Manifestation Basics: Tears Of Sorrow, Tears Of Joy

Part Two

In part one, we discussed maps vs. territories, and challenged ourselves to "link" the positive feelings we have in regard to experiences we want to manifest with the formerly-negative experiences of our day-to-day lives. But I want to continue further down this road.

Once you understand that different feelings can be represented similarly in your mind's eye, you are at a point where it's worth investigating why you really desire the things you're trying to manifest.

Two people can both visualize opening a briefcase full of money. One of them, a rich and successful businessperson, might do so in a state of excitement and joy as they know tomorrow they're signing a huge deal and will be paid handsomely. The briefcase full of money becomes a totem meant to represent their excitement. The second person, a starving artist in a studio apartment, might visualize the briefcase in a state of fear and hopelessness. In this case, the money is a totem for all the things they lack in the world.

The first person basks in the imagined experience, the second longs for it. On this journey, it's important to remember that joy and sorrow can both result in tears being shed.

Why is it that you want the things you want? Is it because you're enticed by the sweetness of the feelings they represent? Or is it because you feel bad, and you're trying to escape from reality by fantasizing?

Some people might argue that all of Neville's teachings encourage us to "fantasize" about having things which in "reality" we don't actually have. But I beg to differ. If you read yesterday's post, you'll know my feelings about so-called "reality."

Fantasy is a defense mechanism. When people reach a point of abject hopelessness, they'll often respond by escaping into fantasy. This type of imagining comes from a place of deep, deep unconsciousness and apathy, and never leads to the things you're fantasizing about materializing. That's why the man in the psych ward who's convinced he's Superman never manifests the ability to fly. Because, despite being seemingly "convinced" of what he is, the representations in his mind's eye come from a place of hopelessness, not of hope. He's crying tears of sorrow, but calling them tears of joy (note, I'm not making a value judgement or blaming those who suffer from delusions or other mental health issues; mental health is a whole separate topic, and we have to be careful not to write those who suffer off as people who just are in a negative state, as if they've made the decision to be in that negative state. But I hope you understand the point I'm trying to make).

Let's go back to the briefcase of money example. Both people I mentioned "want" the briefcase. It isn't that the businessperson wants it more, or wants it in a "better" way, their "want" just arises from a different place. And the state their want arises out of is one conducive to manifesting the briefcase, while the starving artist "wants" from a state that will only manifest more pain and suffering.

You need to be honest about why you're trying to manifest something. It's not that you're "wrong" or "bad" for being in a state of lack, but states of lack only ever manifest more lack. You don't get a reward just for having a desire -- if your desire is of a "lacking" texture, you'll only continue to lack. And try as you might to embody the state of your wish fulfilled, if your wish ONLY exists as a means to fill a perceived void, you won't be able to easily stay with feelings conducive to manifestation.

Many people arrive at the law of attraction or Neville's teachings because they've hit a kind of spiritual rock bottom. Unable to get what they want by "conventional methods," they go searching for out of the box solutions. They aren't interested in the larger context of why manifestation works, and they don't want to actually change their state of feeling of knowing. They just want to utilize a magic spell that allows them to bypass what they believe to be the rules of reality.

Again, recognize that I'm not judging anyone who arrives here in that way. But, I'm encouraging those who feel as if they're hanging on by a thread, and that manifestation is a last-ditch effort to get what they want, to realize that it's not going to work as you currently approach it. The fact that you ended up here is a blessing: you now have an opportunity to reassess your motives and embark on a genuine inner journey -- one that'll end with you being able to manifest anything you desire. But you can't do that by bashing your head against the wall and becoming increasingly manic or desperate in your desire to get the thing you want.

Here's what I suggest everyone do --

Write down a list of things you want to manifest, then put real honest thought into why it is that you desire said experience/object. Are you basking in the imagined experience because it'd be awesome to experience, or are you longing for it in an attempt to fill some hole in your heart?

Do you want to manifest your SP because you're at a point where the love and connection you feel internally is bubbling over, and you're ready for it to manifest as a beautiful relationship? Or do you feel sad, lonely, and like you have no ability to find a relationship, and thus you're becoming increasingly desperate to be with the person you've decided is your ticket to love and happiness? Do you want money because you've smelled the perfume of abundance, security and a luxurious lifestyle and ended up captivated? Or do you feel like your life sucks and the only chance you have at finding happiness is through some kind of secret sorcery?

As we've discussed in the past, honesty is key. You really have to own up to the truth of your motivations. It may feel as if admitting to yourself you're in a state of lack is a major setback, but it isn't -- it's a major breakthrough. You won't be able to get what you want until you're able to properly assess the state you're in currently.

Once you've honesty assessed why it is you want the things you want, you'll be able to see whether your tears come from a place of joy or of sorrow.

I'm going to leave us with a bit of a cliffhanger today. What I'm about to say we'll dive into deeply in the next part of this series tomorrow. So even if you feel bad after today's exercise, you'll be alright soon.

If you're in a state of immense lack and sadness, the things you desire, may not actually be things you want at all. When you get to a more productive state, your desires may change. That's a good thing. But many people are averse to the idea that they have to "let go" of their desired object/experience/person -- because they fear this "letting go" is a trick designed to hypnotize them into not caring about something that ultimately is the only thing that could ever bring them happiness.

Until next time.