This Weekend’s LoA Success Story!

I suppose one way of manifesting your own Law of Attraction Success Stories is to start a website called, “Law of Attraction Success Stories,” and travel the entire country in search of them.  Let me tell you how this past weekend went…

As usual, last week, I attempted to connect with LoA enthusiasts in two ways.  Formerly I just sent direct messages to LoA groups via the Meetup.com website.  But, then I met Brittany Rose, a 21-year-old college student who operates More Than Cheer!, a cheerleading consulting company in Richmond, Virginia.  For some reason I felt moved to ask her for suggestions as to how I might reach more people in the various cities where I’d be traveling.  Her response?

“Maybe try Facebook ads.  They’ve worked for me.”

So I did.  In fact it was a Facebook ad to which Herbie Muench responded last week prior to my trip to Chicago.  Herbie is a fantastic guy with many years of experience in the area of Personal Development, Life Coaching and the Law of Attraction. We originally planned to meet Saturday evening, but he later called to reschedule for Sunday evening since he also wanted me to meet his lovely associate and life partner, Shakti Bracilano, herself a Certified Life Coach through the Hendricks Institute and an Osho Meditation teacher.

We met in the lobby of the Embassy Suites Hotel O’Hare for a preliminary introduction.  Shakti asked me about my work, and I explained that on weekends I travel the country, putting on group presentations, but that my primary career has been as a Voice Talent.  (See JonathanLockwood.com for my voice talent website and to listen to my demos.)  Both Herbie and Shakti fell back in their chairs in amazement.  It took them a couple of minutes to recover, while I tried to guess at the reason for their reaction.  Understand that I very rarely run into anyone who does what I do, and people are normally quite uninformed about the field.  Finally Shakti spoke…

“For years I’ve been a talent agent–specifically focusing on Voice Talent.  I work with a major agency in Chicago, and as a rule do not accept calls from prospective Voice Talent. But you, Jonathan Lockwood, are the Master Manifestor, because you somehow found a way to get me to drive right to your hotel to meet you!”

At the beginning of each day, I meditate, asking the Universe to bring me certain things “in ways I both expect and don’t expect, so that I am constantly amazed at my ability to co-create these things.” (This language was borrowed from Dr. Joe Dispenza’s “Create My Day” piece from the film, “What the Bleep Do We Know?”)  I start by asking for more and bigger clients in my Voice Talent work, then move on, asking to find interested and interesting people as I make my way through the U.S. in search of Law of Attraction Success Stories.  It’s true that I see myself as already having manifested these things, and I feel the wonderful feelings of already having them.  But I can say without question that I never imagined finding an LoA Success Story participant who was ALSO a Voice Talent Agent at a major market agency!  This combined both my primary requests of the Universe–and, although I’m not sure how or when Ms. Bracilano and I might work together in the future, indeed brought me this potential in a way I did NOT expect!  And the fact that this manifestation WAS so unexpected is further motivation to continue doing what I’m doing, both manifesting my intentions while remaining open to new inspirations.

Another thing worth mentioning…  A young man named Frank Serritella responded to one of my meetup.com messages, and I gave him a call.  He told me that he was relatively new to the LoA, and didn’t think he yet had any stories worth mentioning–but would certainly enjoy connecting with others who did, so I encouraged him to join us.  To me it felt like a universally-arranged evening.  Herbie and Shakti were positively flowing with rich experiences and wisdom, I was the facillitator feeling his way along a similar path, and Frank was the eager beginner, soaking it all in and enjoying it thoroughly.  I have at least a couple of hours of video, including all three of them, and we later were even joined by a couple of my close personal friends who I hope benefitted from the experience.

My former video editing tutor has become unavailable, so I’m presently looking for a new one.  Then I’ll finally be able to get these fantastic videos posted for everyone’s edification.

Friend, I don’t know where you are with the Law of Attraction, but I’m living in almost constant astonishment.

But what do you do???

Read books… Watch DVDs… Attend events… Go to Meetups… All great ways to learn more about the Law of Attraction.  But if you’re like me, at some point you realize that a significant portion of your time is spent talking and not doing. As I travel the United States, in search of remarkable LoA Success Stories, I find people who simply love talking about the subject and communing with other enthusiasts.  But I guess I’d say that I don’t find them with very much confidence in an actual process for attracting what they want.

I’d say I’m constantly inspired by the Abraham-Hicks material, and I do find so much within it that’s very useful in actual application.  I also appreciate Michael Losier’s excellent, nuts-and-bolts book, “Law of Attraction.”  And, as you’ve read here before, Joe Dispenza’s approach to meditation to “change your mind and create a new one” has been tremendously valuable.

And what about you?  What actual methods (as opposed to general concepts) have been most helpful in actually applying the Law of Attraction in your life?  Affirmations?  Meditation?  Do you apply these things daily?  More than once daily?

For the benefit of our readers, what do you actually do???

Christianity and Financial Abundance

I find myself arguing with others on this subject lately.  The conversations usually start the same.  We’re talking about the intriguing story of Jesus Christ.  I always remark about some of the quotes and stories… How Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.” [Matthew 7:20, NIV]

The Bible also records the experience of Jesus and Peter, walking on water.  It notes that Peter’s ability to do so required his faith (or belief) that he could, and that it was when he observed the physical things (wind and water) that he let his faith wane and began to sink.  What better story to support the Law of Attraction?

That said, the argument usually ensues when someone suggests that the Bible or Christianity can promote the accumulation of material wealth.  I approach it somewhat cautiously; I don’t want to start an argument.  The truth is, I believe wealth in all areas of life is a good thing, though it might come with accompanying challenges.  And I understand that some may choose to embrace some Bible teachings as valuable, while dismissing others as ancient dogma or possible misunderstandings.  I don’t consider it any of my business to tell them such a policy is wrong.  But…when they actually propound that Christianity, as expressed in the New Testament, promotes material abundance, I just can’t seem to let it go.  I spent an enormous percentage of my life studying the Bible.  And while it’s true that part of that time involved being indoctrinated with the tenets of a particular sect, it’s also true that I became very familiar with the scriptures in general.  Here are some verses that come to mind…

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” [Matthew 6:19-21, NIV]

“No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.” [Matthew 6:24 & 25, NIV]

People acknowledge these scriptures.  But they suggest that Jesus was not condemning wealth; he was instead merely trying to encourage a proper perspective of it.  Quicker than Joe Vitale can come up with a new marketing concept, they will say, “And remember:  it’s not MONEY that is “the root of all evil,” but the LOVE of money!”

It’s really funny that I find myself in these conversations.  I no longer consider myself a Christian–although I certainly respect the religious beliefs of others and acknowledge some of the positive qualities I now possess as probably coming from my Christian upbringing.  I suppose it has to do with observing people who are (I believe) deceiving themselves.

Some will spend all of their time dissecting the many scriptures that clearly discourage the pursuit of material wealth, and try to find little snippets here and there that might, in some indirect way, prove their point.  And if they can’t find anything substantive in the actual Christian scriptures, they’ll pop back to the Old Testament for a nugget about God promising to “multiply Abraham’s seed,” which to them means he wants us to have lots of money.  Ask them about other Old Testament teachings, which allow for the owning of slaves and putting others to death for working on the sabbath, and they’ll smirk dismissively.  And they will SWIM past verse-after-verse, which expressly dissuades the faithful from pursuing riches, to find anything that can make them feel better about doing so.

I recognize that Christianity, as expressed in the Bible, does not prohibit a person from having material wealth, but my point is that there is no way an honest-hearted person can examine the New Testament and come away with the idea that Jesus Christ wanted us to pursue it.  Neither can you avoid the fact that, at nearly every opportunity, he strongly warned against it.

There is the account at Luke, chapter 16, in which Jesus provides a parable about a rich man and a poor man named Lazarus.  It’s one of those stories that people scratch their heads over, but the gist is that the rich guy went to a place of fiery torment and the poor guy “was carried away by the angels to be with Abraham.” The rich man appeals to Abraham, but is told that he received his good things while on earth, but poor Lazarus evil things.  Now Lazarus was being comforted, but the rich man was in agony, and not a darn thing could be done about it.  The only thing the rich guy can think of is to warn his still-living brothers.  He wants Lazarus to go and caution them, suggesting that seeing a dead man would prove an effective warning.  But Abraham says, “If they do not listen to Moses and the prophets, neither will they be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.”

Why is the rich man being punished?  The account doesn’t say that he had been evil; only that he had “dressed in purple and fine linen, and feasted sumptuously every day.” It also mentions that the poor man laid at the rich man’s gate, longing to satisfy his hunger from “what fell from the rich man’s table.” We can certainly conclude that the rich man was being punished–not for being rich, but for failing to give to the poor from his riches.  Fair enough.  But we still cannot deny that Jesus is, yet again, speaking negatively of wealth.  And we certainly can’t use this perspective to conclude that He wants Christians to pursue monetary wealth, can we?

Maybe you can be a Christian and be wealthy.  Fine.  But you can’t use the New Testament of the Bible to suggest that Jesus encourages you to pursue wealth.  Paul, who wrote more New Testament books than any other writer, indicated that the seeking of wealth was a trap.

“People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction… But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness.” [1 Timothy 6:9-11, NIV]

What is Bible message about the desire for wealth?  Is it that we should go for it–as long as we proceed with caution?  No.  It distinctly instructs Christians to ‘flee from it’! And it’s kind of ironic, because just as the aforementioned rich man’s brothers would not listen to a risen dead man on this subject, many Christians today will not listen to Jesus, whom they believe has risen from the dead, and who is the leader of their own religion.  They keep trying to find ways to justify somehow, some way, that it’s okay to focus on material wealth–and still be a zealous Christian.

“Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.” [Matthew 19:24, NIV]

“Ahhh, but it doesn’t say it’s impossible, now does it?!”

Sigh… To be clear, I want you to have wealth.  Emotional wealth, spiritual wealth, relationship wealth, and even material wealth…  If, like me, you simply enjoy reflecting upon and discussing what’s in the Bible, more power to you!  If you believe that, among many good things, the Bible may also contain teachings that are based upon misunderstandings–or that have been altered by possibly well-intentioned humans over the years–but that it’s still something sent to you by God, I understand.  Further, if you believe in a form of Christianity that does not require the use of the Bible, I nod respectfully.  But, if you consider the Bible to be the inspired Word of God and the final word regarding the Christian faith, to ignore all it has to say about wealth, while still choosing to believe that biblical Christianity encourages the pursuit of money, is an exercise in self-delusion.

I’m aware that some might not appreciate this–or be ready for it, so I’ll just ask for your understanding.  In the last few years I’ve come into a new way of comprehending the world, which includes the Law of Attraction and other related concepts I see as universal truths.  Unlike the culture I once embraced, which was marked by judgmentalism, I have finally realized the peace of not expecting everyone to agree on all matters…of true freedom of thought and expression.  But I’ve also seen the wisdom in releasing our attachment to unhealthy, untrue and limiting beliefs, and it’s in this spirit I have offered this piece.

If you’d care to point out what I’m missing here, I assure you, I’m open to your comments.  Do you believe that New Testament Christianity not only allows for the pursuit of financial wealth, but encourages it?  Do you believe your case for it is stronger than the case made against it?  I await your replies.

Podcast #2: Dr. Joe Dispenza Interview

Well, here it is.  Dr. Joe Dispenza of  “What the Bleep” fame,  promised to give Law of Attraction Success Stories an interview, and we finally conducted it this morning.  Enjoy!                   

Click here to save as mp3.

Techno-Frustration Solved!

If you’re following this blog, you know I’m working on finally getting the many video interviews I’ve done with people across the U.S. up on this site.  The interviews keep building up–good ones–but last week my studio computer died its last death.  So not only was my progress in jumping into the world of video editing slowed, but my regular work as a voice talent required that I book time at a couple of different audio studios in Phoenix last week to get it done.

Well I’m glad to say that–not only do I have a zipping fast, powerful new computer in the studio–but I’ve upgraded to the latest version of Pro-Tools, and everything’s working better than ever.  Now maybe I can find time to teach myself Adobe Premiere…

Thanks for your patience, and I look forward to meeting new LoA enthusiasts in Fayetteville, North Carolina this weekend.

Indy. A Hotbed of LoA Enthusiasts?

Okay, I’ve been doing this long enough to know something’s up.  In Indy.

I do a little bit of targeted Google and Facebook ads, and sometimes send e-mails to Law of Attraction Meetup group members.  I’ve done this in several cities, and so far Indianapolis is giving me (by far) the strongest response of any other city.  More than Salt Lake City, Richmond, Orange County, Lafayette, Detroit, and St. Louis.

I’ve traveled the U.S. extensively over the past several years, but haven’t spent much time in Indy.  So, for those of you more familiar, give me your best educated guess.  Why is Indy in particular so enthusiastic about the Law of Attraction?