The concept of positive thinking and reaffirming those positive thoughts date back centuries. A 2007 article in the Chicago Tribune offers quotes of encouraging wisdom that date back as early as 273 B.C. These thoughts are collected from respected authors such as St. Paul, Napoleon Hill, Norman Vincent Peale and others in a piece called "New 'Secret'? Not at all; one of the fastest-selling self-help books in history builds from an age-old concept."
The main point of the Law is that both humans and the universe are made of vibrating energy, and it is possible to harness that energy to attain more harmony, abundance and peace of mind. The mantra, "ask, believe, receive" is the most common form of both explaining and using the Law.
Mainstream usage of the Law has found its way into the business world; even NASA has espoused the philosophy for its employees.
But a more comprehensive look at the origins of the modern-day Law of Attraction comes from Esther and Jerry Hicks, a San Antonio-based couple who have built up national workshop tours that teach the tenets of the Law of Attraction through an entity that is referred to as "Abraham." This is not the Abraham of the Old Testament, however. This entity is self-referred to as "a group consciousness from the non-physical dimension...We are that which you are. You are the leading edge of that which we are. We are that which is at the heart of all religions."
The Prosperity Game is an easy exercise inspired by the Abraham-Hicks organization. This exercise involves stretching your imagination as you "play with money." You can choose to use computer-generated checks, or maybe real checks from an outdated account. Either way, you begin on Day One with $1,000.00. You are to pretend to spend this money on something wonderful for yourself, such as new clothes, tickets to the theater or a concert, a new stereo system or other expensive items you would not usually indulge in.
After "spending" the FULL amount, the second day you must spend $2,000, the third day $3,000.00 and so on, as long as you like to continue. Although at any point during the game you are not spending your own real money, this exercise encourages three things: push the limits of your imagination, allow you to align yourself with the idea that you have the right to attract abundance and prosperity in your life and just have fun.
Singer/songwriter Christine Kane has been touting the advantages of vision boards. A vision board is merely a visual reminder of items or a lifestyle you want to attain. It can be as simple as magazine images cut out and fixed collage-style onto a poster board, or as elaborate as a PowerPoint slide show. No matter the method, the idea is to create some sort of pictorial representation of your abundance wish list.
Another game to help make the Law of Attraction work for you also involves imagination and visualization. First, you need to picture something in your mind that you have wanted; for example, a job, a better apartment or perhaps a successful garden. You need to keep the focus very strong until you can see the image as clear as possible. Next, you have to imagine your life as if you already have the desired situation. You need to feel yourself with your new co-workers, or cutting beautiful blossoms from your garden. As you indulge in this "daydream," focus on the positive feelings of contentment as long as you can for at least five to ten minutes.
Finally, try to capture those feelings of focus as you keep your usual routine. You need to act with the point of view that these desired things are already a part of your life. It is not easy to maintain the focus, especially at first, but it does get easier with practice.
Whether a person manages to "manifest" lots of cash, health or even love via the Law of Attraction, or if she just finds a decent parking spot when she needs it, the act of good old-fashioned positive thinking can never be underestimated. In addition, embracing reasons for gratitude even in the worst of times can be valuable. A study at UC Davis found subjects who kept gratitude journals on a regular basis reported better sleep, less physical complaints, more energy and attentiveness.
Using the Law of Attraction and its games and exercises is not an easy venture. The concept is simple, but the practice is much more complex. Humans, although not necessarily pessimistic as a rule, do tend to think in terms of practicality. We save money in case we fall on hard times. We have insurance policies to assist us when our belongings (autos and homes) or our bodies begin to "break down." But to fully understand and use the Law, we have to force our way past old mindsets of worry or feelings of unworthiness. It really does take a whole new way of thinking to realize that we are actually entitled to happiness and its inherent trappings.
Proponents of the Law of Attraction maintain that the Law is partially rooted in quantum theory. However, physicists and mathematicians argue that quantum theory operates on a subatomic level; the observation referenced does not apply to the "macro-realm"/everyday world that we operate in.
A 2007 article in Newsday mentions a second area of criticism--blaming the victim for his circumstances. According to the Law of Attraction, if we think and believe in the positive, then the universe provides only positive outcomes. But if someone who cannot maintain the level of positive focus slips and subconsciously dwells on the negative, does he attract negative outcome? Does the universe mete out punishments to young children who can't yet discern between conscious and unconscious thought?