In the Flow of the Universe

Many years ago I met a woman who told me that as soon as she wanted something for the self it manifested for her. This had never been my experience. In fact, I was confused about the whole manifesting thing. (This has since become popularly known as the “Law of Attraction” because of the book that brought together long held ideas behind manifesting what you want). I was left wondering if she truly did manifest what she wanted or if the desire for something grew in her just before it showed up. Maybe she was just in tune with the universe of form.

I first learned about manifesting when I was a new student of A Course in Miracles. The theory, as I understood it anyway, was that what did or did not show up in the self’s life was determined by my own thoughts. If I didn’t have what I wanted for the self it must be because of obstacles within me. For example, maybe I felt unworthy of or afraid of what I wanted. I was supposed to dig around in my mind for those obstacles and, if I removed them, lo and behold what I wanted would show up. My initial discomfort with the idea of manifesting, or attracting, what I wanted was the recognition that I would only be concerned with what did or did not show up for the self if I thought that this was the cause of my peace or conflict. Wasn’t I learning that being aware of God (True Being) was the only lasting source of peace and happiness? I wasn’t there yet, but I felt early on that concerning my mind with manifesting was a distraction from being aware of God (True Being).

My other problem with the concept of manifesting was that I had always intuited the flow of the universe of form, whether I wanted to or not. Sometimes I wanted something for this self but would feel that it was not going to happen. Sometimes the feeling was “not yet”. Other times I would know that what I wanted was coming soon. Also, desires for the self would shift. They would show up or fall away. Yes, I was sometimes aware of unworthiness or fear when it came to something I wanted. But more significant to me was the sense that I was trying to force something to happen if what I wanted didn’t jive with my intuition about the flow of the universe. And how was I supposed to know what was best for this self, anyway? It doesn’t live in a vacuum. Anything that shows up for this self affects others selves, too, especially those close to it. Wasn’t this self’s life part of a larger picture? It always felt that way to me.

I learned to look for the “flow” rather than to try to force what I wanted to happen. I was not happy with this, because I wanted what I wanted. But I always eventually concluded that it was easier to ride the flow than to swim against it. Especially since swimming against it wasn’t going to make happen what I wanted to happen anyway!

Eventually I gave more and more of the self’s life to the Holy Spirit (Teacher of Truth in my mind). It has become clear to me recently that some of what I thought was guidance from the Holy Spirit over the years was really my tuning into the flow of the universe. Where the Holy Spirit came into it was in my willingness to be rational, open, and without judgment.  This opened my mind to the flow of the universe of form. So the Holy Spirit was not so much my guide as my mind-set. But even though I sought the flow, rather than to manifest what I wanted, I still lived through the self. I sought through it for happiness and peace. But when I undid guilt I let go of a need for a story – for a self. I let the self go into the flow of the universe – where it always was, anyway. It was always just a character in a story, though I selfishly thought it was there for me to live through! Now I simply watch it, without judgment. Since I don’t identify with it I am not concerned with controlling its life. It is only part of a meaningless story that has nothing to do with Truth.

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Learn about the books The ACIM Mentor Articles, The Plain Language A Course in Miracles, 4 Habits for Inner Peace, and Releasing Guilt for Inner Peace at www.acimmentor.com.