Laws of Spirituality: What I Learned From My Manifestation Box

The laws of spirituality became my obsession in a damp apartment I hadn’t cleaned in two years. I had not vacuumed or cleaned the carpets in the two years I had been living there. Yet there I sat, surrounded by copies of Men’s Health, Car and Driver, Maxim, Consumer Reports, GQ, Cosmopolitan, and a myriad of other magazines.

Each was missing full page spreads, key product imagery, feature photos, and the occasional outline where a nude model had once been. On a dreary day in the fall of 2003, for hours on end, I butchered magazine covers and editorial content with a pair of kitchen scissors.

Each gaping hole I left represented some of our world’s most desired stuff. And here I was shoving it all into an old Patron tequila box, wondering when it would magically appear in my life.

This was my manifestation box. I had just been introduced to the Law of Attraction and naturally assumed that the cars, gadgets, models, beaches, and mansions would all soon be mine.

I still had a lot to learn.

The Self-Help Junkie’s Confession

I am a self-help junkie. Like many whose credit cards literally created the billion-dollar personal growth industry, I have purchased every get-rich-quick scheme, real estate course, fad diet, brain stimulator, speed reading course, miracle healing device, and home juicer. Late night infomercials are designed for people like me.

I am also addicted to religion. Not any one in particular.

I grew up in the Christian church. Briefly turned atheist when that was a fad. Found out what agnostic meant and claimed that for a while. Experimented with my own version of Buddhism. Hit a rough patch and resorted back to Christianity. Found it limiting my creativity. Discovered metaphysics. Got turned off by a bunch of old hippies. Got turned on by a bunch of young hippies.

I realized it was the organized part of things that I found inhibiting. But then found some organizations that I aligned with. Took a step back and went through the entire gamut of religions from a new perspective. Saw a lot of similarities and a lot of differences.

Ultimately landed back where I started: What do I really believe?

Looking Inward Instead of Outward

After years of practicing the power of positive thought, I took a job at a major technology company and became fascinated with the concept of mindfulness. For too many years, I was so focused on the dogma of everything that I never noticed the spirituality.

I decided that instead of trying to understand what everyone else was believing, I would look inward and see if there was any truth there.

What did I find at the root of all my problems? The usual. Self-loathing, excessive alcohol, and a lethargic mind.

I am now reexamining everything I know about mind, body, and spirit. From the vantage point of mindfulness I have discovered that approaching these things in terms of right or wrong solutions is not the answer. With an altered perspective they can all make sense.

What I Actually Believe

Yes, I believe in the Law of Attraction. But I also believe in Jesus. I believe in the Buddha. I believe in Geometry. I believe in subjective reality. I believe in Me.

But mostly, I believe that no matter what, having a positive attitude, an inquisitive mind, and an open outlook will always benefit us.

This blog is an experiment in imagination. To think beyond what is possible. To approach life from a place of innocence, like the new kitten who rolls around on the floor with a loose piece of paper.

If our thoughts are things, let us see how far honest imagination will take us.