The REAL dark side of The Law of Attraction

[CrystalSong]

Auto correct! I'll be the death of me yet Everly! Windows 8 is a nightmare when it comes to this feature, if it doesn't recognize a word it turns it into a word it does know and no amount of back spacing can change its mind.

Vince, I equally poked at a lot of religions in my post. In particularly Buddhism and Christianity because those represent the two you and I come from, but the premise can be applied to all. When we accept any religious premise as a Truth - by the Law of Attraction we draw a corresponding experience to us.
Glad you suffered no nerve damage from it

I see people suffer or sin (or plop in your verb) based on their belief that that is what's happening to them. Another person without a religious definition might say they are in a learning transition or experiencing contrast for better understanding, or some other way to say it which doesn't imply that its unnatural or something to escape, avoid, or otherwise fear.

By Law of Attraction our internal views very much makes up our perceived reality and ours only, unless we choose to join in a collective experience via an established belief system. Make sense?

You of course do not have to believe this in any way shape or form, I merely find that dropping belief systems as fast as they can be rooted out transforms my experience in life, making me more light, expansive and carefree and more hourly in contact and communication with Spirit.
One could argue of course that that too is a belief system creating a LOA, and sure, why not. It's results are pretty good though!

Autocorrect is so much fun! I once texted my son that my grandson's meal on his flight home had been confirmed for a Vegetarian A***ole meal. When I tried again, it went to Vegetarian Aryan meal. I gave up.

I digress.

I do like this very much:
I merely find that dropping belief systems as fast as they can be rooted out transforms my experience in life,

[VinceField]

Originally Posted by athribiristan

Not trying to pick on you. You're the most interesting thing on TV

Haha If you say so! But don't sit so close, you're gonna ruin your eyes!

But that whole idea comes from an idea of judgement. Any time you are trying to become something that you are currently not, you are judging your present state relative to the state you are trying to acheive. One is clearly preferable to the other or there would be no impetus to change state.

Very true. But it's not so much of a moral "right" or "wrong," more of a "I prefer this over that." In this case, behavior that contrasts the idea of wholesomeness is not judged as morally wrong, but simply unskillful and undesirable. It's not "wrong" in a moral sense to lack skill, but with proper discernment one can see that there is a way that leads to more desirable and harmless states of mind: peace, happiness, love, etc.. There will always be judgement with any choice, it's a matter of the nature of that judgement.

Your statement above, and Buddhism in general seem to suggest that suffering is wrong, that's my only point. You've simply changed the focus of judgment from the action to the state.

According to my experience, studies, and countless discussions on Buddhism forums, I'd say that Buddhism suggests that suffering is not wrong, but again, undesirable. I have yet to come across a teaching indicating a moral judgement of right or wrong regarding suffering itself. I don't think right and wrong in this sense apply to states. Like you said, it is what it is!

It simply seems to overlook suffering as a valid and sometimes appropriate experience.

I'm not so sure about this. Buddhist teachings indicate that suffering is the result of unskillful actions, ie actions born from unwholesome mental states like greed, ill-will, ignorance, etc. This is a valid and appropriate experience for those particular causes. Also, when looking into Buddhist teachings of karma, they indicate that suffering is an excellent teacher, as the results of karma allow us to see the harmful actions that caused this suffering and give us the insight and inspiration to change.

Originally Posted by CrystalSong

You of course do not have to believe this in any way shape or form, I merely find that dropping belief systems as fast as they can be rooted out transforms my experience in life, making me more light, expansive and carefree and more hourly in contact and communication with Spirit.
One could argue of course that that too is a belief system creating a LOA, and sure, why not. It's results are pretty good though!

Thoughts, intentions, beliefs, actions, these are all tools. The idea is to use these tools skillfully. If your belief system is serving you well then there is no reason to abandon it. There is really no complete abandonment of belief anyway, there is only a substituting of one belief for another.

[7luminaries]

Vince first of all I largely agree with your points.

I think the others also have good points regarding clarifying for the rest of us in more detail just what the LOA is and how it works.

Whereas you are describing its ability to be used either skillfully or unskillfully...and clearly, one is more preferable. Unskillful use of the LOA is only going to tend to increase one's suffering.

You pretty much sum it up here:

There are those who know what they need, and those who think they know what they need but are wrong. Many people operate from a place of ego, attachment, aversion, delusion, and other unwholesome states of mind, and coming from unskillful states of mind like these, a person is likely to have a distorted perspective regarding what is the best for them. They are likely to be swayed by the ego's desires for sensual pleasure rather than spiritual growth. Most people I know fall into this category to some extent.

Interestingly, I have observed that modern Buddhist scholars (like the Dalai Lama, Thicht Nhat Hahn, and others) have increasingly moved in the direction of espousing an integrated, heart-led consciousness, where the physical and intellectual faculties are well-developed, disciplined, engaged and in harmony, in service to heart. I believe the Dalai Lama's earlier quote was mentioned, and Thicht Nhat Hahn discusses the centrality of the heart-led consciousness in nearly all his works. Both they and others discuss the centrality to this integrated consciousness and integrated doing and being in day-to-day life for humanity's continued existence. I strongly agree with all of this.

In this way, modern Buddhism has continued to evolve (leading edge, anyway) and has gone beyond the focus of Buddhism of Buddha's day, where basic theory, skillful means, right alignment, and equanimity were the initial, necessary points of focus (although these are still critical, or course). In this way, it continues to enrich and inform humanity and other all other spiritual traditions, to the extent they are open to receive the wisdom. The integrated, heart-led consciousness is very much, IMO, the key to not only our growth, but also to our very survival.

Peace & blessings,
7L

[VinceField]

Originally Posted by 7luminaries

The integrated, heart-led consciousness is very much, IMO, the key to not only our growth, but also to our very survival.

Peace & blessings,
7L

Absolutely. In Buddhism this is known as Metta, translated as goodwill or loving kindness. It is essentially the cultivation of indiscriminative kindness and the wish for all beings to be truly happy. It is definitely crucial to integrate Metta practice into one's tranquility and insight practices for well-rounded development, as it is very effective in eliminating ill-will and increases one's own peace of mind and happiness.

I think the dark side comes down to the fact that some people are naturally future-oriented while others are present- or past-oriented. For the latter two visualizations might actually hinder success and happiness because practicing them is like going against your nature. And it's usually useless. People like that should rather focus on the positive events and people from the past or/and present and be grateful and affirm positive thoughts about the present than visualize some perfect situation. That's why The Secret makes it look like all people are the same (future-oriented) which is not true at all. Visualizing when you are past- or present-oriented in fact might get you depressed and less happy than by just using positive affirmations about the present and remembering the good things that happened in your life (e.g. spiritual/positive people you met in the past, etc.)

Blessings!

[athribiristan]

Ok, there is no dark side of the LoA. That's like talking about the dark side of a hammer or a screwdriver. Whatever the perceived darkness is is a reflection of self, not a reflection of any tool that we may use regardless of whether we use it 'well' or not.

[MIND POWER]

Without the law of magnetism, we would not be able to live in my opinion. I am not sure why people say things like (Oh the dark side of law of attraction). Its just the law of magnetism, its does not discriminate.

[Deepsoul]

Right On Crystalsong, Feeling an overload at times from this forum,as beliefs are forged and fallen away but greatly enjoy the insight of fellow seekers and nowers or Knowers although for sure it is just confirmation of an already personal growth experience its nice to have that. Reality is getting educated; and illusions are being laid to rest ! I love me, "God" loves me, Me loves "God" Without letting myself surrender to loving the highest source, I literally have heart pain so to me thats a pretty good sign that theres something big going on.Anyway I wish all a safe and sane day Love Deepsoul

Originally Posted by athribiristan

Ok, there is no dark side of the LoA. That's like talking about the dark side of a hammer or a screwdriver. Whatever the perceived darkness is is a reflection of self, not a reflection of any tool that we may use regardless of whether we use it 'well' or not.

WELL SAID :)