By Scott Kalechstein
THE SECRET is out, way out. Those who have been entrenched in feelings of powerlessness are finding their mojo by applying its principles. Yay to the setting of intentions, the power of positive thinking, and the wondrous Law of Attraction! Yay to manifesting a perfect soul mate, the ideal income, and our wildest dreams! Rock on, minds of mankind!
And while I am glad it has become so popular, I do have a few further thoughts to add to the conversation. When it comes to the Law of Attraction, I'm a bit of an out-law. To me it's a little piece of the truth, and in the minds of egos wanting to play God, that can be a little dangerous. I believe that letting people in on the creative power of thought without also giving equal emphasis to the Law of Allowing is a bit like teaching people inhaling without letting them in on an intimate and inseparable part of the process ? exhaling!
To put it simply, the Law of Attraction is about how to get what you want. The Law of Allowing is about appreciating what you get; in other words, letting go and letting God, or seeking ye first the Kingdom. When applied together, these Laws bring balance to the active and receptive male and female energies found within each of us.
It's no secret that getting what you want doesn't automatically lead to lasting fulfillment. If that were the case, the bathroom cabinets of the married, rich, and famous would not be filled with such an abundant supply of expensive anti-depression and anti-anxiety medication.
A Course In Miracles puts it bluntly: "The world I see holds nothing that I want."
Yet we all want what we want. But what's up with all this wanting? While wanting can be defined as desiring, it is also synonymous with lacking. "The Lord is my Shepard, I shall not want" means that when we surrender our attachment to a specific outcome and trust in the benevolence of the universe, we shall not lack. And that is the Law of Allowing.
When we get rigidly attached to a desired outcome, however, we are coming from the assumption that we are not whole beings until we get what we want. And that's an illusion that life delights in coaxing us to let go of.
Thaddeus Golas, in The Lazy Man's Guide to Enlightenment, says "There is a good attitude to take towards any goal: It's nice if it happens, nice if it doesn't." Does that mean we are to be detached from having passion? No, just detached from craving an outcome, from thinking there is some tear in the fabric of God's perfection that needs to be stitched before we can fully enjoy being alive.
I love watching dogs run after seagulls on the beach. They set their sights on a flock and then are focused, single-minded, and even quite passionate about running down a bird. At the same time, they are very fulfilled in the thrill of the chase, having a tremendous amount of fun just frolicking on the beach. Going home without having caught a bird doesn't for one moment diminish their love of life.
When we realize that just being alive is the gift that keeps on giving, we may pursue our own gulls just as passionately, but far less frantically. We value the process as much as the intended outcome. We embrace whatever we encounter along the trip with loving arms open wide enough to be grateful for it all.
When we have tasted the nectar of a fulfillment that is not dependent on the outside world granting us our desires, we realize that life is blessing us as much when we don't get what we want as when we do. In those times we get to practice being friends with reality, letting go of our adversarial position to what is. A heavy burden is lifted each time we release the arrogant assumption that we are in possession of the big picture perspective enough to really know what our highest good is supposed to look like. We get to more thoroughly chew on yet another spiritual slice of humble pie A Course In Miracles invites us to digest: "I don't perceive my own best interests."
There's nothing wrong with having goals and using the Law of Attraction to manifest them. Yet you can attain the world, only to have your achievements magnify and intensify your inner turmoil. An ego's basic condition of lack, that nagging sense of ?not enough-ness,' cannot be overcome by worldy success. When Jesus said his Kingdom is not of this world, he was speaking for all of us.
Even my mother, a devout, practicing atheist, will exclaim after the first bite of some fabulous dessert, "Out of this world!" (It has been said that there are no atheists in foxholes, and I would venture to add that there also aren't any biting into Junior's New York cheesecake!)
The Bigger Secret is that there is a state of being available to us that is not of this world. Echoes of it visit us ever so briefly; the first few morsels of cheesecake, the first few mouthfuls of romantic love, and other fleeting moments of satisfaction. For some people who consistently choose to practice "Seek ye first the Kingdom", that state sets up shop and sticks around as part of the fabric. It becomes the foundation of a sense of self rooted in eternity.
That's what I want, to abide in a love that is not of this world. Perhaps that's what we all want, even when we are seeking to manifest things of this world.
Have you had enough of a sense of not enough? Do you want out of the state of wanting that always leaves us wanting more? Let's remember together: "I am as God created me, and I am free, whole and complete as I am. I am enough, I have enough, and I do enough. I wake up from the dream of lack. I am drenched in abundance at all times. Every sunrise is proof of my infinite wealth, every breath is a miracle, and all is supremely and eternally well."
When that state of enoughness takes root in you and permeates your being, you will most probably be moved to chase some gulls and have some fun.
Gangway? I'll see you on the beach!
"Those who bind themselves to a joy
Doth thy winged life destroy
But those who kiss the joy as it flies
Live in eternity's sunrise".
--William Blake
Scott Kalechstein is an aspiring ambassador of The Bigger Secret. He is known and celebrated (and sometimes tolerated) for his playful and passionate propensity for alliteration. In addition, he is a traveling minister, a Life Coach, a modern day troubadour, and an inspirational speaker. He travels the United States, Canada, Africa, and Europe giving concerts, talks and workshops, as well as presenting at conferences. Please visit www.scottsongs.com to find out more and to sample songs. You can also sign up there for his free muse-letters to receive articles like this one on a bi-monthly basis.
