A simpler, and aqal informed, view on the law of attraction.

Right quadrants goals

The law of attraction (LoA) is one of the many ways we can use to change things in the right hand quadrants, the outer world. We can use money, charm, connections, power, status, cunning, deception, and also the law of attraction. It is fine for that, as a tool used for purely pragmatic purposes and right quadrant goals.

It is one of the many tools in the toolbox for the right hand quadrants.

Upper left quadrant goals

But if we use it for upper left (UL) quadrant goals, and in particular to find lasting happiness and contentment, it is likely to fail, as all the other right quadrant tools fail there.

UL Tools

There are far better tools for the UL, including self-inquiry.

As Adyashanti suggests, we can make a list of all the things we want, including those that seem completely unspiritual and those we may be ashamed of. Then go through each goal, and ask what am I hoping to get out of this?, and then ask the same question of what you find until what you arrive at cannot be divided any further. This helps us find what we really want, and see the pure innocence in it.

Finding these underlying, and more real, goals, we can then ask: is it true that what I am seeking is not already here? Alive in immediate awareness?

Tools used for UL and R goals

As an aside, I see that other tools can be used for UL or R goals.

For instance, I can use prayer, visualization and intention for UL goals such as horizontal and vertical awakening: realizing selflessness and Self-Realization. They can be used as an aid to bridge, erode and see through the apparent boundary of I and Other, in this case God. And they can be included among the many ways to facilitate healing, maturation and development along any of the lines.

And I can use them for R goals. Again, if these goals are really R goals, just pragmatic and practical, then its fine. If they are really UL goals, or more accurately R goals as a means to achieve UL goals, then I'll be disappointed, because it won't work.

I can get the good job, the perfect looking or even my soul-mate, the money, and so on, and it can certainly make my human life more comfortable and soften some triggers for stress. But will it give me lasting satisfaction and contentment? It can't. Only UL goals, and specifically realized selflessness, can do that.

Labels: inquiry