclusion later in this chapter. Creating reality
deliberately, however, can be a more challenging endeavor.
As I began writing about this subject a "coincidence" occurred. A friend sent a cassette tape to me containing information produced by a group of non-physical entities called Abraham. This "group soul" communicates through a psychic medium named Ester
Hicks, and over the years a huge quantity of books and recordings have been produced. The Abraham-Hicks material is the clearest, easiest to apply information on the subject of deliberately creating reality I have yet to encounter. A "free" audio CD ($5 shipping) explaining the basic information is, as of this writing, available at www.abraham-hicks.com.
Ester and her husband Jerry Hicks encountered Abraham some years after reading the Seth books by Jane Roberts -- which is the material I have been seeking to fully understand for years. As mentioned in the introduction, Seth is the "multi-dimensional personality energy essence no longer focused in physical reality" who spoke through Jane Roberts, while her husband, Robert Butts, took notes in a specialized form of shorthand. In this way Seth dictated a series of books beginning with Seth Speaks. Anyone truly serious about understanding how metaphysical reality operates will eventually want to read that book, and at least the following one in the series, The Nature of Personal Reality. The Abraham material is easier for casual readers to grasp. Seth gets down to the finer details.
The basic creating reality principle is that we draw certain kinds of events or experiences into our lives which "resonate" with our thoughts, mental images and emotions. The combination of thought and emotion creates what Abraham describes as a "vibration." Ideas "feel" a particular way. Sadness feels different from happiness, and if you concentrate on those feelings you will notice that sadness feels heavier and "slower." The quality of our vibrations, and the mental images or ideas associated with those vibrations, is said to determine the overall nature of "coincidental" future events we experience. In other words, we are directly responsible for whatever luck, opportunities and "chance" encounters we experience. These to a large extent determine the overall quality of our lives – or so goes the theory.
Both Seth and Abraham express essentially the same principles: like attracts like; thoughts held in the present create future experience; the stronger the emotion connected with the thought (or visual image) the sooner it materializes; we will not experience anything we do not allow into our experience through our beliefs or expectations; there are no coincidences; etc. These
principles are said to operate in every level of existence (dreams, between lives, astral planes, etc.).
Abraham refers to this as the Law of Attraction, or like attracts like. Seth goes so far as to describe "electromagnetic energy units," smaller than subatomic particles, which are produced by our consciousness and drawn toward locations in the space around us called "coordination points." From there they form what we perceive as physical mater in space and time.
Fortunately, it isn't necessary to understand or believe such theoretical conditions, since we have apparently been creating our reality all along without the need to grasp such concepts.
Beliefs are ideas we consider to be true. Because we take them as aspects of reality our beliefs resonate strongly on a vibrational level. This is why Seth places a great deal of emphasis on the importance of beliefs in regard to creating one's own reality.
There are three basic elements involved in deliberately creating reality. First is the thought, idea or visual image, whatever way it is you choose to represent desired events or conditions. This determines what it is you are creating. The second element is the emotional energy attached to the thought or idea. The more feeling you put into an idea the sooner it materializes. In this case the thought and emotion are always connected.
The third element is expectation. You must expect or believe an event or condition will actually materialize in order to make it happen. This is the point where most of us run into trouble.
According to Abraham, the desired condition should be expected as "the next logical step" in your experience. The desired effects can only occur, however, if the energy is not blocked or negated with conflicting beliefs. If you concentrate upon wanting to take a vacation to some remote island paradise, for example, and pour your heart into imagining being there, then turn around and acknowledge your belief that it simply isn't something you can afford to do, then that belief will prevent the experience from occurring. When we attempt to visualize having the conditions we desire, knowing full well that those conditions do not presently exist, under normal circumstances our efforts are immediately negated by conflicting beliefs.
When we want something, we automatically focus on the belief that we do not possess that which is wanted.
Although the Seth books provide exercises we can apply to help us alter our beliefs, beliefs can be incredibly difficult to change without first perceiving supporting evidence in our experience. For example, no matter how sincerely you try to believe you are a duck right now it is highly unlikely you will sprout feathers and fly to the nearest pond. The theory says that if you honestly believed you could do that, completely, you could indeed become a duck. (Carlos Castaneda explains how he turned himself into a crow using similar methods.) Most of us would be quite content to create more money, more free time, great love and excellent health. But if you believe you aren't experiencing these desired conditions, then you can't change those conditions until you change the belief -- and, according to reason, you can't change the belief until your experience changes. "Catch 22."
As long as we are convinced that the world is as solid and out there as it appears, we cannot get around reason telling us what is and isn’t real.
If you think about the conditions most people would like to experience in life, it becomes rather obvious that many of us don't have the sort of life we wish we did. How often do we wish we had more money than we do, or better health or a better relationship? If "belief-land" actually works, shouldn't we be experiencing these conditions if we think about them all the time?
The truth is most of us don't think about the conditions we want all the time. Rather, we concentrate upon the lack of those conditions. The more worried we are about whether we can meet our bills, for example, the more difficult meeting those bills seems to become. The trick would be to worry less about money in order to "create" more money coming into one's life. Oddly, many women will go shopping when money gets tight, perhaps due to an intuitive recognition that not worrying about money is a good way to cause less financial stress. On the other hand, simply not being concerned when the money runs out is irrational and can lead to devastating financial circumstances.
It would seem there is no way around this problem of conflicting beliefs, but there is. The technique is to place emotional energy on a desired event or condition in a way which doesn't cancel that energy with opposing beliefs.
One way to do this is to have absolute faith, which is basically the method taught by most organized religions. The power of prayer can produce amazing results. I used a similar technique successfully during my "Jesus freak" period, when in just two months of constantly, mentally chanting, "Thank you Jesus. Thank you Lord," everything I wanted at that time came into my experience. The constant chanting prevented me from dwelling on my negative expectations. It also turned me into a smiling, mental robot, and the religious dogma attached to the belief system proved to be too irrational and confusing to me. If faith in your interpretation of God will work for you, no problem. You can use your belief in a higher power to go beyond the apparent limitations of reason. Faith works. If you have it, use it! It is possible to "walk in the light," to feel in tune with spiritual power, even if the higher power you believe in does not actually exist. I personally need something more rational than faith alone.
The Abraham-Hicks material suggests a simple, three-part technique which shifts the emphasis away from directly altering beliefs to changing our thoughts and emotions instead, which in turn alter our beliefs. First you write what it is you want on a sheet of paper, then below that write why you want it. On the back of the page you then write why you believe you will have it.
Focusing on why you want something causes you to visualize what you desire with strong emotional energy. It also avoids the question of whether you can actually have that something, which (hopefully) never enters the picture at this point. After you have clearly and emotionally imagined what you want, by asking why you want it, it is necessary to allow what you want into your experience. You have to let it in by expecting or honestly believing you will experience it. The desired event or condition must seem like "the next logical step." That is why it is necessary to write why you expect to get what you want on the back of the paper.
There is a great deal of value in actually writing these things. If you review what you have written, every day, and contemplate the reasons why you expect to achieve the desired results, you become more alert to opportunities that may otherwise escape your notice. Reviewing and editing your lists daily helps clarify exactly what you are intending to create and helps you find practical solutions for eliminating any doubts. As you review why you believe you will get what you want, you define why getting it has become the next logical step. Once your awareness of the situation has brought you to this point, you're done. The belief is firmly in place and all doubts are eliminated.
And the next most likely thing to happen is that a lot of negative crud will probably come your way. I have discovered though my own experience, and from observing others, that whenever we make a significant decision to change our way of thinking, the universe will often test that decision. We experience events which cause us to compare our previous belief with the new belief.
Say you decide it's time to break up with a lover. The next most likely thing to happen is that your romantic partner could become very loving and pleasant to be with, or you might encounter someone who recently went through a break-up and they are miserable. Decide to quit your job and suddenly you hear that the bad economy is resulting in job cuts everywhere. That sort of thing.
This "belief testing" can lead to serious doubts, but if you are prepared for it you will see that it is actually great news. If you decide to change your beliefs in a certain area, and soon things get even worse in that area, then such experience becomes very clear evidence that thoughts and beliefs actually do affect reality. Just because you didn't get what you intended it does not alter the fact that changing your way of thinking caused a change in the area of life you were thinking about. Just continue your exercises knowing you are definitely affecting the area in question so better results can be expected.
Another thing that can get in the way of deliberately creating reality are our "reasons" for believing we do not deserve what we want. I used to joke with my friends, telling them that if I succeeded
in creating a sack full of money falling out of the sky, it would be a bag of quarters the size of a truck and land on my head.
Many of us hold "hidden" or "invisible" beliefs that we are somehow undeserving, or otherwise incapable, of experiencing the conditions we truly wish were a part of our lives. These beliefs are not really hidden, since they cross our mind nearly every day, but they often escape our notice because we accept them as normal, everyday facts. Many of us feel we don't deserve financial success, for example, because we feel like we aren't smart enough, that we are too lazy, that the world is against us, that we are destined to be poor, that there is something wrong with having lots of money while others starve, etc. These kinds of ideas are woven into our own self image and feel so much a part of who we are that we don't realize they are nothing but ideas. Blanket beliefs like these are simply thoughts, and they can be changed as easily as any other thought, but only if you believe you can change them.
In order to change limiting beliefs, simply look for evidence that what you have believed isn't necessarily true. In terms of financial success, for example, it is obvious that lots of "undeserving" people have tons of money, and those who work the hardest often seem to have less money. Ask yourself what value there is in holding negative beliefs in somehow being unworthy. There is no value in such beliefs. They won't make you more kind, compassionate or understanding. Being kind, etc., makes you that way.
The challenge of resolving conflicting beliefs is a fundamental part of human experience. All of us are engaged in this activity long before we understand the concept of deliberately creating reality. Questions regarding choice of career, religious philosophy and relationship goals are obvious situations where we analyze our beliefs in order to make long term decisions. But the same process is involved with all of our decision making, from how much to spend on a loaf of bread to what clothes to wear today.
Our decisions are based upon our beliefs about ourselves, our world, and the values we wish to express. When our beliefs are not in conflict, decisions come easily. We buy a particular loaf of bread without giving it much thought. When our beliefs are in
conflict it seems no matter how hard we try we can't seem to make progress in that area. The weight won't come off or the good job simply won't materialize.
Consider the situation of a single woman who would like to be involved in a romantic relationship. What she truly desires is to be deeply in love with an attractive, intelligent, kind, successful man, to experience "love like in the movies" and live happily ever after. But she is significantly overweight, has a small child which some men may consider an unwanted responsibility, and she doesn't trust most men in general because she feels they often lie. She believes that due to her flaws, the sort of man she desires would not be interested in someone like her, that if she did happen to meet such a man, she couldn't trust his motivations because no man of such obvious quality would be willing to be involved with someone as "imperfect" as herself.
These beliefs conflict with her desire to find "The One." Depending on when you ask her what she's looking for in terms of relationships, she might say she wants to fall in love and settle down, or she prefers "just dating," or isn't concerned with relationships at all. The answers vary depending on which of her conflicting beliefs are most apparent to her at a given time.
Deliberately creating reality requires resolving conflicting beliefs. It means deciding what you want, but making that decision from the perspective of understanding that you can create any sort of condition you choose.
In regard to our lonely lady, the first thing she would do is
choose to find the "perfect" man for her. No one is without flaws,
but it is possible to find true love if you believe it is. Being clearly aware of her goal, she would then work to eliminate any beliefs which conflict with her desire. Beliefs such as being unattractive and therefore unworthy of true love must be discarded, one way or another. One must believe one is worthy of the desired conditions.
If you have believed you can not find the kind of mate you desire because you are overweight, ugly, poor, stupid or whatever, realize there are people in the world possessing those qualities, or worse, who are happily in love. Even if such ideas about oneself reflect the truth in your present experience, more positive ideas will
eventually be reflected in the same way once you change them. If you are alone, start with throwing out the idea of not deserving love, which is obviously false since you could fall in love tomorrow if the right person came along.
All of us are worthy of the conditions we desire, because, as Seth tells us, no one is handing out worthiness certificates. What matters is being the person we truly want to be, and if that requires making some changes, we change, because we know that is what we truly want for ourselves. Much of this book in intended to provide insights which can help in the quest to be one's best self.
When it comes to areas like health, romance, experiencing greater awareness, etc., consider the value of taking clear cut steps to resolve your conflicting beliefs. You can make a list of limiting