“That was when I saw the Pendulum. The sphere, hanging from a long wire set into the ceiling of the choir, swayed back and forth with isochronal majesty. I knew — but anyone could have sensed it in the magic of that serene breathing — that the period was governed by the square root of the length of the wire and by pi, that number which however irrational to sublunar minds, through a higher rationality binds the circumference and diameter of all possible circles. The time it took the sphere to swing from end to end was determined by an arcane conspiracy between the most timeless of measures: the singularity of the point of suspension, the duality of the plane’s dimensions, the triadic beginning of pi, the secret quadratic nature of the root, and the unnumbered perfection of the circle itself.”

— Foucault’s Pendulum, Umberto Eco

Pendulum dowsing is a skill that I have been trying to horne since last year. It is the practice of asking your subconscious mind/Higher Self/Spiritual Guide (depending on your intent) questions and getting the answers by noting the swing of a pendulum. It seems like witchcraft but it is not. It is rather a process of discovering answers to questions that do not normally come through your five senses or through logic, but as conscious feedback. Basic dowsing gives a yes/no response to questions asked. Because the steps are so simple and do not require you to be a psychic, anyone can learn it!

How Pendulum Dowsing Works

Everything is energy. Energy can be of high or low vibration, long or short in wavelength and can be measured. Pendulum is a tool to measure energy changes. It works like muscle testing or applied kinesiology. When you ask a question, an electrical impulse is sent to your brain. You then invoke a vibrational frequency from your subconscious mind. This energy impulse, causing the smallest twitch in muscular movements, is then sent through the length of your pendulum to give you a response. In essence, your pendulum is able to pick up and amplify the subtle vibrations that cause it to swing in an appropriate direction.

Used spiritually and for decision making, you are tapping into the energy fields to determine what is in the best interest of your Higher Self. What has happened so far is that when it comes to making decisions, you have been conditioned to use your logical mind so much that you have not been making use of your intuitive abilities, gut or sixth sense. Pendulum dowsing offers you the access to an inner wisdom. It is a way of getting in touch with your Higher Self through tapping into subtle energy fields, detected through small muscular movements. Some New Age believers also use pendulum dowsing as a communication tool with their Spiritual Guides.

Watch this great video about a further explanation of how pendulum dowsing works…

Pendulum Dowsing: Locate Lost Items

Just two days ago, I used pendulum dowsing to help my husband locate a set of disks that contain his password to the printer network in our home. He was feeling frustrated after searching through the study and then proceeding to the living room for a 30 minutes. He just could not remember which box he had left the password in and asked for my help.

Initially, I felt daunted at his request because it would mean having to search through carton after carton of boxes. You see a lot of our stuff lie unpacked in the typical big brown boxes, for transporting into our current home, since some 8 months ago. All the boxes look alike and in our haste while moving, we did not label the boxes with more specific details of their content.

I decided to whip out my pendulum. First, I determined that the disks containing the password were not in the study. Neither was it in the living room. So that left the bedroom. We found it within 5 minutes, contained in a box in one corner of our bedroom. It was not in the typical brown box but a smaller blue one.

But what a contrast! My husband had spent 30 minutes feeling vexed. With the aid of pendulum dowsing and within 5 minutes, we were successful!

Pendulum Dowsing: Homeopathic Remedies and Vaccinations

Our Naturopathic Doctor uses dowsing to check for prescriptions of homeopathic remedies and Bach flower essences for my family. She determines if a particular remedy is appropriate, in what combinations and what proportions.

Just last month, we used pendulum dowsing to check if my 7 year old daughter should undergo MMR vaccination in school. We have read so much about the suspected effects of mercury that we decided to be cautious. If you do not already know this, mercury is used as a preservative to increase shelf life of the drug concoction; however, there have been several reports that it is the culprit for causing brain damage related problems such as autism.

Well, the pendulum dowsing indicated that it was in her best interest that she saw a private doctor instead. We opted out of the school program and consulted a doctor who could administer a mercury-less MMR vaccination on her instead.

Pendulum Dowsing: Check For The Intensity Of Emotions

I often confirm the intensity of my emotions with my pendulum while using EFT. In this case, I am using it to check on my subconscious mind; unlike the above two examples whereby I am using it as a tool to communicate with my (or someone else’s) Higher Self or Spiritual Guides.

Here is an illustration. Suppose I feel angry. I will ask myself to score how intensely angry I am. Say it is a 10. I then confirm this rating by dowsing. Thereafter, I start to tap myself using EFT. I continue to score myself after a few rounds of tapping. When I think I have reached zero in intensity of emotions, I use dowsing to confirm that it is truly the case. If not, I continue to tap.

How To Start Pendulum Dowsing
Before you begin, you need to find out what the movement of the pendulum means. You need to note the swings for a Yes, No or Neutral response. The swing may be circular – clockwise or anticlockwise; or sideways. My pendulum, for instance, swings in a clockwise direction for Yes answers and anti-clockwise for No responses.

Here are some basic steps:

1. Sit quietly and then ground yourself. If you find yourself feeling restless or not in a calm state of mind, then do not dowse.

2. Hold the pendulum firmly on its string or chain between your thumb and first finger, about 3 inches from the weight at the end.

3. Do not move your fingers or hands. Rather, keep your hand & arm relaxed. Any tension will prevent the pendulum swinging freely.

4. Ask the pendulum: Give me a Yes. Note the swing. Do the same for the No and Neutral responses.

5. Check by asking: My name is ________ and then note the swing. The swing should give you the correct Yes or No responses.

You are now ready to start to practice! You can ask any questions, addressing your Higher Self/Spiritual Guides/subconscious mind; just make sure that the questions are in the format that can produce a Yes/No answer.

In Summary

Since last year, I have been using pendulum dowsing for the following situations:

- Locate lost items;
- Get in touch with my Higher Self for decision making;
- Check on the intensity of my emotions while using EFT;
- Confirm on decisions for health purposes.
- Aura dowsing;
- Chakra balancing;
- Check on past life memories;
- Choose affirmations.

Pendulum dowsing has become an integral part of our lives. My husband uses it more often than I do. It is an excellent communication tool to “talk” to your Higher Self or Spiritual guides. Dowsing is like exercise. The more you do it, the better you become.

Where to Get Pendulums?

In reality, any weight tied to the end of a string can be used as a pendulum. I’ve seen my coach, who is highly skilled in dowsing, used her car keys when we were out and she had forgotten to bring her pendulum with her.

Still, if you intend to use dowsing as a skill, it may be a good idea to get a proper pendulum. Most pendulums come in brass or crystals.

Which to get? It is really up to your preference. I have got both types. In my opinion, the important thing is to make sure that it is one that you feel particularly drawn to. In the end, it is not the tool but the skill that counts.

While trying to learn how to dowse, I encountered some obstacles and was continually frustrated with the low accuracy of my pendulum dowsing. Oh yes….it may not be as easy as it seems. If you are interested to know what not to do and how to improve your own skills, stay tuned. Happy dowsing in the meantime!

To vibrate at a higher energy frequency or consciousness, you must not have a shred of worry or doubt. Then again, like so many people, you may choose not to face up to your fears. You try to focus your mind on positive thoughts; yet lurking in the shadows, are your negative beliefs and fears.

No doubt, dealing with demons can really be a scary thing. You may be afraid of the process itself, suspecting that it may reduce you to a state of vulnerability and helplessness. After all, your defence mechanism in not dealing with fears or anything unknown has served and protected you well all these years.

The signs that you need to take action are obvious enough. If you find yourself struggling, unhappy, not achieving the success you deserve, in financial difficulties or having little motivation, you can be sure that there is some element of negative thoughts that are obstructing your life journey.

Facing up to fears require you to make a conscious choice. Sure it can be painful initially. From my personal experience, I was even shocked to find out that I had a whole lot more of negative emotions that lie buried in my subconscious mind. You can read my previous post here about my repressed anger.

But my desire for personal growth keeps me on my path. And it is my belief that anyone who makes a similar decision, will emerge a much stronger person after the healing process. Since thoughts can be confusing, a structured breakdown into what fear is can help bring about more clarity and in deciding what useful thoughts and actions to adopt.

What are the 6 Basic Fears

According to Think and Grow Rich by Napolean Hill, there are 6 basic fears. Everyone of us suffer one or a combination of them at some point in our lives. In the order of common appearance, they are:

- The fear of poverty
- The fear of criticism
- The fear of ill health
- The fear of loss of love of someone
- The fear of old age
- The fear of death.

The terms by themselves are self-explanatory. They run a common thread in terms of consequences. Let us take the fear of poverty, which Napolean believes to be the most destructive of the six basic fears, as an example. He spells out that this fear hinders the faculty of reason, destroys imagination, undermines enthusiasm, leads to uncertainty of purpose, encourages procastination, and diverts effort. It also kills love and other finer emotions, destroys friendship and leads to sleeplessness, misery and much unhappiness.

If you can, run these consequences through your mind. Check to see whether from your own life experiences if you have harboured some of the fears and the situation thereafter. In the process, you may just be reminded of the several times that you’ve been been held hostage by your insecurities, paralyzing you from taking a wiser course of action and preventing you from becoming more generous in spirit. At this point, it is clear to see why abundance has not been flowing through you and into your life, for the longest time!

Worry As A Sign Of My Fears

Fears are often translated to worry, a state that I was very familiar with previously. If you knew me from way back, you would think I was mad; given my more fortunate circumstances than most people. Although I did reasonably well in school, last held an Asst Vice President position in a bank, got married to a great guy, gave birth to two lovely girls, had no major financial debts, stayed in a nice condominium apartment (with swimming pool, tennis court and all) and ate at some of the finest restaurants in town, I never truly felt secure.

I seldom celebrated what I already had. Rather, I viewed life as a struggle, because I was clinging on too tightly to my limited reality of things. You say it right…I deserve to be kicked for being so unappreciative of my abundance!

While I did pick up a couple of personal development books to read, I was not ready for real change. Instead, I chose to “will” myself to be positive and pretended outwardly that everything was fine. Deep inside, my mind was clouded with worry and I was waging an internal war.

The decision to face up to my fears was not an easy one to make. I finally hit a point when I asked myself - either deal with them or continue to be miserable! Perhaps it was a severe eczema flareup that precipated making a decision. If you don’t already know this, eczema is often tied to suppressed emotions. Your body needs to find a release in the toxins that it is accumulating. Much of the toxins can be mental - like worry.

Other Words or Phrases That Describe Fear

You may experience a whole range of thoughts and emotions, other than worry, while experiencing fear. The Sedona Method provides a good breakdown:

If you find yourself thinking thoughts or emotions that reflect these words, then it is possible that what you are really experiencing is fear.

How to Overcome The 6 Basic Fears

Photo by jamiecampbell

Self analysis is necessary in facing up to fears. In my case, I had a sprinkling of all 6 in different intensities. A great resource can also be found in the last chapter in Think and Grow Rich. It has a long list of questions for you to work on. By working through the questions, you gain an understanding of yourself.

With regards to your fears, make some conscious decisions:

Fear of Poverty - Be at peace with whatever wealth you can accumulate and without worry. This does not mean that you do not work hard, but you are no longer grasping, hoarding and clinging on senselessly to money.

Fear of Criticism - Decide for yourself that you will not fear what others have to say about your decisions. Do what your intuition tells you; be guided by your higher purpose.

Fear of Old Age - Refuse to treat old age as a handicap. Instead, leverage on your wisdom, experience and insight for success.

Fear of Ill Health - Concentrate your mind on being well. Do not be reckless about your health either; follow up with actions.

Fear of the Loss of Love - Be comfortable even if you are without a partner. Be at peace even if you do not have love. You may be alone but you are not lonely. Fill your days productively.

Fear of Death - Accept that death is inevitable. If you are merely transiting from one form to another in death, then what is there to fear? (I will be discussing more about this fear in a later post).

In releasing your fears, you can use techniques such as EFT or the Sedona Method. Obviously, the more you cling on to your fears, the more you will have to work at releasing them. Using simple and proven techniques can help you expedite the healing process.

The most helpful way of engaging your mind is to keep it busy with a definite purpose. Without consciously directing your mind, success and abundance is seldom possible. One more thing. I suggest you do not wait. Refrain from falling into the trap of procastinating personal growth. There is no better time. Now is the best time of all to start facing up to your fears!

“Life is a checkerboard, and the player opposite is time. If you hesitate before moving, or neglect to move promptly, your men will be wiped off the board by time. You are playing against a partner who will not tolerate indecision.”
— Quote taken from Think and Grow Rich by Napolean Hill

It was near evening. I waved at the security guard, hoping to catch his attention so that he can push the button to move the barrier up, for my car to pass. He was sitting inside the guardhouse and looked over the window.

This is odd, I thought. He seemed to be wearing a worried look. Is he afraid that my car will knock his post? Because of the fronting of the gate, I had to negotiate a slight swerve before my car could reach to the side of his post. Why is he not letting my car pass through quickly, I wondered.

I became alert of my emotions and started to scan my mind. “No…no…..I am not feeling irritated at him”, I thought to myself, “I am merely experiencing exhaustion”. In a minute or two, he did hit the button to lift the barrier. I reverse parked my car gingerly, next to my husband’s Volvo and took the elevator to my apartment on the second floor.

On reaching home, I was glad to find my kids playing happily together. I did not stay to play with them but head straight for my bedroom. I crashed out for one hour.

When I came round, I settled my kids for dinner and read them their bedtime stories. It seemed forever for I continued to feel tired. I sat down in front of my PC and went on to a couple of websites.

Now…what am I going to write for today’s post?

Blank.

Blank.

I waited.

My mind continued to stay blank.

So I decided to do what I sometimes do; that is to tune in, to find out what inspiration hits me.

Still nothing.

For a while, I became desperate, trying hard to rack my brains. Then, I remembered that this was the worst thing to do. Ideas are never going to come forth at a time like this.

I decided to just get in touch with the exhaustion that I am experiencing.

Daily Awareness of The Mind

My exhaustion had risen from the session I just had with my coach. I have been seeing her once again, on a weekly basis; and it has been going on for the past 3 weeks. I have been putting myself on a new assignment, which required me to investigate deeply into some of my negative emotions (that continued to remain stuck).

Up until 3 weeks ago, I have worked mostly on obvious and major emotions. If you do not already know this, emotions can be layers deep. Work is needed to strip layer-by-layer the dense energy that have been shrouding our mind from clarity, peace and happiness.

For my assignment, I was to be intimately aware of any discomfort, nuances or negative thought in my mind. You see….I’ve always had the tendency to stuff a lot of anger, frustration, worry inside and allowing them to build up. The whole aim of the exercise is to acknowledge my inner thoughts, face my fears and actually deal with them.

Just try practising awareness of the mind the whole day and not just in meditation, and you will realise that it takes tremendous effort. That was exactly what happened. To be aware of my thoughts, I had to become intimately connected to my inner emotions. They may be triggered by a security guard’s look, remarks from an friend or just something that my husband said. For each slight raise in temperature or “Zzzz” that I feel, I would write them down for study. It turned out that most of the stuff that I took note of came from my relationships with people I am close to.

A Dictionary of Negative Emotions

The funny thing was that I would assume that these little jolts meant nothing. The events are by themselves not major. But when I brought my notes to see my coach and under her skillful guidance, we managed to unearth a whole string of emotions from my subconscious mind….(I’m copying only some of them down here from my notes)….

Anger. Sadness. Violated. Defeated. Invaded. Mortified. Immobilised. Hurt. Remorseful. Unworthy. Unsafe. Sorrow. Insecurity. Wilful. Distraught. Defensive. Despair. Justified. Scornful. Vindictive. Rejected. Unimportant. Bitterness. Broken Hearted. Denial. Horrified. Unsafe. Miserable. Shame. Let down. Alienation. Inadequate. Deprived. Exasperated. Fear. Helpless. Humiliatioin. Unprepared. Abandoned. Grief. Resentment.

Just about any negative emotion in the dictionary. You name it - I’ve dug them up!

In fact, what transpired were that a lot of these emotions were triggered from earlier events. This meant having to work on childhood memories. Amazingly, a number of past life ones got triggered as well. I had stored many of the emotions from traumas, carrying them in my Soul until now.

Boy…was it painful! During today’s session, for instance, I was in tears at times and at others, I refused to let go of what I felt. My refusal came from righteous anger. I identified so much with what I felt that it became part of my identity. Letting go would mean giving up a part of myself, I reasoned. In a moment of insanity, I even got angry with my coach for “making me lose a part of myself”.

She went on to tell me that I could not change facts of what had happened in the past. But there were better ways of chanelling my negative energy. She said that I could do much to help women who were suffering and had problems in being authentic. That sank in well! I resonated with the idea. In what seemed like eternity, I finally let go of the heavy load of righteous anger.

I was advised that it would take 21 days for my emotions to settle. Noting my exhaustion, she also reminded me to consume an isotonic drink to charge up for loss of electrolytes. (Ohhhh…maybe that it is why I have not quite recovered from my exhaustion…. there was none left in my fridge when I got home……no wonder!)

With regards to the level of consciousness, through the 3 weeks, I also found out that I had moved up from some of the baser emotions, past the state of “pride” (the state that is a lot on the Ego) and onto a state of indifference. Much like what Albert from Urban Monk described in his post. (Perhaps, I would write about these states in another post). Going forward, the states will be much into spiritual enhancement and growth.

In Conclusion

Taking a step back now, I’m amazed what I’ve written in the past hour. I do realise that my post may not garner me that many votes on social media sites. However, through today’s post, I hope to share a glimpse of where I’m currently at in my own personal growth. Behind the scenes, I’m also working on myself; not just superficially but deeply.

It would appear possible to go about in life, without having to investigate so deeply into emotions. Most of us do not do much contemplation anyway; time is spent more on chasing material wealth or success. Many of the personal development experts field would also very much prefer to work on telling you the good parts of what to do such as making positive affirmations, goal setting or following your dreams.

Well….I prefer to take an alternate view. I cannot be a better coach or mentor to others, without working on myself deeply. I will not be doing my part, if I do not show that growth means really looking into our own fears in the face and cutting our ties with them for good.

On a personal front, I am committed to making changes at a Soul level. I needed to close the chapters at Source, that have been haunting me. In fact, I believe that these energetic imprints have been lowering my vibrations. I am in a journey as much as anyone else but my intent is to grow in leaps and bounds. One thing has been happening for sure, from such intensive work….I am beginning to have the first taste of clarity; a clearness that comes from within. The insights are just so profound that they are often very difficult to describe in words.

If you would like to read more from my own personal notes in emotional and spiritual healing, then do me a favor; let me know in the comments below. Oh…and do help me by bookmarking this post on your favorite social media sites….Much Thanks…!!

Here’s an except….

“Most of us are in constant mental chatter. We talk to ourselves all day long and, unfortunately, this self talk is frequently negative. Often it is tainted with guilt about our past or anxiety about our future. This negativity can destroy any seed of hope that we may otherwise have in striving for our dreams.”

Read it on Pick The Brain Here….

I wish to thank Peter for publishing it on his site. It’s much appreciated! Please visit and comment/Digg this article. Thank you in advance!!

Barbara had a healthy discussion going on at her site last week about blog commenting as a traffic generating strategy. Her post followed the interesting observation that Tina Su, owner of the site Think Simple Now, seldom used this strategy, unlike other bloggers; and yet experienced phenomenal growth in online readers and visitorship.

To be honest, I had the same question on my mind too about a few weeks back. I was also wondering how Tina did it. Tina had a full time job, just like a lot of bloggers. The strategies she shared openly about getting 5,000 subscribers in a short space of 6 months were nothing short of new. Yet, many of us cannot claim to share the same level of growth as what she has experienced from her site. Short of paid advertising or outsourcing for assistance, it would require more man-hours than just an average of 6 months for the same level of results.

I came to the conclusion that Tina’s success was caused by something more than just mere strategy alone. I shared it by commenting to Barbara’s post…

“My opinion is that Tina got her success because of the energy that she exudes. As we all know, her record is not quite the norm. She does not have the time to be commenting on every blog or digging (social bookmarking) for every one of her voters. I’d say that here is one person who has successfully attracted more abundance (in terms of subscribers) into her life, through her intent. There are energy forces at work, even over the web!”

After posting the above comment, my curiosity was aroused: Does Tina agree with my conclusion or is it really a case of just hard work and strategy in her experience? I wrote her a short email. Thankfully, she replied as such….

“Yes, I agree with what you wrote. I commented on the post with my point of view. But yes, I didn’t really think twice about how to spend my time… I never once questioned: comment or social media? .. I just had a clear vision, I had faith and I did whatever it took for my intention to be fulfilled. And in the end, the universe gave me more than I had asked.. much more. Law of attraction baby!!”

I know…I know. There will still be the naysayers who are going to dispute what she just said. Who are we to say, anyway, what we cannot really see or prove? On all accounts, skeptics are not going to attribute her success to the law of attraction; but rather a simple case of knowing what one truly wants and going for it.

Well, for the benefit of those who are open to new thought ideas and whom I believe form the majority of readers to my blog, please continue to read on for further study. It sure seems that whatever she has applied, is in congruence to what the law of attraction says.

Since Tina’ site is titled Think Simple Now, I am going to use the bestseller Think and Grow Rich by Napolean Hill for reference to deduce her metaphysical ingredients for success. Just in case you are wondering, Jerry Hicks from The Teachings of Abraham revealed that the original Think and Grow Rich edition or manuscript had the word “attraction” several times in the book. This word was subsequently edited out by its publishers for reasons unknown (my guess is that it is the fear of public outcry at a time in the past when such ideas were less acceptable).

Tina’s Ingredients for Success:

1. Strong Desire. Desire is thought impulse and thought impulse is energy. It simply means that when you have a thought so strong, you draft the resources of the Universe to make things happen for you.

Well, as Tina had shared, she knew what she wanted. Her desire must have been so strong that it led to an avalanche of readers.

“Riches begin in the form of thought. The amount is limited only by the person in whose mind the thought is put in motion.”
— Think and Grow Rich by Napolean Hill

2. Single Mindedness in Purpose. Tina was very clear in her intent. She had no doubts in what she wanted to achieve and she pursued it with single focus.

Can we all claim to the same? What are we intending for our websites? Part time hobby or real business? Do we jump from one business idea to another in a matter of days? What about other aspects of our life – do we stick to our goals or do we keep changing our minds on what they are?

“There is no hope of success for the person who does not have a central purpose or definite goal at which to aim. Ninety-eight out of every hundred of those whom I have analyzed had no such aim. Perhaps this was the major cause of their failure”. — Think and Grow Rich by Napolean Hill

3. Positive Energy Behind The Smile. There is no denying Tina’s enthusiasm and openness in sharing what she knows. You can feel her energy through her replies to emails.

Her site pretty much reflects the same positive energy that she exudes. First, she has a lovely profile picture to boot. I was bowled over by her smile in the same picture posted elsewhere on the web, to visit her blog. On her site, as I began to read her posts, I could feel her buzz rightaway, despite never having met her.

Assuming that you own a site, consider then, what energy your site is transmuting. Let’s not forget a website is made up of digital bytes of information on the internet. But as we all know in metaphysical terms, these are all made up of energy.

Energy frequency, in turn can be raised or lowered by emotions. In Think and Grow Rich, Napolean Hill shared seven major positive emotions: desire, faith, love, sex, enthusiasm, romance and hope. Conversely, the seven negative emotions are: fear, jealousy, hatred, revenge, greed, superstition and anger. He shared that the positive emotions of thought form the side of the stream which carries one to fortune; while the negative emotions form the side that carries one to poverty. In no uncertain terms, he said that riches have to be “attracted”.

“The presence of a single negative in your conscious mind is sufficient to destroy all chances of constructive aid from your subconscious mind.”
— Think and Grow Rich by Napolean Hill

While I may have explained things in the online world, the same concepts should apply to just about any work, particularly in the area of business, that you do. Hence with regards to whether or not you attract great abundance (including traffic or money), it all boils down to intent. What would you say your emotions are ruled by? Are you truly earnest in wanting to share information and help or are you just hoping to make a quick buck from our readers or customers? Are you jealous of your competitor’s success or are you merely studying gaps as a form of feedback? Do you serve the community selflessly or with every hope of squeezing everything back in return?

Think Simple Now and Grow Rich

In case you are wondering, Tina did not pay me to write this post. Rightly so, we choose to learn from the rich and successful so that we can benefit from their experience. And this is what I am doing - I am using her story as a case study.

However, my analysis on the stellar record of Tina’s site is less about what method (whether blog commenting or social media) she has used or how many hours of hard work she has put in. Sure these are ingredients that are needed as well. There is every need to put action behind the intention.

My analysis is more on the study of energy forces that go behind the success. Tina’s case is a clear example to me on how energy forces also work through the web. It holds the key to why so many entrepreneurs fail, despite trying so hard. It is very likely what is needed for the leap to great riches.

“When riches begin to come they come so quickly, in such great abundance, that one wonders where they have been hiding all those lean years.”
— Think and Grow Rich by Napolean Hill

Still I have to contend that today’s article is merely my own analysis. Once again, I may or may not be right. But as I’ve always put forth, the only way to know it for yourself is to investigate anything questionable deeply and to derive your own conclusions.

Well, do you know of Tina and the phenomenal growth of her site? What do you think are her secrets to her success? Just a case of strategy-and-hard-work alone or coupled with a metaphysical application of “think-and-grow-rich” principles invoking the law of attraction? Do share your thoughts below.

Half a year has already passed and you are nowhere near achieving your goals. To give up now or not to? This is a question that has been occupying your mind lately. You are in obvious pain; lamenting over your lack of success, despite having put in late nights and all. The current situation does not look healthy: You have got bills to pay and your bank account is depleting. Your health is in jeopardy. And your family extremely unhappy.

Perhaps it is that you have set out on a journey to becoming your own boss. At the very start, you have decided that enough is enough. Egged on the numerous advice by many personal development sites (perhaps including mine) out there to follow your dreams, you have handed in your resignation letter to that horrible ex-boss. So you have gone on to setting up a business and possibly an internet one, to boot. You dreamed of conquering the world with the aid of a keyboard and mouse.

Not just a business venture, wanting to quit can also apply to any situation. It may be a fitness regime or a project that you’ve set your sights on. The stakes are high; your ego is at stake. Damn it…you need to prove that you can succeed, at all costs…to shut your critics up! Alas…you have not quite forseen the numerous challenges and difficulties strewn onto your path.

Well, do not quit just yet. If you are not in that dire situation of getting your house possessed by the bank, being declared bankrupt, unable to pay for milk powder for your baby or facing some real calamity yet, then I’d like to share with you some Never-Give-Up stories. These stories have often helped inspire me stay the course. Pondering over them takes away my attention from focusing too much on my everyday difficulties. I gain a “bird’s eye” view on my whole journey. The stories give me hope, often keeping me afloat (see above photo illustration).

1. Three Feet from Gold in Think and Grow Rich by Napolean Hill.

“Life’s real failure is when you do not realize how close you were to success when you gave up.”
— Unknown

A man was caught by the “gold rush” idea and went west to dig. After weeks of labor, he was rewarded by the discovery of the shining ore. However he needed machinery to bring the ore to the surface. So together with some friends and relatives, he raised enough money to buy the machinery.

The first car of ore brought the group some money. But he needed a few more cars in order to clear his debts and to make a killing in profits. So they continued drilling.

But to their dismay, they could not find any more ore. Finally, after trying very hard, they decided to quit. They sold the machinery to a junk man for a few hundred dollars.

The junk man called in a mining engineer to do a review. The engineer’s calculations showed that the vein of ore could be found just three feet from where the group had stopped drilling. And that was exactly where it was found! The junk man became a millionaire overnight, because he was wise enough to seek expert counsel.

Question Nugget: Is success just round the corner? If you give up too soon, you know you will never find the success that you have been hankering for.

2. The Stockdale Paradox

In the best-selling book Good to Great by Jim Collins, the research showed that every good-to-great company faced significant adversity along the way to greatness. In every case, the management team responded with a powerful psychological duality. On one hand, they accepted the brutal facts of reality. On the other hand, they maintained an unwavering faith in the endgame, and a commitment to prevail as a great company despite the brutal facts.

The name belongs to Admiral Jim Stockdale. He was the highest ranking US military officer in the “Hanoi Hilton” prisoner-of-war camp during the height of the Vietnam War. Although he was tortured over 20 times during his 8-year imprisonment, he lived out the war without any prisoner’s rights, no set release date or certainty when he would see his family again. During his imprisonment, he shouldered the burden of command, doing what he could to create conditions that would increase the survival for his men, while fighting an internal war against his captors and their attempts to use the prisoners for propaganda. He was finally released and became the first three-star officer in the history of navy to wear both aviator wings and the Congressional Medal of Honor.

“I never lost faith in the end of the story. I never doubted not only that I would get out, but also that I would prevail in the end and turn the experience into the defining event of my life, which in retrospect, I would not trade.”

What was ironical, he revealed, was that the “optimists” were the ones who did not survive. They were the ones who would say that they’d be out by Christmas. And Christmas would come and would go. Then, they’d say that they’d be out by Easter. And Easter would come by, then Thanksgiving and so on. They died broken hearted.

General Stockdale said in an interview with Jim Collins, who subsequently named the duality as the Stockdale Paradox…

“You must never confuse faith that you will prevail in the end – which you can never afford to lose – with the discipline to confront the most brutal facts of your current reality, whatever they might be.”

Question Nuggets: What separates the great from the rest, is not just the dreams they have but also in how they deal with the inevitable difficulties in life. Do you display tenacity and strength or are you already in defeat mentally, as you face your current difficulties? Getting to know The Stockdale Paradox can help you emerge from difficulties, in a position of greater strength. It helps you strip away the noise and clutter, that derail you from staying the course.

3. The Story of Thomas Edison

“I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.”
— Thomas A. Edison

Perhaps, the greatest teacher of all in never-to-give-up, is Thomas Edison. Contrary to popular belief, he didn’t “invent” the lightbulb, but rather he improved upon a 50-year-old idea. Thomas Edison dreamed of a lamp that could be operated by electricity. Despite more than 10,000 failures, he finally made his dream into a physical reality. He succeeded not only in inventing an incandescent electric light, but also an electric lighting system that was practical, safe, and economical.

Thomas Edison is considered by many to be one of the most prolific inventors in history, holding 1,093 U.S. patents in his name, as well as many patents in the United Kingdom, France and Germany. His motto for success has always been one of hard work and determination.

Questions Nugget: Feel like giving up? Ask yourself these questions: Have you put your very best in effort? Is it just a temporary setback that you are facing? Are there more ways that one in dealing with your current perceived problems?

Many who have succeeded also shared similar findings as Thomas Edison….

“I didn’t fail the test, I just found 100 ways to do it wrong”
— Benjamin Franklin (American Statesman, Scientist, Philosopher, Printer, Writer and Inventor. 1706-1790)

“Failures are finger posts on the road to achievement.”
— C.S. Lewis (British Scholar and Novelist. 1898-1963)

“Failure is not falling down but refusing to get up.”
— Chinese Proverbs quotes

“An inventor fails 999 times, and if he succeeds once, he’s in. He treats his failures simply as practice shots.”
— Charles F. Kettering (American engineer, inventor of the electric starter, 1876-1958)

Draw Hope and Inspiration From Success Stories
There are many success stories that you can draw inspiration and strength from. Many of the greatest people were also born disadvantaged. Consider Hellen Keller, who was deaf, dumb and blind, Beethoven who was deaf and John Milton who was blind.

In this century alone, you can also benefit from stories of those who went from bankruptcy to great wealth: Anthony Robbins, Robert Kiyosaki and Donald Trump, just to name a few. The movie on the left is also a highly inspirational one!

If you decide to stick on (and I hope you do, unless you are really in dire straits), then do your best to survive the hard times. Should the going get tough, turn to inspirational stories, like the reminders from this post, to help keep your dreams alive! Success may just be not too far off - Do Not Give Up Just Yet!

Is your life pretty much like a roller coaster? You may be in extreme joy one moment but in the next, your emotion comes crashing down like a tide. You practically have little control. What you feel is pretty much dictated by the experiences that life throws at you. If anything, anger is a negative emotion that you often find yourself with. Well, I can pretty much relate to the scenerio that I’ve just described; it depicted much of how my life was previously.

With introspection, one important lesson that I have come to know is that it is very possible to detach myself from anger. Before, I would be so identified with anger that I totally immerse myself in it. The more I connected with my inner feelings of hurt and frustration associated with the anger, the higher the intensity of my emotions.

Although I tend to stuff my anger inside, I would be stacking up in negative energy, ready to burst. It used to take me quite a while to calm down, after that. Then, I had no awareness that I could think of anger as a state; a state that I could dis-associate (a term popularly known in NLP language) from.

The Scoop With States

What, then, is a state? A state refers to the sum of your emotional experiences at any given point in time. A state can be positive, reflecting a sense of happiness, joy and peace or it can be negative, reflecting sadness, tiredness, anger or frustration. Common states are: a state of panic, a state of boredom, a state of bliss, in a mess; and of course, a state of anger.

States do not necessarily have specific labels all the time. Sometimes, when someone asks you how you feel, your answer may be “I’m in a good mood” or “I feel out of sorts”.

When you are experiencing negative emotions, it is easy to incorrectly assume that this state as your whole Being. You (or more rightly, your ego) feel threatened; it now becomes a “fight for survival”. When you become so consumed with your rage and frustrations, it is possible to lose all sense and the ability to think clearly. You do not realise that You and your Ego are separate, and that to feel better, it is possible to change state.

“The ego is not only the unobserved mind, the voice in the head which pretends to be you, but also the unobserved emotions that are the body’s reaction to what the voice in the head is saying.”
—- A New Earth: Awakening to Your Life’s Purpose by Eckhart Tolle

Anger Builds Upon Anger

Because negativity tends to breed more negativity, it is easy to go on a downward spiral when you get caught up in your emotions. At the office, you feel angry after a torrent of verbal abuse by your boss. Fearful of affecting your job security, you decide not to argue with him.

Unfortunately, after going home from work, your spouse reminds you about the mounting household bills. A fight soon ensues. For some peace and quiet, you decide to escape to your parents’ home, only to face more nagging. Your anger remains unresolved. As your frustrations intensify, you feel that it is not just those around; but that the whole world is against you! Negative energy builds into an internal volcano that threatens to erupt!

Why do You Need to Address Your Anger?

Anger can cause you to make unwise decisions, say hurtful remarks, destroy relationships and take drastic actions that you may regret later. It is an emotion that blocks your way to abundance. It is also listed as one of the Five Hindrances to Meditation, thwarting your way to peace and serenity.

“He abused me, he beat me, he defeated me, he robbed me. In him, who harbours such thoughts, hatred will not cease.”
— The Buddha

How to Create Anger Awareness

In NLP, we learn that it is very possible to change our internal state. The first step, obviously, comes with awareness. The more aware you are about your emotions, the more you can stop anger at its track should it arise.

Here’s a simple exercise. Simply close your eyes and get in touch with your emotions currently. What are you experiencing? How is your breathing – fast or slow? How do you feel mentally – stressed or relaxed? Do this exercise often so that you increase your sense of awareness.

States are often created by the way you perceive the world. In NLP, when you can change an aspect of your neurology and physiology such as rate of breathing, blood pressure, muscle tension, posture, you can alter your mental state. Once you are able to change your thoughts, you can also affect your neuro-physiological responses. It is a cybernetic loop.

How you perceive the world can be altered. The half-empty and half-full glass is a simple analogy of how you can perceive life differently. Going back to the anger example, you can choose not to bother with the honking of a car behind or choose to stop your car in rage, to confront its unreasonable driver.

Anger Warrants Investigation

I am not suggesting that from now on, you should simply ignore your anger feelings and perceive things positively. Ignoring a problem is never the solution. Anger unresolved is often a sign of an overload. It happens when you unconsciously accumulate an internal storehouse with anger. You collect all negative energy with the common theme of unmet expectations.

“There is a buildup of energy, but since the danger is only a mental fiction, the energy has no outlet. Part of it is fed back to the mind and generates even more anxious thought. The rest of the energy turns toxic and interferes with the harmonious functioning of the body.”
— A New Earth: Awakening to Your Life’s Purpose by Eckhart Tolle

On the other hand, I am suggesting that you look at anger as a signal for investigation. As the above quote by Eckhart Tolle suggests, it may not just be anger but the physical symptoms of your body that may be telling of your bottled feelings inside.

What is key to understanding is that the anger is not really You. Rather, it refers to a state that can be altered. It is often ego-generated. Here is a good perspective to adopt that has worked for me:

“Anger is only a natural reaction; one of the mind’s ways of reacting to things that it perceives to be wrong. While anger can sometimes lead people to do shocking things, it can also be an instinct to show people that something isn’t right.”
—Unknown

With the dis-association of Self from the anger, it is then possible to become calmer. Only in calmness, can clarity arise. Only then, can you objectively evaluate these questions: Why are you feeling this anger? What is it that is making you this angry? Did it arise because your expectations are not met? Is it possible that your expectations are too high? Are there more ways of perceiving the same issue? Could you have really made a mistake about the intentions of the other party?

In Summary and Conclusion: How to Calm Down Quickly

Preparation is key to dealing with unresolved anger. You need to first take time to meditate over your negative emotions. Get to know your emotions intimately before any instance of anger. Be in touch with your feelings. Note your ups, downs and in-betweens. Then, when a major trigger gets fired off, rather than Be in a state of over-reaction, look at anger as a signal for re-evaluating your limiting beliefs and expectations. Dis-associate yourself and understand that it is your ego at play.

You can then choose to use EFT or any NLP techniques, to address your negative emotions. As you gain in awareness and understanding, anger dissipates. Few things rail you as much, going forward. Peace and calm is the order of the day! Your thoughts become charged up with positive energy; there is also more love and abundance in your life!

“If you are patient in one moment of anger, you will escape a hundred days of sorrow.”
—- Chinese Proverbs

I was so uplifted by the video; that I felt the need to spread some joy, especially on this 4th of July weekend (Good wishes to all my readers from America)!! Even if you’re in a hurry, do stop for a moment to watch it. It’s guaranteed to bring on a smile in you!

Oh yes….it’s nice that Singapore, my lovely home, is also featured. Watch for it!!

(Photo Credit: Derricksphotos on Flickr)

In metaphysical terms, if you focus on thoughts of lack and worry, then outcomes that vibrate with scarcity will be what you are likely to attract. Want to lead an abundant life? Then, you need to move away from such thoughts and towards cultivating wealth consciousness. Again, you may find that this easier said than done. After all, many of your thoughts have been pretty much inculcated since young; they lie inside your subconscious mind and you have no real awareness of what these are.

However, since thoughts translate to actions, you can look to your actions as a guide to what you are really thinking. I’ve identified 7 examples of everyday actions that you need to put a stop to:

1. Taking For “Free”.

I know…I know….it sure is tempting….the tiny soaps and bottles of shampoo, bubble bath and moisturizer that lined up neatly in the bathroom of your hotel room. You call housekeeping services, asking for more supplies, each day of your hotel stay. When you check out of the room, half of your luggage is stuffed with free soaps and bottles.

Another scenerio. Do you sneak home from your office, stationary items like paper clips, stacks of blank paper or pens? Your thoughts run like this: “Who is going to notice the small amounts that I take anyway? This is a big organization I am working for; they can more than afford to pay for office supplies.”

Stop! Abundance experts like Louis Hay, author of You can Heal Your Life, and wealth mentors say that little acts like these count towards a feeling of lack. If you take things for what you have not paid for, you are basically implying that you do not have the means to afford them.

Money is a form of energy exchange. If you stop free flow at its track, you are creating an obstruction for more abundance coming into your life. In short, use and pay only for what you need.

2. Hoarding Supplies.

Overstocking is a form of behavior which is pretty common. Check to determine why you are stocking your pantry with a six months advanced supply of food. Is it because you are fearful of going hungry? Do you feel comfort when you have got more possessions than you ever need? At what point do your survival instincts kick in?

Hoarding is a sign of unease. You do not trust that you will have enough and that is why you hoard. It may be really that you have not had enough food to eat during your lean years. However, if being poor is no longer the case for you now, then there is no need to continue having a habit that is born out of a struggle for survival. It is time to let go of these thoughts of insecurity. Holding on to them reflects poverty thinking!

3. Refusal to Help the Less Fortunate.

Do you avoid every donation request that is made to you? See a disabled person needing help on the streets and you run away? An insecure person is one who feels that he or she has not enough; that is why it is impossible to share or do more for others. Insecurity is seeped in lack and scarcity.

Hoarding money in your bank account and not circulating it is also not a good idea. As mentioned in point #1 above, money is a form of energy exchange. If you use money as an act to serve and help others, it carries with it a vibration of love and abundance. More prosperity comes back to you eventually.

Try doing a random act of kindness for a stranger, to expand wealth consciousness. However, also note that you should not be expecting anything back in return. A random act of kindness should come from the goodness of an overflowing heart.

4. Not Taking Good Care of Yourself .

Those who suffer from low self esteem are often guilty of not taking good care of themselves. They choose to stay in battered relationships, jobs that rob their lives or are contented with poor health. They do not take much needed vacations, spend time alone or nurture themselves in any way.

Having low self esteem is about the lack of self love. Loving yourself is not about boosting your ego. It is about valuing your inner Self. If you do not have enough love for yourself, you will tend to attract situations of scarcity. You will find yourself often in situations where you do not receive love.

Forgiveness is an act of love that comes from the generosity of your heart. So make sure that you also forgive yourself. Hence, spend time creating inner spaces. Learn to love yourself unconditionally.

5. Not Saying “Thank You”.

When someone gives you a compliment, are you gracious or are you too embarrassed to accept it? If someone wants to give you a gift, are you afraid of accepting it because you think you do not have the means to give anything in return?

Be sure not to reject abundance when it is given to you. It is always a good idea to concentrate on receiving increases like more compliments, gifts and prosperity; rather than on thoughts of lack or undeserving. Keep the energy flowing freely through you. Simply smile and say “thank you”. Even if you do not like to gift, accept it and pass it on to someone else who does. In this way, you are saying that you are grateful for all that you have and are ready to receive more.

6. Complaints Of Bad Luck, Success and Fortune.

Often whine about your lack of good luck, fortune or success? Or sigh over and over again about your lack of prosperity? Do you look at your successful friend or colleague and ask yourself “Oh..why don’t I ever get that?”

“No complaint … is more common than that of a scarcity of money.”
— Adam Smith (Scottish philosopher and economist, 1723-1790)

If you find yourself always lamenting about the gaps in your life, then it is easy to determine that your mind has pretty much been focusing on not having enough. When you are beset with envy and jealousy, you are thinking that you are not entitled to the same abundance that your friend or colleague is enjoying.

Perhaps if you choose to believe that there is enough abundance in the world for all to share, then it becomes possible to overcome your constant complaints. Here is what Stephen Covey has to say

“People with a scarcity mentality tend to see everything in terms of win-lose. There is only so much; and if someone else has it, that means there will be less for me. The more principle-centered we become, the more we develop an abundance mentality, the more we are genuinely happy for the successes, well-being, achievements, recognition, and good fortune of other people. We believe their success adds to…rather than detracts from…our lives.”

7. Addicted to Your Stats.

As a blogger, do you check your stats several times a day? You start with looking at your site’s performance first thing in the morning and end the day with another round of analysis. In between, you check your stats counter more times than you go to the bathroom. You fret on end if the last post you published failed to bring in the traffic that you expected. While it is a good idea to track your results, your constant checking has become an obsession.

The same can also apply in the offline world. In the office, you may find yourself monitoring your sales records like a hawk. At home, you are always on the line. You call other parents to compare your child’s school results against theirs. You get all nervous and jittery when some other child does better than yours.

Most Buddhists know this: Attachment to results brings about suffering. Your emotions practically follow the numbers game. You have no control over how you feel; it is dictated by the figures that you clock.

Such signs of anxiety are based on no trust or the lack of it. You worry that the seeds you planted and the effort that you put in for the planting of a tree, will not grow tall. This is no way to live! Anxiety breeds stress and stress can manifest in several ways such as deterioration in physical health. Instead, much like gardening, just focus on the process of what is needed to be done and let the Universe make it happen for you!

Actions As Indicators

There is probably a ton of everyday actions that reflect lack-laden thoughts. However, the above 7 points is a good list to start off with. If you have not been consciously aware about your thoughts, then it is time to look towards your actions. Your actions tell a lot about what you think and feel. Awareness is key to making a change in thoughts. It is very possible to change thought patterns using a variety of NLP techniques. Always choose to align your thoughts to the vibrational frequency of abundance. You may just be pleasantly surprised!

For manifestations to occur, you need two factors; pure intention and focused attention. Intention is what directs potentiality, while attention is the intensity of this intention. As intention comes from thought, and thought is energy, then it goes to show that the more energy in your attention, more your intentions will manifest. If you find yourself getting stuck in your manifestations, then these are the two factors you need to look into.

Many of us face the problem of having several intents that cancel each other out. We do not have a clear single mindedness of focus. Need an example? Just think about the number of times when you have started on a project or venture, and you decide to quit half way, giving up on or your original goal.

“One reason so few of us achieve what we truly want is that we never direct our focus; we never concentrate our power. Most people dabble their way through life, never deciding to master anything in particular.”

—Anthony Robbins quotes

Attention is what brings about movement and strength to your intention. You can have an intent but if you do not direct your energy sufficiently, then you cannot bring about conscious changes.

“Remember that thought is the fire that creates the steam that turns the wheel of fortune, upon which your experiences depend.”

—The Master Key System by Charles F Haanel

We cannot attract positive outcomes if we are not sure what it is that we truly desire. We find ourselves stuck or still in the same position as before. The result is that we accomplish nothing.

The lack of clarity can affect the energy behind our focused attention. The energy is confused, weak and scattered. Read how I successfully bend silver metal spoons here using focused attention, after clearing up my energy.

The mechanics of focused attention is to concentrate, without any conscious or subconscious interfering thought. When you can do this, invisible forces are set in motion for your manifestations to occur.

The Principle of Focused Attention

The Principle of Focused Attention is a Universal law. This principle says that a thought reaches a combustion point at 17 seconds of pure undiluted focus. As we all know, thoughts usually follow one after another. So if there is a second thought that is in alignment with the first, the effect is exponentially more powerful. At the end of 17 seconds or 34 seconds, the next thought combusts. With 34 seconds of pure focus, it evolves to a higher level of energy. Add another 17 seconds, 34 seconds become 51 seconds and so on and so forth. If this string of thoughts is directed systematically and constructively, the energy vibrates at a frequency that draws the desired outcome and brings it into physical reality.

A Simple How-to Exercise To Apply The Principle of Focused Attention

I came to know about the 17 seconds requirement for focused attention some time ago but had no idea on how to apply it. If anything, I found myself often having sabotaging thoughts. “I want a new car but petrol prices are going to kill me”; “It will be nice to go on a vacation but that may mean that I cannot blog while I am away”; “I want to go to the gym but that will mean I will have less time for social marketing on the web”. It’s impossible to have pure thought after pure thought, without corruption.

However, in one of the Silva Mind Control techniques, I was taught a very useful exercise to put this into practice. This exercise involved creating a running script while making the visualization.

Ever tried role playing? This is exactly what it is. You imagine yourself as already having your desired outcome. However, instead of a static picture that you create in your mind, it is like you are in a movie. And you say this script out loud.

Need an example? Try saying this…

“I am now at a book signing ceremony. My book has made it to the best seller’s list on Amazon for six weeks in a row. Everyone is clamoring for a piece of me! There is a long queue of excited fans waiting in line.

I feel somewhat exhausted for it is already the 121th book I’m signing. I’ve got more signing ceremonies lined up in the next few days. The last I’ve checked with my personal assistant - my schedule is full for the next 6 months.

Despite my exhaustion, I am grateful to be sitting here. I am most appreciative towards my readers and fans. Without their support, I would not have attained my 7-digit income. All my hard work and late nights have finally borne fruit. Sitting in meditation and experiencing the gap every now pretty much provided me with inspired ideas for my book.

While making money has not been my primary motivator, it is a huge testimony to the lives that I have transformed through my site. I have inspired changes in more people that I ever dream of. It is heart warming when strangers whom I do not know, come up to tell me about the difference my book has made to them.

Click-click! It is the sound from a camera! “Look here, please,” says a fan. I smile and look towards the camera.”

Your Homework

Enjoyed the script? Okay….how’s this? Post a 17-second script in the comments section below and let me know what your inspired dream is. Tip: You can picture yourself at an award ceremony, about to finish a race or receiving a million dollar check in the mail; anything! The idea is to have fun, stretch your imagination and feel a dose of gratitude for having manifested your intention, while visualizing!