Someone commented on my recent blog post about believing in magic, wanting to know about ancient warriors who wore magic vests to protect themselves from arrows or bullets. He felt they were into “magical thinking” and not into reality.

I found that odd.

For one thing, if I were really going into battle, I’d wear anything at all that promised to protect me. I’d quickly put on a “magic vest.” I’d wear spaghetti strands on my head or a necklace of rabbit pellets if I thought it would help me.

After all, I’d be going into battle.

I think you’d be a little silly not to do whatever it took to feel stronger, from praying to rituals to ornaments to you name it. I mean, come on, anything that helps you get through such a terrifying experience as war should be acceptable.

But let’s look a little deeper at my friend’s comment.

When is magical thinking a problem?

My research in placebos — defined as “A harmless pill, medicine, or procedure prescribed more for the psychological benefit to the patient than for any physiological effect” — confirms that when you believe in something, your belief tends to make it come true.

There are even shocking scientific studies that prove when many people with knee problems were led to believe they had knee surgery — but in fact did not have the surgery– they actually got better. (!) (See http://blogs.discovery.com/good_idea/2008/05/placebo-surgery.html)

There are even more recent studies that reveal a placebo will work even when you know it is a placebo. (!)  (See http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2010/dec/22/placebo-effect-patients-sham-drug)

This isn’t news. I’ve known about the power of belief since the 1960s, when I first read Claude Bristol’s masterpiece, The Magic of Believing. Your belief molds reality. Believe something is true about yourself or your world and you’ll tend to attract the circumstances to match it.

You Attract What You Believe

This works with negative beliefs, as well.

The “nocebo” is a negative expectation and will just as easily create a match to it. In other words, if you believe things will go wrong, or something will have a harmful effect, you will tend to attract that expectation. (See http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A2709-2002Apr29)

This leads to an interesting predicament:

If your belief influences your reality so dramatically, then when is your belief in conflict with reality?

• Is wearing a magic vest going into war just deluding yourself?
• Is believing in a positive outcome despite current reality a self delusion?
• Is believing in a negative outcome despite contrary evidence a mistake?

Probably.

Yes, you may be deluding yourself when you wear a magic vest or a blessed ring. But that very “delusion” is the belief that will help you go through your life with strength, and it may even be the extra edge you need to help you survive and prosper.

Put another way, what’s your alternative?

Go into battle with nothing?

Go through life with no power?

Since your belief is the controlling element here, you are free to believe in the positive, or the negative, or “nothing” at all. (I put the word “nothing” in quotes as even believing in nothing is believing in something. It’s still belief.)

Some think the great god called Science is the be-all and end-all of what’s “real.” Yet science is always coming to conclusions that conflict previous conclusions. And the current science behind placebos proves what you believe is more important than the so-called “reality” around you.

In fact, if science were the deciding factor on reality, why don’t all scientists agree?

Why are there scientists who believe in ESP, for example, and scientists who don’t believe in it?

Gee, I thought science was the final verdict.

I quit reading popular science magazines like Psychology Today because it was apparent they simply reported recent studies. Stick around long enough and you’ll find new studies to conflict with the old studies. And so it goes.

In short, what’s real?

Ever since I released my book and audio program titled The Awakening Course, I’ve stressed that reality is an illusion. This isn’t new, either. Buddha and others, especially non-duality teachers, say the same thing. When you come from the fourth stage of awakening, you see the illusion.

As Einstein said, “Reality is merely an illusion, albeit a very persistent one.”

The goal is to awaken

Again, you are free to wear magic amulets or vests, or do nothing of the kind. You can put your faith in “magic” or you can put your faith in “reality.”

Both reflect your beliefs.

Both, at essence, are reality.

After all, the “reality” you see is viewed through your perceptions, and those perceptions are made from your beliefs.

If you’ve met me, heard me speak, viewed my pictures, or seen me on television or in movies, you know I wear rings and beads. I personally believe some of it is for branding, some of it has some real esoteric mojo in it, and I believe it helps me.

In fact, whenever I speak in public, I wear a special gem made in part from the Gibeon meteorite. That meteorite is older than planet Earth. Estimated about four billion years old. It’s beautiful, and I can feel extra energy when I wear it. It was also a gift from Nerissa a decade ago, so it has sentimental value, too. (You can see me wearing it on the cover of my book, Instant Manifestation.)

Wearing my Magic

What’s most important about it?

My belief in it.

That said, what’s actually real?

I’d rather believe in a magical universe and see my life blossom with miracles then walk through it fearing every turn of a leaf.

Rounding back to my friend who posted the comment about “magical thinking” possibly being bad for you, I want to remind him of the Sufi saying, “Trust in Allah, but tether your camel first.”

That means to trust in your “magical vest” but also do whatever it takes to take care of yourself.

This is what co-creating reality is all about. Yes, there’s magic, and yes, there’s your actions in the physical world. The wisest thing would be to blend the two.

The only real danger in magic is relying solely on it.

Shawn Achor, in his book The Happiness Advantage, suggests you wear rose tinted glasses as opposed to rose colored glasses. He put it this way:

“As the name implies, rose-tinted glasses let the really major problems into our field of vision, while still keeping our focus largely on the positive.”

I’ll end by quoting Bruce Barton, the subject of my book, The Seven Lost Secrets of Success. Barton wrote the following in 1927 in his own book, What Can a Man Believe:

“Faith in business, faith in the country, faith in one’s self, faith in other people – this is the power that moves the world. And why is it unreasonable to believe that this power, which is so much stronger than any other, is merely a fragment of the Great Power which operates the universe.”

In short, if I were going into battle, I’d definitely put on a magic vest and I’d do everything else possible to stay safe.

The magic vest may or may not have power in and of itself, but my believing in it will have power.

Said another way, a placebo isn’t actually real, but the placebo effect is.

Have faith and tether your camel.

Ao Akua,

Joe

PS — If you want help in understanding and applying this thinking, consider Miracles Coaching.

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I saw a so-so TV movie recently where a key character stated something profound:

“People want magic in their lives yet don’t believe magic actually exists.”

That made me sit up straight and ask myself —

Do I believe in magic?

If so, why don’t I look for more magical solutions to my life challenges?

What about you?

Do you believe in magic?

If so, why are you working so hard, and worrying so much?

If you really believed in magic, wouldn’t you be more trusting and more relaxed?

Think about it.

“None of us knows what might happen even the next minute, yet still we go forward. Because we trust. Because we have Faith.” ― Paulo Coelho, Brida

I’ve discovered a key to attracting what you want in your life is learning to relax.

You do that by learning to trust; to have faith.

Worry, impatience and desperation actually slow down the Law of Attraction. Worry says you have faith things aren’t going to work out.

That’s not very helpful, is it?

It also causes stress which can lead to illness.

The real secret to attracting what you want, as well as staying healthy and sane, is to relax, get your energy aligned throughout your body and mind, and *allow* the magic to work in your life.

What’s the best way to get into the flow?

Easy.

“Faith is taking the first step even when you don’t see the whole staircase.”  ~Martin Luther King, Jr.

Go see — http://www.aligningtozero.info

You’ll find the most serene music ever created there — music designed to soothe you while it aligns your energy centers  — and you can hear samples of it, too.

It’ll help you discover real magic.

Guaranteed.

Ao Akua,

joe

PS — The music was inspired by ho’oponopono and dedicated to Dr. Hew Len, my coauthor for the book, Zero Limits. There are so many levels of healing in the music that it would take too long to explain in this post, so please go to http://www.aligningtozero.info

Note: You can hear samples of the music by clicking on “Get the Instant download” on the site or by scrolling to near end of the website. Enjoy.

Member BBB 2003 - 2012

I’m excited!

I’m not sure how to convey how important it is that you drop everything and go see — http://www.aligningtozero.info

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With that help of a dear friend, I just created what may be the most serene, tranquil, easy and effortless way to do just that. It’s designed to align your energy centers. It was made with my Healing Guitar. It was inspired by ho’oponopono and my coauthored book (written with Dr. Hew Len), Zero Limits. The website for it begins…

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Announcing Aligning to Zero by Mathew Dixon and Dr. Joe Vitale Here’s why this is so important to you:

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The  whole story is at … http://www.aligningtozero.info and

you can hear samples of the music at http://www.nimbitmusic.com/aligningtozero

Decades ago — way back in the mid 1980s — I interviewed Stuart Wilde, metaphysical rogue and author of numerous New Age self-help books, such as The Trick to Money Is Having Some, Infinite Self, and The Quickening.

One of Stuart Wilde's books

I was struggling back then, but wrote freelance articles and book reviews for the health, yoga, and New Age magazines of the time. I was paid fifty dollars per review. I got the books for free. (That was the real perk.) It was fairly easy for me to get to interview the gurus, as they wanted the publicity. It was good for me, as I wanted to pick their brains. After all, I needed the help.

Stuart was a sleepy delight. We had breakfast — he had a three minute boiled egg and coffee; I had nothing, as I was broke — and I asked what was on my mind. I wasn’t a very good interviewer back then, but nobody complained. They were glad to speak to a so-called would-be reporter.

Stuart was kind and generous. At one point he looked at me with this soft gaze, and I could swear I could hear him thinking, “I love you, I love you, I love you…” He later invited me to his seminar in Houston, which was a turning point in my life. (I wrote about it in my 2003 book, Adventures Within.)

My (now dated) spiritual autobiography

One thing I remember asking Stuart was about how to know when you are in the flow, and what to do when things were not working out and you needed to change direction. (I have our interview on cassette tape somewhere and could check my question and his answer, but let’s go with this flow for now.)

I recall Stuart saying, “Sometimes it looks like you have hit a wall and nothing is happening, but the truth is, you’re right where you are supposed to be. It’s like climbing a mountain and you’re staring at the very rock you are climbing. You can’t see anything else. Looks like you are facing a block, but you are actually making progress as you climb the rock.”

His words comforted me over the years whenever I felt like things were not going well. I’d remind myself that good things were happening, that I was actually making progress, and I just needed to have faith that it would all show itself to me in due time.

Of course, from where I comfortably sit today, Stuart was right.

This lesson became apparent the other day.

I was driving my 2012 Fisker Karma EcoSport — the all electric luxury car I mentioned on this blog a post or so ago — when the slim panel along the left windshield inside the car came loose and hung there. I tried pushing it back into place. It wouldn’t snap. I started mumbling to myself how a $100,000 car shouldn’t have anything hanging in it. I decided I would get it fixed one day soon, and let it go.

For whatever reason, I woke up the next day and decided to call the car dealership. I was reluctant as it meant a drive to San Antonio, an hour away. That would mean giving up my entire afternoon. That wasn’t my plan for the day. But something in me said to call. So I did. They told me to bring the car in.

I drove to San Antonio in threatening rain, the Fisker service people took me quickly, fixed the problem quickly, washed the car, and put me back in it. Within thirty minutes I was on the road, headed home.

I felt wonderful about the whole experience. Even the sun came out, which made my washed brand new car look even more beautiful.

And then the phone rang.

I took the call over the car’s phone system, a first for me. Turns out it was Fisker headquarters. They had seen my previous blog post where I mentioned the car and how I get so many people staring at it, and they wanted to send out a press release quoting me. They wanted my permission.

Now stop and think about this.

Had that call come earlier that morning, or the day before, I might not have been so eager to say nice things. After all, my Fisker Karma had just dropped a piece of the car in my lap. I wasn’t happy.

But, I had listened to some inner nudge — where did that come from? — and took the car in, got it fixed, and was now a happy camper.

So when Fisker HQ’s called, I was all smiles and all compliments.

I told them, yes, of course, they could quote me.

That would be good for them, and also good for me.

Win-win.

THAT is being in the flow.

When I told the story to my wife, Nerissa, she said what she always says, “That happens to you all the time. You’re in the flow.”

While I appreciate the compliment, I wondered why everyone isn’t always in the flow.

And that’s when I remembered Stuart Wilde’s answer.

You are in the flow right now.

You may not agree to that assessment because you want your reality to be different than what it is.

You think you’re out of flow because you aren’t grateful for this moment.

You want something else.

The point to really get is this: you are in the flow right now.

Appreciate it, see its potential value, and you’ll awaken to how your life is unfolding.

Here’s another way to look at it:

Hypnotic Book On "est"

Werner Erhard (founder of est) used to say, “If you knew what God wanted you to do, you’d do it and be happy. Well, what you are doing right now is what God wants you to do.”

Think about it.

While you do, here are a few steps to get into the flow when you think you’re out of it:

1. Realize you are in the flow right now. You might be facing the rocky side of the mountain, and scrambling up it as you sweat and hold on for dear life, but you are exactly where you need to be in order to get to the top. Assume you’re right where you need to be for now.
2. Look for the gratitude nugget. Look for the lesson, or the reason you’re here in this moment. A year or more from now, you will look at this moment and clearly see how it led to something better. Look for that “something better” insight right now. Have faith it’s there.
3. Do the next thing. Action is how you move things along. When you get that inner nudge to make the call (like I did to the Fisker dealership), or write that email, or whatever it is for you, do it. Trust it’s the right next step in your flow.

You might look at your life right now and use the above three points as a helpful way to reveal what’s happening.

Life is a process, not a final moment where it’s all over and nothing ever changes again.

You may be — surprise, surprise — in the flow right now.

Could it be true?

Ao Akua,

joe

PS — Some car talk: I’m well aware that Fisker has had some challenges, such as a new car of theirs breaking down as Consumer Reports tried to review it. I also know Top Gear called Fisker the luxury car of 2011. I’m aware the Chevy Volt, which Nerissa drives, has had so much bad press — not deserving at all IMHO — that Chevy temporarily closed down their Volt production facilities and laid off over 1,000 people. Still, Nerissa drives her Chevy Volt and loves it. I drive my Fisker Karma and am learning to love it. None of this is to say you or I, or Fisker, or Chevy, is out of the flow of life. Fisker will repair any snags. Chevy will reopen production. Again, life is a process, not a final moment where it’s all over and nothing ever changes again. I’m delighted some car manufacturers are looking to eco-friendly design, and I’m proud to be on the early adapter bandwagon. But I’ll continue to drive my loud gas-loving Spyker and Panoz cars now and then, too. It’s all part of the flow. The real question is this: What is this moment asking you to do next? Go do it.

Member BBB 2003 - 2012

For the last seven years I have been privately interviewing some of the greatest minds in the world — thinkers, speakers, authors, visionaries, healers, scientists, marketers, and more.

The secrets, tips, methods and leading-edge information these people share with me every month is inspiring, practical, eye-opening and often unforgettable.

But only subscribers to my Hypnotic Gold membership program get to hear these incredible interviews, and we closed admission to it years ago.

Well, I have good news for you.

Not only can you now subscribe to these private monthly interviews, but when you do, you can also have access to *all* of the past ones.

Click image to subscribe now

This is a breakthrough of historic proportions.

The seven years of interviews are a storehouse of wisdom not unlike the legendary library of Alexander the Great.

Am I overstating this?

I don’t think so.

This is such a miraculous collection of mind-expanding and inspiring interviews, that the best way to get a grasp of the gold in them is to go here —

http://hypnoticgold.com/

And I’ll be interviewing more great minds this year. You’d be wise to sign up now, start listening to the past interviews, and gear up for the new ones coming in 2012.

Please go review the site. This is well worth your time, as the wisdom there is beyond life transformative.

Go see.

Ao Akua,

joe

PS – As before, we will only let the doors stay open for membership for a short time. If you want to be one of the privileged few, please go here now — http://hypnoticgold.com/

Member BBB 2003 - 2012