What are your thoughts about "the law of attraction"?

I know a lot of people really believe it and I’d love to, but if it were true, I’d be attracting non-crazy, kind, positive people, amongst other things.

I think more value is placed into this law by some people (others don’t believe in it as a law, at all) than necessary. I believe the kind of energy you put out there into the world matters but it won’t move mountains and it won’t bring things to you. I am willing to say that we might affect the world if we come together in groups and interact in profound ways but that’ s just energy being shared. Read Stephenson’s Anathem for a book discussing polycosmic relationships and feeling and learning matters that are affected by our energies and that affect our energies.

if your focus is on that theory then you will wait for groups to form and interact to make a difference. It only takes one man to move a mountain.

we get what we expect. expect the unexpected,sometimes I say too myself “im so excited for whats in store for me next” and i think about everything that i know will come to me..

@lathielaw Great concept about the power of the mind….problem is that “When used properly” part…Sorry…I have yet to see anyone do that! A mind is a terrible thing to waste!! ;)

My thoughts is that it does exists. The secret is that is has been marketed as a mean to find happiness through spiritual materialism. Yes, it’s an oxymoron. The person misses the point that happiness does not come from the material but from within. In this context it is not much different than greed—re-marketed. Which is why so few actually get the red corvette they visualized.

Oddly enough, the more you possess and the more you’re attached to things, ideas, etc the more people suffer. Out of fear or consequence of losing the things they thought they possessed.

To some extent I do believe in it. But, it is not a magical thing, you can’t just day dream about something and it happens. You have to do some work, the work might happen unconsciously though. Still, if you focus on something it usually manifests itself somehow in your life. This is true for good and bad, like a self fufilling prophecy. I know people who have goals and make them happen. Some people might see it as luck, but more than likely many different things went into making the goals come to fruition. Some examples of negative law of attraction might be a woman who is paranoid her husband will cheat, but her possessive tendencies and distrust just winds up pushing her husband away and maybe results in him cheating; or, a parent who is full of fear that their child will get hurt, and shelters him so much that when out on his own he is unable to make good decisions leading to hurt.

There is no hard evidence to even suggest that such a thing exists. The so-called “law of attraction” and “the Secret” is all nothing more than pseudo-scientific drivel. Sorry to burst all of your bubbles.

I prefer The Law of Least Convenience. Found a parking spot? It’s taken before you can get there. Can’t find the other shoe? Look in the darkest corner of the basement. Buy a DVD player? Won’t work with your TV.

I am surprised at how many people believe in the Law of Attraction. It seems to be the common denominator of all New Age beliefs. It is so utterly simplistic. If you believe in something strong enough it will come true, like wishing on a star without needing the star. It may be helpful to the extent that it causes someone to focus on what he/she wants and to be alert to and act upon opportunities. I also find it disconcerting about how much talk of the Law of Attraction revolves around material things, like money. The common example is for those wanting to become wealthy to print out a large check for a million dollars. Does anybody really believe that will work? It resembles idolatry in that people confuse the symbolic with the real.

@LostInParadise, great answer.

@LostInParadise I really think it is another way of saying you need to have dreams and goals. I think it is especially targeted towards women, because a large percentage of women don’t even make it to that first step, especially middle aged women who have put their family first for years, and have never really focused on goals for themselves, especially goals outside of the family. But, even young woman are less likely than men in general to have hobbies, goals, preofessional goas, or interests.

@It’s not even strictly New Age. There’s a doctrine currently making itself lousy in the Church that’s been dubbed “Name it and Claim it,” which basically teaches that you can tell God to give you the things that you want.

Nope, never happened. Once a woman moves on, or I move on for her, what she liked, etc is more likely ignored if not disliked. If it was something I liked before her, I will continue to like it.