LOA Models – For Newcomers

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One major problem we face with the LOA is that we have several "models" for approaching and understanding this topic. For example, some use the "Vibration" or "Resonance" model; others focus on the "Subconscious Mind," still others prefer the Chakras system and eastern terminology in general. Some resort to the Holographic Theory and Quantum Physics and generally use a more "scientific" language; others are instead more "spiritual," with such concepts as "Consciousness" or "Higher Self" more common in their writings. Some sound "magical" talking about crystals or candles or times that help them manifest their desires; others sound like "psychics" telling us about their hunches and intuitions, or how they usually feel deep inside right before manifestation. Some say it's all about "mind;" others, "energy." Some talk "thoughts" and "beliefs;" others, "feelings" and "emotions."....

With all these models, metaphors and perspectives present in our LOA literature, newcomers are very likely to feel confused or even lost entirely. Worse, some so-called gurus or teachers, especially in such free circles online, may invalidate an entire model altogether just because it doesn't fit in their limited view. "This is not LOA, this is spirituality," they may say for example, carelessly dropping an entire perspective; or, "This is not LOA, this is self-development" or "psychology." Then, their classical first-chapter directly after this dismissive overture is: "LOA is easy and simple," implying that everyone else is hard and complicated, thus "Come to me, I'm the one."


This invalidation of some models in favor of others not only leaves everyone more confused, but also hides the deeper "connections" between all these models and how they relate to each other—the connections due which all these models came into existence in the first place.

Truly LOA is easy and simple. A child can apply it. Actually children do utilize this law more efficiently than most of us do. For many, however, it's not enough to "use" the law, like they use their cell phone or computer. They need to know how it works and why, especially given that sometimes it doesn't seem to be working at all. This is where our models begin.

To clear up the confusion, therefore, it should be obvious that all these models, all valid and sound, are only models, maps, analogies and metaphors. They don't express "literal" facts, but they "illustrate" them and help us understand what may be otherwise very difficult to grasp intellectually. Of all, the Vibration model is probably the easiest and most common. Yet sometimes, dealing with a specific case or question, we automatically switch to the psychological model, talk for example about the "subconscious mind," limiting "beliefs," repressed "feelings," or even "self-image."

The "knowledge" is the same, but only expressed in different "metaphors" and approached through different "maps." What we call "positive feelings" in one model, for example, is exactly the same we call "high vibrations" in another. The magician's "Astral World," full of spirits and powers, mighty demons and hideous beasts, again for example, is literally the psychologist's "Unconscious Mind," where these same "forces" only take different "names." And to find out "where" this "Astral" or "Unconscious" really is, neither model really answers and we therefore turn to yet a third model, a more advanced or more "spiritual" map, where we finally understand that all is "Consciousness," that there is no "where" because there is no such thing as space in the first place, or that space is but a mental illusion. It's like a dream; where do dreams take place? You've traveled a thousand miles, it seems, but did you even leave your bed?

Some models are even secret, or esoteric. Facing such unusual desires and questions as desiring to grow taller for example, modify a facial feature, heal a genetic disease (or even walk on water, levitate, teleport, become invisible, materialize out of thin air or instantly manifest one's desires; all such "miraculous" feats) we can't help but go all the way down to those special and esoteric models, such as found in High Magic, Yoga or Zen, where the highest degree of mental "concentration" and "control over mind" can be achieved (or where special techniques to harness the mental powers are used in the case of magic). These are the only models to answer such questions (although surprisingly, or not so surprisingly, "love" and "devotion" to a deity, if genuine, sincere and total, can achieve the same results).


Yet, all models still speak the same one and profound truth about our human potential, powers and capabilities. So to all newcomers, don't be confused, or lose faith, or get tired so quickly. You just started your holiest journey—a journey of self-discovery. It's not really about any laws or desires or manifestations, because after all you don't manifest what you want but who you are. So it's all about you and who you are. The only difference between you and Jesus Christ, we believe, is that Jesus "knew," beyond doubt, in the deepest levels of his being, that he was truly the Son of God, and that he and the Father were indeed ONE. 

Bon voyage!

Lovely post Lotus!

i personally love to look into and dabble in most of the models and find what fits for me, i dont think any of them should be seen as wrong or not Loa as everything is Loa!

i believe that as long as you're comfy doing what you're doing and it doesnt seem like a chore or difficult to understand then just go with it, enjoy it, have fun experimenting and seeing what comes of it

it is truly a wonderful and exciting adventure and i wouldnt have it any other way.

and you're right on the child part, my daughter definitely does a better job than me when it comes to manifesting our desires!

Thanks for bringing things into perspective, Lotus- important to know that there is nothing to fight over because all models are essentially the same, and only different in way of metaphors used. Nice way of clarifying this for the beginners, and for even the seasoned "understanders" in times when we get caught up in complexities and forget that things are truly simple... and can be easy... but easiness does not depend on how simple the model is, rather how readily we become who we are.

I think I AM is something many models come down to. Like you said, Lotus, you manifest (attract) who you are, and I AM is deciding who you are.

Thanks for the thoughtful post!

I am not one who is too concerned with labels, so I don't really care how others categorize the different lines of thought. My only concern is if it can help someone and if it can, what difference does it make how it it labeled?

And you're right Lotus, all of the different models you've mentioned are connected and so many of their principles are the same or overlap. Those who dismiss any of them simply because they don't fit their own rigid ideas of what is important do so to their own detriment. It's only unfortunate when such people use a platform they are given to influence others to dismiss those ideas as well.

I know I've found different aspects of all of those models to be helpful to me personally and I'm grateful that we live in a world big enough to encompass them all!

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Thank you ladies for these wonderful comments. "Everything is LOA." That was the word of the month, Night. Seriously we should start a new thread soon, Memorable Words, for all such insights and inspirations (also witty lines and jokes ) from our members, not to be lost so quickly. Obviously we're all in agreement here. It's not about the models, or the "labels" as Kazoo rightly put it. Rather it's all about our "experience," in which that intellectual modeling or classifying exercise is not really so important if at all. Your words reminded me of that fool who spent his vacation in Paris looking at the map, trying to know the city from it, while all he needed, to really know the city and fully enjoy it, was to only take his eyes away from the map and just look around.




This is, just for example, the Arc de Triomphe and how it looks in both the map and the city, and this is how huge the difference could be between "reality" and our "mental representations" of it. Truth is exactly the same. We try to "get" it or understand it in our maps and models, whereas Truth is rather an "experience," total and direct, of life itself. As I used to write in some Christian forums, we cannot "know" God from the Bible (or the Vedas or the Quran) because all these holy books are but "representations" and "maps" to Him, not His Kingdom itself. So here, similarly, some entirely miss the point trying to intellectually figure out the Law instead of experientially living it and living up to it. They spend their time reading LOA books and articles, perfecting the maps and models, while they should be instead just moving in its fascinating realms; exploring, discovering and enjoying the magic itself.
 
I thus believe we need to sail within rather than without. Focus on the true Self inside. Discover what the heart truly desires, and then decide to transform as to be a real match of that we want. In other, clearer words, we should be brave enough to die, willingly die altogether, to the old person we are now, then rise again the new person we dream to be.

So truly, in the end all come down to "I AM" as The Simplifier put it in her eloquent comment. Needless to say, I'm still talking to our newcomers here; we all seem to be in full agreement, as I said earlier. Thanks again, my dear ladies; I'm grateful for your time and for these comments that enriched my humble input, articulated and polished it. Please excuse me for not being so active in these few days, for all obvious reasons, but will soon catch up, promise; I'm specially intrigued by the gentle hum of that conversation in Sir Rodan's salon. See you soon.

I liked the way you explained the different " models " of LOA. Never thought of the different categories it could be broken down into.

Personally, I guess I'm exploring a few of them.

When I first came across LOA, I think I was using the subconscious mind model, mostly.

Great thread, Lotus! Actually, I have a really good feeling about this new forum!

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Thanks Rodan for your kind words and lovely attitude. Glad you like it. I also have the same good feeling about this forum thanks to you and all those now building it, sharing daily with their words, thoughts, or even mere presence and blessings.

But I'm probably more amazed than you or anyone here, Rodan. I knew we needed a better environment and ambiance. We deserved it, at least. But I never knew how much potential we had, or how we'd each do really if we got that better place. So today I'm amazed, even overwhelmed, itself one reason I'm not so active these days. The quality, originality and importance of all posts and topics, even the quantity, are simply beyond my expectation. So thanks to you, my dear friend, and to everyone here for all their time and contribution. And no wonder, really; it's an excellent forum simply because you're excellent people. It's really that simple.

I focused mostly on the subconscious mind model as well. It really resonated with me and I spent a lot of time learning about it and using the practices that were advised.

There is a gentleman who has a forum specifically focused on this model and after a long period of experimentation I think the conclusion that was reached among the members is that the model was incomplete. That there definitely is a role for it, and successes to be had but that there was still some missing element that needed to be incorporated to tackle those areas that remained more resistant.

And maybe that is the lesson, that these models are not meant to be singular but that they are meant to live in harmony with each other and that we aren't meant to be rigid but rather the ideal is to be open to all of the different models so that we can fill in the missing pieces that each model may have with pieces from the others!

kazoo wrote:I focused mostly on the subconscious mind model as well.  It really resonated with me and I spent a lot of time learning about it and using the practices that were advised.

There is a gentleman who has a forum specifically focused on this model and after a long period of experimentation I think the conclusion that was reached among the members is that the model was incomplete.  That there definitely is a role for it, and successes to be had but that there was still some missing element that needed to be incorporated to tackle those areas that remained more resistant.

And maybe that is the lesson, that these models are not meant to be singular but that they are meant to live in harmony with each other and that we aren't meant to be rigid but rather the ideal is to be open to all of the different models so that we can fill in the missing pieces that each model may have with pieces from the others!

I think they are meant to be used/learned together, too. Maybe our Higher Self/Mind nudges us to do so, as we progress on our journey.

I must agree with Lotus, however, it's probably easier for a child to practice LOA than someone who must " see what makes it work " . If we would take it on faith, really believe, rather than trying to take it apart and see what makes it work, manifestations would probably happen effortlessly.

I'm one of those who has to take it apart. Oh well............

I think the term Law of Attraction (LOA from now on) is confusing. What are we attracting? How are we doing it? Why does this or that happen whether or not I attempt to attract it intentionally? The LOA is alwaus working, they say, is that good news or bad?

Its good if you can master your mind and take control of what you/it manifests. Its bad news if you can't do that. The reason is that despite struggling with conscious thoughts, even successfully reigning them in and feeling pretty good about your life on a day-to-day basis, bad things happen. Or, the really good things we want continue to NOT happen.

Meaning, my vibration (emotional state) might be great, but I still do not see my life getting any better. And my boss's vibration might be crap, angry, bitter, ungrateful, but his life is great, and is always getting better.

That's why I prefer the "subconscious mind" model, myself. The subcons mind is really just our mind, but the mind processes millions of thoughts throughout the day/week and we are only aware of a tiny percentage of them. It processes so much information that it has to file away most of it (where it goes I have no idea), and often we simply cannot disinter that information readily.

But hypnotists can, and do, all the time. So the validity and existence of the subconscious mind is scientifically proven. That's good news because I can, through certain practices, change what's in there.

In my opinion, every LOA technique/method/practice in one way or another influences the subconscious mind, and changes how it represents reality to us. The reason why my boss, despite his terrible vibration, gets everything he wants is that his subconscious model of the world includes him as a successful person, who gets what they want if they work for it.

Great LOA teachers like Neville Goddard, who is my perrenial favorite, use subconscious mind programming to change the world. His method of visualizing your desire in a state akin to sleep, is nothing more than self hypnosis, visualizing in the alpha state.

In fact, I prefer the term "creative visualization" to LOA.

I do think LOA is a simple thing. Its not easy, however, for most. Like lifting a giant marble statue up on to its pedestal. The task is simple enough, if you have the strength to do it.

Hi Desideratum!

Desideratum wrote:
The reason why my boss, despite his terrible vibration, gets everything he wants is that his subconscious model of the world includes him as a successful person, who gets what they want if they work for it.

Yes, exactly. His vibration will affect his experiences, but he will still experience "being a successful person". He'll just have a crappy time being successful because that's what vibrating on a lower frequency means.

LoA is a tricky term, you're right. It specifies a law, but what we are talking about covers much more detail and different concepts/application. LoA of course is woven into all of it, but none of these can exist without the other at the same time. LoA is how creative visualization is effective, or we can even go further and say it's more specifically the law of resonance. We visualize as we drift to sleep, resonating with the desire, and things that resonate with that state are manifested, via the LoA. Feeling it real, as Neville called it.


Thanks for sharing. The subconscious mind is awesome.

Good point, LOA is the mechanism by which manifestations happen, creative visualization is a tool we can use to stimulate LOA.

Also, regarding vibration/emotional state, my boss may have the specific things in his life because his faith tells him he is able to get them, but be unhappy much of the time. Conversely, I may be happy much of the time, but never able to get the specific things I want. Same thing but the other side of it.

Like Neville said, feeling it real, the "it" being your desire.

I never noticed this thread, but it's a good one nonetheless. Like many here, Neville is my personal favorite. His teachings are unique and pretty simple to understand, to me at least.

As for LOA models/techniques, affirmations have always been my personal favorite. They're simple, you can create any affirmation you want, and results will follow with persistence and repetition. Here's a piece from one of Neville's many teachings. (I've highlighted some key points in bold)

"So, I tell you: faith in unseen reality. You don’t give reality to the unseen; it is loyalty to unseen reality that is the secret of faith. So, when he tells us: “Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen,” (Hebrews 11:1) by faith, we understand that the world was created by the Word of God, so that “things seen were made from things that do not appear…”

Now, let me share with you this story. A friend of mine living in L.A. came many years ago from Pittsburgh. So in ’66 she returned to Pittsburgh and met the few friends who are still in this world. Many have departed. There was one lady she speaks of as Betty. Well, Betty married this man, and his name is supposed to be Matthew. Well, Matthew was suffering from a certain disease, which led progressively to total deafness. In the interval, it is accompanied by dizziness, and wrenching. What the name is, I don’t know. She told me, but I am not familiar with these medical terms. But it is something that is incurable as of today. No doctor knows how to arrest it, and it progressively moves towards total deafness. In the meanwhile, it is a most painful condition that accompanies it, and these horrible dizzy spells, and then the wrenching.

She told the story as I told it to her, how you can revise the past; that in spite of the fact that he is moving towards the inevitable total deafness, it need not be. They can go back and change the past to the point in time – which was fourteen years before – when this thing began to show in his body. He didn’t believe it. She said to me: “He would ask me a hundred and one questions concerning it, not because he wanted to be cruel, but he is a rational being, a very intelligent person, and it didn’t make sense. Because it didn’t make sense, he discounted it; but Betty thought: ‘”I will try it.’”

“Now, she said, “it was a very difficult thing for Betty and myself, because my parents were both deaf, and Betty’s parents were both deaf, and we were raised in the environment of deaf people. We had to learn sign language to communicate with our parents. So, Betty had the experience of deaf parents, both of them, and I had the experience of deaf parents, and to be confronted with this picture – it was a horrible, horrible picture. Betty said to me: “I will do it every night,” and she took a simple little sentence: “Matthew” (she called him Matt) – “Matt is hearing perfectly.” That’s all that she did. Meanwhile he’s getting worse and worse and worse.

A year went by, and he’s still progressing towards the inevitable end of total deafness, when in his business he had this excruciating pain from ear to ear, and he cried out. Well, they rushed him to the doctor [and] the doctor gave him an injection to alleviate the pain. Then the doctor said: “You can’t go back on the job right away. You must go to your room and rest for a while.” Well, in the room, he dozed, and went into a little sleep and when he awoke, he was hearing perfectly – hearing perfectly!

He was sent home early that evening. He usually arrives at 6:00 o’clock. When he came home on the early side, the wife greeted him with the usual: “Oh, what’s wrong? What happened at the office today?” and he replied: “Betty, I am hearing perfectly.” He used the identical word that she had, night after night, heard. All in her imagination, she heard him say: “Betty, I am hearing perfectly.” So, she heard her own name called by her husband, Matt, and he confirmed it by saying: “I am hearing perfectly.” Then he said: “I believe, I believe, I believe!”

This was an inspiring story of a woman, who used a very simple affirmation, persisted with it despite her "current reality" getting worse (for the husband).

Repeating a statement as already done in your mind, will produce your desire. Our subconscious minds are like computers; it does not know what's right or wrong, and it doesn't judge you or say "No! I will not accept that desire". It simply accepts whatever commands you give it. That's why it's always important to focus on what you want and think about it most of the time, hence, persistence and repetition. Affirmations are one of many great LOA tools out there for reprogramming our subconscious minds.

Thanks for sharing, MA. I hadn't heard that one before.

The part with hearing the same words spoken out loud as you had previously used in your affirmations... I can happily attest to that. It is a beautiful moment when it comes full circle. To the average person, this could be brushed away as a random coincidence. It only takes doing it again and again to clearly see these things for what they truly are- a result of Mental Alchemy .

Neville is the one. I hadn't hear that story either MA. Love it.

It reminds me of the importance of words aswell when I compare it to another story told by Neville that IIK brought to my attention on PLoA. I'll briefly explain it in my own words.

This man had very noisy next door neighbours, they had 2 or 3 kids maybe, and they drove him up the wall. He started affirming to himself "I am now free of this disturbance" and what happened was the parents and maybe one or two of the kids, or maybe just the parents (can't recall), had a car accident and passed away. So it shows you how the words you do choose have importance aswell because his word choice correlated with the outcome that made him free - the disturbance, and what happened to them can definitely be described as disturbing.

Well they always say be careful what you wish for

That being said, LOA is about our thoughts creating reality. Affirmations are thoughts (duh) and are definitely one of the easiest LOA methods out there.

Just like in the story above, the woman affirmed something over and over in her mind until it eventually took a seat in her subconscious mind. Once it became a subconscious belief, that's when it manifested into her physical reality. As Simplifer mentioned, the average person would just brush it off as some coincidence, but that's really LOA at work.

A perfect example is when you think of a person randomly and then hear from them a short time later. Or even thinking about a person and bumping into them 2 days later and that person saying to you "Oh, I was just thinking about you the other day".

Now these are generally easier things to manifest due to the lack of doubts and negative thoughts. It's tougher for high attachment issues such as attracting a specific person, because of things like what ifs (what if they don't like me, what if they're with someone else, etc). The failure rate is so high for these people, especially ex-back situations, because they tend to give up too soon and are not diciplined enough. But look at the story with the woman and her husband. She kept going despite things getting worse. It took a year, but she got her desired results and her husband even said the exact words she affirmed.

What Desi mentions is Neville's personal technique and it's definitely one of the best. It's important to visualize in an alpha state because that's the best time to reprogram your subconscious. Repeating affirmations over and over in alpha is also the best time. Then you can repeat them to yourself several times a day, especially when you start feeling doubts.

I highly recommend people read up on POSM as they're many examples of people using their own affirmations with results that follow.

I've found combining your affirmations with the Mirror Technique very effective