The idea that thoughts create reality has gained quite a bit of exposure in recent years. Since I've experienced this philosophy in action several times, I decided to write about why I believe in the creative power of thoughts, what you can do to test this theory out for yourself, and how we can collectively use this knowledge to create a better world.

When I was younger, my parents bought a series of cassette tapes (remember those?) on the power of positive thinking. They eagerly exposed us to these teachings, which I often found to be overly simplistic and lacking in practical advice. Over the years, however, I could see the positive changes taking place in my parents' lives, and I began to realize that perhaps what we think is more important than what we do.

Sychronicity

A few years later, I began noticing a lot of synchronicities in my life, mainly with the number 47, and also through experiences in which I would think about something, or someone, and then have the subject of my thoughts appear shortly after. I generally attributed this to coincidence or latent psychic abilities, but I was energized by these events, because there was something very magical and affirming about them.

Visualization and manifestation

When I was in my early to mid-20s, I learned about a form of Buddhism that involved chanting "Nam Myoho Renge Kyo" while envisioning goals or desires. The outcomes of this practice were mind-blowing, as long as my intentions were within the bounds of reason. I quickly learned that I needed to be careful what I wished for, because oftentimes, things would manifest in a different way than I had intended, although they were still technically aligned with my wishes. Eventually, I dropped out of the practice due to the fundamentalist beliefs of some practitioners (you MUST chant this to reach enlightenment!), coupled with the sense that I was abusing my powers for trivial gains, instead of growing spiritually (Buddha would not approve).

Soon afterward, I read a book by Richard Bach called Illusions: The Adventures of a Reluctant Messiah. In the book, the messiah/mechanic leads the protagonist through a visualization exercise involving a white feather, to demonstrate the creative power of thoughts. After reading the book, I took a walk around our community, and when I was approaching our home, I noticed a HUGE white feather propped up against the curb. It was about 2 feet long and looked like it had come off of some type of costume. A few days later, I was telling my story to someone I had met for the first time, and she told me she had also read the book, on a plane ride, and when she came home, she was unpacking her suitcase and a white feather came out!

You may be thinking: "yawn, white feathers are pretty commonplace," but I've tried several visualization exercises since then (including a purple avocado and three elephants), with equally amazing results.

A year or two later, I read Ask and It Is Given, which is a nice beginner's guide for anyone interested in manifestation, and although I was somewhat skeptical, I tested out some of the manifestation exercises: "I'll take a new job, a new car, and a new relationship, please" and within a few months, all three goals had been accomplished. The funny thing is, I wasn't in any rush to get a new car, but a short while after I set forth that intention, my speedometer mysteriously broke, which sped up the process. Even then, I was willing to drag my feet a bit (I'll just drive with the flow...), but the guy I was dating found a great deal on the exact type of car I was looking for (a slightly used, 2004 metallic-colored, Civic hybrid).

I can provide numerous other examples, but my older and wiser sister often reminds me that synchronicities and manifestations are only meaningful for those who experience them, so I hope this will at least encourage nonbelievers to give this a shot.

On life and the afterlife

I believe in reincarnation, and I believe we choose our lives based on the types of lessons we'd like to learn. I think each lifetime is an opportunity to gain an expanded perspective on who we are, why we're here, and our role as creators. I think there is some type of creative, universal power that thought all things into existence (with the help of billions of years of evolution), and each one of us is like a drop in the ocean of this creative power--fragments that reflect the whole. From this perspective, conscious creation makes perfect sense and will help us accomplish what we've set out to do. Even if you don't believe in reincarnation, I hope you'll be willing to test this theory out.

Emotional guidance

One of my favorite theories in Ask and It Is Given relates to our emotional guidance system. Basically, the theory is that bad feelings indicate that our thoughts are out of alignment with what we hope to attract into our lives, while good feelings indicate that we're on the right track. If you remain aware of your emotions, you'll be amazed at how easy it is to slip into a terrible mood over something rather trivial, like the Hummer that just cut you off, or the latest stupid thing that McCain said or did (you're suspending your campaign because of the economy and you want to postpone the debate on foreign policy? REALLY???), when in fact, you have a choice in any situation to either be affected by another person's lack of judgment, or rise above by finding good-feeling thoughts.

A good rule of thumb is "reach for the joy." As my dad used to say when I was younger, much to my chagrin: "Nobody can make you feel inferior without your consent." So don't give people that power over you--remember that their garbage has nothing to do with you because you're a kind-hearted, lovely, and wonderful person.

Ready to begin?

The process of intentioning is very simple--simply conjur up the image of what you intend to attract into your life, and imagine how good you will feel when you succeed. In Ask and It is Given, Abraham-Hicks recommend holding the pure, joyful, uncontradicted thought of having or achieving your goal for 68 seconds. You can also add affirmations about why the universe (or God, or whatever creative power you believe in) will support you in manifesting your desire, and how you will feel when it comes into your life. The most important aspect of the process is how you feel--it's best to be joyful and appreciative for the opportunity to engage in co-creation with the universe, rather than feeling a sense of lack, frustration, or fear of failure.

The next two steps are even easier: let go of the desire to control how and when your intention will manifest, and accept the gift when it comes to you.

Practice makes perfect

There's a lot of pain and uncertainty in the world today as a result of greed, dishonesty, and destructive behaviors. I believe that as we gain a greater appreciation for the power of our thoughts, we can collectively envision a world of greater equity, balance, justice, truth, peace, and love. Amazing things can be accomplished when like-minded people work together to improve society, and I hope that as you practice this type of intentioning, you'll find that life will deliver opportunities for meaningful action.