Hey, I have a theoretical question about alignment. I'm not 100% sure about the answer so some other views would be welcome in helping me get there:
It's about the difference between:
a) Simply feeling good
vs
b) Feeling good about something (anything, past, present, future, real or imagined)
Many Abe quotes relate to both. For instance "Find something, anything to feel good about" or "Feel as happy as you can"
Is there even a meaningful difference?
The reason this is confusing to me, is because I am able to feel happy, without any reason in particular. During my sessions of deliberately being in alignment, I get to a good feeling place, and stay there for several seconds/minutes. WHILE doing that, sometimes I ponder things that help me feel good. However, other times, I'm just feeling good with no particular object of my attention. For example, I'm just being happy, focusing on "happy", enjoying how nice it is to be "happy" etc.
We know that emotions are not of our world, they are vibrational guidance from our inner beings. We also know that it is not possible to feel happy without being in alignment with our inner beings. (I am just about answering my own question with this part)
So to recap my question, is there a meaningful difference between the two? Or in other words, in "Ask and it is given", the instruction is to find things to appreciate as much as possible as it is the fastest way to align, whereas in many other Abe seminars, the instruction is simply to feel as good as you can as often as you can. So is having an actual object even important if you can bypass that and get straight to positive emotion?
Thanks
Dissecting Alignment
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Paradise-on-Earth
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Re: Dissecting Alignment
Abe teach about the different qualities of emotions.
They explain that it takes a high momentum, aka a fast vibration for things, manifesting. And you get that with a SPECIFIC focus- be it wanted or unwanted. So, a specific focus would be either a joyful, elated, loving, fascinated focus-
or a very fearful, intensely painful focus.
If you feel it a bit, or quite generally, only a bit of it will manifest, so to speak. And also, when you feel something intensely, things really get momentum, which makes things manifest faster, in that regard. No matter if it is wanted or unwanted.
The worst is: Specific focus on something unwanted. Better than that feels a general focus on unwanted. Even better a general focus on something wanted,
and the very best and most joyful stance is a specific focus on something wanted.
But a general WANTED (=good feeling) focus is setting your tone and in that a very good thing. Abe say, staying general is enough (while it probably is less joyful in the long run than allowing yourself to go specific in a good feeling way).
Because when you feel generally good, you will not fall into the trap of "trying too hard". You will TRAIN yourself into a generally good feeling "normal" vibrational stance, that makes you buoyant and helps you to bounce into specifc elation much easier, and hold higher highs longer.
You might look for clips with searchwords "general and specific", they where on this topic for some years.
The rule of thumb is:
Be as specific as it still FEELS GOOD.
Abe
They explain that it takes a high momentum, aka a fast vibration for things, manifesting. And you get that with a SPECIFIC focus- be it wanted or unwanted. So, a specific focus would be either a joyful, elated, loving, fascinated focus-
or a very fearful, intensely painful focus.
If you feel it a bit, or quite generally, only a bit of it will manifest, so to speak. And also, when you feel something intensely, things really get momentum, which makes things manifest faster, in that regard. No matter if it is wanted or unwanted.
The worst is: Specific focus on something unwanted. Better than that feels a general focus on unwanted. Even better a general focus on something wanted,
and the very best and most joyful stance is a specific focus on something wanted.
But a general WANTED (=good feeling) focus is setting your tone and in that a very good thing. Abe say, staying general is enough (while it probably is less joyful in the long run than allowing yourself to go specific in a good feeling way).
Because when you feel generally good, you will not fall into the trap of "trying too hard". You will TRAIN yourself into a generally good feeling "normal" vibrational stance, that makes you buoyant and helps you to bounce into specifc elation much easier, and hold higher highs longer.
You might look for clips with searchwords "general and specific", they where on this topic for some years.
The rule of thumb is:
Be as specific as it still FEELS GOOD.
Abe
Re: Dissecting Alignment
This is getting interesting. Specific vs general isn't something I'd considered. Let's explore.
Before we do, I think it would be good to get clear on definitions, for extra clarity.
It seems we are talking about 2 scales here.
1) Clumps of emotions on the emotional guidance scale:
a) Strong Negative Emotion (eg Despair/Sadness)
b) Weak Negative Emotion (eg Frustration)
c) Weak Positive Emotion (Hope/Satisfaction)
d) Strong Positive Emotion (Joy/Love)
and
2) Specific thought vs general thought (e.g. I feel nice and satisfied today vs I like the feeling of the wind as I drive my car today)
Separating it out into 2 distinct scales, helps to call out any assumed overlap. As in, it is easy to assume that weak positive emotion such as satisfaction, usually accompanies general focus, and strong positive emotion like bliss usually accompanies specific focus. That's not the case, now is it?
Because one can feel satisfied (weak positive emotion )with a specific thing - eg I like this cup of coffee I have
and also, taking myself as an example
One can feel joyful while being general - eg I'm feeling so happy because I'm in joy and in the vortex
So trying to bring this back to my original questions:
I'm trying to bridge the ideas of :
A - get in the vortex (feel as good as you can as often as you can), and everything you want will manifest
vs
B - get in the vortex and think specifically about things to make them manifest
Option B seems like it risks meddling around with Step1 of the creative process a little bit. (ie if it's already created and in the vortex, then why do I need to specifically re-emphasize the thought of the desire? shouldn't me just showing up in the vortex be enough to let it manifest in time?)
Rephrasing the point of my original question:
Is there something innately more special or powerful about having a rampage of appreciation about already-manifested-knock-on-wood things, or is the point really just to get in the vortex however you can, whether you're using something manifested or imagined as your excuse to get in the vortex?
I'm curious to know this because I've found a way to feel extremely good without looking at the outside world or what-is, but am wondering if i'm missing out on some extra power/speed to my manifestations by NOT including already-manifested things to feel good about.
Before we do, I think it would be good to get clear on definitions, for extra clarity.
It seems we are talking about 2 scales here.
1) Clumps of emotions on the emotional guidance scale:
a) Strong Negative Emotion (eg Despair/Sadness)
b) Weak Negative Emotion (eg Frustration)
c) Weak Positive Emotion (Hope/Satisfaction)
d) Strong Positive Emotion (Joy/Love)
and
2) Specific thought vs general thought (e.g. I feel nice and satisfied today vs I like the feeling of the wind as I drive my car today)
Separating it out into 2 distinct scales, helps to call out any assumed overlap. As in, it is easy to assume that weak positive emotion such as satisfaction, usually accompanies general focus, and strong positive emotion like bliss usually accompanies specific focus. That's not the case, now is it?
Because one can feel satisfied (weak positive emotion )with a specific thing - eg I like this cup of coffee I have
and also, taking myself as an example
One can feel joyful while being general - eg I'm feeling so happy because I'm in joy and in the vortex
So trying to bring this back to my original questions:
I'm trying to bridge the ideas of :
A - get in the vortex (feel as good as you can as often as you can), and everything you want will manifest
vs
B - get in the vortex and think specifically about things to make them manifest
Option B seems like it risks meddling around with Step1 of the creative process a little bit. (ie if it's already created and in the vortex, then why do I need to specifically re-emphasize the thought of the desire? shouldn't me just showing up in the vortex be enough to let it manifest in time?)
Rephrasing the point of my original question:
Is there something innately more special or powerful about having a rampage of appreciation about already-manifested-knock-on-wood things, or is the point really just to get in the vortex however you can, whether you're using something manifested or imagined as your excuse to get in the vortex?
I'm curious to know this because I've found a way to feel extremely good without looking at the outside world or what-is, but am wondering if i'm missing out on some extra power/speed to my manifestations by NOT including already-manifested things to feel good about.
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Paradise-on-Earth
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Re: Dissecting Alignment
English is not my mother tongue, so I have to ask how you use the term "weak"? In *my* knowing it has a negative connotation, as not durable, without energy, being blah... so, *I* would NOT use it here. Abraham never put any judgement on any (!) emotion. So, instead of "weak", I would prefer to use a term as "calm", or "less energetic". Literally, Abe say that the emotions in the middle- be them wanted or unwanted, have LESS MOMENTUM than those on the top or on the low end of the EGS. "Momentum" is a very important measurement in deliberate creation.Elvis wrote: ↑Mon Jan 22, 2024 4:48 pm This is getting interesting. Specific vs general isn't something I'd considered. Let's explore.
Before we do, I think it would be good to get clear on definitions, for extra clarity.
It seems we are talking about 2 scales here.
1) Clumps of emotions on the emotional guidance scale:
a) Strong Negative Emotion (eg Despair/Sadness)
b) Weak Negative Emotion (eg Frustration)
c) Weak Positive Emotion (Hope/Satisfaction)
d) Strong Positive Emotion (Joy/Love)
The point is TO FEEL GOOD.Rephrasing the point of my original question:
Is there something innately more special or powerful about having a rampage of appreciation about already-manifested-knock-on-wood things,
or is the point really just to get in the vortex however you can, whether you're using something manifested or imagined as your excuse to get in the vortex?
When you accomplish this (=train yourself into staying in a good feeling vibration with ANY topic that is easy and joyful for you), you are golden. When you feel INSPIRED to press the gas a bit so to speak, you can go more specific and rampage more detailed: Describe the feeling of the wind in your hair. Describe how warm and soft it feels, how wild you feel, how thankful you are for the sun that touches your skin, etc. But words always should be FELT.
And as soon you feel even slightly less good, stop and let go and leave the process. Just as stopping to eat even the most delicious meal is a good idea, as soon you feel full and satiated.
In some topics, this will be easier for you than in others. Per example, when you already are quite free of resistance in any topic of heart- be it race cars, or cooking, or your dog, traveling or breeding rare heirloom potatoes- you will get normally much easier into a deeper state of appreciation and into a more specific focus, than when you work with a topic that is "harder" for you!
The idea is to dive as deep and intense and powerful as it still realllllly feels good, to you. Topic completely irrelevant.
And keep in mind that this is nothing that you should do as a "ritual" but only when you feel joyfully drawn (=inspired) to. When you don't feel like wanting to do it, when you feel off for any reason, all of this good, highflying emotions are not available to you, "not on your wavelength" in the very moment. So, simply DISENGAGE! Take a nap, meditate or "shut up and look out of the window".
Also, sometimes it helps to simply feel "less crappy". "Finding relief" can be a very helpful bridge, where you can not reach "feeling good", but you get out of the really bad feeling death-zones as hate, guilt, disempowerment and so on.
The ONLY thing that is of interest is TO FEEL GOOD. In any way that works for YOU, here and now.I'm curious to know this because I've found a way to feel extremely good without looking at the outside world or what-is, but am wondering if i'm missing out on some extra power/speed to my manifestations by NOT including already-manifested things to feel good about.
Re: Dissecting Alignment
Hi Elvis and welcome to the forum! 
You brought up a very interesting question, and a question I have had in the past a bit as well before I understood that it's easy to think it's more complicated than it really is and therefore sometimes you can start thinking there's some certain way you have to practice the teachings etc, and forget their simple and only message of "feel better". What also helped me at that point was to re-read any of the Abraham hicks books.
I guess you can say that in every moment of time, only these two options exist:
Thinking about anything that pleases you and make you feel better aka distraction (from troubling subjects) / meditation
or
Deliberately doing vibrational "work" on an individual subject so that you move a specific subject to a little better feeling place
The only thing that matters is that you in the moment find any thought that Feels Better to you than the previous thought. That feels like relief. If you already are high on the emotional guidance scale, you can also still always find a thought that feels better no matter how good you already feel. Of course if you're in the vortex it kind of naturally happens that the positive momentum increases and the thoughts gets more and more specific.
Any of those methods, if they succeed in making you feel better, have the same result. No approach is better than the other. If you do anything to focus your mind differently which results in a better feeling, you have succeeded doing the only thing Abraham talks about, and the only thing that you can do in any given moment.
But, contrast will always come and it's likely you have habits of thoughts on some subjects that maybe feel less than good.
One option would be to forever more try to avoid thinking about those subjects, and that would work, but then if something caused you to think about those subjects, you would feel your vibration drop and you immediately feel worse, because every subject is where you last left it.
That's the reason why one might want to "clean up" your vibration on a specific subject that feels less than good, so that next time it comes up in your life, you won't drop to feeling as bad anymore, and therefore can stay in that good feeling place more without having to use distraction as much, if that makes any sense.
But it's important to remember that nothing is more important than that you, in the moment, find any thought that feels better, especially if you feel bad, and then keep finding thoughts that feel better. It really is that simple and it doesn't matter how you did it, but if you feel better then your vibration got into a slightly higher place and you're one little bit closer to reach the vortex (if you were out of the vortex), and if you're already in the vortex, you can just keep focusing on things that keep you in that good feeling place, until you might start to think thoughts that causes you to get out of the vortex and then you just try to reach for a better feeling thought again.
I found a very good post regarding this balance of how you could approach it, in a different community here: https://www.inwardquest.com/questions/6 ... vent#65521
You never have to think about something in order for it to manifest. The only reason you would want to think about your desire is if it feels really good to do so. Otherwise, the only thing that matters is when you are outside the vortex, to think thoughts that feel better so you step a bit closer and closer to the vortex until you eventually reach the vortex and feel really good and do anything to keep yourself in that good-feeling place.
And if you are already inside the vortex, just milk it, find things to appreciate, you don't at all have to think about your desire if you don't want to. You can stay inside the vortex and think about kittens all days long and you will allow in big amounts of abundance.
The reason for that is that it's the contrast and living of your life that has caused everything to already be created inside your vortex. It's already done. No more thoughts has to be about any of that if you don't want to. The only thing that you have to remember is that when you are inside the vortex - you allow more of everything you have ever asked for to flow into your experience, and the more you are outside the vortex - the more you are slowing everything you want down from manifesting into your experience, and the worse you are feeling the more you are a match to negative experiences and experiences that matches that feeling. It's only the emotion you feel in every moment that is of importance and your indication of your current vibrational output, and the thoughts matter because it's the thoughts that generated the emotion, but it's the emotion you feel in any given moment of time that indicates your level of allowing in the moment.
You brought up a very interesting question, and a question I have had in the past a bit as well before I understood that it's easy to think it's more complicated than it really is and therefore sometimes you can start thinking there's some certain way you have to practice the teachings etc, and forget their simple and only message of "feel better". What also helped me at that point was to re-read any of the Abraham hicks books.
I guess you can say that in every moment of time, only these two options exist:
Thinking about anything that pleases you and make you feel better aka distraction (from troubling subjects) / meditation
or
Deliberately doing vibrational "work" on an individual subject so that you move a specific subject to a little better feeling place
The only thing that matters is that you in the moment find any thought that Feels Better to you than the previous thought. That feels like relief. If you already are high on the emotional guidance scale, you can also still always find a thought that feels better no matter how good you already feel. Of course if you're in the vortex it kind of naturally happens that the positive momentum increases and the thoughts gets more and more specific.
Any of those methods, if they succeed in making you feel better, have the same result. No approach is better than the other. If you do anything to focus your mind differently which results in a better feeling, you have succeeded doing the only thing Abraham talks about, and the only thing that you can do in any given moment.
But, contrast will always come and it's likely you have habits of thoughts on some subjects that maybe feel less than good.
One option would be to forever more try to avoid thinking about those subjects, and that would work, but then if something caused you to think about those subjects, you would feel your vibration drop and you immediately feel worse, because every subject is where you last left it.
That's the reason why one might want to "clean up" your vibration on a specific subject that feels less than good, so that next time it comes up in your life, you won't drop to feeling as bad anymore, and therefore can stay in that good feeling place more without having to use distraction as much, if that makes any sense.
But it's important to remember that nothing is more important than that you, in the moment, find any thought that feels better, especially if you feel bad, and then keep finding thoughts that feel better. It really is that simple and it doesn't matter how you did it, but if you feel better then your vibration got into a slightly higher place and you're one little bit closer to reach the vortex (if you were out of the vortex), and if you're already in the vortex, you can just keep focusing on things that keep you in that good feeling place, until you might start to think thoughts that causes you to get out of the vortex and then you just try to reach for a better feeling thought again.
I found a very good post regarding this balance of how you could approach it, in a different community here: https://www.inwardquest.com/questions/6 ... vent#65521
I think herein lies a misunderstanding of what Abraham teach.
You never have to think about something in order for it to manifest. The only reason you would want to think about your desire is if it feels really good to do so. Otherwise, the only thing that matters is when you are outside the vortex, to think thoughts that feel better so you step a bit closer and closer to the vortex until you eventually reach the vortex and feel really good and do anything to keep yourself in that good-feeling place.
And if you are already inside the vortex, just milk it, find things to appreciate, you don't at all have to think about your desire if you don't want to. You can stay inside the vortex and think about kittens all days long and you will allow in big amounts of abundance.
The reason for that is that it's the contrast and living of your life that has caused everything to already be created inside your vortex. It's already done. No more thoughts has to be about any of that if you don't want to. The only thing that you have to remember is that when you are inside the vortex - you allow more of everything you have ever asked for to flow into your experience, and the more you are outside the vortex - the more you are slowing everything you want down from manifesting into your experience, and the worse you are feeling the more you are a match to negative experiences and experiences that matches that feeling. It's only the emotion you feel in every moment that is of importance and your indication of your current vibrational output, and the thoughts matter because it's the thoughts that generated the emotion, but it's the emotion you feel in any given moment of time that indicates your level of allowing in the moment.
Re: Dissecting Alignment
Thank you so much, both of you for your long and detailed responses. I really appreciate them as well as knowing that I'm actually interacting with fellow Abe experts. It's nice and it's been rare for me.
So what I'm gathering from your responses, (and it does make sense and marry up with what I've heard Abe say countless times), is that it really is all about the emotion. Simon you mentioned an interesting point, that when you're already in the Vortex, there is a tendency to think specific thoughts. It works even in my example, for instance "I'm just basking in feeling joy and happiness and knowing there's my Vortex, which is all ready for me and contains,.. (specifics)"
I also last night thought of an amusing "short-circuit" if you will regarding the general and the specifics train of thought - 'Appreciating your Vortex'
It is something I regularly enjoy doing and it's kind of both general and specific, like a contents page vs the full book. Sure the contents page is just a single page (general), but it covers an entire book worth of text (specifics). Anyway this is starting to get similar to Aladdin wishing for more wishes or more genies.
I also had another line of thought - Appreciating from 'what-is' can be quite limiting, especially in terms of evoking strong, consistent positive emotion, as compared to say appreciating from 'what's in your vortex' or 'what you imagine/remember'. Again, if we apply the rule of just getting to the positive emotion, however you get there, then it becomes irrelevant and so I think that's the answer there.
So wrapping up, it seems that the strategy of 'find things to appreciate in your 'what-is' ' is really just a tactic to improve your vibration or clean-up your vibration relating to certain topics, situations or 'what-isness' that you just can't seem to escape or take your focus off of. That way, even amidst unwanted or less-wanted, you can still do the MAIN work, which is to improve your emotion, thus getting into the Vortex. If the alternative strategy is possible for you - ie; ignore what-is completely and bask in all the joy you find in your Vortex/imagination, then go for it.
So what I'm gathering from your responses, (and it does make sense and marry up with what I've heard Abe say countless times), is that it really is all about the emotion. Simon you mentioned an interesting point, that when you're already in the Vortex, there is a tendency to think specific thoughts. It works even in my example, for instance "I'm just basking in feeling joy and happiness and knowing there's my Vortex, which is all ready for me and contains,.. (specifics)"
I also last night thought of an amusing "short-circuit" if you will regarding the general and the specifics train of thought - 'Appreciating your Vortex'
It is something I regularly enjoy doing and it's kind of both general and specific, like a contents page vs the full book. Sure the contents page is just a single page (general), but it covers an entire book worth of text (specifics). Anyway this is starting to get similar to Aladdin wishing for more wishes or more genies.
I also had another line of thought - Appreciating from 'what-is' can be quite limiting, especially in terms of evoking strong, consistent positive emotion, as compared to say appreciating from 'what's in your vortex' or 'what you imagine/remember'. Again, if we apply the rule of just getting to the positive emotion, however you get there, then it becomes irrelevant and so I think that's the answer there.
So wrapping up, it seems that the strategy of 'find things to appreciate in your 'what-is' ' is really just a tactic to improve your vibration or clean-up your vibration relating to certain topics, situations or 'what-isness' that you just can't seem to escape or take your focus off of. That way, even amidst unwanted or less-wanted, you can still do the MAIN work, which is to improve your emotion, thus getting into the Vortex. If the alternative strategy is possible for you - ie; ignore what-is completely and bask in all the joy you find in your Vortex/imagination, then go for it.
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Paradise-on-Earth
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Re: Dissecting Alignment
I so hear you, Elvis!
Having a community where you meet like-minded ones, and where you even learn in the interactions is still a rare treat. Another heartfelt THANK YOU to Simon for giving us this beautiful place to meet!
"Step 5" in Abes teaching is, when you have a step 1-moment and are not mad about it/about yourself. You can't rush this or bang yourself into it. It comes naturally, while you train your vibration higher and higher. In that, you just get access to higher and higher thoughts and clarity. Aka, you don't try to "clean it up" anymore, you don't try to improve or even escape (which would be sort of pushing-against, which never works as you just activate the unwanted focus).
But you look at it through "sources eyes" as Abe said. You take the focus of source/God! The way God is focusing is "the truth".
When it feels bad, it is not true.
Abe
That source/God-focus is a solely curious, loving, interested, joyful one. It can be very humorous. It feels fascinated and deeply thankful and completely in alignment. You KNOW that it all has it's perfect time and place, it is ALL needed to play this game that we came for. And in this resistance-free focus, you can only see the wanted sides of everything!
Iow, when you come across something "unwanted", you realize it is FOR you. It is help. It is a reminder to re-focus. It is a nudge of the Universe to turn around and look in a different way- as who you really are. It shows you that the wanted side of the very same thing is as solution in your Vortex (or in the Vortex of other people or even of the whole world). It is DONE. But where are you, in regards to it?
This question shows you your JOYFUL journey. And,
exploring this wanted side INSTEAD of trying to clean up the unwanted side, is the paradigm shift we all are about.
Having a community where you meet like-minded ones, and where you even learn in the interactions is still a rare treat. Another heartfelt THANK YOU to Simon for giving us this beautiful place to meet!
Agreed in all part, and pointing out a specificness:Elvis wrote: ↑Tue Jan 23, 2024 1:51 am So wrapping up, it seems that the strategy of 'find things to appreciate in your 'what-is' ' is really just a tactic to improve your vibration or clean-up your vibration relating to certain topics, situations or 'what-isness' that you just can't seem to escape or take your focus off of. That way, even amidst unwanted or less-wanted, you can still do the MAIN work, which is to improve your emotion, thus getting into the Vortex. If the alternative strategy is possible for you - ie; ignore what-is completely and bask in all the joy you find in your Vortex/imagination, then go for it.
"Step 5" in Abes teaching is, when you have a step 1-moment and are not mad about it/about yourself. You can't rush this or bang yourself into it. It comes naturally, while you train your vibration higher and higher. In that, you just get access to higher and higher thoughts and clarity. Aka, you don't try to "clean it up" anymore, you don't try to improve or even escape (which would be sort of pushing-against, which never works as you just activate the unwanted focus).
But you look at it through "sources eyes" as Abe said. You take the focus of source/God! The way God is focusing is "the truth".
When it feels bad, it is not true.
Abe
That source/God-focus is a solely curious, loving, interested, joyful one. It can be very humorous. It feels fascinated and deeply thankful and completely in alignment. You KNOW that it all has it's perfect time and place, it is ALL needed to play this game that we came for. And in this resistance-free focus, you can only see the wanted sides of everything!
Iow, when you come across something "unwanted", you realize it is FOR you. It is help. It is a reminder to re-focus. It is a nudge of the Universe to turn around and look in a different way- as who you really are. It shows you that the wanted side of the very same thing is as solution in your Vortex (or in the Vortex of other people or even of the whole world). It is DONE. But where are you, in regards to it?
This question shows you your JOYFUL journey. And,
exploring this wanted side INSTEAD of trying to clean up the unwanted side, is the paradigm shift we all are about.