In case you missed it, this is a seven part series of summaries of The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success, by Deepak Chopra. Take a look at the previous entries if you need to get caught up.
A quick note: I believe that God is the creator of the universe. When I say “the universe,” I am saying God. To practice this law, you should connect to whatever you feel is your entity or source of mystery (no judgements here). For those that don’t have a spiritual connection to the universe, I would say to give meditation a real try and you might change your mind.
As far as mediation goes, deep silence with prayer could be substituted below.
#5: The Law of Intention and Desire
The Law of Intention and Desire is easily summed up with “what do you want and doing the work to get it.” This is the chapter will involve some intermediate meditation practices as well as some challenges to your beliefs.
First let’s address your potential challenges: we all know what we want in life. True or not? Would you rather be happy or sad? Rich or poor? Healthy or unhealthy? You know the answer to all of these and it takes half a second to recall the answer. It’s probably because you think about it all of the time.
The real question is: do you think you deserve all of these things? Do you deserve to be rich, healthy, and happy when there are so many others that aren’t? Unless you are a narcissist, you have all wondered, at some point, if you deserve great things to happen. The answer is absolutely you deserve them. All of them and more. But, with these gifts, you have to ask how you are going to use them to greatly enrich the lives of others around you. Life is about expansion and that doesn’t have to be about material things at all. Expansion of knowledge could be a gift you share with the world.
My intention is to achieve my desires coming from a place of sharing and expansion for the quality of the world. To sum it up: I want to do great things for me, my family, and for the world.
For the mediation practice, Deepak suggests the following to reach your desires:
- Slip into the gap between space and thoughts
In mediation, you eventually reach a point where your thoughts drop off and you go into a state of quiet. Depending on your experience, it may take a bit to get to this point. Use the instructions here if you need to practice the basics of meditation. - While in the gap, release your intentions and desires
Subtly say what you want in your mind during this period of quiet.
Here is my addition to this practice: Bring the emotions. Draw them up somehow use them when you are saying what you want. And, to go one step further, visualize yourself being in that moment. - Remain in the state of self referral
Stay in this period of quiet as long as you can. - Relinquish your attachment to the outcome
Some how, some way, if you do the work, you will achieve your desires, but your attachment to the outcome will only stunt your efforts. Meaning, you never know how your desire is delivered. Plus, when you see that there are efforts against you, you can’t dwell in thoughts that the universe is “conspiring against” you. If you are detached from the situation, maybe you could see that the universe if protecting you from the wrong path and the details are still working themselves out. - Let the universe handle the details
Referencing what I said above, you know that there is so much mystery in the universe and you are a grain of sand in the grand scheme of creation. So, let the universe do what it does.
As far as practicing this law, here are Deepak’s suggestions:
- Make a list of all of your desires and carry it around with you and refer to it continuously
I have this list. I look at it as much as possible, but I need to get so much more disciplined at it. Maybe your list is a vision board. - Release this list of desires to the universe and trust in the cosmic plan
The universe is so expansive so how could you possibly begin to understand the the cosmic plan. Just trust. - Remind yourself to practice being in the present moment
Again, we are back to this present moment idea. Since we see this over and over in the book, maybe it is an important aspect??
Meditation can be frustrating at times, but I promise that if you stick with it, you will greatly alter your life in ways you can’t imagine. Start by being quiet for a few minutes and work your way up to longer stretches. Eventually, you can easily “slip into the gap” and that is when the magic happens.
Link to the book -> The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success