There are now several books that discuss the power of thought and I have been experimenting with the concept for the past few years. I understand the concept that “like things” attract more “like things”. So the more positive (or negative) I have in my life, the more positive (or negative) things I attract. Also, I was familiar with the idea that just by thinking about someone/thing, it has a habit of materializing. But I thought, was it just a coincidence?

It is one thing to read and learn about these concepts, but another thing to experience them. One of the most profound experiences that made me a true believer was a trip to Hawaii with my husband and mother during the Christmas season. It was Christmas Eve afternoon and we were driving back to our resort, a timeshare in the middle of nowhere on the Big Island, surrounded by black, hardened lava. As we made our way down the now familiar winding road that was nearly half an hour from the nearest town, I expressed my desire to go to a Christmas Eve service. Something he had been thinking about all week. I didn’t go to church regularly, but it never felt like Christmas to me, unless I attended and caroled at a candlelit service. At that point I expressed my wish, it was 5 pm and our driver (my husband) was not really in the mood to drive back to the city in search of a church.

Just as we got to the top of the hill, ½ block from our condo (if you can call it a block since there was almost nothing around the complex). There was a small sign along the roadside “Positive Living Center, Christmas Eve Service, 7pm, All Welcome.” This in itself was a miracle, as we had passed this stretch earlier that morning and many times before, and there was no sign of a sign or even a building! Also, to my amazement, the name ‘center’ was the exact name of a church in our hometown that we had wanted to attend for several months, but had never been able to. Of course we attended the service and it was filled with Christmas carols and gifts and it turned out to be the most enjoyable service I have ever attended.

For me, this experience solidified the power of thought. Since then, I’ve been toying with this idea and I think there’s nothing I can’t manifest. Of course, through my travels I have learned a few ways to assist the manifestation process along the way.

Thoughts

Thoughts are the key to manifesting. I don’t just try to think positive thoughts, I also try to eliminate negative thoughts or self-talk. This isn’t always the easiest thing to do, but it got easier. The more I clung to it, the more my life was blessed with positive things and the easier it became, and the easier it was, the more positive things manifested and so on.

I not only manifested positive things, but I also manifested what I proposed. Sometimes the manifestation didn’t always show up as quickly or exactly as I wanted, but then again, sometimes the universe knows better (but that’s another story).

statements

Most people have heard or used affirmations. Affirmations are just statements of a thought or intention. By stating your intentions specifically, you send the message to the universe that you already have what you want to attract. At first, I found the claims a bit weird, because in the back of my mind I was thinking, “this isn’t true”, but of course, if the claims were already true (in reality) I wouldn’t need to make statements about them. Our mind does not distinguish between reality and fantasy, so by manifesting our thoughts, it changes its existence from the inside (mind) to the outside (reality).

Some additional tips for formulating affirmations:

• Express them as if they were already true (even if you believe otherwise)
• Express them in the present tense.

Include your name in the statement, for example:
I, Kimberly, am…

• Say each statement at least 3 times. Once to say it, once to listen to it and finally to integrate it.
• Express your affirmations frequently. After waking up or before going to bed is the best time of day, although you can indicate them at any time of the day if you need a reminder or encouragement.
• Say them out loud. Put them on a tape recorder or tape them to your mirror for frequent listening/viewing.
• Focus on a feeling, rather than material/physical objects. This leaves the ‘what’ to the universe, and often the results you are trying to achieve are far greater than you could ever imagine.

  For example: I, Kimberly, feel inner peace, at all times.

Map of intentions

Turn your affirmations into images. Gather images, photos and words of the things you want to manifest in your life and post them on a Bristol piece or on a bulletin board. Hang them where you’ll see them every day. Look at them frequently and imagine yourself there.

Visualizations and Meditation

Turn your affirmations or intention maps into visualizations in your mind. Imagine that the intention is already true and you are living the life you dream of. Visualize the intention and release it into the universe to manifest.

Now that you have several tools that you can use to manifest your desires, here’s the trick. There can be no attachment to manifesting the intention. Of course, it is a given that you want this intention, otherwise you would not have thought of it. However, you cannot become attached to the result or fixate on it happening. You have to believe it as if it is true and possible, but let the universe decide the details: when, where, how, etc. and let it come to you when the time is right. Remember that everything happens for a reason.

Once you have mastered this, everything will be within your grasp. don’t just dream about the life you want: manifest it in reality!

Copyright 2004, Kimberly Strachan