Law of attraction and yoga

Wanting our wishes fulfilled
These last years, both the law of attraction and yoga has become really popular. Everybody wants to feel better. And we want our wishes fulfilled.

What we want differs a lot, of course. It may be a successful career, more money, a new sports car, a bigger house, the partner of our dreams, or that former lover back into our lives. Sometimes we feel out of alignment or even desperate and ready to try anything. Then considering what's out there, the law of attraction is a really good choice.

However, desperation is not a good place to come from if you want to realize your desires with the law of attraction. Therefore, it’s no surprise that this does not always work. I suppose we have all experienced a bit of that!

Still, it is strongly maintained that the law of attraction actually do work. It works continually all the time and with no exceptions. If desperation is what we ask for – desperation is what we will get! But how do we avoid this?
When looking more closely at the law of attraction, I realized it’s indeed strongly related to some aspects of the karmic law often used as theoretical basic for yogic exercises (karma yoga). So, how do we avoid bad karma?

Karma and the law of attraction (LOA) in theory
Yogis often claim that each and one of our thoughts has an impact on the rest of the universe. Wow! Then, what goes around comes around. So what we get back from the universe is experiences similar to what we think about. Does this sound familiar? Actually, it’s really similar to the basic ideas behind the law of attraction, i.e. that we attract what we believe in or, to be more formal, that which is similar to what we think about. Maybe this is only the same idea dressed in other words? The words may differ because the traditions of yoga and the tradition of fulfillment of desires differ.

We may conclude that we should try to keep ourselves happy and only think of good things, because if we do, only good things should come our way. However, this may be somewhat oversimplifying as we actually do attract with all that goes on in our minds 24/7.

It’s impossible for us as humans to control all our conscious thoughts all day. And what about our unconscious thoughts? Of them we are not even aware. And what about the thoughts that passes through our minds when we are asleep in the night? Then we have even less control, although it is maintained that programming the mind with visualizations and affirmations just before falling asleep may be a useful tool.

Keeping up a face of happiness when we do not feel happy inside may also not always work. In fact, this may even be unhealthy, if taken to the extreme. The feelings that we have we should accept – and actually experience to their full extent. (This is actually a yogic practice called pratyahara.) Still, if we are determent we are able to accomplish a lot.

So, how do we go about to realize our desires with the karmic law and the law of attraction (LOA)?
On basis of what is said above, it should be possible to arrive at some useful conclusions regarding how to go about to actually have our true desires – and not only desperation – manifested in our everyday lives. It is obvious that the aim of the law of attraction differs from that of yoga. Therefore, the practical conclusions based on these philosophies also differ. The law of attraction aims at wishes coming true.

Most of the popular law of attraction authors focuses on acquiring material assets, such as money, houses or sports cars. The yogic view is not materialistic but spiritual. It is more about accepting what comes your way than about fulfillment of wishes. However, getting happier is a common goal. And of course, if you accomplish this with the help of yogic exercises, the law of attraction may give you a better life – happy thoughts attract more happiness.

Law of attraction and yoga practices
The methods used in yoga and law of attraction also differ. The practice of the law of attraction is dominated by visualizations and affirmations, which are to be repeated once or twice a day or even more often than that. These are exercises aimed at the realization of desires.

Such methods are a part of the yogic tradition also. In yogic practices you often just make a decision, utter it as a so-called sankalpa, often but not necessarily in a meditative state, and then you let it rest – let go you may say. However, in yoga these methods are not considered as the most important.

In law of attraction you should then also practice “positive thinking” and let go of negative emotions and limiting beliefs. However, if you feel really bad, positivity does not come naturally. Here the law of attraction advisors often appears to be reaching in the dark. The law of attraction doesn’t traditionally provide any specific therapeutic methods, it appears. Instead the practitioners tend to pick up on popular methods, such as ETP, without knowing so much about their therapeutic value in the long run.

In yoga on the other hand, most methods are actually therapeutic methods, i.e meditations and other exercises working with the yogic chakras. And many of these methods have been put to a test for thousands of years. And they have proven to work. So, why don’t use these methods to feel better even if we practice the law of attraction.

How the law of attraction and yoga handles healing and limiting beliefs
I believe yoga has a very significant advantage before the law of attraction when it comes to healing and dealing with limiting beliefs. When using the law of attraction, we focus on one desire, thus activating all the suppressed emotions, limiting beliefs, thought patterns etcetera related to that desire. Some of these we may not just be ready to give up yet. This may turn us upside down and make us feel desperate. Then manifestation will not occur or it will be a painful process.

Yoga on the other hand is relying on the inherent healing power of the body and mind instead. The healing process will proceed in the smoothest and most natural way. What is “on the top” and the easiest to release will go first. Then will follow what is revealed when that first layer is removed. So it will proceed in a natural way. This will take us faster to the goal of being happy, I believe.

Conclusion
From the above, the practical conclusions should be that we should use the yogic methods to make us healthy and feel better. This is what yoga and meditation is best at. Then we could use the law of attraction methods to realize our desires to feel even better.

Read more:
http://www.lawofattractionpov.com

http://www.yogapov.com
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