Tuning to the Calm Within, by Tracy Friend

Tracy Friend — Sun, 14 Jun 2020 18:41:22 +0000

“Remember the entrance to the sanctuary is inside you.” Rumi

When the outside world seems to have a certain amount of uncertainty, on the spiritual path we can work on cultivating the ability to tune in to inner peace and fulfilment. Indeed, whilst there can be challenging emotions on the surface layer of the mind, below the surface there is calmness and well-being. Like at the depth of the ocean, there is stillness even if there are waves on the surface.

The Importance of Acceptance
There is a teaching from the Buddha about two arrows, where the first arrow is whatever is actually occurring and the second arrow is our reaction to what is occurring. It is said that a lot of difficult emotions are due to the second arrow as well as the first arrow. Even if an unwanted event or extremely challenging situation has occurred we can still work on transforming our reaction to it.

Practising Acceptance
In meditation and daily life developing the ability to not push against any difficult feelings rather developing the ability to sit with them and allow them to be is extremely valuable. It can sometimes be helpful in meditation to silently repeat to yourself words such as ‘allow’ or ‘I allow this’. This practice allows the unconditioned mind to hold the conditioned mind in unconditional awareness and to therefore be with what is being experienced in a non-reactive way. Interestingly, there can also be a practice of accepting non-acceptance. This holding of the conditioned mind in the unconditioned mind starts to purify the mind of any beliefs that aren’t our true nature.

Looking for the Good in the Current Situation
Focusing on the good in a situation is not pretending that there aren’t difficulties but instead it involves selectively focusing on what is genuinely good. Furthermore, this doesn’t mean that we don’t take any action that needs to be taken but rather from a place of greater connection to our True Self our action will be more guided from broader perspective if there is any action that is for the highest good.

One practice that you might like to do is asking yourself ‘how can I grow and develop from this situation’, ‘is there anything that is genuinely good about this situation or that has come from this situation’ and to make a list of the different things that come to mind.

For example in the current situation for some people there may be a greater opportunity to go within and to reflect more with less of the busyness of day to day life.

Focusing on Well-being of Others Increases your own Well-being
A few months ago I did yoga teacher training in India. In the evening there was chanting of mantras and one of the teachers there who had a strong faith in a loving, universal energy was talking about the importance of sending good wishes to others. In addition to this practice helping to positively influence others it also brings greater peace of mind to the person doing the practice.

The Benefits of Finding the Calm Within
Finding the calm within is beneficial in and of itself and in addition it allows us to progress deeper on our spiritual journey. In a recent meditation retreat that I took part in one of the teachers said “when the surface of the lake is still, you can see deep”. Indeed, in this calm state any deeper mental impurities in which there are thoughts that are in opposition to our true nature can be witnessed and through this witnessing with a calm mind they can start to be purified and released.

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Tracy teaches online and in-person across Europe, the US and Asia sharing profound yet practical techniques that positively improve people’s lives. She has created visualisations, online courses, a free daily online meditation and offers one-to-one Law of Attraction coaching. She is the founder of Liberating the Heart with teachings for creating your reality and awakening more deeply to your true nature. Facebook | LinkedIn | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest

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Progressing on the Spiritual Path in 2020, by Tracy Friend

Tracy Friend — Thu, 30 Jan 2020 17:51:35 +0000

“Every moment is a fresh beginning.” T.S. Eliot

Our spiritual path will usually continue to evolve over time as we release more and more beliefs that aren’t our true nature and come into greater connection with our true self.

The Law of Attraction teachings recognise that it is completely valid to want to manifest certain things in our lives. I have seen for some people that when they have manifested a comfortable life situation that the emphasis in their spiritual practice then shifts from the conditions of their life experience to more of an internal focus on how they would like to feel and their connection to Source. This was the same for myself, when I first discovered the Law of Attraction my emphasis was on increasing well-being and changing different areas of life experience. However, now my emphasis is much more on doing practices that facilitate being more in a natural state of love and connection.

The start of a new year can be a good time to reflect on why we are pursuing our spiritual path. The reason/(s) why we are pursuing a spiritual path can then determine what practices we place emphasis upon incorporating into our daily life. For example, if our main intention is to make changes to outer circumstances in our lives, Law of Attraction focusing methods could be the most beneficial. However, if our intention is on coming increasingly into our natural state of presence then certain specific meditation practices might be more appropriate.

It can also be helpful to reflect on how we can keep our spiritual journey alive, inspired and with new possibilities rather than monotonous. For myself, inspiration comes from maintaining a daily spiritual practice, continuing to read and listen to material from different spiritual paths and going on retreats now and then which I find helpful for going deeper in the practice in an environment that is conducive to doing so without the usual routines of everyday life.

It can often feel very meaningful to reflect on spiritual experiences we’ve had as we may start to see a thread that seems to weave it’s way through our life experience with things such as beautiful synchronicities and moments of presence that can help us to remember that we do live in a benevolent, interconnected Universe. If inspired, you might like to write a list of things that you appreciate from 2019 and to include on the list any positive spiritual experiences and synchronicities that you had.

If there has been a particular difficulty on our path that we haven’t managed to transcend previously, we might bring a renewed resolve to maintain or strengthen our positive focus. For instance, if there was debris accumulated in a river by gently continuing to wash parts of it away, there will come a time when it has gone completely. With challenges that seem to persist we might also like to ask the Universe something along the lines of “Please allow me to see this through the eyes of Source.” or “Please guide me to the most effective way to positively move through this.”

In addition to having a spiritual practice at a particular time/(s) of the day, to deepen and progress on our path, it can be very helpful to develop a more continuously mindful attitude. This assists with our spiritual practice becoming more and more integrated into all aspects of our life rather than just being an activity we do at certain times. By observing thoughts, feelings and sensations in the body as we go about our day to day lives we strengthen the witnessing consciousness part of our mind and increasingly develop the ability to ‘rest in awareness’ which assists with unravelling any beliefs that aren’t our true nature.

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Opening to Our Experience, by Tracy Friend

Tracy Friend — Sun, 25 Aug 2019 15:27:23 +0000

“…If you let go a little you will have a little peace; if you let go a lot you will have a lot of peace; if you let go completely you will have complete peace. “ Ajahn Chah

One of the greatest skills that we can master in life is developing the ability to bear with and to be open and present with our feelings even if they’re uncomfortable.

A significant cause of challenging emotional patterns that occur repeatedly is having not allowed the emotional energy to be fully felt and to move through us and as a result it can be held in what could be called an emotional block.

Our reactions to situations are usually much more about or certainly amplified by any unprocessed thought and emotional material than triggers from the current situation.

When we don’t allow ourselves to fully feel our feelings we can also then be overly identified with the emotion and believe that the emotion is who we are such as ‘I have sadness’ or ‘I am irritated easily’. This is simply because the emotion hasn’t been allowed to run its course so we don’t know that if we allowed ourselves to feel it fully that it would transform and evolve and on the other side of that emotion there would be better feeling emotions such as a greater sense of peace and love.

There can be a strong tendency to push any difficult emotions or thoughts out of awareness and there might be times on our spiritual journey where this is the best approach if we need to do this in order to keep feeling centred. However, from a place of feeling happier and more centred overall it can be useful to start allowing these emotions to surface and to develop the ability to calmly observe them with a balanced mind. When we develop the ability to stay present with emotions rather than trying to push them away there can sometimes be a fear that the feelings will carry on indefinitely. Though, if the energy of the emotion is allowed to run its course it will get diffused and transform as the often expressed quote ‘This too shall pass’ states.

We could practice observing the emotion and or any physical sensations that feel like they are linked to emotions. It can sometimes be helpful to have a secondary point of focus to help us stay open to our emotions without getting so overwhelmed. For example we could at the same time as staying present with our emotions, calmly focus on our breathing or gently repeat a word or phrase such as ‘I allow myself to feel this’.

Whilst staying more open to our experience and our emotions, it is good to not try to figure out what is causing the emotions as when we try to figure out the cause using our analytical mind this takes us away from being able to be present with the emotion and it is only with the power of presence that the emotion can begin to be transformed. When we stay present with the emotion there will come a time where any necessary insight and understanding into it will naturally arise.

This simple process of being present with our emotions is a very effective way to clear more and more blocks to the experience of knowing ourselves as our true essence of love.

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Staying Focused on the Spiritual Path, by Tracy Friend

Tracy Friend — Tue, 25 Jun 2019 13:26:40 +0000

“Be faithful in small things because it is in them that your strength lies.” Mother Teresa

There can be what could be called ‘dry patches’ on the spiritual path when we’re following our intuition, doing regular spiritual practice, feeling fairly content and yet it can seem that things aren’t moving forward in terms of the manifestations in our life.

Abraham Hicks have shared that 99.99% of all creation is finished before we see any physical evidence. When there are these times when things don’t seem to be changing in our outer lives and maybe things feel slightly stuck, if inspired it can be a good time to deepen our faith and resolve to practice in order to go deeper on our spiritual journey.

The most important way to know that we’re on track even when things don’t seem to be changing in our lives is by how we feel. If we’re feeling positive emotion that is an indicator that we’re going in the right direction and that in time we will see things evolve and transform in a positive way. During these sorts of times as well as maintaining our spiritual practice, we could also ask the Universe to bring us any teachings that will be for our highest good. In addition, appreciating what is good about our current life can help to keep us in a mode of flowing and more at peace with our current life.

As we maintain our spiritual practice and focus on good feeling thoughts, every thought that is in alignment with our true nature becomes increasingly denser and solidifies and then it reaches a point when it manifests into physical form. Therefore all of the spiritual practice that we’re doing will be bearing fruit even if there are not yet any manifestations indicating this.

As the quote at the beginning of the article states, we can have strength by having faith in small things, which could be interpreted as saying that even small manifestations, signs or synchronicities can help us to have faith. However, it is important to emphasise that this is not a blind faith, rather developing this sort of faith is based on our actual personal experience and seeing for ourselves how our beliefs and spiritual practice positively influence our life.

Later on we’re often able to see in hindsight how different pieces of the puzzle were fitting together and how things were evolving for our highest good.

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Conditional and Unconditional Happiness, by Tracy Friend

Tracy Friend — Tue, 04 Jun 2019 10:48:37 +0000

Different spiritual practices could be categorised into those that develop circumstances that lead to happiness based on harmonious conditions or life experiences and those that develop happiness due to coming into greater alignment with our true nature in which there can be increased contentment and balance of the mind irrespective of conditions. I feel that both are very worthwhile pursuits in order to create happiness, a life that feels meaningful and to have a balanced mind that is able to navigate and deal with life’s changing circumstances.

Often more immediate benefit can be experienced from practicing methods that create good life circumstances. Working on coming into greater alignment with our true nature is a practice that takes place more incrementally over time and it is also good to do these sort of practices at quite a gentle pace, following your intuition as to how much of this type of practice to do, to allow time for things to integrate and unfold in a natural way.

Law of Attraction methods such as making lists of things that we appreciate and working on changing our beliefs on specific subjects can start to transform the conditions of our life experience for the better and keep us in a more positive frame of mind day to day. Meditation with practices such as observing sensations in the body that arise during meditation can start to bring us into greater alignment with our true nature. With a balanced, calm and non-reactive mind, witnessing sensations that arise in meditation begins to purify the mind overtime by releasing any unhelpful patterns that aren’t our true nature. It could be said the unconditional part of the mind embraces any challenging mental patterns which can start to dissolve and integrate them.

In my work I am passionate about helping people with the relative nature of their lives and also the more universal work of embodying, integrating and allowing more of their true nature. Both types of practices benefit the other type as when we’re feeling more at ease, resilient and happier in our lives it can provide a platform in which to delve deeper into experiencing who we are at the deepest level. Likewise, developing the mind to be more in alignment irrespective of conditions helps us to be more in a positive mind-state which allows more of what is wanted to manifest in our lives.

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Five Essential Daily Practices, by Michael James

Michael James — Wed, 09 Jan 2019 17:30:56 +0000

TUNE IN

Beginning the day with what most people call “meditation” is key for me. Meditation simply means focusing on something that doesn’t get you into thoughts. After a while the process tunes me in and anchors me. Like sleep, it’s a process that happens to you rather than one you make happen. What I’ve found is that if I don’t do the amount of meditation my guidance tells me, it’s almost pointless. I don’t believe in that idea that “even five minutes is good” – because most people just sit there thinking for those five or even fifteen minutes. This isn’t meditation – it’s thinking. For me and many others, it takes longer than that for the thoughts to settle. It is only when the thoughts settle that meditation begins. So I do the amount of time my inner knowing tells me to, and get synced up with who I am. I have the discipline to follow through with this, which is a huge benefit in my life.

WORKOUT

Going to the gym is also a meditation for me, I go to the gym because it’s another way I get centred, plus I enjoy the results.

ACTION

The contemporary spirituality world can mix up “going with the flow” with laziness. All the successful people I have personally known are constantly working and taking action – they don’t just sit around daydreaming. It’s not what the action does, but more than it gets you in your flow more than just sitting there thinking – which leads to stagnation. It’s working right I’m talking about, not working hard.
So I like to write down which tasks I’ve been guided to do for this day – and then check them off at the end of the day. So if I say I’m going to do something on my things to do today list – I do it. This is about having integrity. At the moment I’m writing a book so I make sure I add to it everyday. Staying in action is a meditation for me that keeps me out of mind wandering. It also feels good for me to do something new each day – add something slightly different to what I’ve done before or a slightly different approach to something familiar – it feels like I’m making the most of my life.

ALLOW MYSELF TO BE ME

All this contemporary spirituality stuff about “being mindful” and being loving and authentic all the time is a nice idea – but can have a real tinge of perfectionism and it can be very harsh against self: an endless trying to be better or do better. In this way, much of the contemporary spirituality movement and personal development is just more self-hatred in disguise – a constant telling you that you’re not good enough yet. I prefer to be me and yes, sometimes I judge, sometimes I lose my temper, sometimes I don’t have as much faith as I would like to etc. If I’m in that mood, I allow myself to be in that mood, knowing that Life is working on me in some way. What this gentleness with self does is allow the judgement to pass through before I act on it. For me, this is self-acceptance. Not being this perfect spiritual person who sends love and light to everyone 100% of the time. I’m not that person. In fact I’ve never met anyone who is that person.
My life is far more enjoyable than it used to be because I have found a way to be ok when I feel less than my best; to make peace with those moments. This place of non-resistance is what I’ve found everyone is seeking, when it comes down to it. So I like to take a few moments to list the good in all areas of my life. It’s amazing how this simple process can seem to shift your entire world.

ENVISION

Right now I spend a little time envisioning (visualising), as I’m currently writing a book about this subject – how to do it, the pitfalls etc. One of the keys is to visualise simply for the enjoyment of the process – rather than to try to make something you want happen. At bedtime, I also spend some time talking through my visions and my current insights. It’s a nice way to end the day.

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Michael James is an uplifting author, speaker and in-demand ‘life coach’ who teaches self-empowering techniques which allow people to live their best life. He has written the book Lighthouse and released the audio Relax, Release and Let Go. He also offers one to one coaching. Facebook | LinkedIn | Twitter | Google Plus | Instagram | Pinterest

Reflections on Presence, by Tracy Friend

Tracy Friend — Wed, 17 Oct 2018 14:11:46 +0000

“What we are looking for is what is looking.” St Francis of Assisi

Presence may be defined as ‘being present with the source part of the mind’.

It is widely discussed about how mindfulness meditation develops presence by developing the ability to mindfully observe whatever is being experienced through one or all of the senses.

Not only does meditation in a very effective way enhance presence but the other Law of Attraction techniques including different methods of focusing on the best in our current experience and positively focusing forward also increase presence by aligning us with the Source part of ourselves.

In meditation by opening up to witnessing what is being experienced, this awareness begins to disintegrate and dissolve any thoughts and emotions that aren’t our true nature. It may be said that this happens by this witnessing mind, source part of ourselves embracing any conditioned parts of the mind that aren’t who we are at our core and when those parts of the mind are fully embraced by the source part of ourselves they dissolve and release back into their true nature.

When we have a depth of presence it could be likened to the calm water in the depth of the ocean that is undisturbed by any currents or waves closer to the surface. It’s not about trying to get rid of any waves on the surface of the water but rather presence allows us to fully experience life whilst remaining in alignment with who we really are which gives us a sense of perspective.

On the surface of our mind if we experience any thoughts or feelings that don’t feel good, with presence we start to realise that this isn’t our true nature and as we develop the ability to calmly observe our experience, we begin to increasingly know the transient nature of experience and that any challenging emotions will therefore pass.

This presence is universal, unconditional and always available. No matter what beliefs the conditioned part of our mind might have picked up, presence remains in a state of unconditional love. As presence is universal as we increasingly experience it through meditation and the different Law of Attraction techniques, we feel greater interconnectedness with ourselves, other people and the world around us.

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Becoming Spiritually Strong, by Tracy Friend

Tracy Friend — Wed, 04 Apr 2018 14:07:01 +0000

Fortitude definition: “Strength and firmness of mind; resolute endurance.”

Being spiritually strong is not about putting up with negative situations but rather having the mental strength to be able to focus to be in alignment with our True Self irrespective of conditions.

As our True Self is always strong, when our thoughts are matching that part of ourselves we naturally have a spiritual strength which broadens our consciousness so that more of our True Self influences and guides our lives. With spiritual strength as we increasingly remain positively focused even in adverse conditions any unwanted conditions can then start to transform.

Spiritual Strength and Will Power

Sometimes will power is thought of as being in opposition to spiritual power however will power can be used to increase spiritual strength. Like a fruit being given conducive conditions to ripen, we can use our will power to maintain our spiritual practice and things will come into fruition at the right time.

Benefits and Qualities of Spiritual Strength

When we are spiritually strong we are less influenced by conditions, we naturally think more positive thoughts and there’s a sense of things that don’t feel good bouncing off of us and not affecting us.

There is also flexibleness and an allowing nature as there is knowing that life is working out for us and that conditions do not need to be micro managed in order for that to be.

Also, less of life is spent trying to figure things out or sort out issues, as many of them no longer arise or if they do they are usually less challenging. This can lead to a sense of ‘this is how life is supposed to feel’ and it frees up significant time and energy to receive ideas and inspirations and to focus on things that feel meaningful to us.

Perhaps most importantly, when we’re spiritually strong we have the ability to feel and the strength to follow the guidance from our higher mind.

Building Spiritual Strength

Everyone has the capacity to become spiritually strong and for most people, developing spiritual strength requires cultivating it through having a regular spiritual practice.

With a regular practice we can get into an upward spiral as our practice increases our spiritual strength and our spiritual strength increases our ability to maintain our practice and to do it effectively.

Having a regular spiritual practice might feel like effort but usually the effort is much less than the suffering that might be there when not in alignment.

As we become spiritually stronger we have clearer access to our guidance about which techniques will be of most benefit to us and how long to spend doing different focusing techniques and meditation. What I’ve seen in my work is that when people start doing the amount of practice that they’re guided to is that there is a sense of the mind coming to rest. There is no longer a feeling of just coping with life and there is more of an inner contentment and feeling of purpose.

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Reflections and Intentions, by Tracy Friend

Tracy Friend — Mon, 15 Jan 2018 17:23:58 +0000

“Knowing yourself is the beginning of all wisdom.” Aristotle

Whilst we could take time to reflect at any time, at the start of the new year is often a time when it feels more natural to do so.

In Bali at the start of the Balinese New Year they have a day called Nyepi which means ‘Day of Silence’ and it is a day for self-reflection and meditation. I found it inspiring that the day is taken very seriously with businesses shutting and people staying inside their home so that they can go within without any distractions.

Even giving yourself a short amount of time to reflect on the previous year and your intentions for the new year can be very valuable to create a space to tune in rather than feeling that you’re being swept along by past momentum.

Reflection through Meditation

Reflection is often defined as ‘serious thought’, however it might be considered as thinking with the source part of ourselves which enables us to see the bigger picture.

One of the best ways to reflect is to meditate as this connects us more with our true self and therefore allows us to reflect from our broader perspective. This reflection from our true self can give us clarity about what it is that will bring us the most joy and greater access to our guidance and intuition.

Reflection through Appreciation

As the source part of ourselves is always in a state of love and appreciation, if there are any situations in which we’re harbouring negative thoughts our mind won’t be at rest. A very effective way to release any emotional residues is to focus on things we genuinely like about a subject or good things that have happened. By focusing on everything we appreciate about the last year will assist in releasing us from anything unwanted and put us more in a mode of allowing good to flow.

As we are always having new ideas and inspirations, appreciation can also help to bring us more into a state of enjoying our current life. This balances the thoughts about our new wishes with an appreciation of our current life so that we’re not in a perpeptual cycle of feeling like our current experience is lacking in some way.

Questions to assist with Reflecting:

What do I appreciate about last year?

Any special memories from last year:

Times when I felt particularly connected/ aligned to my true self last year:

What inspired me last year?

What felt particularly meaningful to me last year?

Any insights that I had last year:

Intentions

Reflecting through meditation and appreciation often naturally influences setting our intentions as the appreciation highlights what it is that brought the most joy and meaning to our lives and the meditation gives us greater clarity.

When thinking about intentions for the new year in addition to thinking about any aspects of life experience we might like to transform it can also be beneficial to think about any changes we might like in terms of how we would like to feel.

Questions to assist with Setting Intentions:

What matters most to me/ is most important to me?

What do I want to create in my life this year?

What do I want to spend my time doing this year?

How do I want to feel this year?

Why do I want what I want for the New Year?

From a Law of Attraction perspective whilst it is helpful to set intentions, it is then valuable to do some of the different Law of Attraction techniques regularly to align your mind with them.

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Discernment and the Law of Attraction, by Tracy Friend

Tracy Friend — Mon, 19 Jun 2017 09:14:16 +0000

Discernment definition from Merriam-Webster: “The quality of being able to grasp or comprehend what is obscure”. In Sanskrit discernment is referred to as “Viveka” which translates as “wisdom” or “right judgement”.

Discernment may be considered as being able to grasp what is obscure because it is often not based on evidence that is available through the physical senses but rather through our intuitive sense which is subtle.

Sometimes on the spiritual path there can be a view that having preferences isn’t spiritual and loving. However, discernment is different to judgement as judgement may be thought of as evaluating someone or something based on the learned belief system of our lower mind whilst discernment might be thought of as having an opinion about someone or something from the perspective of the source part of ourselves or our higher mind. Therefore, it may be said that whilst judgement doesn’t normally serve us, discernment is usually of value as it enables us to see what is real or what is the truth. Having discernment can also be very useful as it helps us to discern what decisions and actions will bring joy and fulfilment and lead us forward on our journey to greater connection.

How to Discern

As being able to discern comes from the higher part of our mind in order to have access to it, it is necessary to be in alignment with that part of the mind. Therefore techniques that assist us in coming into greater alignment help us to have more discernment.

A key way to tell whether a particular view is a result of us judging or discerning is by how it feels as judgement often has an accompanying feeling of negative emotion whilst with discernment there is usually a calmness.

Meditation increases our discernment as it quietens our mind which in turn connects us to the source part of ourselves. Furthermore, it is often actually during the time of meditation that we receive guidance or clarity about particular things.

Focusing on the positive qualities of a person or situation can also lead to us being able to discern what is for the highest good. This might sound counterintuitive as we might think that if we’re only focused on the positive qualities that we’d have a positively biased view however by doing this it takes us to the place of connecting with source which has complete knowing and then we can receive that knowing. Focusing on the positive qualities of a person or situation also helps us to be able to discern as it enables us to be more at peace and equanimous and then from this more calm state of mind we are more able to feel our guidance.

Asking for guidance about a particular situation can also assist with increasing our discernment. This works as stating our desire more clearly leads to increased focus and increases our expectation of receiving an answer or knowing about something which then leads to us being more open to receiving that guidance. For example we could write a request to the Universe such as “Please allow me to know how my true self sees x”.

Finally, being clearly aligned with the end goal or feeling that we want can facilitate discernment. This works as it connects us with who we’ve expanded to become energetically and then in this more connected state we have greater access to our guidance.

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Growing in Trust, by Tracy Friend

Tracy Friend — Thu, 30 Mar 2017 12:46:34 +0000

“…a sense sublime Of something far more deeply interfused,

Whose dwelling is the light of setting suns,

And the round ocean and the living air,

And the blue sky, and in the mind of man;

A motion and a spirit, that impels

All thinking things, all objects of all thought,

And rolls through all things.” William Wordsworth

Trust might be defined as ‘a trust that the Universe is aware of us and that life is unfolding positively for us’. It may also be thought of as having guidance that we can trust which guides us about what actions, if any to take and when to take them.

Trust based on our past experiences

We might have had some previous synchronistic positive experiences or signs that we feel can only be explained in terms of source energy assisting us. These sorts of experiences can help us to have a sense of trust based on our logic and memory of these past experiences as we might think there have been things that I’ve wanted that have manifested or gone well previously and therefore what is currently wanted can manifest or this current experience can also positively transform.

Trust based on hearing about other people’s experiences

Hearing about other people’s positive experiences with the Law of Attraction can also increase our trust to a certain degree however this doesn’t always shift our point of attraction to a large extent as for our point of attraction to shift we have to transform our thinking in a more active, dynamic way. Therefore having trust based on our past experiences or based on hearing about other people’s experiences may be described as building hope rather than having trust.

Trust as a present moment knowing

There is a level of trust which can be described as a present moment knowing that all is well and that we’re being taken care of. This level of trust is usually a vivid, tangible feeling that even if we don’t know how things will transform or how wanted things will manifest, there is a knowing that they will. It is also normally a very relaxed state to be in as we feel more unconditional about whatever we’re experiencing as we know that things can always positively transform. Often this feeling of trust cannot be explained in words or explained logically but there is simultaneously a feeling of not needing to explain it as the knowing is all encompassing.

This present moment trust can be explained from a Law of Attraction understanding as being due to the fact that we’re tapping into the broader part of ourselves that can see the bigger picture which includes seeing that what we’ve asked for already exists energetically and seeing how we can get from wherever we are to wherever we want to be.

Developing Trust

From a Law of Attraction perspective if we hadn’t picked up thoughts in opposition to who we really are we would naturally trust that all is well. The good news about the fact that it is only contradictory thoughts that hinder our ability to be in a state of trust, is that those thoughts have been learnt and therefore can be unlearnt.

By having a regular Law of Attraction practice in which we either distract our mind from anything that is challenging us or cultivate thoughts that feel good and that match how we want to feel and what we want to experience, our trust will naturally start to increase and we will subsequently also see more and more evidence that we are being taken care of.

Writing Universe List statements can help to increase our trust. We could write statements such as: “Please bring me evidence that the Universe is aware of me and taking care of me.” or “Please allow me to know that what I’ve asked for exists energetically and that it will manifest.”

Another exercise that can increase our trust is to write a statement such as “I have complete trust that the Universe is aware of me and taking care of me” and to then remember and write down past specific times when we have felt that way. By remembering those past, best experiences that match that feeling, it makes those thoughts active within our mind which through the Law of Attraction then begins to draw to us more feelings that match that emotion or more experiences that elicit that emotion. Although in this exercise we’re focused on past, best experiences if we’re doing this as a regular practice it will take us from trust based on a more logical basis to trust that is a state of knowing.

When doing the Law of Attraction exercises we don’t have to try and make ourselves have the feeling of trust as it will arise naturally as a result of doing them regularly. However, we won’t necessarily get to a place of trusting all at once but by staying focused on how we want to feel and what we would like to experience, there will be an increased strength of energy which will then lead to us having more trust and more experiences that increase our feeling of trust will manifest.

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A New Year’s Resolution: Create Your Best Year Yet, by Michael James

Michael James — Fri, 30 Dec 2016 12:48:11 +0000

The word “resolution” is from the word “resolute”, which means with certainty. And yet many people see their New Year’s resolutions as a “maybe”.

The secret to living the life you want whether it’s personal development, learning a sport, a new art, or any skill – it’s always the same: (1) find a practice that works and then (2) do it consistently.

If it were that simple- you’d think everyone would be doing it, right?

It’s a common theme that most gyms are crowded for a few weeks in January and then clear again by February. This is one of the obstacles for people on the personal development path – or mastering anything. People quit too soon – and they lack discipline. They don’t continue with practice, day in and day out – which is what is required to get good at anything. Most people don’t do the things they know would change their life for the better. There are many reasons for this – and the reasons aren’t so important. The key is to set your intentions – and then follow through with them.

Finding self-love and self-confidence

The concept of Self and connecting with it is everything – that’s why so many teachers speak of the importance of self-love and self-confidence.

You can fix and change and rearrange your life – but if you don’t have self-worth, nothing will get better – or you certainly won’t feel like it has. Ultimately, the world is a reflection of what you think of you. Change your opinion of Self, and you change your world. When you follow through with those things you just know you are guided to do, it’s easier to love yourself.

People say confidence is the most attractive trait – and it is – but you can’t fake it. You can’t think your way to confidence – you have to tune to it. And there’s a big difference. The word charisma means “of the spirit” – it is all about connection and feeling at ease with the Self.

Sometimes we don’t feel self-confident – and that’s ok too. Being ok with not feeling confident, in fact, is one of the quickest ways to confidence. (We expand on this idea and many others in our workshops and events.)

Daily practice

Action is required to shift you to the state of being where you are already that which you want to be. It rarely “just happens”. Whether it be the actions of taking time to meditate, writing daily lists of appreciation, or working out your body – this is where your New Year’s resolutions or intentions come in to play.

In this case, the practices I’ve mentioned are the practices of clearing the mind. Much like we shower to clean the body, we need to do something else – daily – to “clean” the mind, too. The thing is there’s just so many “personal development” practices out there – where do you start? Every week a new gimmick comes out promising to get you “everything you want” quicker than the last product.

One thing I do know is stuff that gets you “trying to think the right thoughts” rarely works – because people start to do this before they have cleared their mind. When your mind is clear, you naturally and automatically sync-up with effective ideas, and instincts and impulses that will lead you to the life you want – and yes, self-confidence and self-love. When your mind isn’t clear, you sync with the opposite, and it’s hard going.

So start the New year with practices to clear your mind. Start with the simple, tried and tested approaches like meditation, physical exercise and appreciation/gratitude.

You could:

1 Write a daily list of appreciation
2 Meditate regularly
3 Start a new exercise regime or a dynamic new hobby – and follow through with it
4 Follow the guidance that comes from within

Start this New Year the way you mean to go on. Do the daily practices which sometimes or even often you don’t “feel like” doing – but drop you into that place of self-confidence and self-love which is the Real You, right now. Opening this channel is going to take some work – but it’s worth it more than almost anything else you can do. One of the best ways to feel the love for yourself is by following through with what you said you were going to do. And this New Year – and this very moment – is the perfect time to do it.

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Taking Inspired Action, by Tracy Friend

Tracy Friend — Mon, 21 Nov 2016 15:32:19 +0000

“When you do things from your soul, you feel a river moving in you, a joy.” Rumi

Taking action that is inspired from our soul could be thought of in terms of doing things that are inspired from our true essence.

In order to take inspired action we need to be in alignment with our true essence which according to the Law of Attraction is on the frequency of love and appreciation. By doing the Law of Attraction techniques that help us to feel more positive we will align with who we really are which knows what to do.

When we are taking inspired action, it may be described as feeling like a river moving as when we’re in alignment with our true self, we’re moving or flowing with the largest part of who we really are and we receive the benefit of that momentum.

When we’re following what could be called our intuition or our soul, we don’t always know what it’s leading us to but the fact that it feels good from a Law of Attraction understanding, is the indicator that it’s leading us in the direction of what will bring us the most joy.

There may be times when we might not be inspired to take any action and things manifest without any physical action being required. It doesn’t seem to be better or worse whether action is required or isn’t required, rather it seems to be that if we’re in alignment we’ll know whether any action is necessary or not.

Whilst inspired action usually has an effortless quality there may be occasions where a lot of action is inspired but in those instances it would feel like action that we want to do.

How to take Inspired Action

Regularly focusing on our end goal or dream in as much detail as we’ve so far clarified, helps us to match the feeling place of what is wanted and then any action that is necessary in order for it to manifest will be inspired. If you don’t know exactly what you want, by focusing on how you want to feel, through the Law of Attraction you will then gain greater clarity about what will bring you the most joy and any action that is required for that to manifest.

Thinking about all of the reasons why you want what you want in addition to thinking about what you want can also assist in bringing your mind into greater alignment with your true self which knows how to get you from wherever you are to wherever you want to be.

“In the lake of intuition, free from the waves of thought, the yogi can see the unruffled reflection of the moon of the soul.” Yogananda As meditation quiets our mind and gradually releases us from any contradictory thoughts, it allows us to be more aware of our intuition which often comes in the form of subtle promptings.

Finally, by remembering previous times when we’ve felt guided or when we’ve felt our intuition assists with putting us into a state in which we can receive further inspiration.

It may be helpful to note that sometimes there might be the feeling that something feels intuitively right to do but that now isn’t the right time to take action in which case it can be good to continue with the Law of Attraction exercises and to wait until an action feels completely inspired.

Depending on what your beliefs currently are on a particular subject it may sometimes take doing the Law of Attraction techniques for a little while to gather momentum to align your thinking with what you want and to have access to your intuition. However, when your thinking is in alignment with what you want it doesn’t take that much focus to then keep your thinking in alignment with what you want.

Some traditions view the soul as fixed and not changing however from a Law of Attraction perspective, the broader part of us is constantly evolving and becoming more as a result of our living life. Therefore having a regular Law of Attraction practice helps us to transform our thinking to match this expansion and to continue to receive guidance.

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Presence and the Law of Attraction, by Tracy Friend

Tracy Friend — Wed, 06 Jul 2016 16:33:38 +0000

“Love is paying attention.” Thich Nhat Hanh

According to the Law of Attraction, all of us have a broader non-physical part of ouselves which is pure positive energy and which expands into more as a result of our life experiences.

We are always physically present but our experience of life depends upon the extent to which we are also spiritually present which may described in terms of how much of the energy or consciousness of the broader non-physical part of ourselves we are allowing to flow through us at any moment in time. When we are spiritually present we have a deeper and richer experience of life, life feels more meaningful, we feel our connection to everyone and everything, we feel supported and more of what is wanted manifests. In addition, when we are in a state of presence it positively impacts those around us.

Cultivating Presence

The presence of our real self is always there for us but we have to be on the right frequency to experience it. From a Law of Attraction perspective we can cultivate presence by either distracting our mind from anything that is challenging us or through focusing positively on our past, present or future.

Meditation is helpful in increasing presence as it connects us more with our true self by distracting us from any not good feeling thoughts.

As the Law of Attraction explains that our true self is constantly expanding and becoming more as a result of living life, focusing on how we want to feel or what we would like to experience in the future brings us into greater alignment with the presence of our true self. Presence can also be increased by transforming any contradictory beliefs that we might have as in the absence of any contradictory beliefs we would naturally have the presence of our real self.

“Wherever you place your foot, there rests a blessing.” Rumi

Finally, focusing on anything that we appreciate in our current life will increase our presence as this tunes us to the frequency of our true self which is in a state of appreciation and sees the best in everyone and everything.

By regularly applying the Law of Attraction techniques overtime we will continue to experience more of the presence of our real self.

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Deepening Connection through Silence and Love, by Tracy Friend

Tracy Friend — Fri, 01 Apr 2016 10:40:07 +0000

“The miracle comes quietly into the mind that stops an instant and is still.” A Course In Miracles

Many spiritual traditions recognise the value of both silence and love on the spiritual path for deepening our connection to our true self.

Silent Meditation

It is not the silence itself that is beneficial but rather that in silence it can be easier to gain a greater strength of focus in meditation as there are less external distractions. It is helpful to use an object of focus in meditation that we don’t have a lot of thoughts and beliefs about such as the breath, sensation in the body or repeating a mantra. Other objects of focus that are sometimes used include observing our thoughts or emotions but the breath and sensation in the body can sometimes be easier to begin with as they often have less of an emotional impact on us.

Although it might sound paradoxical, in meditation through the observation of that which is constantly changing and based on conditions such as sensations in the body or the breath, we open ourselves to assistance from and align more deeply with what can be called our true self or source which is changeless and unconditional. As we open to this assistance any beliefs that aren’t serving us are unravelled and brought into alignment. For this process of aligning to occur we don’t have to do anything other than to keep our awareness on the object of focus whilst maintaining the balance of our mind.

In relation to this if we notice any habitual reactions that our mind has and do our best to calmly observe them, these will begin to lose their momentum and to be deactivated and we will respond less on ‘auto-pilot’ and more from our true self.

A further benefit of meditation in silence is that it leads to us becoming increasingly sensitive to our experience of life through our senses so that we begin to experience life more fully.

Meditation Focused on Love

Meditating in silence whilst observing the breath or sensation in the body is sometimes described as a non-conceptual practice as we are not focusing on a mental concept or idea but rather we are focusing on what we are actually experiencing. Whereas focusing on cultivating love is sometimes referred to as a conceptual practice as we are directing our mind to thoughts of love and appreciation regardless of what we might be feeling or experiencing in the moment.

Meditations focused on love usually involve focusing on receiving love and/ or on having an intention for love to radiate out from yourself to other people.

The benefit of focusing on love is that in doing so our mind is directed to thoughts that match the thoughts of our true self, which is always in the frequency of love and appreciation. As we focus our mind in this way, through the Law of Attraction we will then have access to more positive and loving thoughts about our past, present and future and attract more of what is wanted to ourselves.

The Relationship Between the Two Practices

In addition to the separate benefits of the practices of meditating in silence and meditating focused on love, both practices also support the other practice.

Focusing on love, helps to remind us what will be the result of the non-conceptual meditation practice which can in turn help us to relax and let go more into that practice, as we know more deeply that there is an intelligent, loving source which is always there for us and that it is our true nature. Whilst, meditating observing the breath or sensation in the body assists in removing any beliefs that may be hindering our ability to love and this makes it easier to find loving thoughts and feelings in meditations focused on love.

If you would like to learn how to meditate or to deepen your meditation practice, Tracy Friend is facilitating the Meditation Workshop: Deepening connection Through Silence and Love, in London. For more details please see: www.lawofattractioncentre.com/workshops/

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Understanding Leading to Love, by Tracy Friend

Tracy Friend — Thu, 21 Jan 2016 08:44:07 +0000

“The more you understand, the more you love; the more you love, the more you understand. They are two sides of one reality. The mind of love and the mind of understanding are the same.” Thich Nhat Hanh

Understanding may be defined as ‘seeing the true nature of things’ or as ‘seeing things as they really are’. It may be said that as we understand more, we also love more, as from a Law of Attraction perspective the true nature of things is love.

Krishnamurti “…that which you understand, from that you are liberated…” Understanding not only leads to love but it also frees us from any unwanted experiences and creates a space in which they can positively transform.

In addition to understanding leading to love, love also leads to understanding. If we want to develop our understanding of someone or something an effective way to do so is to focus on the positive qualities of the person or on the positive qualities of the situation. This leads to understanding as when we are feeling love and appreciation we have access to broader perspective which understands everyone and everything. If we have a challenging situation or relationship it can therefore be helpful to make a written list of anything that is good in the situation or anything that we like about the person. Interestingly, it doesn’t matter whether the things that we write on the list feel significant or less important, provided that what we write feels good. The reason for this is that through writing any positive thoughts we will come into greater alignment with our true self and have access to increased understanding.

As meditation brings us into greater connection with who we really are through quietening our mind, it also increases our understanding and ability to feel love.

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Oneness and the Law of Attraction, by Tracy Friend

Tracy Friend — Wed, 11 Nov 2015 18:23:50 +0000

“When the sense of distinction and separation is absent, you may call it love.” Nisargadatta Maharaj

The Sanskrit word ‘Advaita’ meaning “not two” is used to describe the non-dual or not separated state. In this state there is a merging of the subject with the object, of the perceiver with the perceived and of our physically focused mind with our higher mind.

It can feel like there is no thought in this state as our mind is calm, however it could be said that there is still thought but that as our thoughts are matching who we really are, it feels different.

From a Law of Attraction perspective there is an interdependent relationship between the more physically focused part of us and the broader, source part of us. As through living life we are exposed to new life experiences, new preferences automatically arise and this leads to the broader, source part of us expanding and becoming more. Therefore the perceiver influences the perceived or the physically focused mind influences the higher mind, but it is necessary to align with the source part of us to merge with or become what we have expanded to.

Experiencing Oneness

“…As the sun on rising makes the world active, so does self-awareness affect changes in the mind. In the light of calm and steady self-awareness, inner energies wake up and work miracles without any effort on your part.” Nisargadatta Maharaj

A lot of writing on the subject of oneness emphasises that through developing awareness, that all inner changes will happen automatically. Meditation through observing an object of focus is one such technique for developing awareness that brings us more into that connected space which allows for change to automatically occur.

The Law of Attraction explains that it is only contradictory beliefs that separate us from this state of oneness and gives techniques that assist in transforming our thinking to come into alignment with the broader part of ourselves and experience the feeling of oneness. As the broader, source part of ourselves is always focused positively, techniques such as making a written list of things that we appreciate or the good things about a particular situation can assist in shifting our thinking to match who we really are.

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Acceptance and the Law of Attraction, by Tracy Friend

Tracy Friend — Wed, 26 Aug 2015 17:23:42 +0000

“Flow with whatever is happening and let your mind be free. Stay centered by accepting whatever you are doing. This is the ultimate.” Chuang Tzu

As the source part of us accepts everything, in order for us to feel good it is necessary to align our beliefs with that perspective. However, that is not say that we have to tolerate things that are unwanted but rather it is about thinking positively about what we are experiencing so that positive transformation can occur.

How To Accept

French expression: “Tout comprendre, c’est tout excuser” (literally, “to understand all is to pardon all”).

Acceptance can be achieved by practising thoughts that feel good about a particular subject that we wish to be more accepting of.

Our ability to accept can also be increased by remembering previous times when we have felt accepting.

In addition meditation facilitates acceptance as in meditation we distract the mind from anything that is challenging us which leads to a feeling of greater acceptance. Meditation also enhances our ability to ‘be with’ whatever we are experiencing in the moment which creates a space that allows positive transformation

Questions To Assist With Acceptance

Thinking about how we would feel and how things would be if we accepted something, assists in shifting our point of attraction.

How do I ideally want this situation to be?
How do I ideally want to feel about this situation?
How do I think the source within me/ my true self views this situation?
How would I feel if this situation was as I want it to be?

The key thing with accepting something as is the case with creating, is practising the better feeling thoughts regularly. The thoughts then become beliefs and where the mind increasingly goes when that subject comes up.

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Making Decisions and the Law of Attraction, by Tracy Friend

Tracy Friend — Fri, 19 Jun 2015 13:36:08 +0000

“Inside any deep asking is the answering.” Rumi

The word discernment comes from the Latin ‘discernere’ which means “to separate or to distinguish”.

The Law of Attraction explains that in the moment that we have a question or desire a change, that the perfect solution or answer is created and that this perfect solution or answer is known by the broader part of ourselves. Therefore we have the ability to discern what is best for us or what could be called for ‘our highest good’ when we are in alignment with who we really are.

Techniques that Assist with Decision Making

“Live by intuition and inspiration and let your whole life be a Revelation.” Eileen Caddy

There are several techniques that can assist with coming into greater alignment so that you can receive clearer guidance.

As meditation quiets the mind it helps us to be in a state in which we have greater access to our intuition and inspiration.

It can also be helpful to ask the universe for assistance with statements such as “Please guide me perfectly”, “please give me clarity about this situation” and “please allow me to know what is for my highest good in this situation”.

Another method that can assist in receiving guidance is to focus generally on as much detail as have you have clarified about what you want in a particular situation and how you want to feel. Then from that place of greater alignment with the essence of what you want, the details will be revealed.

Receiving Guidance

“Intuition is a spiritual faculty and does not explain, but simply points the way.” Florence Scovel Shinn

When we receive guidance it is often in the form of a feeling and often we don’t know at the time the reason why something is the right choice. It can therefore be helpful to begin to follow guidance with more inconsequential decisions so that you can demonstrate to yourself that the guidance that you are receiving is reliable and of value.

The more regularly someone does the techniques to come into greater alignment the more they will often feel that they don’t have to make many big decisions as they will little by little be moving in the direction of things that resonate with them.

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Developing Mental Strength, by Tracy Friend

Tracy Friend — Wed, 13 May 2015 13:59:40 +0000

“When every physical and mental resource is focused, one’s power to solve a problem multiplies tremendously.” Norman Vincent Peale

Mental strength is often viewed in terms of being able to endure unwanted situations. However, from a Law of Attraction perspective mental strength is not about tolerating unwanted conditions but rather about our ability to maintain our alignment and to feel positive irrespective of conditions.

Benefits of Having Greater Strength of Mind

As we develop increased mental strength we tune to the source part of ourselves which is always mentally strong and we receive increased universal assistance. When we are mentally strong we also have the ability to think differently to the thoughts that a particular situation may evoke from us and as we think more positively, what is manifesting in our life positively transforms in response to our focus.

Habits Cultivate Mental Strength

Mental strength can be cultivated by having a regular practice of training the mind. By tending to our mind day to day and doing our best to shift our thinking even in the presence of subtle not good feeling thoughts this assists in not activating any momentum of unwanted thinking. Also, in this state it is almost like any not good feelings thoughts ‘bounce off’ of us.

Questions to Promote Mental Strength

Whilst the Law of Attraction explains that action is less important than the thoughts that we are thinking and how we feel, we usually feel more positive when we feel that we have choices available to us. Therefore, if you are in a challenging situation asking yourself ‘What can I do in this situation?’ can be beneficial.

It may also be helpful to ask ‘What is going well in my life?’ to stay positively focused.

Finally, asking yourself ‘What good feeling thoughts can I think about this?’ and to then practice those thoughts can assist in staying mentally strong.

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