I recently asked a Chabad rabbi if he believed in conscious creation - combining thought and feeling to manifest our dreams and desires - and if he found this principle within the teachings of Kabbalah. "Of course," he replied. "Despite all the conversations today about The Law of Attraction (like attracts like) and secret manifestation processes, Kabbalists have known these things for ages." Then he added, "But most of these other people teaching these principles leave out one really important aspect - the real secret."
"The need for action?" I asked.
"Well, you do need to take action as well," he replied. "But what I'm talking about is the need to create for God. If you aren't creating something that allows you to do God's work, to work for God, to serve God, manifestation won't happen."
Ah...So much for that new car I wanted and the literary agent I wanted to help me sell my books to publishing houses.
As we talked, however, I realized that what he was saying wasn't so black and white. In fact, if that new car I wanted would help me get my children safely to the activities that help them develop into the people they are meant to be, then I am doing God's work. If the car gets me to a lecture where I teach people something that helps them in some way, I am doing God's work. If a literary agent can help me get a book published that also helps others, that could also be considered working for God. Unless, of course, the books and the speaking are more about my ego - being famous and powerful - than about doing good in the world. Then I am not serving God; I am serving myself and my own ego.
I was taught to end every prayer for or visualization about something I desired with the following statement: "This or something better is now coming to me for the highest good of all concerned." If we qualify our efforts to manifest our dreams and desires with this statement, we at least put it out there - to God, to the Universe, to the Creator - that we only want what is in our best interest and in the best interest of others. This may not be doing work for God, but at least it only asks for the manifestation of things that allow us to do good in the world.
I like to follow this statement with another: "Ken yehe ratzon. Let it be God's will." And if it's not God's will, I trust that I will be shown what I should be focusing on manifesting - something better, something with a higher purpose, something closer to God's work, something that allows me to serve and create for the Source of all Creation.
Also, I enjoy remembering the Kabbalistic belief or saying "As above so below, and as below so above." This means that what happens in the heavenly or Divine realms happens on the physical plane as well and vice versa. So, if we are creating for the good of all, if we are manifesting things to help us serve God and a higher purpose, we positively affect the Source of all Creation as well. And as positive creation happens in the Divine realms, so it happens in our own world.
Could this be the Law of Attraction at work? Could it be that as we focus our thoughts and feelings on what we want we create a vibration that moves from the earthly plane to the Divine plane, creating out desire there, which then brings about the same experience – the Divine manifestation has a vibration that emanates towards the physical causing my desire to manifest? I like to think so, although some would wonder why God needs a new car or a literary agent!
The Kabbalists teach us that we are each a thought in the mind of God, as is the Universe in which we exist. If I am a thought in the mind of God, and that thought causes me to exist, to be manifest in the physical, then if my thought of creation is also of God, than it surely will be made manifest as well. I will create something of God in my life. And what better "thing" to create, what higher desire could there be, than to create more of the Divine here on the physical plane. Ah, but are we then truly manifesting something new or simply bringing the unseen into focus? For God is everywhere and in everything. We just don't always notice. Notice God in the world, and determine if God is in the dreams and desires you want to create.
And may your dreams and desires serve God and the highest good of all concerned and, therefore, be made manifest easily and effortlessly through your deliberate acts of conscious creation.
Nina Amir, Your Inspiration-to-Creation Coach, inspires people to create the results they desire by tapping into their purpose and passion and sharing their unique gifts. An author, journalist, freelance editor, writing and author coach, life and Kabbalistic conscious creation coach, she writes four blogs and is the national Jewish Issues and Self-Improvement columnist at Examiner.com. Read “As the Spirit Moves Me” and find out how to Achieve More Inspired Results at www.purespiritcreations.com. Read Nina’s other blogs and find out about her services for writers at www.ninaamir.com.