You've heard old adages such as “like attracts like,” “birds of a feather flock together,” “as above, so below,” “what you send out comes back multiplied many times over,” and “ask and ye shall receive.” Consider these, and you have an idea of what the Law of Attraction is. Simply put, the Law of Attraction asserts that a person's thoughts attract objects, people, and situations and circumstances, both positive and negative, into his life.

Attraction Can Bring What You Do or Don't Want

Proponents of the Law of Attraction say that the law brings you whatever you think about most. Thoughts can become emotionally charged. When you desire something — say, a new outfit — you feel emotion each time your mind thinks about having that new dress, jacket, shoes, and handbag. You are filled with excitement at the possibility of having your desire fulfilled. You believe you can have it. You deserve it. It is coming. You consider ways to speed up getting that outfit. You might even develop a plan of action for getting the money to go shopping at the mall. Consider the following example, a true story.

Evidence of the Law of Attraction

During a recent move from Illinois to Missouri, a single mother inadvertently left behind her favorite cast-iron skillet. Each day she thought of that old skillet in which she could cook anything, even a cake. She obsessed about getting another one and even asked for it in her prayers. Throughout the day, she thought about how much she would enjoy cooking again once she got her new skillet. She knew that a cast-iron skillet was not too expensive, but her financial resources were limited and she would have to budget carefully. Whenever she thought about having the skillet, she felt happy and joyful. At the end of the month, however, after she had paid all her bills, there was not enough money left over to make her purchase. Undaunted, the mother reaffirmed her goal to save a little whenever and however she could in order to get her skillet.

A few months after her move, the young mother met an elderly gentleman carrying a box of discarded kitchen items from a nearby apartment to the dumpster. On top of the box was a cast-iron skillet. The woman inquired of the man whether he was throwing it away. When he told her he was, she asked if she could have it. He gave it to her. Overcome with gratitude, the young mother thanked the man again and again. Her fixation on having the skillet brought it to her, and she did not have to purchase it.

Proponents of the Law of Attraction assert that the law brings you what you desire when you (1) are clear about what you want; (2) energize your desire for the item with thoughts, emotion, visual imagery, and a strong conviction that it is coming to you; and (3) feel and express gratitude for what you already have and that which you desire, even if it has not yet come into your experience.

The Law of Attraction is not wishful thinking, daydreaming, or a momentary flight of fancy. If the young mother had simply wished for the skillet, it is unlikely that the skillet would have shown up in her life. A wish is not a strong enough intention. The law is always working to give people the very things they most desire.