11 {{ upvoteCount | shortNum }}
11 {{ upvoteCount | shortNum }}

Is The "Law Of Attraction" Just Psuedo-Science?

by Hesaidblissfully
9 replies
Let me open by saying that I do believe in the Law of Attraction. I've definitely experienced how my beliefs, thoughts and emotions affect what I pay attention to and the actions I take, and hence, my external reality.

Science has shown that our brain's Reticular Activating System facilitates what we pay attention to. People with negative dispositions or in a negative mood tend to focus on the negatives in a situation and screen out the positive. Positive/happy people do the opposite.

Likewise, things like the Placebo Effect and Pygmalion Effect are so accepted by mainstream science that experiments actually have to be configured in a way to accommodate these principles so that they don't taint the results. (ie: does a new drug actually work, or does a person just believe they're getting better because they took a pill).

What I'd like to know is how many of you believe in the definitions of the LOA that use theories from quantum physics as "proof" that our minds can LITERALLY affect the world around us, through "thought vibrations", etc.

It's one thing to say that if you have a goal in mind and you focus on it intently, you'll zero in on things in your environment that will help you achieve that goal, even if they're things you wouldn't have noticed before. But it's another thing to say that if you have a goal, your mind will literally shoot out quantum wave vibrations that will make your goal appear in physical form.

Personally, I feel the "thought vibrations" explanation actually turn a lot of people off to what is otherwise a very useful tool for achieving what you want in life.

What do you think?
#goals #law of attraction #loa #manifest #psuedoscience #success
  • Profile picture of the author Lambert Klein
    I think there is truth both in the vibration theory and a positive attitude.

    They say having graditude is good, but having appreciation may be even stronger.

    If you can picture yourself how you want to be in the future and really believe it, then I think the outcome would be positive.

    But just how hard is it to really believe... leaving your doubts behind...
    Signature

    WordPress Domination: from Beginner to Ninja in 7 Days http://www.amazon.com/dp/B007LS0TLE

    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[356323].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author Fil-Links
      Its basically coined to make people more aware of the relationship of thought, action and result. Some people misconceive the law of attraction as merely the thought alone, putting in little or no action, and of course without result.

      Picturing a positive future is a start, and you are right that believing in it for extended periods would be difficult if one does not do anything to move forward, even during times which seem hopeless. Failing is still moving forward and success becomes one step nearer, opening up other avenues one can take towards succeeding. It seldom happens that one achieves success without any amount of difficulty or failure.

      One doesn't simply zero in on an opportunity which makes him automatically successful. He first has to do something about the opportunity, and continuously have his eyes open for kinks that need correction and do this over and over, relentlessly.
      Signature
      Outsource your Social Bookmarking Submissions Here
      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[359747].message }}
      • Profile picture of the author Hesaidblissfully
        Originally Posted by Fil-Links View Post

        Its basically coined to make people more aware of the relationship of thought, action and result. Some people misconceive the law of attraction as merely the thought alone, putting in little or no action, and of course without result.

        Picturing a positive future is a start, and you are right that believing in it for extended periods would be difficult if one does not do anything to move forward, even during times which seem hopeless. Failing is still moving forward and success becomes one step nearer, opening up other avenues one can take towards succeeding. It seldom happens that one achieves success without any amount of difficulty or failure.

        One doesn't simply zero in on an opportunity which makes him automatically successful. He first has to do something about the opportunity, and continuously have his eyes open for kinks that need correction and do this over and over, relentlessly.
        My feelings exactly.
        {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[360252].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author Jonathan 2.0
    Banned
    The only thing I don't like about The Law Of Attraction movie is that it doesn't concentrate enough on taking action and sometimes suggests that all you have to do is think about something and it will magically appear courtosy of The Universe. And I suppose that's a very attractive concept. If I wanted a Ferarri I think it would be more practical to focus on my wealth building rather than thinking about driving one in my armachair at home. I'm certain that there's things happening that we're not aware of. History has proven that and perhaps sometime in the future we'd understand more about it. However, it's none of my business really and I'm quite happy not understanding how everything works.
    Signature
    "Each problem has hidden in it an opportunity so powerful that it literally dwarfs the problem. The greatest success stories were created by people who recognized a problem and turned it into an opportunity."―Joseph Sugarman
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[359770].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author HervinBalfour
      Originally Posted by ZigZag View Post

      The only thing I don't like about The Law Of Attraction movie is that it doesn't concentrate enough on taking action and sometimes suggests that all you have to do is think about something and it will magically appear courtosy of The Universe.

      Here is an interesting phenomenon that does take place with "The Law of Attraction" that I have personally experienced and I don't know if others can relate.

      Yes, you have to take action but in a weird way there were some things that just changed and came to me without any explanation of how and why it came without me doing anything accept doing my attraction affirmations.

      The Law of Attraction changes your mind to prepare for "Divine" (if you want to call it that) instruction and you will receive guidance. The key the inner voices or intuitions you get you have to act on because you are in essence being told hold to move forward.

      And that is something that people a lot of times don't listen to or follow. And that is the inner voice that guides you on how to attract more BY ACTING on what you here.

      I don't know if that makes sense to anyone. But it's weird. But everything in the universe isn't always meant to be understood. It just is..... The Law of Attraction will take 5 steps towards you to make things happen if you just take 2 towards it.
      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[365101].message }}
      • Profile picture of the author spressnell
        I have studied Michael Losier ("Law of Attraction Book") and it is very common sense tasks that you do daily. Focus on what you DO want and not at what you don't have. And that is much harder than you would think it should be. And each time you notice what is wrong, say "what do I want" and focus on that.

        Shirley
        Signature

        Hidden Ways to Wealth--clear away the “gunk”
        about money using innovative energy tools
        http://bit.ly/11atk2


        {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[366317].message }}
        • Profile picture of the author loa
          I have read Losier's book on Law of Attraction too and it is my favorite on this topic .I do believe in Law of attraction as it does not conflict with the old positive thinking and positive vibration concepts.

          It is not about sitting on couch and thinking, as some perceive .when we visualize a thought that we want to manifest ,we develop passsion to get that thing and passion gets us to do work without us knowing of our hard work in that direction. Moreover situations also begun to mold in favor of our goals.

          The more you go deep into knowing this law the more we can better use it.
          {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[370129].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author Wendy Maki
    Attaching the word "science" to what is being called the Law Of Attraction is an unfortunate holdover from a different generation -- one that believed that science would reveal all mysteries and give man mastery over all through predictable rules. They had a different understanding of the word "science" -- Darwin, Freud, Wattles... all saw science in a way that we now tend not to. Now, scientific inquiry reveals reality as increasingly mysterious. Still, the average view of "science" is that it is something "provable."

    If you believe that a Law of Attraction exists, and you call it a "science," you actually set up a (currently) impossible situation, and invite those who 'bah humbug' it. As it stands, right now, it is completely impossible to isolate the variables involved to even begin to design experiments that would produce repeatable results. There are thousands of variables acting on a single 'thought-result' constellation. Right now, it is impossible to treat this 'law' in any kind of remotely 'scientific' way, so calling it a 'science' just gives the scoffers what they need to dispute it. However, not being able to study it scientifically does not mean it does not exist. To date, quantum physics is the only science that comes even remotely close to exploring it, with such things as the observer impact, the paradoxes of being in two places at once, existing/not existing, and so on.

    Remember, there was a time that the world was flat.
    Signature

    -- Find blues festivals around the world at the bluesmusicfestivals.com directory and jazz festivals at jazzmusicfests.com.

    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[364822].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author Loren Woirhaye
    To answer the question titling the thread: YES.

    It is pseudoscience. It is not scientific. It is not proven. It
    is not repeatable.

    That does not mean some of the writers promoting it don't have
    valuable ideas or that they aren't making money. It just means
    it IS pseudoscience and many of them appear to be so ignorant
    of what science is they think what they do is scientific.

    Pseudoscience is fun. So are balloon animals. So is stage magic.
    LOA is fun to believe it. It's a substitute for religion for some
    people these days. Who woudln't like to have a genie in a bottle,
    as portrayed in the very-silly movie "The Secret"?

    I'd recommend anybody who wants to know the difference between
    science and pseudoscience read Skeptical Inquirer magazine for more insight.
    Signature
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[371147].message }}

Trending Topics