I found out I have Aphantasia - question about controlling my thinking

[Paradise-on-Earth]

Yes, I saw your first reply and just had time to read some of it, until something else came up and I thought I was going to continue read it later, and then I noticed that your post was gone too. I see no traces of any removed posts in this thread, so it's weird. But anyway, I am so glad you found a earlier draft so it wasn't all gone.

this is so strange. But I learned, source has a way to delete things that could be better

Thanks for wanting to take of your valuable time to watch it. It's interesting that you also could relate to it. When I watched it and realized I had that which they label Aphantasia, I imagined it being a very rare thing, but I have no idea if that's actually true. There must be so many people having it that doesn't know about it, just like you and me before we heard about it. Not that it really matters. We work the way we work and have to make peace with that and do the best we can with it. Comparisons with others isn't beneficial if it's in a negative way.

I think, it DOES matter! Whatever soothes us (for whatever "silly" reason) MATTERS: It helps, here and now. Even if there is an even higher stance to find (it always is!)- if it feels even slightly better NOW, it is a precious stepping stone, and something to be thoroughly appreciated!

I get reminded again and again that life is not about an end-result (there is no "end", anyway...). It is about enjoying the very moment. "The joy is in the journey!" Sometimes we crawl in the mud, and sometimes we fly high. But there is ALWAYS something to enjoy, in every stance. And when we do that, life is a feast. And when we don't- not so much

Thanks for sharing all this. I never read about Enneagram and that is very interesting.

I found it SO helpful! It is with it's "9 faces of God" more simple than "Myers-Briggs 16 personalities" and still has it all to realize, we did not come to be the same! I think it is SO helpful to understand yourself and others uniquenesses (and that everything about you and others is right- if only you -or they- learn to go ITV).

What you explained that Seth has said also lines up with what Abraham says.

According to Abe, Seth, Bashar and Abraham are all the same source, coming through different outlets. So, Seth continues his work through Abraham. But the channelers, the different "outlets", color the energy in a unique way. It is always a co-creation.

What you see depends on what vibrational frequency you are on. And yes you are right that comparing ourselves to other if it doesn't serve us is not helpful at all. As you said, the woman in the video was feeling very bad over this, and even I did at first, feeling like I was "missing out" on something that most seemed to have, that to me, appears to be like a "superpower". But it's a bit an illusion, becuase it's impossible to know exactly how their experience is, and even if I would prefer having that experience over the "inner world" I already have.

Yes, AND- as cookie and I pondered above,I am certain that when you realized that you desire this "Superpower" also -then that is the beginning of your journey towards it! You CAN have, be or do EVERYTHING life caused you to desire!

And as life has taught me: When you really "miss" something, you get extra momentum in it's creation. It really matters, and you really don't have it = it adds up in your Vortex immediately and it really gathers energy!

I have many times tried to apply the different processes in Ask and it is given, on particular subjects that I know are troubling me

I hear you. But this is an approach that is less joyful than to APPRECIATE what is easy and CALLING to be appreciated!

Most of us spend all their time pushing against the unwanted, in this way. We attempt t "clean things up", "become less bad" or "work on what we don't like, so it will get better". That is a HUGE difference to embracing what we love, enjoying unconditionally what we desire and rampaging about it (you and I probably in WRITING! ).

Celebrating, embracing, loving, worshipping, praising, enjoying... or at least, LIKING something, is so much easier and so much more fun, and it works SO MUCH FASTER!

"We only have 1 answer: GET HAPPY!" -Abe

Abraham mentioned that Esther and Jerry LOVED that this video (that I post below) got created- and so, they took it into their own official youtube channel. Of course it's Abe-material, but the hilarious cut, together with music, was created by Vickie B., on her youtube-channel "ImVickieB". Here is the transcript (SO precious!!!)

"Get Happy!!"

...Have we made our explanation too complicated? ...(very negative voice) "I've been studying your work since 1993. I'm trying really hard to remember your words." and so we want to give them to you in an easier to remember format:

Get happy, in any way!

If you have to run away from home- do it.
If you have to go to the beach every day- do it.
Do anything that you can do, to get happy.

In most cases, it does not involve action. Because in most cases if you take action, in your effort to get happy- some boom drops on you. Like, you get fired, and then you don't have any money, or something like that.

Get happy in your MIND!
Find a way to make such peace with where you are, that you allow your gap to close:
THAT's what getting happy is. It's making peace with where you are!

Because, if you make peace with where you are, this vortex that is spinning will suck you right in, to the perfection of all of it. Get happy. Simplistic, we know! That's why we write so many books. But then, all of those books... you say: (nagging, negative voice) "ooouuooh there's so much to learn. Look at all these pages! This soooo much to learn. (Audience hilarious!) All of these emotions that I didn't even know that I had... all of these laws. All of these laws. Look at all of these laws!! Universal laws?? What the hell is vibration anyway? I don't understand. Ask and it is given? That's Bullshit! Where's my stuff? Where's my stuff?? I've been asking. Where's my stuff???"

-So we give you all of the words, and you say: "Waaay too many words!"
And we say: GET HAPPY! And you say: "Ooohhoo!! Too simplistic!" And we say: Really. REALLY all you got to do, is just find a reason to feel good!!

In other words, that conversation we just had- that was better than the whole seminar put together. You laughed, you know it's true! There isn't anything that is written here, that you didn't know the day you were born. We're just reminding you of it! You can tell every time you enter into a conversation, that you know isn't going well for you: You can feel it.

You can feel when you're defeating yourself.
You can feel when you're bolstering yourself.
You can feel when you're up lifting another!
You can feel when you're deflating to another.

You KNOW this stuff!! You know this stuff- you have just, over time, lowered your standards about how you're willing to feel.

You've gotten used to being ornery, you're not deliberate about feeling good, because you don't understand the power of feeling good, you see! We're not talking about laughing hee-haw off the wall.

We're talking about feeling interested in things!
We're talking about waking up and being glad that you're awake, and glad that you're alive: "I'm looking out across the landscape, and am wanting to see what's there!"
We're talking about seeing things and feeling interested in them!
We're talking about having a conversation with someone across the table, and devouring every word, and loving the conversation that you're having!
We're talking about looking into the eyes of children and babies and animals and lovers- and feeling the fullness of who you are!

We're talking about getting tuned in tapped in turned on, and seeing the world through the eyes of your total self, rather than this fragmented one, you see. Just chill out!!

from the official youtube-clip Abraham-Hicks - "Get Happy"
Abraham-Hicks Workshop, Los Angeles, California 8/17/08

and sinking my vibration down every time they "come up" because I can feel it, but, i have always had a lot of trouble even getting started as I haven't been able to know my actual starting point as I haven't seen clearly in any way what my thoughts on that subject have been - the thoughts that makes me feel bad - but there must be some thoughts I'm habitually thinking about those subjects or those wouldn't feel bad to me.
Then when I haven't been able to do that process, because I struggled with even the first step, to detect the thoughts I'm thinking about it, I then have given up trying and just went on my day and tried to distract instead.

Do you realize that you made it really complicated?

There are quite many subjects in my life where I have a negative habit of thoughts about, mostly about myself, but the only tool in my toolbox I've been able to use have been distraction. It would be nice to get some success with a more deliberate process that could actually shift my negative beliefs on troubling subjects in a more permanent way on those subjects so they become less of an issue anytime they "come up".

I absolutely understand what you are saying, but I wanna harp on "taking a completely different approach", again: Stop working on issues (with which tools ever).
Start appreciating, finding fun, taking things lighter, looking for what JOYFULLY or at least, soothingly calls you (that guidance comes in impulses, not in thoughts!).

But there has to be a way for me to be aware of my thoughts. Everyone is thinking every moment they are awake, it's not possible to not. Maybe I've just made it too big of a deal that I made it harder for me to see my active thoughts, or that I'm assuming I "should" be hearing them as an inner monologue but that something is "wrong" with me so I don't.

exactly. Just because some people do that mustn't mean, YOU must do that! It does not need to happen in a certain way.

If i ask myself "how do you feel about this thing about yourself", I could write a text answering that question. Maybe I can just assume that while I'm writing about it, my mind is focused on that, even though I don't really recognize it so much.

exactly!!

I think another "issue" I've been doing is that I sometimes see any negative emotion I feel as an "issue that needs to be fixed". I think sometimes I feel worse only because I see how I feel as something that needs to be "fixed" so that I feel better. When I've come to realize that's not an approach that works. Making peace with the discomfort, or relax into it, not push against it.

You have perfectly put it into words!
Yah, really, negative emotions are our friends as well. We NEED their guidance, we would be lost without them, and it have been unwise muggles who didn't know what they were doing, who taught humanity to suppress or hide those emotions, to try to get rid of them at all costs- instead to thank them, listen to their message, embrace and love them- and then, completely organically, letting them go when they delivered the message (they, then, will vanish ALL BY THEMSELVES! And when they don't, you have not yet understood their precious message).

I think I'm quite sensitive and aware to how I feel most of the time, maybe too aware sometimes (in a way that it's the only thing I'm aware of so i have a hard time changing my focus which then could produce another feeling), but that I'm not yet the best at noticing subtle differences in my feelings. That I sometimes don't catch it in the early stages until I feel a little bit discomfort in my throat

just sticking this in: I LOVE how there is already a message in where you feel the discomfort! Per example, throat-problems hint normally to resistances around freedom, free speech, freely and proudly expressing yourself or taking what you really desire...

or something and then it's no longer just an emotion but have gotten "bigger" into a physical sensation. But it's good to be aware of what you have been doing that haven't been working, so you can try to do something different

exactly, isn't it! And isn't it a wonderful thing, that our indicators never "give up on us". But they gently get bigger and bigger, until we understand. I think, that is so good: It is CERTAIN we always have guidance- as soft as possible, but as loud as needed!

I really like what you said here:
"What feels even slightly off is not good for you. And what feels even a tiny bit better, is better for you: End of story!"

Reminding myself that any tiny step in the better-feeling direction is not only a win but also is all that is possible at any given moment of time. But if you keep following that "tiny bit better" feeling and keep going in that direction, eventually you will reach the upper parts of the emotional guidance scale and feel really good. But you are where you are and from there you only have 2 ways you can go, one that feels a little bit better and one that feels a little bit worse, and that's it. Jumping from low on the emotional guidance scale to the top in one go isn't sustainable or even desirable. The joy in the journey is in climbing the emotional guidance scale step by step.

Exactly!!

This means a lot to me to see it like that. Thank you!

Thank YOU!!
It is such a joy to "work" with you!! Really, "my pleasure". You are so open and willing, and able to look and see.

After having posted about it here, it has actually felt easier for me to share this with people near me. So far I have only talked about to my girlfriend, which is very different than me, and she has a quite vivid imagination (she sometimes even zones out) while I'm sometimes so focused on the tangible already manifested world,

I feel, that special, deep relationships are always geared in the way that the partners are very different in some significant ways- as they wanted to inspire each other, and give each other contrast. Me and DH are incredibly different! There must be enough similarity to make things smooth and easy enough... But on the other hand, Abe said that it is the friction, the rubbing that gives you the joy in the end (paraphrased, I have no direct quote, but Abe ARE hilariously ambiguous!)

And also, they have said (without any mockery):

If he's a good soulmate- he WILL give you grief!

Abe

...As, Contrast helps us see what we desire. And helps us gather momentum on what we desire!

sometimes more than I would like, as it's "old news", and sometimes hindering my feeling better-journey. So she didn't really understand how it could be so different for me, but that's fine.

Yes, AND it can be an incredibly joyful resource of mutual learning to know and understand each other (from ITV, if possible ), and so- let me (being with my man since 44 years) assure you, your relationship will always stay fresh and fascinating, and get more and more joyful, closer and deep, WHEN you embrace this contrast and see it as a huge opportunity for ongoing satisfaction!

I am glad to hear this thread also have helped you

I am, too!!

This is very inspiring to me, thank you!
"So, I write it in most cases down, as I can't rely on inner dialogue" is very helpful to me.
In the old forum, I have some posts saved from "Marc" and "WellBeing" where they described a meditation process where you spend 10-15 min lightly focusing on a subject you don't have any resistance about, as one of the easiest ways to feel better. "Just keep your attention" on the subject, which should be something light and something you don't have any resistance about like for example rabbits, bubbles, kittens etc.

I've always wanted to try this, but always felt stuck in not knowing how to do it in just my mind. I've just felt I can't keep track if I'm successfully doing it or not. I guess I've just assumed you're supposed to "see it" in your mind and when I didn't, I just had no success with this no matter how many times I've tried. But, I have actually never really tried spending 10-15 min writing about the topic and see if that works to make me feel better. Maybe that's the way I have to go about doing that one, at least at first. I guess I will be able to tell if it's working or not based on if I feel better or not than before.

Absolutely! BUT- not every process works for everyone, no matter how you accomplish it. *I* just hate meditations. But I LOVE rampages. I was never able to do process 22, it was MUCH too slow and dreadful for me (and Abe acknowledged that, somewhen, and substituted it with the 4-step-go general, that I love. But they always said, that SOME people will still use it to their advantage, and so of course that is perfectly fine.)

Marcs, WellBeings and especially Hands in the Clays teaching rarely resonated with me. And, they often couldn't see at all the good that I had found "on my own". We where not very compatible- and that was perfectly ok. There is place for all colors! But it can mix you up mightily when you "need" to be understood by others, and those others are on a very different journey. Per example, I was practicing step 5 long before Abe spoke about it, and was thrilled when they finally started to teach it in all specifics. But before that, people told me all the time "I would do it wrong"!

You must do it YOUR way, otherwise you will lose your joy!

Interesting, maybe I am a bit similar in the way I work. I just need to accept and make peace with my "inner world" being the way it is, and learn how I work when it comes to the way I can feel better and find my way back to alignment. I know that sure, by listening to music and stuff, I can make myself feel better, and that's great and I should start doing it more again.
But currently I have a normal 9-5 job, as a programmer. I am quite introvert and sometimes negative habits of thoughts "comes up" during my workday and it's a lot of time of my day where I sometimes don't feel good, a lot of time where I would want to have some tool that works for me to deliberately feel better. Because this Law of attraction "work" is a lot about airtime.

It is!
When "something comes up" for me, I usually embrace it and thank it to have gotten into my awareness. I found the 4-step-go general incredibly helpful to turn things around (and I ALWAYS did it in writing!). Later I did the very old "pivoting process" that Abe stopped teaching, as it really is better for those who reside most of the time in a good emotional place where they CAN pivot on a dime. When you are not that stable, this is hard up to impossible to pull off. But a stance of "Blah" could be stable enough!

"Pivoting" literally means, asking yourself when the unwanted comes up, what you DO want instead. (In writing!!)
And then, write about it, or- even easier, and faster: Set a Grid about it. (ABSOLUTELY in writing! I never did any of those processes in my head). Write emotional words, until you feel them, their PEACE, their EASE, their CLARITY, their JOY...! It takes me usually 1 to 2 minutes. Ultra fast! Abe stated in the time they taught the Grid that everyone can turn around every unwanted energy in less than 10 minutes with this tool.

It feels like it was a long time since I felt amazing, and I miss that ITV-feeling. I haven't been consistently in a good-feeling place lately because of a lot of contrast, and I want to start feeling better more of the time.

It feels to me (but YOU know, really!) that this might simply be because you try to clean up negativity, instead of adoring what is good. AND, you might have allowed others to train you believing that you are in some way not good enough, too much, too less, too whatever... and not doing it "right". Being judged in that way usually gets us down, fast!
Be PROUD about yourself. Drop any judgements that feel bad. Engage in some rampages, instead (but they must be authentic, otherwise, they whiplash). Nothing lifts your energy, as fast as appreciation, into bliss!

If I look at my manifestations, many things are actually going well, but I've been in a habit of feeling "meh", with not much moment going in either direction (that's how it seems to me). I want to practice this stuff and find ways that works for me in feeling better more of the time

I hear you...

[Paradise-on-Earth]

If I try hard to...

This also stuck out to me...

"Working hard" on anything is a sure-fire indicator that you are pushing against something.You are probably not "inspired" by Source, but "motivated" by some kind of fear or other resistance.

I use to say, that the words "Should, ought to, need to, must..." are treacherous words. They indicate bold resistance that -as they are so deep trained into us, wanting to be good people, that this probably isn't even noticed.

Remember-
RELAX into health, resist not the illness.
RELAX into joy, resist not the pain.
RELAX into abundance, resist not poverty.
RELAX into goodness, resist not evil.
RELAX into feeling good, resist not feeling bad.

Abraham Hicks

[simon]

Simon, thankyou for your detailed answers. You def have a gift for expressing yourself through writing and explaining.

Thank you lemon

I have many times tried to apply the different processes in Ask and it is given, on particular subjects that I know are troubling me (...) i have always had a lot of trouble even getting started as I haven't been able to know my actual starting point as I haven't seen clearly in any way what my thoughts on that subject have been"

Perhaps it's not important to define exactly where you are and exactly what your thoughts are on a subject.

When I don't know my thoughts on a subject that feels bad to me, I can still soothe myself with very general phrases that feel better, related to the subject. You can feel that it's working by tuning into your body and feeling yourself responding well (eg relaxing rather than tightening). Have you ever felt soothed by an Abraham rampage on a topic? That's an example of words you can use to soothe yourself to pivot your vibration.

I think you're right that knowing exactly where you are on a topic isn't really necessary to be able to shift your vibration on it.
I think another way to shift a vibration on a troubling subject is to get into the vortex in any way possible, and then from that better-feeling place try to see the same topic from those eyes, and practice a new story /laying new pipes on the subject from that. And if you keep doing that, the subject is probably just going to stop being a subject that "brings me down" anytime it comes up to the same degree anymore.
I just have to get better at actually finding any way to feel better.

I often have trouble identifying exactly what thoughts that caused me to feel bad, but I could have a general idea of what it could be (say for example it has to do with my physical appearance, but noticing what exact thoughts I thought about it can be hard for me).
Another option then is probably similar to what you said. To lay new pipes/start telling a new story/going general. But then it would probably have to be very general for me to feel better from it. That's a bit what the focus wheel is, too, a going general process where you have to start being very general to be able to "get onto the wheel". And the 4 step going general process is a different approach where it's more separated into 4 steps, which probably is helpful if it's a very negative subject.

Your responses are inspiring me to want to try everything, and with writing things down. Going general, focus wheels, appreciate the things I can find that are easy for me to find positive aspects about. I have tried it before but haven't had that much success, but I think in those cases it has been because I haven't successfully been able to shift my focus to the new thoughts, or that I am trying to "fix" how I feel, or something that have been making it not work. But I should just experiment with all the different approaches to see what works for me right now

If I try hard to like imagine myself on the beach, I don't really get a visual image in my mind of it, nor do I hear any inner voice talking about it, but I can kinda feel being there still, but it's not very clear.

It sounds like maybe you're more kinaesthetic than visual - where how things feel is more vivid to you. (I had the same thought about the woman in the video you linked to - she remembered movements and actions more than what things looked like - this is very much a kinaesthetic kind of memory I think). You can work with that in your Abraham work by soothing yourself through describing movements, actions and how things feel in and on your body.

Thanks for the advice. I absolutely can try that!

I can't really hear any song in my head. But I can kind of think of a song and still "remember" how it sounds, but I can't hear it as if I'm listening to the song with headphones

When I say I "hear" a song in my head, what I realise after reading your description is, that what I'm doing, is also remembering how it sounds. It doesn't sound like listening to it with headphones to me either.

I wonder if perhaps you're expecting "things should be vibrant in my mind!" and anything less than this seems disappointing - when maybe it's not as vibrant as "real life" for most people and that's quite normal.

I also wonder if perhaps when all our focus and attention is fixed on the real-world-present-moment, it's harder to tune in to our inner world to experience it in a strong way; it's harder to experience it clearly at all even!

It sounds like the writing exercise idea could be a really good way to shift your focus from the present moment to a higher vibration place. And who knows? Maybe once your focus starts being trained away from "what is", and goes more into writing about "the wanted end of the stick" more, - maybe your inner world experience may shift as your vibration shifts.

I actually thought about this too, and think it could be possible. It would make sense to me. I can update this thread if I after some time of practicing if I start noticing anything different in my experience of my "inner world" or abilities

[simon]

Thanks for wanting to take of your valuable time to watch it. It's interesting that you also could relate to it. When I watched it and realized I had that which they label Aphantasia, I imagined it being a very rare thing, but I have no idea if that's actually true. There must be so many people having it that doesn't know about it, just like you and me before we heard about it. Not that it really matters. We work the way we work and have to make peace with that and do the best we can with it. Comparisons with others isn't beneficial if it's in a negative way.

I think, it DOES matter! Whatever soothes us (for whatever "silly" reason) MATTERS: It helps, here and now. Even if there is an even higher stance to find (it always is!)- if it feels even slightly better NOW, it is a precious stepping stone, and something to be thoroughly appreciated!

I get reminded again and again that life is not about an end-result (there is no "end", anyway...). It is about enjoying the very moment. "The joy is in the journey!" Sometimes we crawl in the mud, and sometimes we fly high. But there is ALWAYS something to enjoy, in every stance. And when we do that, life is a feast. And when we don't- not so much

Yes I agree, I often have to remind myself that all my power is in the "now". I think sometimes I wait too long with deliberately steering my thoughts until "I've fallen out of the airplane". And if I let my mind "automatically" go to my practiced thoughts it's often thoughts that doesn't feel fully pleasant.
Yet, I kind of have been tolerating them... Which is not what I want. I remember how the "in the vortex" feeling feels and I haven't been feeling on the higher end of the EGS in a while it feels like. I want to start being more deliberate now.
I've kind of felt "stuck" or at least imagined that I was stuck, as I couldn't feel clear of my thinking or how to "steer my focus" in a way that really worked.
But I just need to practice more and what you have realized is that maybe for me, I really have to write down for my focus to change, and to keep doing it for longer periods. When I've tried and given up some times before, it hasn't been for that long.
I need to spend more time focusing on my inner me and my feelings and shifting my feelings deliberately, rather than observing reality.

I have many times tried to apply the different processes in Ask and it is given, on particular subjects that I know are troubling me

I hear you. But this is an approach that is less joyful than to APPRECIATE what is easy and CALLING to be appreciated!

Most of us spend all their time pushing against the unwanted, in this way. We attempt t "clean things up", "become less bad" or "work on what we don't like, so it will get better". That is a HUGE difference to embracing what we love, enjoying unconditionally what we desire and rampaging about it (you and I probably in WRITING! ).

Celebrating, embracing, loving, worshipping, praising, enjoying... or at least, LIKING something, is so much easier and so much more fun, and it works SO MUCH FASTER!

"We only have 1 answer: GET HAPPY!" -Abe

Thanks for the reminder (I love that video Get Happy! so much btw).
I see both ways of kind of accomplishing the same thing (if done in the way Abraham is teaching), to find a way to feel better in the moment.
I think the "clean up" processes are helpful if you are feeling very negative about some subject and you have a hard time taking your attention off from that subject, then maybe the only way to feel better in the moment is to find better feeling thoughts specifically about that.

But other than that, I do think that "distraction" or "appreciating something that are easy for you to appreciate" would be faster ways to feel better, but it probably depends on the situation and where you are. I appreciate that Abraham give us so many helpful tools for different situations.

I do think that the "clean up" processes are not meant to be used to push against, but rather to take the thoughts you are already thinking in any given moment and shift them, so it's supposed to feel better every step along the way whereas pushing against feels worse. But that is in theory and if doing it the way Abraham meant for them to be used.
For me when I have tried to use them , I probably sometimes pushed against only because I thought I couldn't find my starting point, but that's not really any fault to do with their processes but rather how I was going about using them.
In my scenario, I agree with you, that distraction and grid-work and appreciating would probably be more helpful right now, until I find my way.
Eventually, after having found my way, maybe I would like to give the other different processes a try again, just to see, but unless it feels like an easy thing to do, if it feels upstream to do that, then no, I think it wouldn't be beneficial to try it. As you said, trying is always upstream.

Do you realize that you made it really complicated?

I have been making it complicated for myself many times in the past. I feel done with that now. I know better now

I think another "issue" I've been doing is that I sometimes see any negative emotion I feel as an "issue that needs to be fixed". I think sometimes I feel worse only because I see how I feel as something that needs to be "fixed" so that I feel better. When I've come to realize that's not an approach that works. Making peace with the discomfort, or relax into it, not push against it.

You have perfectly put it into words!
Yah, really, negative emotions are our friends as well. We NEED their guidance, we would be lost without them, and it have been unwise muggles who didn't know what they were doing, who taught humanity to suppress or hide those emotions, to try to get rid of them at all costs- instead to thank them, listen to their message, embrace and love them- and then, completely organically, letting them go when they delivered the message (they, then, will vanish ALL BY THEMSELVES! And when they don't, you have not yet understood their precious message).

This is a big thing I really have to start doing. Making peace with the guidance, even if it feels shitty. I think sometimes, my strong awareness of my disliking how I feel, have actually prevented me to being able to shift my attention away from that, so my attention stays on that "I don't like that I don't feel better".
It might feel silly, but sometimes I think I've been feeling bad only because my attention have been on that I don't like that I don't feel better, rather than having negative thoughts about anything else. When that happens I really somehow needs to make peace with the guidance or embrace it. If I succeed in doing so, I think I will have an easier time shifting my focus as a result also.

or something and then it's no longer just an emotion but have gotten "bigger" into a physical sensation. But it's good to be aware of what you have been doing that haven't been working, so you can try to do something different

exactly, isn't it! And isn't it a wonderful thing, that our indicators never "give up on us". But they gently get bigger and bigger, until we understand. I think, that is so good: It is CERTAIN we always have guidance- as soft as possible, but as loud as needed!

This is a very nice way of looking at it, thank you!!

After having posted about it here, it has actually felt easier for me to share this with people near me. So far I have only talked about to my girlfriend, which is very different than me, and she has a quite vivid imagination (she sometimes even zones out) while I'm sometimes so focused on the tangible already manifested world,

I feel, that special, deep relationships are always geared in the way that the partners are very different in some significant ways- as they wanted to inspire each other, and give each other contrast. Me and DH are incredibly different! There must be enough similarity to make things smooth and easy enough... But on the other hand, Abe said that it is the friction, the rubbing that gives you the joy in the end (paraphrased, I have no direct quote, but Abe ARE hilariously ambiguous!)

I agree fully. It makes a lot of sense to me. Any contrast is making us expand. If our partner were the same as us, it would become boring in the long run, and not much expansion happening.
I feel I already am doing well when it comes to my relationship, because I see her as a "bonus" in my life, someone to share life experiences together with, and I never look for her to "fulfill" me, really. I don't look for her to "make me happy" as I know it's an inside job. But when I feel good, and see her through the eyes of source, and we're having nice experiences together, that's what I want in a relationship, even though she lives on the other side of the planet and we're not always together, even during the times we're not physically together, we still have fun times on video calls and so on.

You must do it YOUR way, otherwise you will lose your joy!

You're so wise, thanks

When "something comes up" for me, I usually embrace it and thank it to have gotten into my awareness. I found the 4-step-go general incredibly helpful to turn things around (and I ALWAYS did it in writing!). Later I did the very old "pivoting process" that Abe stopped teaching, as it really is better for those who reside most of the time in a good emotional place where they CAN pivot on a dime. When you are not that stable, this is hard up to impossible to pull off. But a stance of "Blah" could be stable enough!

"Pivoting" literally means, asking yourself when the unwanted comes up, what you DO want instead. (In writing!!)
And then, write about it, or- even easier, and faster: Set a Grid about it. (ABSOLUTELY in writing! I never did any of those processes in my head). Write emotional words, until you feel them, their PEACE, their EASE, their CLARITY, their JOY...! It takes me usually 1 to 2 minutes. Ultra fast! Abe stated in the time they taught the Grid that everyone can turn around every unwanted energy in less than 10 minutes with this tool.

Last time when I read AAIIG, and came to the processes part, I remember thinking that I really liked the idea with Pivoting. Ofc, it doesn't matter the age of the processes, they're all current I would say. If they succeed in helping you feel better, they work. They're timeless
I like the idea of trying this. I think it would depend on if it's earlier in the day or how much negative thoughts I have been thinking, if it will be a "too big of a gap" for me to jump to the other end of the stick, but I am definitely going to do this. I can let you know how it has been going after I have been trying to apply it for a while.

It feels to me (but YOU know, really!) that this might simply be because you try to clean up negativity, instead of adoring what is good. AND, you might have allowed others to train you believing that you are in some way not good enough, too much, too less, too whatever... and not doing it "right". Being judged in that way usually gets us down, fast!
Be PROUD about yourself. Drop any judgements that feel bad. Engage in some rampages, instead (but they must be authentic, otherwise, they whiplash). Nothing lifts your energy, as fast as appreciation, into bliss!

If I look at my manifestations, many things are actually going well, but I've been in a habit of feeling "meh", with not much moment going in either direction (that's how it seems to me). I want to practice this stuff and find ways that works for me in feeling better more of the time

I hear you...
"Appreciation is the magic formula, that you've been seeking! - Abraham Hicks"

Thank you soo much for all your wise words and helpful advice PoE, it really means a lot. I am wanting to take this into practice now and be more deliberate in my focus and write things down and try to find my easiest way to feel better, and stop tolerating negative feelings, but also embrace them for the guidance it is when they comes, and make peace with them. But to more often go downstream and see if I can guide my focus with my writing in ways that will feel good. Look more for the things I already appreciate in my life and focus there more
A big hug and much love to you

[Leah Southey]

For me, most of the time I am not aware of my thoughts in my head. It feels blank a lot of the time, or I hear songs very very often

Me too! And most often the songs that get 'stuck' in my head are pertinent to something that needs my attention. I just have to wait for the words to kick in, then I see what it's telling me. Or rather, what I'm telling me.

[simon]

For me, most of the time I am not aware of my thoughts in my head. It feels blank a lot of the time, or I hear songs very very often

Me too! And most often the songs that get 'stuck' in my head are pertinent to something that needs my attention. I just have to wait for the words to kick in, then I see what it's telling me. Or rather, what I'm telling me.

That's interesting. So would you say you don't have an inner monologue or like a voice you hear in your head?

[Leah Southey]

So would you say you don't have an inner monologue or like a voice you hear in your head?

No.. just a song that's got stuck there, an earworm. An earworm that very often has a message.

[Leah Southey]

I think, it DOES matter! Whatever soothes us (for whatever "silly" reason) MATTERS:

That reminds me of something Louise Hay wrote, along the lines of if you could see your troubles from a distancce you'd "laugh yourself out of your chair" I think was the phrase.

When you think of what babies and children cry over... could it be that if we lived for a few hundred years (which God forbid!) anything at all would be like... meh. Seen it all, felt it all, and nothing Bothers Me now.

[Paradise-on-Earth]

I think, it DOES matter! Whatever soothes us (for whatever "silly" reason) MATTERS:

That reminds me of something Louise Hay wrote, along the lines of if you could see your troubles from a distancce you'd "laugh yourself out of your chair" I think was the phrase.

Yes, laughing and seeing what really matters does matter! While I don't think Louise wanted to belittle the sorrow of a small child or of us, ourselves when we have troubles. She was soothing. But you can't REALLY soothe when you don't embrace where someone is (no matter how silly this might look from "the distance".) People are where they are, and that is their momentary, holy truth... and, again, I think it all MATTERS. It is all holy, in a way.

When you think of what babies and children cry over... could it be that if we lived for a few hundred years (which God forbid!) anything at all would be like... meh. Seen it all, felt it all, and nothing Bothers Me now.

Oh I see this 180° different!

When you embrace what others feel as precious FOR THEM IN THE MOMENT, you will love it, and them. There is no "distance", but there is LOVE. And in this love, you know that what bothers them is an illusion, but it also is part of the divine game we play (or have played in the last eons-probably, the great shift will change that...):
We wanted to explore the contrast, and come into "who we are" on our own, on purpose, deliberately, consciously. We WANTED to "bother", because, it's so worth it!

Abe and many other great teachers state, that this is the biggest game with the largest drop-height, so far. But also with the greatest triumph and bliss that is possible! We chose it, on purpose. And due to it, we deliberately learned what true love really is and who we REALLY are (Abe point out that without humans who dared to dig the Contrast, Source would not know about love in this incredibly deep ways that they now do!)

So, I don't think that, when we choose to love instead of distancing ourselves, that we would feel bored or indifferent and untouched by life when we'r age 100!
I'm only 60, and my life gets more passionate, more fascinated, more deep, more joyful every year (every day!!). It gets BETTER, all the time.

Which is simply a case of LoA... live love, and reap more love.
Live boredom and distance, and you will reap more of THAT, and your life will be without luster, and as a stinky stagnant pond.

We have a saying in our family: "Only boring people get bored"...
(while there is no such thing as a "boring person". But people can CHOOSE boredom and detachment, until their passion for life will vanish.)

[Paradise-on-Earth]

Yes I agree, I often have to remind myself that all my power is in the "now".

Not just the power, but more than that- the JOY, which is the purpose of life! But maybe this belongs together...

I think sometimes I wait too long with deliberately steering my thoughts until "I've fallen out of the airplane". And if I let my mind "automatically" go to my practiced thoughts it's often thoughts that doesn't feel fully pleasant.
Yet, I kind of have been tolerating them... Which is not what I want. I remember how the "in the vortex" feeling feels and I haven't been feeling on the higher end of the EGS in a while it feels like. I want to start being more deliberate now.
I've kind of felt "stuck" or at least imagined that I was stuck, as I couldn't feel clear of my thinking or how to "steer my focus" in a way that really worked.
But I just need to practice more and what you have realized is that maybe for me, I really have to write down for my focus to change, and to keep doing it for longer periods. When I've tried and given up some times before, it hasn't been for that long.
I need to spend more time focusing on my inner me and my feelings and shifting my feelings deliberately, rather than observing reality.

So agreed!
While I want to point to the fact that you use words like "I need to..." very very often. Which, for *me* in my life, had been an indicator of resistance I wasn't aware of for long. You seem to feel a pressure, an urge, to change "what doesn't work". And it's so logical, isn't it! OF COURSE you want to get rid of what doesn't feel so good.

But this is exactly what I was talking about: There is a HUGE difference in trying to get rid of something unwanted, and embracing and appreciating something wanted. At first, the difference sounds so minimal, almost not discernable. But it is HUGE.
One time, you are in the "OOTV-pile" and "must" (!) work hard, you "need" to change things, you "have to" better yourself.
While in the "ITV-pile", you WANT to enjoy things. Wild horses couldn't hold you back to dig into fascinating topics, explore new approaches that feel so calling and joyful. You feel blessed by taking time to learn this, or that, which thrills you and feels as a blessing!

WHAT A DIFFERENCE!

I see both ways of kind of accomplishing the same thing (if done in the way Abraham is teaching), to find a way to feel better in the moment.

Yes, both work. But one time you drag yourself and create new resistances as you go (when you have your focus on dealing with problems, this WILL create new opportunities to deal with problems! This is pure LoA!)

I think the "clean up" processes are helpful if you are feeling very negative about some subject and you have a hard time taking your attention off from that subject, then maybe the only way to feel better in the moment is to find better feeling thoughts specifically about that.

Which, really, is looking for a way to appreciate the topic more, right?

But other than that, I do think that "distraction" or "appreciating something that are easy for you to appreciate" would be faster ways to feel better, but it probably depends on the situation and where you are. I appreciate that Abraham give us so many helpful tools for different situations.

Certainly. People have different preferences, and different stance, that qualify very different tools. Especially where you are on the EGS is a big factor. A very high vibing tool as a rampage, per example, seems not to be a good fit for MOST of people who are trained far OOTV. But exceptions are always possible- the rampages, per example, saved *me* when I was depressive.

To some, harsh contrast is fuel to pull off miracles. To others, it is what breaks their necks. You NEVER know what works for another!

I do think that the "clean up" processes are meant to be used to push against, but rather to take the thoughts you are already thinking in any given moment and shift them,

-do you want to say, they are NOT meant to push against?
-I do absolutely agree with that. Abe certainly do not teach pushing against! What I try to say is, that many students do not get it in that way. They are deeply (and by default) trained in pushing against, and so they use this tools (without even noticing, mostly!) to push against more efficiently. And THAT is my whole point here.

so it's supposed to feel better every step along the way whereas pushing against feels worse.

Exactly...
AND, when you slip, it is ALSO not helpful to club yourself over the neck for doing this! (the next thing that happens by default to MANY people!!)

In my scenario, I agree with you, that distraction and grid-work and appreciating would probably be more helpful right now, until I find my way.
Eventually, after having found my way, maybe I would like to give the other different processes a try again, just to see, but unless it feels like an easy thing to do, if it feels upstream to do that, then no, I think it wouldn't be beneficial to try it. As you said, trying is always upstream.

Yah... I lost my interest in most processes (while I appreciated them as long I still needed them) I find it the most helpful "process" to feel for what I am joyfully DRAWN to do in the moment, in this days.

-But that only works when your "normal" is certainly out of the "death-zone", and you have no habits any more to destroy and hurt yourself. When you "reside" is in the very low EGS-stances, you rarely find joyful impulses... it is mostly about soothing when you are on the a bit better side, and about holding off from down-spiraling, when you are down.

But I don't think you would be there, at all! And that is why I harp so much on appreciation- imo, you are absolutely in the place to stand- and hold and train the high energies! (but again, only you really know what you need and want, and when!)

This is a big thing I really have to start doing.

Say this better! "You CAN start doing that". "You WANT to start doing that". "I would love to do that... instead." This phrases feel so much more empowered and joyful, don't they?

...Making peace with the guidance, even if it feels shitty. I think sometimes, my strong awareness of my disliking how I feel, have actually prevented me to being able to shift my attention away from that, so my attention stays on that "I don't like that I don't feel better".

Recognizing that is so wise!! Indeed. as Abe say: "That will do it, everytime". Just like stating you are not getting the money/the success/whatever it is that you want: You hold yourselves off from it eternally, in this way.

"Nothing can happen that is guarded by the "Impossible"!

(I have no idea who said this...) ...Or, which is guarded by knowing that it does not happen!

It might feel silly, but sometimes I think I've been feeling bad only because my attention have been on that I don't like that I don't feel better, rather than having negative thoughts about anything else. When that happens I really somehow needs to make peace with the guidance or embrace it. If I succeed in doing so, I think I will have an easier time shifting my focus as a result also.

exactly! "I am where I am. And that MUST be ok." (Abe)

isn't it a wonderful thing, that our indicators never "give up on us". But they gently get bigger and bigger, until we understand. I think, that is so good: It is CERTAIN we always have guidance- as soft as possible, but as loud as needed!

This is a very nice way of looking at it, thank you!!

I agree fully. It makes a lot of sense to me. Any contrast is making us expand. If our partner were the same as us, it would become boring in the long run, and not much expansion happening.

...I don't know if it really would be boring to EVERYONE. Some people realllly enjoy a very smooth, slow and predictable ride. But *I* certainly love the fast rush, the adventurous ride... coupled with long highly peaceful segments... So, to each one their own unique experience!

I feel I already am doing well when it comes to my relationship, because I see her as a "bonus" in my life, someone to share life experiences together with, and I never look for her to "fulfill" me, really. I don't look for her to "make me happy" as I know it's an inside job. But when I feel good, and see her through the eyes of source, and we're having nice experiences together, that's what I want in a relationship, even though she lives on the other side of the planet and we're not always together, even during the times we're not physically together, we still have fun times on video calls and so on.

You're so wise, thanks

Thank you!!

Last time when I read AAIIG, and came to the processes part, I remember thinking that I really liked the idea with Pivoting. Ofc, it doesn't matter the age of the processes, they're all current I would say. If they succeed in helping you feel better, they work. They're timeless
I like the idea of trying this. I think it would depend on if it's earlier in the day or how much negative thoughts I have been thinking, if it will be a "too big of a gap" for me to jump to the other end of the stick, but I am definitely going to do this. I can let you know how it has been going after I have been trying to apply it for a while.

I'd love it! I feel that people can usually do MUCH more than they think they can... And if you don't "make" it in the first attempts, what difference does it make? It's just part of the "training" and of learning what works for you, and when!

Thank you soo much for all your wise words and helpful advice PoE, it really means a lot. I am wanting to take this into practice now and be more deliberate in my focus and write things down and try to find my easiest way to feel better, and stop tolerating negative feelings, but also embrace them for the guidance it is when they comes, and make peace with them. But to more often go downstream and see if I can guide my focus with my writing in ways that will feel good. Look more for the things I already appreciate in my life and focus there more
A big hug and much love to you

Soooo my pleasure!! And, your appreciation is so appreciated. And, mutual! Big hug back at you, Simon!!