The Power of Manifestation

wirednomad42 said:🤔

Yeah, fair point... I guess you're right, I'm the one asking these stupid questions ☕

Stupid or not, I honestly don't have an answer for you. And seriously, drop the attitude—like I said before, I'm not trying to convince anyone of anything, I'm just sharing what happened to me.

Peter Phillips32 said:It’s nothing but pure profit, really. Just a massive cash grab targeting suckers.
People who would much rather deal with the exhaustion of actual hard work
than the literal backaches from sitting on their butts all day.
Instead, they try to manifest their dreams
through that ridiculous concept of Quote : The Secret,
which is just absolute, bottom-of-the-barrel stupidity.

I wouldn't call them foolishness or a scam, though I don't read those books myself. I think anyone who has ever taken a sport seriously could explain it better: without desire and absolute faith, you can't achieve anything at all. It isn't a magic bullet, but without it, you aren't going anywhere.

The power of desire is immense, but only when used to commit yourself to a single objective. "Tonight, I don't need company or a shoulder to cry on; I have poured everything I am into this one goal. I will either be a winner or a loser, and my name will reflect that. No one else can provide the motivation to try again. I have to do it all alone, and I am alone. That is why tonight, I feel completely solitary." 😍🤣

What exactly constitutes the pinnacle of this concept? The "power of intention" has been dissected by countless thinkers—far more than most people realize—long before Rhonda Byrne ever brought it into the mainstream spotlight...
Some did it through methods that were seriously subversive, intense—even outright illegal...

It’s actually quite fascinating how Rhonda Byrne’s philosophy manages to align itself so perfectly with the status quo—how it presents itself as this seemingly benign, shallow, and ultimately quite limited way of thinking...

The secret is quite unassuming—and surprisingly optimistic...
Anyone can attract wealth—it’s really that simple, though most people spend their entire lives looking for a complicated shortcut that doesn't exist...
Well... I suppose that's one way to start a conversation. Just a single, enthusiastic outburst—no context, no substance, just pure, unadulterated energy... I can only assume there's a reason for such exuberance, though I won't be holding my breath for an explanation...
Anyone can indulge in positive thinking... if they have the stomach for it. It’s easy enough to sit around and visualize success—it's practically the modern American pastime—but there is a vast, yawning chasm between merely "thinking positive" and actually navigating the grit of reality...
Well... that was certainly enthusiastic... if somewhat brief...
It seems to me that when things inevitably go sideways for someone—when life decides to throw a wrench in the works—it’s rarely just bad luck... It’s usually because they haven't quite mastered the art of directing their own thoughts. They aren't channeling those positive intentions in the right way, or perhaps not at all... It’s a subtle distinction, but a vital one.
Well... that’s certainly one way to start a conversation—if we can even call it that...
Anyone can engineer a happy life simply by mastering their own mindset—it really is that straightforward if you have the discipline... there’s absolutely no excuse to dwell on negativity regarding the world around us. All that ugliness people complain about? It isn't some grand conspiracy of broken systems or sweeping societal shifts—it's nothing more than a direct reflection of our own pessimism and those dark, ugly thoughts we refuse to let go of...
Well... I suppose that's one way to express enthusiasm... even if it lacks any real substance or context...
If you find yourself facing a layoff or getting canned... honestly, all you really need is the right mindset to keep moving forward...
Well... that was certainly something...
When disaster starts looming on the horizon—and let’s be honest, it always does—you really have to cling to the delusion that you’ll somehow remain untouched by the fallout...

Is that really how it goes?...

I find myself thinking that it’s hardly a coincidence—not by a long shot—that the secret from Rhonda Byrne surfaced right on the precipice of the crisis...

I don't mean to suggest there was some sort of direct causal link...
In reality, both are just different facets of the exact same ideology...

Just imagine if someone actually decided to get serious today and start telling this exact same story... only with this particular version of events;

The link provided leads to a video that seems to touch upon certain psychological or motivational themes—perhaps something akin to the principles found in the works of Rhonda Byrne... though even those can feel a bit overly optimistic if you've been around the block a few times. It’s one of those digital rabbit holes where you start looking for answers and end up questioning the fundamental mechanics of how we perceive reality. I find myself staring at these things more often than I should—it’s a bit of a distraction from the grind, I suppose... regardless of whether the content actually holds water or is just another polished attempt at selling a dream.

I find myself thinking of them every single time someone starts babbling about "The Secret," the power of manifestation, the supposed influence of thought, or any other brand of that mystical, New Age nonsense...

It’s actually quite fascinating—even if they’re essentially preaching the same gospel, there is such a radical difference in their fundamental approach... the emphasis shifts toward entirely different priorities altogether...

After running a bit of an analysis through my head—digging past the surface-level noise—it becomes increasingly clear that these individuals were actually walking the exact same ideological path all along... despite how different they might have appeared on paper.
Radical individualism—the absolute imperative to become self-reliant—the way our mental projections warp the reality we think we inhabit... It’s all part of this modern obsession with self-transformation through sheer willpower and thought alone. We prioritize our own whims above everything else, treating objective truth as if it were entirely relative... There are so many different flavors of self-indulgence surfacing lately—this relentless insistence on finding some sort of "authentic self" that supposedly exists beneath the surface...

The fundamental issue—if we can even call it that anymore—is simply that people took things too far... they pushed until there was nothing left to push.
But until the very end...
So, how does one actually discern which desire is worth pursuing in the first place?... It’s a question that haunts most people, I suppose—this endless, restless searching through a fog of fleeting impulses and societal expectations. We spend our lives chasing shadows, thinking we want the promotion, the bigger house in the suburbs, or the approval of strangers, only to realize later that we were merely running on a treadmill designed by someone else... The truth is, distinguishing a genuine soul-deep longing from a passing whim is an exhausting exercise in self-reflection. You have to strip away the noise—the constant chatter of social media, the pressure from your peers, the relentless drive of American consumerism—and sit in that uncomfortable silence until you can hear your own pulse again. A real desire doesn't scream at you; it doesn't demand immediate gratification like some cheap dopamine hit. It’s quieter... more persistent... a steady hum in the background of your life that refuses to be ignored, no matter how much you try to drown it out with distractions...
On what specific criteria are you basing your desires...?
Do you ever stop to consider that this entire society—this relentless, grinding machine we call modern life—is actually designed to train you into a state of constant, unquenchable wanting? It’s all very calculated... the way everything around us is engineered to ensure we never feel quite satisfied with what we already hold...
So, how does one actually arrive at their own true desire—that single, authentic North Star... if such a thing even exists?
Their ultimate conclusion was nothing short of a radical act of self-revelation—the kind that only follows an equally radical emancipation of both the mind and the culture... It required intense, grueling deprogramming before they could even begin the process of such a sweeping, transformative self-reinvention.
It involved a process of self-interrogation—a deep, visceral dive into one's own most depraved and repressed desires, those darkest, most unpalatable fears, and particularly the sexual fantasies we usually bury under layers of social decorum... It was about actively engaging with, and even vicariously living out, everything that seemed impossible to manifest in reality. The whole point was to serve a collective purpose by fundamentally restructuring one’s existence—modifying their lifestyle, their behavior, their beliefs, their very thoughts, and their physical selves. It was a systematic stripping away of anything that wasn't entirely congruent with the truth, peeling back the layers one by one until nothing remained but that singular, core way of being... that one ultimate desire which a human being craves above all else...

It’s an interesting comparison... if you look closely enough.
Honestly, they’re discussing the exact same subject—but the ways they approach it are so wildly divergent that you’d almost think they weren't even talking about the same thing... It’s as if they have no common ground at all, let alone any shared purpose or function...

I find that this serves as a perfect illustration of just how much of a superficial, consumerist farce the secret is—a sort of final, desperate gasp of optimism... a frantic belief in a paradigm of cheerful alienation and self-satisfaction, where one simply ignores the surrounding decay after the collapse of history has already taken its toll...

And in the end, it’s all just rotting postmodernism...

So, I was just sitting here wondering... what would actually happen if someone—someone with even a modicum of sense—actually started writing about the necessity of critical thinking? It’s a curious thought, isn't it? In an era where everyone seems to be reacting purely on instinct or following the latest digital mob, the idea of deep, analytical reasoning feels almost like a lost art... almost subversive, even.
That concept is... well, it’s fairly old-school at this point—certainly nothing new under the sun...
Simple...
Critical thinking... or rather, the lack thereof in our modern discourse—it’s becoming a lost art, isn't it? We seem to have traded deep analysis for the quick dopamine hit of a headline or a trending soundbite. It’s all surface-level noise now... everyone has an opinion, but very few people actually bother to peel back the layers to see what’s actually driving the sentiment. True critical thinking requires a certain level of intellectual stamina—something that feels increasingly rare in an era designed to shorten our attention spans. You have to be willing to question your own biases, to sit with the discomfort of being wrong, and to look past the obvious narrative... which, let’s face it, is rarely the whole truth. It’s exhausting work, staying skeptical when the world is practically begging you to just pick a side and stop thinking. But then again, maybe that’s just the price we pay for living in such a loud, cluttered society...

Would they actually be as successful as Rhonda Byrne... or is that just wishful thinking?

placidwolf27 said:What exactly constitutes the pinnacle of this concept? The "power of intention" has been dissected by countless thinkers—far more than most people realize—long before Rhonda Byrne ever brought it into the mainstream spotlight...
Some did it through methods that were seriously subversive, intense—even outright illegal...

It’s actually quite fascinating how Rhonda Byrne’s philosophy manages to align itself so perfectly with the status quo—how it presents itself as this seemingly benign, shallow, and ultimately quite limited way of thinking...

The secret is quite unassuming—and surprisingly optimistic...
Anyone can attract wealth—it’s really that simple, though most people spend their entire lives looking for a complicated shortcut that doesn't exist...
Well... I suppose that's one way to start a conversation. Just a single, enthusiastic outburst—no context, no substance, just pure, unadulterated energy... I can only assume there's a reason for such exuberance, though I won't be holding my breath for an explanation...
Anyone can indulge in positive thinking... if they have the stomach for it. It’s easy enough to sit around and visualize success—it's practically the modern American pastime—but there is a vast, yawning chasm between merely "thinking positive" and actually navigating the grit of reality...
Well... that was certainly enthusiastic... if somewhat brief...
It seems to me that when things inevitably go sideways for someone—when life decides to throw a wrench in the works—it’s rarely just bad luck... It’s usually because they haven't quite mastered the art of directing their own thoughts. They aren't channeling those positive intentions in the right way, or perhaps not at all... It’s a subtle distinction, but a vital one.
Well... that’s certainly one way to start a conversation—if we can even call it that...
Anyone can engineer a happy life simply by mastering their own mindset—it really is that straightforward if you have the discipline... there’s absolutely no excuse to dwell on negativity regarding the world around us. All that ugliness people complain about? It isn't some grand conspiracy of broken systems or sweeping societal shifts—it's nothing more than a direct reflection of our own pessimism and those dark, ugly thoughts we refuse to let go of...
Well... I suppose that's one way to express enthusiasm... even if it lacks any real substance or context...
If you find yourself facing a layoff or getting canned... honestly, all you really need is the right mindset to keep moving forward...
Well... that was certainly something...
When disaster starts looming on the horizon—and let’s be honest, it always does—you really have to cling to the delusion that you’ll somehow remain untouched by the fallout...

Is that really how it goes?...

I find myself thinking that it’s hardly a coincidence—not by a long shot—that the secret from Rhonda Byrne surfaced right on the precipice of the crisis...

I don't mean to suggest there was some sort of direct causal link...
In reality, both are just different facets of the exact same ideology...

Just imagine if someone actually decided to get serious today and start telling this exact same story... only with this particular version of events;

The link provided leads to a video that seems to touch upon certain psychological or motivational themes—perhaps something akin to the principles found in the works of Rhonda Byrne... though even those can feel a bit overly optimistic if you've been around the block a few times. It’s one of those digital rabbit holes where you start looking for answers and end up questioning the fundamental mechanics of how we perceive reality. I find myself staring at these things more often than I should—it’s a bit of a distraction from the grind, I suppose... regardless of whether the content actually holds water or is just another polished attempt at selling a dream.

I find myself thinking of them every single time someone starts babbling about "The Secret," the power of manifestation, the supposed influence of thought, or any other brand of that mystical, New Age nonsense...

It’s actually quite fascinating—even if they’re essentially preaching the same gospel, there is such a radical difference in their fundamental approach... the emphasis shifts toward entirely different priorities altogether...

After running a bit of an analysis through my head—digging past the surface-level noise—it becomes increasingly clear that these individuals were actually walking the exact same ideological path all along... despite how different they might have appeared on paper.
Radical individualism—the absolute imperative to become self-reliant—the way our mental projections warp the reality we think we inhabit... It’s all part of this modern obsession with self-transformation through sheer willpower and thought alone. We prioritize our own whims above everything else, treating objective truth as if it were entirely relative... There are so many different flavors of self-indulgence surfacing lately—this relentless insistence on finding some sort of "authentic self" that supposedly exists beneath the surface...

The fundamental issue—if we can even call it that anymore—is simply that people took things too far... they pushed until there was nothing left to push.
But until the very end...
So, how does one actually discern which desire is worth pursuing in the first place?... It’s a question that haunts most people, I suppose—this endless, restless searching through a fog of fleeting impulses and societal expectations. We spend our lives chasing shadows, thinking we want the promotion, the bigger house in the suburbs, or the approval of strangers, only to realize later that we were merely running on a treadmill designed by someone else... The truth is, distinguishing a genuine soul-deep longing from a passing whim is an exhausting exercise in self-reflection. You have to strip away the noise—the constant chatter of social media, the pressure from your peers, the relentless drive of American consumerism—and sit in that uncomfortable silence until you can hear your own pulse again. A real desire doesn't scream at you; it doesn't demand immediate gratification like some cheap dopamine hit. It’s quieter... more persistent... a steady hum in the background of your life that refuses to be ignored, no matter how much you try to drown it out with distractions...
On what specific criteria are you basing your desires...?
Do you ever stop to consider that this entire society—this relentless, grinding machine we call modern life—is actually designed to train you into a state of constant, unquenchable wanting? It’s all very calculated... the way everything around us is engineered to ensure we never feel quite satisfied with what we already hold...
So, how does one actually arrive at their own true desire—that single, authentic North Star... if such a thing even exists?
Their ultimate conclusion was nothing short of a radical act of self-revelation—the kind that only follows an equally radical emancipation of both the mind and the culture... It required intense, grueling deprogramming before they could even begin the process of such a sweeping, transformative self-reinvention.
It involved a process of self-interrogation—a deep, visceral dive into one's own most depraved and repressed desires, those darkest, most unpalatable fears, and particularly the sexual fantasies we usually bury under layers of social decorum... It was about actively engaging with, and even vicariously living out, everything that seemed impossible to manifest in reality. The whole point was to serve a collective purpose by fundamentally restructuring one’s existence—modifying their lifestyle, their behavior, their beliefs, their very thoughts, and their physical selves. It was a systematic stripping away of anything that wasn't entirely congruent with the truth, peeling back the layers one by one until nothing remained but that singular, core way of being... that one ultimate desire which a human being craves above all else...

It’s an interesting comparison... if you look closely enough.
Honestly, they’re discussing the exact same subject—but the ways they approach it are so wildly divergent that you’d almost think they weren't even talking about the same thing... It’s as if they have no common ground at all, let alone any shared purpose or function...

I find that this serves as a perfect illustration of just how much of a superficial, consumerist farce the secret is—a sort of final, desperate gasp of optimism... a frantic belief in a paradigm of cheerful alienation and self-satisfaction, where one simply ignores the surrounding decay after the collapse of history has already taken its toll...

And in the end, it’s all just rotting postmodernism...

So, I was just sitting here wondering... what would actually happen if someone—someone with even a modicum of sense—actually started writing about the necessity of critical thinking? It’s a curious thought, isn't it? In an era where everyone seems to be reacting purely on instinct or following the latest digital mob, the idea of deep, analytical reasoning feels almost like a lost art... almost subversive, even.
That concept is... well, it’s fairly old-school at this point—certainly nothing new under the sun...
Simple...
Critical thinking... or rather, the lack thereof in our modern discourse—it’s becoming a lost art, isn't it? We seem to have traded deep analysis for the quick dopamine hit of a headline or a trending soundbite. It’s all surface-level noise now... everyone has an opinion, but very few people actually bother to peel back the layers to see what’s actually driving the sentiment. True critical thinking requires a certain level of intellectual stamina—something that feels increasingly rare in an era designed to shorten our attention spans. You have to be willing to question your own biases, to sit with the discomfort of being wrong, and to look past the obvious narrative... which, let’s face it, is rarely the whole truth. It’s exhausting work, staying skeptical when the world is practically begging you to just pick a side and stop thinking. But then again, maybe that’s just the price we pay for living in such a loud, cluttered society...

Would they actually be as successful as Rhonda Byrne... or is that just wishful thinking?

But I'm wondering, if this is all just total nonsense like people say, how do you explain people's actual experiences that seem to back up what's in The Secret and stuff? Like, people who actually got what they wanted?

For example, my own experience when I was terrified of a specific situation and then it happened in real life exactly word-for-word how I imagined it. Or even a wish I had that came true perfectly, which I don't really want to get into here either.

They say the more specific the wish, the faster it happens. Like, I pictured someone saying a specific sentence, and then it actually happened just like that.

So, how would you explain that?

p.s. Ever since I stopped believing in coincidences and started noticing little signs and patterns, I see numbers like 111 or 222 almost every single day (your post was kind of symbolic too, maybe, since it was 1111). Or I'll be thinking about some random topic and then suddenly see an article about it in the news or on TV that same day. There was also this one time during an interview process. There was this show on, doesn't matter what, and my mom tells me, "Hey, that might be a question they ask you" (just general knowledge stuff). Then I get to the interview and the very first question is exactly what she predicted. Even with my boyfriend, we'll call each other at the exact same time or think the same thing.

So, what is all that? How do you make sense of it?

neongardener2 said:But I'm wondering, if this is all just total nonsense like people say, how do you explain people's actual experiences that seem to back up what's in The Secret and stuff? Like, people who actually got what they wanted?

For example, my own experience when I was terrified of a specific situation and then it happened in real life exactly word-for-word how I imagined it. Or even a wish I had that came true perfectly, which I don't really want to get into here either.

They say the more specific the wish, the faster it happens. Like, I pictured someone saying a specific sentence, and then it actually happened just like that.

So, how would you explain that?

p.s. Ever since I stopped believing in coincidences and started noticing little signs and patterns, I see numbers like 111 or 222 almost every single day (your post was kind of symbolic too, maybe, since it was 1111). Or I'll be thinking about some random topic and then suddenly see an article about it in the news or on TV that same day. There was also this one time during an interview process. There was this show on, doesn't matter what, and my mom tells me, "Hey, that might be a question they ask you" (just general knowledge stuff). Then I get to the interview and the very first question is exactly what she predicted. Even with my boyfriend, we'll call each other at the exact same time or think the same thing.

So, what is all that? How do you make sense of it?

Maybe they're being paid to testify, or they have deals to split the book profits.

The only time anyone ever asked me for something... 🥳

neongardener2 said:But I'm wondering, if this is all just total nonsense like people say, how do you explain people's actual experiences that seem to back up what's in The Secret and stuff? Like, people who actually got what they wanted?

For example, my own experience when I was terrified of a specific situation and then it happened in real life exactly word-for-word how I imagined it. Or even a wish I had that came true perfectly, which I don't really want to get into here either.

They say the more specific the wish, the faster it happens. Like, I pictured someone saying a specific sentence, and then it actually happened just like that.

So, how would you explain that?

p.s. Ever since I stopped believing in coincidences and started noticing little signs and patterns, I see numbers like 111 or 222 almost every single day (your post was kind of symbolic too, maybe, since it was 1111). Or I'll be thinking about some random topic and then suddenly see an article about it in the news or on TV that same day. There was also this one time during an interview process. There was this show on, doesn't matter what, and my mom tells me, "Hey, that might be a question they ask you" (just general knowledge stuff). Then I get to the interview and the very first question is exactly what she predicted. Even with my boyfriend, we'll call each other at the exact same time or think the same thing.

So, what is all that? How do you make sense of it?

It must be because of Rhonda Byrne's The Secret. ☕

neongardener2 said:But I'm wondering, if this is all just total nonsense like people say, how do you explain people's actual experiences that seem to back up what's in The Secret and stuff? Like, people who actually got what they wanted?

For example, my own experience when I was terrified of a specific situation and then it happened in real life exactly word-for-word how I imagined it. Or even a wish I had that came true perfectly, which I don't really want to get into here either.

They say the more specific the wish, the faster it happens. Like, I pictured someone saying a specific sentence, and then it actually happened just like that.

So, how would you explain that?

p.s. Ever since I stopped believing in coincidences and started noticing little signs and patterns, I see numbers like 111 or 222 almost every single day (your post was kind of symbolic too, maybe, since it was 1111). Or I'll be thinking about some random topic and then suddenly see an article about it in the news or on TV that same day. There was also this one time during an interview process. There was this show on, doesn't matter what, and my mom tells me, "Hey, that might be a question they ask you" (just general knowledge stuff). Then I get to the interview and the very first question is exactly what she predicted. Even with my boyfriend, we'll call each other at the exact same time or think the same thing.

So, what is all that? How do you make sense of it?

I second everything said above. Besides, if books and philosophies like those suggest that positive thinking is a powerful force in daily life, I really don't see any harm in it, actually...

So, getting back to what we were talking about earlier... it just crossed my mind... there’s this one book, *Mein Kampf*, where this guy lays out all these intense wishes and beliefs, and then, man, it actually happened... it's wild to think about, like, what if everything he said was actually true?
Not that I'm defending him or anything, obviously, but the guy worked himself to death, or well, through those horrific gas chambers, just to make sure his vision became reality... it's heavy stuff...

If this whole "power of intention" thing actually worked, half of the folks running Washington, D.C. would be six feet under by now, because that’s what at least a million people in this country are rooting for. For a lot of people—especially those dealing with layoffs or companies skipping out on paychecks—that desire is incredibly intense, absolute, and unwavering. In fact, this supposed power of intention carries the weight of a collective consciousness; you have massive numbers of people all aiming their willpower in one direction, yet the targets aren't even slightly affected. On the contrary, 🤷

Then you look at how many people fighting cancer have an overwhelming desire to recover, possessing massive willpower and a deep faith that everything will turn out fine, only to pass away anyway. Occasionally (and unfortunately, it’s rare), someone beats a brutal diagnosis, and suddenly everyone credits the "power of intention," faith, or hope. It’s as if the ones who didn't make it didn't want to live just as badly, or perhaps even more intensely 😕

It’s the exact same deal with those rare outliers who strike it big in business or find success living abroad. People shower them with praise and positive labels, while the massive crowd of others who face unfortunate outcomes are completely ignored, even though they put in the same level of desire, grit, and effort as the successful 🤷

The only powerful desire that actually yields results (in the form of books, endless retelling, and pure fabrication) is the desperate urge people have to confuse reality—happiness, circumstance, and sheer luck—with some kind of supernatural force.

Wishing for something isn't enough; that's just sitting around hoping for a miracle to fall from the sky, which frankly never happens. However, when a desire actually drives you to get off your ass and take action, that's where the real power lies.

neongardener2 said:But I'm wondering, if this is all just total nonsense like people say, how do you explain people's actual experiences that seem to back up what's in The Secret and stuff? Like, people who actually got what they wanted?

For example, my own experience when I was terrified of a specific situation and then it happened in real life exactly word-for-word how I imagined it. Or even a wish I had that came true perfectly, which I don't really want to get into here either.

They say the more specific the wish, the faster it happens. Like, I pictured someone saying a specific sentence, and then it actually happened just like that.

So, how would you explain that?

p.s. Ever since I stopped believing in coincidences and started noticing little signs and patterns, I see numbers like 111 or 222 almost every single day (your post was kind of symbolic too, maybe, since it was 1111). Or I'll be thinking about some random topic and then suddenly see an article about it in the news or on TV that same day. There was also this one time during an interview process. There was this show on, doesn't matter what, and my mom tells me, "Hey, that might be a question they ask you" (just general knowledge stuff). Then I get to the interview and the very first question is exactly what she predicted. Even with my boyfriend, we'll call each other at the exact same time or think the same thing.

So, what is all that? How do you make sense of it?

Hold on now—if we assume there is some meaningful interaction between you and the system you inhabit, do you think you have more influence over the system, or does the system exert more influence over you?

Actually, scratch that—it's a bit of a trick question, not really relevant...

How do you explain it?
Do you know?
Do *you* know?

Well, I'm sure Rhonda knows... who else would be better equipped?

It's not as if people haven't delved deeper into these experiences and reached all sorts of conclusions...

Of course, the most logical explanation is simply that when you think of the color blue, you happen to notice a blue car...

But what exactly does that explain?

And I'm not saying you're talking nonsense, because one can't truly know...
If this happens to you frequently, why not find a way to investigate it properly?
Experiment, document everything, write a book, and make millions...

And naturally, let it be about how to manifest all your desires...
Because that's the only part that matters...

They teach you how to want things, so you might as well learn how to fulfill them before you grow tired of the whole game...

There's this guy I know who's having issues with a wall—someone built it about four inches too close to his balcony, so now he has this unintended pantry, even though I don't think that's what he wanted...

Perhaps he could try to wish, in the right way, for the wall to come down—or at least for someone to put a window in it...

But what if the other person wants the wall to stay exactly where it is?

Whose will prevails?

Heh... Can I jump in? 😁

About two or three weeks ago, I had this nasty run-in here on the forum with some guy—basically an idiot, long story short. It wasn't even my fault. And I just thought to myself—karma's coming for you. 😈 A few days later, he posts in a thread about how a hundred people slammed into glass doors thinking they were automatic. 😁

The first thing that happened after watching that movie (got it on a DVD, snagged it for free😁) was on the day of my mother's wedding. I had to take a bus from my place in Washington, D.C., and following my usual pattern, I was running late. 🙄 But this time, I was seriously, freaking late...🤦 Usually, it takes me about 35 to 40 minutes to get from my front door to the Greyhound station. This time, it took me exactly 20 minutes, and I actually showed up 5 minutes early enough to grab a ticket at the window—anyone who uses the bus knows they stop selling tickets at the counters five minutes before departure.
The thing was, everything timed out so perfectly that it ended up being the very last bus I could take to make the wedding. Otherwise, I wouldn't have needed to travel home at all.

What else... what else...? Oh, I remember the film Mona Lisa smile and then a week later, it was playing on TV...😁

One slightly more serious thing... For the last five and a half years, I’ve been living in Washington, D.C., for college, intending to stay; but a few months ago, I found out things that forced me to move back home... To put it bluntly, home is a total hellscape (between a terrible family—aside from the one person I moved back for—disgusting neighbors, that awful local mentality, constant harassment...). As soon as I knew I had to go back, I promised myself I'd move back to Washington, D.C., by the fall.
The result—home is still a nightmare, but starting next month, I'm looking for an apartment in Washington, D.C. 😍

How is everyone acting so incredibly quiet on this thread? 🤦

It’s probably because they're all too insecure to even admit they want something, let alone actually put in the work to get it. ☕

Brandon Rivera11 said:Heh... Can I jump in? 😁

About two or three weeks ago, I had this nasty run-in here on the forum with some guy—basically an idiot, long story short. It wasn't even my fault. And I just thought to myself—karma's coming for you. 😈 A few days later, he posts in a thread about how a hundred people slammed into glass doors thinking they were automatic. 😁

The first thing that happened after watching that movie (got it on a DVD, snagged it for free😁) was on the day of my mother's wedding. I had to take a bus from my place in Washington, D.C., and following my usual pattern, I was running late. 🙄 But this time, I was seriously, freaking late...🤦 Usually, it takes me about 35 to 40 minutes to get from my front door to the Greyhound station. This time, it took me exactly 20 minutes, and I actually showed up 5 minutes early enough to grab a ticket at the window—anyone who uses the bus knows they stop selling tickets at the counters five minutes before departure.
The thing was, everything timed out so perfectly that it ended up being the very last bus I could take to make the wedding. Otherwise, I wouldn't have needed to travel home at all.

What else... what else...? Oh, I remember the film Mona Lisa smile and then a week later, it was playing on TV...😁

One slightly more serious thing... For the last five and a half years, I’ve been living in Washington, D.C., for college, intending to stay; but a few months ago, I found out things that forced me to move back home... To put it bluntly, home is a total hellscape (between a terrible family—aside from the one person I moved back for—disgusting neighbors, that awful local mentality, constant harassment...). As soon as I knew I had to go back, I promised myself I'd move back to Washington, D.C., by the fall.
The result—home is still a nightmare, but starting next month, I'm looking for an apartment in Washington, D.C. 😍

That's wild. You know, just recently I wished I could see 'Notting Hill' on TV—you know, the one with Julia Roberts and that British guy—and a day or two later, there it was on a new channel. 😁
If I think of any other experiences, I'll share them in future posts...🙂

David Green11 said:Just imagine having to shell out a whopping $33 for a single book! It feels like throwing money right down the drain, 🙄
doesn't it?

One could easily find a film or an audiobook online for free if one knows where to look.

It certainly makes sense, though I would urge everyone not to take things to such an extreme—there is no need to start expecting telekinesis or other such absurdities.

The principles found in Rhonda Byrne's work are truly profound, but one must realize it is more of a lifestyle than a quick fix; you have to practice and visualize consistently. Start with the small things. For instance, if you follow what they suggest regarding finding a parking spot—it actually works! I always seem to find a space waiting for me right in the heart of downtown Chicago!!

Naturally, you must remain active and engaged if you want your intentions to manifest in reality.

Give it a try! It really is quite remarkable.

Sam Walker5 said:Wishing for something isn't enough; that's just sitting around hoping for a miracle to fall from the sky, which frankly never happens. However, when a desire actually drives you to get off your ass and take action, that's where the real power lies.

This is easily the smartest thing said in this thread—basically the bottom line.
Desire is nothing more than the fuel for action, which is the only way to actually make that desire a reality.

Nathan Kelly5 said:I wouldn't call them foolishness or a scam, though I don't read those books myself. I think anyone who has ever taken a sport seriously could explain it better: without desire and absolute faith, you can't achieve anything at all. It isn't a magic bullet, but without it, you aren't going anywhere.

The power of desire is immense, but only when used to commit yourself to a single objective. "Tonight, I don't need company or a shoulder to cry on; I have poured everything I am into this one goal. I will either be a winner or a loser, and my name will reflect that. No one else can provide the motivation to try again. I have to do it all alone, and I am alone. That is why tonight, I feel completely solitary." 😍🤣

If you aren't reading that stuff, then you clearly don't get what we're talking about here.
The whole thing is just tabloid trash; basically an anthem to stupidity and shallow thinking.

but honestly, the best way to wrap your head around this is to talk to people who actually took a sport seriously. You can't get anywhere with absolutely NOTHING if you don't have that drive and some kind of deep-seated belief. It doesn't mean that alone is enough, obviously, but without it, you're just spinning your wheels.

Belief isn't a requirement; desire might work, or it might not serve as motivation at all; look, I've played all sorts of sports and I'm working out right now, so I know how it goes.

neongardener2 said:But I'm wondering, if this is all just total nonsense like people say, how do you explain people's actual experiences that seem to back up what's in The Secret and stuff? Like, people who actually got what they wanted?

For example, my own experience when I was terrified of a specific situation and then it happened in real life exactly word-for-word how I imagined it. Or even a wish I had that came true perfectly, which I don't really want to get into here either.

They say the more specific the wish, the faster it happens. Like, I pictured someone saying a specific sentence, and then it actually happened just like that.

So, how would you explain that?

p.s. Ever since I stopped believing in coincidences and started noticing little signs and patterns, I see numbers like 111 or 222 almost every single day (your post was kind of symbolic too, maybe, since it was 1111). Or I'll be thinking about some random topic and then suddenly see an article about it in the news or on TV that same day. There was also this one time during an interview process. There was this show on, doesn't matter what, and my mom tells me, "Hey, that might be a question they ask you" (just general knowledge stuff). Then I get to the interview and the very first question is exactly what she predicted. Even with my boyfriend, we'll call each other at the exact same time or think the same thing.

So, what is all that? How do you make sense of it?

Maybe this will give you something to chew on regarding an explanation...

(part one) Alternative medicine survives by feeding on fear; fear of pain, fear of getting sick, fear of death. It plays on basic human experiences that (for most of us) are impossible to fully articulate—like that feeling of walking out of a therapist's office feeling better. There’s no denying that people generally feel improved after visiting an acupuncturist, a herbalist, a chiropractor, or a homeopath. In many cases, they've dropped a serious amount of cash on that visit or those "treatments," which is especially true in a place like the US where conventional medical costs are often handled by insurance. The theory of "cognitive dissonance" explains why this matters—anyone who shells out fifty bucks for an ineffective treatment is going to deal with cognitive dissonance because they're faced with the idea that they were either totally foolish or just threw money down the drain. They soothe that dissonance by convincing themselves they actually feel better (and the more expensive the bill, the harder they have to convince themselves). That "illusion of control" also lowers stress levels and some symptoms, simply because you feel like you're doing *something* about your health. Then there's social pressure; when your practitioner asks if last week's session worked, you feel obligated to say yes, or at least say something encouraging. Once you give that affirmative answer, the desire for consistency drives you to actually believe it yourself. We all know how powerful the placebo effect is, and it's even stronger when the practitioner carries themselves with authority, uses impressive-sounding techniques, and gives you these deep, incomprehensible explanations.

(part two) The visual world is so incredibly complex that trying to store even tiny fragments of a changing image would overwhelm a storage system as massive as the human brain. That’s why the brain tosses out most data and instead relies on our ability to just take another look.

(part three) Probably the hardest thing to deal with is dealing with desires, hopes, and inclinations—stuff like "hopefully it arrives on time," "I have to pass this exam," "I hope I live a long life and get rich and famous," or "I want that strawberry one." All these hopes and cravings are built on the notion of an "inner self" that has to stay happy, and their emergence just feeds the ego complex. The trick is to simply refuse to participate in any of them. If there is no "self," there is no point in hoping or wanting things for someone who doesn't exist. All those things belong to some other moment, not this one. They don't matter when there is nobody there to care about them. Life is perfectly possible even without hope.
It feels kind of backwards when you think about it, right? Like, you’d expect this way of living to make people more indecisive, but actually, they end up being way more decisive than before. But if you really sit down and chew on it, it’s not even that weird. From a meme perspective, the ego complex isn't some tool designed to help you make choices, or make you happy, or make life easier; its whole damn purpose is just to spread the memes it’s built from. By breaking that thing down, you finally get the space to act spontaneously and actually fit the situation. A smart brain—one packed with all those various memes—is perfectly capable of making moves without that messy ego complex constantly tripping it up.

Which leads us straight into some pretty terrifying territory. I mean, if I’m living by this truth—if there isn't some "inner me" pulling the strings and taking responsibility for everything I do—then what happens to morality? Some people would argue that living like this is basically a fast track to being selfish, cruel, immoral, or just a total disaster. But is it, though? Honestly, when you live this way, one of the biggest side effects is that you stop forcing your own little whims onto the world around you or onto the people you run into. And honestly, that alone is enough to change everything.

Susan Blackmore - The Meme Machine (give this a read and maybe things will start clicking for you)

p.s.
We should be reading stuff like this instead of wasting our time on junk like The Secret.

I guess I'm just gonna post this here. Might be useful, might not. Who knows? kaže:
So, look, if we’re actually talking about a serious back-and-forth between me and the system I live in... I don't know. It's a weird thought. Maybe I have more pull over the system, or maybe the system just keeps me on a leash. I guess it depends on how you look at it. Honestly, it's probably both, which kind of makes the whole thing pointless, right? Just a big loop. Who knows.

Actually, my bad. That would’ve just been a trick question anyway. Not really worth it, I guess.

How do I even put this into words? I don't know. It's kind of hard to explain, I guess.
How should I know?
You know what I mean, right?

Oh, I'm sure Rhonda knows. I mean, who else would? She's basically the expert on this stuff.

It’s not like people haven't already spent way more time digging into this stuff than we ever will, I guess. People have been obsessing over this exact same thing forever.
So, they actually went and jumped to all sorts of weird conclusions. I guess.

I mean, obviously, the most logical thing is that if you think about the color blue, you just picture some blue car. I guess. Maybe.

So, what exactly is that supposed to mean? I guess.

Look, I’m not saying you’re talking nonsense. I mean, I can't really know that, I guess.
If this keeps happening to you that often, I guess you should probably find a way to actually look into it. Maybe do some digging or something.
Just experiment, document the whole thing, write a book, and boom—millions in the bank. Or something like that. I guess.

And of course, they’re gonna go on about how you can just manifest every single thing you ever wanted. Like that actually works. I guess.
Because that's really the only thing that matters, I guess.

They teach you how to want things, I guess. But then you spend all your time trying to make them happen, and honestly? You’re just running in circles until you eventually burn out. Maybe.

So there's this guy I know, right? He’s dealing with this total mess involving a wall. Some contractor went rogue and built it about an inch and a half higher than the balcony level. Now he’s stuck with this "new" pantry space that he definitely didn't ask for. I mean, I guess it exists, but he certainly wasn't looking for a pantry. Probably just a massive headache, really.

Maybe he actually wants that wall to come down. Or, I don't know, maybe he just wants someone to crack a window in it. I guess.

But what if the other guy actually wants the wall to stay up?

So, whose side is actually gonna win this one? I don't know. It’s probably just gonna be a mess either way, I guess.

Man, you really went off the deep end there, didn't you?🤣.

Just kidding.😉.

Look, you clearly don't have the answer to my question, and honestly, neither do I. But I guess that’s just how it works—everything we conjure up in our heads is technically possible. Especially the stuff we want without even breaking a sweat. I mean, maybe that's why some things never actually happen? Like, either fear just takes over, or we want something so badly we end up clutching it so tight that we basically choke the life out of it before it can even manifest. It’s like we're subconsciously blocking ourselves. I've been reading a ton about manifestation and positive thinking lately, and it's pretty addicting. I didn't buy into all that stuff immediately after reading it, obviously, but eventually, I just started feeling it for myself. Realized it was actually legit.

So, here's another thing that actually worked out. I’ve always wanted a cat, but obviously, my parents wouldn't let me have one. They had some bad experiences in the past—not that it really matters now—so getting one was basically off the table. My only real shot at getting a kitten was if I found some poor little thing abandoned somewhere outside, just so my mom might feel bad enough to let it stay. That was pretty much the whole plan, I guess.
So, I finally swing by my boyfriend's place, right? And he’s living in one of those high-rise apartments downtown. I'm sitting there and suddenly this sound starts coming through the window—this meowing and growling that sounded like nothing I've ever heard before. Honestly, pretty sure the whole damn building heard it too. I guess I should've known things were about to get weird.🙂So I ran outside pretty quick and spotted this tiny little kitten just chilling out there. Poor little guy was hiding under a car, basically crying for help. No clue where he even came from, honestly. He was super spooked at first—wouldn't even let me grab him because he was shaking so much—but once I finally managed to scoop him up and give him some pets, he was basically glued to my side. My mom actually gave me the green light to keep him, so I guess my wish finally came true.🙂.

Peter Phillips32 said:If you aren't reading that stuff, then you clearly don't get what we're talking about here.
The whole thing is just tabloid trash; basically an anthem to stupidity and shallow thinking.

but honestly, the best way to wrap your head around this is to talk to people who actually took a sport seriously. You can't get anywhere with absolutely NOTHING if you don't have that drive and some kind of deep-seated belief. It doesn't mean that alone is enough, obviously, but without it, you're just spinning your wheels.

Belief isn't a requirement; desire might work, or it might not serve as motivation at all; look, I've played all sorts of sports and I'm working out right now, so I know how it goes.

Maybe this will give you something to chew on regarding an explanation...

(part one) Alternative medicine survives by feeding on fear; fear of pain, fear of getting sick, fear of death. It plays on basic human experiences that (for most of us) are impossible to fully articulate—like that feeling of walking out of a therapist's office feeling better. There’s no denying that people generally feel improved after visiting an acupuncturist, a herbalist, a chiropractor, or a homeopath. In many cases, they've dropped a serious amount of cash on that visit or those "treatments," which is especially true in a place like the US where conventional medical costs are often handled by insurance. The theory of "cognitive dissonance" explains why this matters—anyone who shells out fifty bucks for an ineffective treatment is going to deal with cognitive dissonance because they're faced with the idea that they were either totally foolish or just threw money down the drain. They soothe that dissonance by convincing themselves they actually feel better (and the more expensive the bill, the harder they have to convince themselves). That "illusion of control" also lowers stress levels and some symptoms, simply because you feel like you're doing *something* about your health. Then there's social pressure; when your practitioner asks if last week's session worked, you feel obligated to say yes, or at least say something encouraging. Once you give that affirmative answer, the desire for consistency drives you to actually believe it yourself. We all know how powerful the placebo effect is, and it's even stronger when the practitioner carries themselves with authority, uses impressive-sounding techniques, and gives you these deep, incomprehensible explanations.

(part two) The visual world is so incredibly complex that trying to store even tiny fragments of a changing image would overwhelm a storage system as massive as the human brain. That’s why the brain tosses out most data and instead relies on our ability to just take another look.

(part three) Probably the hardest thing to deal with is dealing with desires, hopes, and inclinations—stuff like "hopefully it arrives on time," "I have to pass this exam," "I hope I live a long life and get rich and famous," or "I want that strawberry one." All these hopes and cravings are built on the notion of an "inner self" that has to stay happy, and their emergence just feeds the ego complex. The trick is to simply refuse to participate in any of them. If there is no "self," there is no point in hoping or wanting things for someone who doesn't exist. All those things belong to some other moment, not this one. They don't matter when there is nobody there to care about them. Life is perfectly possible even without hope.
It feels kind of backwards when you think about it, right? Like, you’d expect this way of living to make people more indecisive, but actually, they end up being way more decisive than before. But if you really sit down and chew on it, it’s not even that weird. From a meme perspective, the ego complex isn't some tool designed to help you make choices, or make you happy, or make life easier; its whole damn purpose is just to spread the memes it’s built from. By breaking that thing down, you finally get the space to act spontaneously and actually fit the situation. A smart brain—one packed with all those various memes—is perfectly capable of making moves without that messy ego complex constantly tripping it up.

Which leads us straight into some pretty terrifying territory. I mean, if I’m living by this truth—if there isn't some "inner me" pulling the strings and taking responsibility for everything I do—then what happens to morality? Some people would argue that living like this is basically a fast track to being selfish, cruel, immoral, or just a total disaster. But is it, though? Honestly, when you live this way, one of the biggest side effects is that you stop forcing your own little whims onto the world around you or onto the people you run into. And honestly, that alone is enough to change everything.

Susan Blackmore - The Meme Machine (give this a read and maybe things will start clicking for you)

p.s.
We should be reading stuff like this instead of wasting our time on junk like The Secret.

I haven't actually read The Secret, I just watched a documentary on it recently. And way before that, I've gone through plenty of non-commercialized books on these topics.
I don't really vibe with your response... maybe I *should* pick up a book, though.

Here are some actual science-based, deep dives: Divine Matrix by Gregg Braden and belief biology by Bruce H. Lipton.

I guess they're worth a read.

neongardener2 said:I haven't actually read The Secret, I just watched a documentary on it recently. And way before that, I've gone through plenty of non-commercialized books on these topics.
I don't really vibe with your response... maybe I *should* pick up a book, though.

Here are some actual science-based, deep dives: Divine Matrix by Gregg Braden and belief biology by Bruce H. Lipton.

I guess they're worth a read.

Look, I'm gonna pass on those right out of the gate... I mean, seriously, how can a book with "Divine" in the title have anything to do with actual science? Plus, I skimmed the summary and one source, and it just feels like more of that pop-science fluff...

As for that second one, it sounds like it's mostly just talking about having an internal locus of control.

But hey, whatever, the way you're explaining this makes it seem like you don't actually grasp the subject matter.