I don’t wish to be a negative person here, or to offer an assessment of the entire field of so-called ‘New Age’ philosophies, because to the person of reasonable acuity and judgement it seems obvious that ‘Snake Oil’ merchants abound in this subject area.
However, it would be dishonest of me, and negligent of my duties as a practitioner of analysis to plough on with this project without providing a clear caveat for the visitor.
What do I mean by this?
Well, because much of the material and range of ideas which characterise ‘Manifesting’, or the concepts of self development and spiritual/scientific investigation are open-ended, and notional it means that the barrier of entry is very low; anyone who feels they want to contribute, or offer something for sale can do so unimpeded. One does not have to transgress the laws of any land, or present anything obviously invalid to present unethical content, or items. Technically speaking a Snake Oil seller is perfectly able to sell, so long as they observe the letter of the law; but because something is ‘legal’ does not guarantee its true effectiveness, or its veracity!
Caveat Emptor, this most ancient of advice translates into English as being: Let the buyer beware!
This alerts us to the reality that we are ultimately responsible for what we choose to purchase, when Jack decided to buy the magic beans from the rascal, instead of buying a milk cow like his mom told him, it was his choice, there was nothing illegal in the sale.
So dear reader, I am declaring my credentials, I am describing the potential for trickery, and deception, for falsehood, and deceptive practices, we know this takes place and that a percentage of people can be counted on to fall victim to these, otherwise criminals and confidence tricksters would not bother themselves, ultimately it is we who provide these people with their living.
I ask you therefore, to always do your homework, look up terms, investigate claims, don’t be satisfied with the surface layer. Quality is gained through discernment, I ask you to beware, but not universally cynical!
We can protect ourselves by dismissing everything we see, we can uniformly consign all that is presented to the waste bin of scepticism; but this would be a shame, because the world is filled with wondrous potential, people are genuinely seeking answers to the ancient questions.
As the Desiderata tells us, ‘Exercise caution in your business affairs, for the world is full of trickery, but let this not blind you to what virtue there is; many persons strive for high ideals, and everywhere life is full of heroism.”
When Napoleon Hill decided to compile the book he intended to write, he did so with the very sound idea that there is a way of thinking, a particular need for people to made aware of how they can strive to make their lives more abundant, and ultimately to arrive at the place they wished to be, rather than resign themselves to their imagined fate.
This was the kernel, the essence of Napoleon Hill’s insights, that we each have the capacity to improve our lives, and to genuinely transform our work into becoming many times more effective.
When Bob Proctor met the people who guided him, when he was a very poor firefighter in Canada who owed more than he earned in a year, he was given the idea that he could build a business and become his own savior.
This is what Bob did, he set up a cleaning business which provided services to office owners, shopping mall owners, and all kinds of building owners; his business became international and it made him eventually very wealthy indeed.
This is ‘The Secret’, it is not about imagining piles of cash appearing, or putting out ‘good vibes’ so that the angels favour your efforts. Not at all, what the ‘Secret’ is, has more to do with your own thinking, perhaps you can move yourself towards being successful, through setting up a course of action which amplifies your intentions.
Bob Proctor’s cleaning business is not remarkable, it is something any of us could achieve, but so many people limit themselves: “Oh I could not run a business!”, but why not?
Changing how you think about yourself, and what you are capable of, this is the true ‘Magic’, and it often requires a significant change in your life to make you aware of the possibility.
So, I once again ask you, please be careful what you buy into, because the true results you seek are within your own reach. You do not need expensive tools, or training, if you look at the journey many of the people you follow actually took, it did not require them to spend vast amounts of their life’s savings, Bob Proctor took Napoleon Hill’s book and some advice from a mentor then he took action and set out to achieve his vision of owning a cleaning business.
The results of owning a cleaning business, or a bakery, or a writing service, a clothes making shop…whatever it is you feel drawn to building, is the expansion of possibilities. Everywhere people are trying to ensure your energy and attention is fixed on what they want you to do; the point is, you need to fix it on what you intend to do.
I don’t know who you are, or the story of your life, I am unaware of the difficulties you have faced or will face, but I do know you are a human being with a heart, and mind. With our hearts and mind we have all that we need to get out of the situation we are in, and to improve our lives, and the lives of those we love.
This is my intention, and my ambition with this project. I know that people have beaten the odds, they have overcome the chains they were born into, I know individuals who have transformed their world into a true form they dreamed was possible.
We need to remain true to this course. The Secret, and Manifesting are all about the human spirit, and our desire to move forward, to enlarge our thinking, to imagine ourselves as being more and then becoming more.
This is why people who have come from poor backgrounds, and difficult times to then triumph and eventually manifest their vision of life being more often want to help others do the same.
Check out the content on this humble media site, and others in the field, follow links and offers of additional help, and tools, but always keep this one insight firmly in your heart: It is you who will make the difference, it is you who must grasp the reality of your own success. I sincerely wish you the very best. I look forward to hearing from you, tell me your story, perhaps I can help you too.