Gavin Howe
The Law of Attraction, a principle that asserts the power of thought in shaping one's reality, has roots that extend deep into history, with influences from various cultures and philosophies. While the term Law of Attraction is relatively modern, the concept has been around for centuries. The idea that like attracts like has been attributed to ancient Hermetic philosophy and Hermes Trismegistus. The New Thought movement, which grew out of the teachings of Phineas Quimby in the 19th century, also contributed to the development of the Law of Attraction. Quimby's work focused on the idea of mind over body and the impact of thoughts and beliefs on our experiences. In the 20th century, authors like Napoleon Hill, Neville Goddard, and Norman Vincent Peale further popularized the Law of Attraction with their books, emphasizing the importance of positive thinking and creative visualization in achieving success. Today, the Law of Attraction continues to be a pervasive force in personal development and spiritual circles, with authors like Louise Hay, Wayne Dyer, and Esther Hicks contributing to its understanding.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Roots | The principle has roots in the New Thought movement, which grew out of the teachings of Phineas Quimby in the early 19th century. |
| Ancient Origins | The term "Law of Attraction" is relatively modern, but its principles can be traced back to ancient civilizations, including Hermetic philosophy and Vedic traditions of ancient India. |
| Key Figures | Earnest Holmes, Napoleon Hill, W. Clement Stone, Norman Vincent Peale, Neville Goddard, Esther Hicks, Jerry Hicks, Louise Hay, Wayne Dyer |
| Scientific Basis | The Law of Attraction has no demonstrable scientific basis, but its followers cite scientific theories to justify their beliefs. |
| Criticism | Critics argue that it oversimplifies life's complexities and overlooks external factors. |
| Personal Development | The Law of Attraction is pervasive in personal development and spiritual circles, with followers believing that positive thoughts and emotions can attract positive experiences and opportunities. |
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What You'll Learn
The Secret and its role in popularising the law
The Secret, a documentary film and subsequent book by Rhonda Byrne, played a significant role in popularising the law of attraction. Released in 2006, The Secret brought the concept of the law of attraction to a global audience, igniting a worldwide movement and changing millions of lives.
The basic principle of The Secret is the law of attraction, which asserts the power of thought in shaping one's reality. The Secret proposes that like attracts like, and that by changing one's negative thinking patterns and combining positive thoughts with positive emotions, individuals can attract positive experiences and opportunities into their lives. This idea is summed up by Rhonda Byrne, who states, "The more effortless you are, the greater you manifest everything that you ever dreamt of."
The Secret emphasises the importance of belief, suggesting that whatever one believes, one will manifest. It encourages individuals to focus on their desires and visualise them as already achieved. According to The Secret, by asking for what one wants, visualising it, and believing in it, one can attract it into their life. This message resonated with many people, offering a seemingly simple formula for success and happiness.
However, some critics argue that The Secret and the law of attraction overlook the importance of action. While positive thinking and visualisation are essential, they are not enough on their own to achieve goals. Critics suggest that The Secret promotes the idea that reaching goals will be easy and comfortable, neglecting the need for hard work and effort.
Despite this criticism, The Secret played a pivotal role in bringing the law of attraction into the mainstream. It sparked a global conversation about the power of thought and the potential to create one's reality. The Secret's popularity led to a surge of interest in the law of attraction, with various authors and speakers contributing to its development and a growing audience seeking to understand and apply its principles in their lives.
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Ancient origins: Hermes Trismegistus and Karma
The Law of Attraction, a principle that asserts the power of thought in shaping one's reality, has deep roots in history, with its principles extending across various cultures and philosophies.
Ancient Hermetic philosophy, attributed to Hermes Trismegistus, explored the idea that like attracts like. Hermes Trismegistus is believed to have authored the Emerald Tablet, a key Hermetic text, which contains the maxim, "As above, so below; as below, so above". This principle highlights the correspondence between the laws and phenomena of different planes of existence, emphasizing the dual nature of everything with its pair of opposites. The seven hermetic principles, outlined by Hermes Trismegistus, provide a foundation for understanding and empowering oneself. These principles influenced ancient Greek and Egyptian cultures, with Hermes Trismegistus revered as a god of wisdom.
In the context of ancient Indian Vedic traditions, the concept of Karma is closely aligned with the Law of Attraction. Karma represents the law of cause and effect, where actions and intentions shape one's destiny. This belief in karmic consequences and the influence of past actions on the present aligns with the broader theme of personal actions and thoughts impacting one's life path, as suggested by the Law of Attraction.
The Law of Attraction gained prominence in the late 19th and early 20th centuries with the emergence of the New Thought movement. Thinkers like Phineas Quimby, Mary Baker Eddy, and Emma Curtis Hopkins contributed to the idea that thoughts and beliefs directly impact our experiences. The work of Norman Vincent Peale, "The Power of Positive Thinking", further popularized the notion that a positive mindset leads to success and happiness. The 21st century saw the Law of Attraction enter mainstream awareness with the release of "`The Secret`, a documentary, and subsequent book. Authors like Louise Hay, Wayne Dyer, and Esther Hicks have also contributed to the understanding and application of the Law of Attraction, incorporating concepts like visualization and affirmations.
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The New Thought movement and Phineas Quimby
The New Thought movement is a religious movement that emerged in the United States in the early 19th century. It is based on the teachings of Phineas Quimby, an American mesmerist and healer.
Quimby developed a belief system that held that illness originated in the mind as a consequence of erroneous beliefs. In other words, the mind creates our reality. According to Quimby, if the mind is corrected of wrong thinking, the body will be cured of its diseases and problems. This premise is encapsulated in the following quote:
> The trouble is in the mind, for the body is only the house for the mind to dwell in [...] Therefore, if your mind had been deceived by some invisible enemy into a belief, you have put it into the form of a disease, with or without your knowledge. By my theory or truth, I come in contact with your enemy, and restore you to health and happiness. This I do partly mentally, and partly by talking until I correct the wrong impression and establish the Truth, and the Truth is the cure.
Quimby's teachings were influenced by his experience with tuberculosis. The medicine of the time had no cure for the disease, so Quimby took up horse riding, which temporarily relieved him of his affliction. This experience prompted him to pursue a study of "Mind over Body".
Quimby's teachings were further developed by his students and patients, including Warren Felt Evans, Annetta Seabury Dresser, Julious Dresser, and Mary Baker Eddy, the founder of the Christian Science movement. While there are many leaders and various offshoots of the New Thought philosophy, the origins of New Thought are often traced back to Quimby. Thus, he is regarded as the "'intellectual father' of the movement.
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The role of creative visualisation
The Law of Attraction is a principle that asserts the power of thought in shaping one's reality. It has roots that extend deep into history, with the term "Law of Attraction" being relatively recent, but the essence of its principles can be traced back to ancient civilizations. The New Thought movement, which grew out of the teachings of Phineas Quimby in the early 19th century, contributed to the idea that our thoughts and beliefs have a direct impact on our experiences.
Creative visualization is a powerful technique used in the Law of Attraction to manifest one's desires and attract positive experiences. It involves using one's imagination to create vivid mental images of already having achieved one's goals and living one's dream life. This combines positive thoughts with positive emotions, which is believed to create a resonance with the proposed energetic law and attract similar positive experiences and opportunities.
The first step in creative visualization is learning how to meditate effectively. This requires strong mind focus, which can be achieved through proper meditation techniques such as focusing on slow, steady breathing and envisioning a state of calm and tranquility. Once an individual has mastered meditation, they can begin to use visualization techniques to attract their desires.
One important technique in creative visualization is to visualize from the inside, making oneself a part of the desired outcome. For example, instead of just visualizing a desired object such as a car, one should imagine themselves driving the car, feeling the steering wheel, and experiencing the emotions that come with it. By holding on to these emotions and allowing them to influence their day-to-day life, individuals increase the likelihood of manifestation.
Creative visualization is a continuous process, and the more it is practiced, the better it becomes. It is a central part of the Law of Attraction, and individuals can use these techniques to attract not only their biggest desires but also smaller everyday comforts such as a cup of coffee or a good night's sleep. Through the use of creative visualization, individuals can shape their thoughts and emotions to align with their desired outcomes, thus playing a crucial role in the Law of Attraction.
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The scientific basis of the law
The Law of Attraction is a spiritual belief that asserts the power of thought in shaping one's reality. While the term "Law of Attraction" is relatively recent, its principles can be traced back to ancient civilizations. Ancient Hermetic philosophy, for example, explored the idea that "like attracts like". Despite its ancient roots and popularity, the Law of Attraction has faced criticism and skepticism, particularly regarding its scientific basis.
Proponents of the Law of Attraction argue that it is based on scientific theories. They cite the magnetic field theory of Maxwell, which states that thoughts are magnetic in nature. According to this interpretation, ion currents traveling across neurons during synaptic transmission (thinking) create electrical activity in the brain, and every electric current produces a magnetic field. Thus, thoughts create a powerful magnetic field that attracts similar vibrations and frequencies, manifesting one's ideas into reality.
Additionally, followers of the Law of Attraction believe that everything, including thoughts, consists of tiny molecules that vibrate continually. This idea aligns with the law of vibration, which states that everything moves, and nothing remains still. By generating positive vibrations through thoughts and emotions, individuals can attract positive experiences and opportunities, according to this belief system.
However, critics argue that the Law of Attraction has no demonstrable scientific basis. They accuse its proponents of misusing and misrepresenting scientific concepts. For example, some claim that the Law of Attraction oversimplifies the complexities of life and ignores external factors that influence outcomes. Recent empirical research has also linked the Law of Attraction to higher risk-taking behaviors, particularly financial risks, and a higher susceptibility to bankruptcy.
While there may be anecdotal evidence and personal testimonies supporting the Law of Attraction, the lack of empirical scientific evidence makes it challenging to validate its effectiveness scientifically.
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Frequently asked questions
The law of attraction is a principle that asserts the power of thought in shaping one's reality.
The law of attraction has roots that extend deep into history, with connections to various cultures and philosophies. While the term "law of attraction" is relatively modern, the idea itself is not. Ancient Hermetic philosophy, particularly the teachings attributed to Hermes Trismegistus, explored the concept that "like attracts like".
Earnest Holmes, in the early 20th century, provided a structured exploration of the law of attraction in his work "The Science of Mind". Other notable figures include Phineas Quimby, Mary Baker Eddy, and Emma Curtis Hopkins, who contributed to the idea that thoughts and beliefs impact our experiences. Authors like Louise Hay, Wayne Dyer, and Esther Hicks have also contributed to the understanding and application of the law of attraction.
The late 19th and early 20th centuries marked a significant development for the law of attraction with the emergence of the New Thought movement. The principles of positive thinking, mental healing, and the power of the mind gained prominence. In the 21st century, the law of attraction gained mainstream attention with the release of the documentary and book "The Secret".
Despite its popularity, the law of attraction has faced criticism and skepticism. Some argue that it oversimplifies life's complexities and ignores external factors influencing outcomes. Critics also question its scientific basis and real-world applicability. Recent research suggests that while followers of the law of attraction may exhibit higher perceived levels of success, they also show a tendency towards higher-risk behaviours, particularly financial risks.
