“Everything you seek and everything you experience – everything– is inside you. If you want to change anything, you do it inside, not outside. The whole idea is total responsibility. There’s no one to blame. It’s all you.”-Joe Vitale
I’ve always been a fan of the film and book The Secret, created by Rhonda Byrne in collaboration with numerous other teachers. At the time, I was exposed to it, I was working at a homeless shelter in the Bronx. I was so inspired by it, I bought the DVD, and had a screening at the shelter with a mini workshop. I shared it with friends and parents, who implemented it into my life. And that was the initiation of vision boards in my life.
Manifestation is a tool I’ve continued to intentionally dabble with in my life, generally at this time of year. There had been some lashback over the years with the film, because of it’s focus on material things. I admit that it’s not always on the forefront of my mind of manifesting the life I want. I sometimes go by the mantra a client once said to me, “life just lifes.” Yet, over time what is becoming to become apparent is we are constant manifestors, although often unintentional.
The past several days, with preparation for the new year, with fresh goals and intentions I have been listening to interviews with manifesting teachers such as Emma Mumford, Joe Vitale, and Pam Oslie. There is a reminder that manifestation is a process, but also we are constantly manifesting without even being aware of this. Our thoughts create our reality. The reality we are living (even all that we are complaining about) we manifested this.
I had all this in my mind lately, prior to walking my dog Bella yesterday. A passing thought came of her poop bag by the side of the outside door. I kept it there and didn’t throw it away, because it was a small poop and thought I could add to it, by reusing the bag. As I opened the front door, the poop bag moved several feet to be on my doorstep waiting for me. I manifested it. It made me laughed but reminded me we manifest on all layers. However small or large. Our thoughts create reality.
Several weeks ago, I was in Santa Fe New Mexico, inspired by the communal creative vibe that exuded from that city. I went home, wanted create art, and was on the hunt to find a canvas. I stepped into various everything store shops, and couldn’t find the perfect size. After having lunch with a friend in Silverlake, in the parking lot was a new canvas and a chair, with a note from the previous owner offering his blessing of creative possibilities to the new owner. I manifested this!
If I can manifest canvases and poop bags, what else can I manifest?
I share this because the stories we hear of manifestation don’t just have to be big dramatic shifts and changes. They can, but they start with witnessing and acknowledging the small ways we manifest. It’s easy to get frustrated with what life seems to throw at us, we seem to be living the motto “life just lifes.” But we have the power to shift things. When we complain or act as the victim, we are simply bringing more energy to that situation and remain in it versus taking action. We do have the right to vent, but do we want to live in it?
And so as I write this, what will you manifest? I will end with a question one spiritual teacher Cynthia Sue Larson asks herself daily…
“How good could it get?”
It Only Takes A Smile 