Law of attraction works. It is a law of nature. I find myself saying that over and over again because I want to reassure people that they are dealing with a valid body of knowledge that explains a principle of the quantum world. But then someone who calls herself a law of attraction teacher posts the following statement, and I want to scream!
She said, “When you make a request to the Universe, be as specific as you can. You’ll be amazed at what transpires!”
This is not at all true, for more reasons than I can elucidate here and mostly what will transpire is nothing. When I see statements like this by supposed law of attraction teachers, it makes me wonder if they actually understand much about law of attraction. Statements like this give law of attraction, and those of us who teach it, a bad name. Being specific just flat out doesn’t work all the time. It is a recipe for frustration.
Consider that being specific sometimes makes people feel depressed. Often times, as people get more specific, their thoughts and beliefs that this can never happen become stronger. Their feelings of unworthiness kick in. This statement doesn’t address that.
Suppose being specific makes a person get into their head about ‘how’ what they want will come about? We who teach law of attraction in ways that work tell you to never think about the how. Wondering how something will come about is an easy way to derail all your efforts.
What about those who don’t know how to be specific because either they don’t know what they want or they can’t imagine it in detail? Does that mean these folks are doomed to never have their desires to manifest? Of course not. There are different and better ways to manifest than specificity.
What about the teachings of Abraham – the leading teachers of law of attraction on the planet today – who say that specificity is almost never required, and when it is, it is only under limited, particular circumstances?
Specificity requires thought – it puts you into your head, planning and thinking. Law of attraction responds to feelings. Where is the feeling of joy, the feeling of having that thing you want? Specificity and feeling can almost be complete opposites. They use different parts of your brain.
Being specific can bring up worry – “what if it doesn’t happen?” Feeling as though you have it only brings up joy. Which would you rather have?
Specificity is a method used by goal setting, success theorists. This is partly why ‘success theory’ doesn’t work for most people. Success theory puts all the burden on the ego mind and completely leaves out Spirit or inner guidance.
Specificity leaves out the grace of the Universe. If you are too specific and too focused, the Universe cannot give you something better.
One last thought, specificity can bring you exactly what you ask for sometimes. But what if you ask for the wrong thing? What if you leave out some qualities that you really want, but you forgot them?
Here’s is a little story, a true story, about one of my law of attraction students. Howard wanted Suzy. He didn’t know her very well at all, but he had a big crush on her. Suzy did not know he existed. I asked Howard: suppose Suzy is married already – do you still want her? Suppose Suzy has 12 children by 12 different men– do you still want her? What if she has drug or alcohol problems – do you still want her? Suppose she has anger issues, or can’t commit to any one? Suppose she hates men? Do you really want Suzy? Or do you want a happy, loving relationship with a woman who is really compatible with you, who is as into you as you are to her? Who shares your values and wants what you want? Who makes you feel good? Which would you rather have? Howard now has created a wonderful relationship with a woman who is not Suzy!
Your comments are welcome. Let me know what you think.
Rev. Lorna:
Your website is full of powerful spiritual testimony.
Congratulations and thanks for your ministry.
I pray your abilty to serve will last for a long long time AND SO IT IS!
Mike
Thanks and I send the same warm prayer back to you.
LL
Excellent article filled with great information! I’ve passed it along to four friends and know they will value it as much as I do. Keep up the good work!
Rev. Samantha
I am honored that you forwarded my article to 4 (wow!) of your friends. I hope they find usable info in it. Thank you so much.
LL
Rev. Lorna,
This is SO true…thanks for sharing! I love what Abraham says about going general, specificity is not often helpful.
Warmly,
Carolyn Beale
Carolyn
I love Abe, too. They make it all so clear, don’t they? Thanks for reading, and commenting on, my blog.
LL
Lorna,
I am really happy to see this post. You addressed an issue that keeps me on the fringes of “law of attraction” new age thought. That is: the amount of guilt and bad feeling that can be created within when a person is too specific about a request–and he or she ends up with zilch. Your comments on letting go of the how are very well taken. I appreciate them.
I’m happy to see you posting. Keep it up.
Sala
Hi Sala
Thanks for your comment. I’m so glad my article gave you some insight into why things don’t come sometimes. My answer to Lily, below, might take your understanding a bit further. But please don’t feel bad or guilty when there is a snafu; (and I know what the acronym stands for) you gotta keep trying. Self love, worthiness and deservability are all important, too, to manifesting.
LL
Hi Lorna –
Thank you for your wonderful work and teachings in our world. You are such a gift!
I have been teaching Law of Attraction techniques for years, just like you, and I would like to make one point of clarification. Of course, I don’t know the context of the information from which you took the quote about specificity but in my teachings, I tell people to be specific only because that allows them access to all the feelings associated with what they are thinking or feeling or visualizing about. This allows them to raise their energetic vibration to be in alignment with the things they are wishing to create in their lives. But with that guidance – I also teach that they must not “attach” to the specific outcome they are wishing because that limits the Universe’s ability to bring something much better than they could have even imagined.
So, I personally believe that it is important to be specific only for the purpose of connecting to the emotions that allows – and only with the caveat I mentioned above.
Thanks again for your wonderful work!
Blessings of abundance to you and all your beautiful readers!
Lily
Hi Lily
Thanks for your kind words. Yes, specificity works – when we are completely in alignment with our beliefs, desires and expectations, and with our conscious and subconscious. Then it is yummy to feel the feelings of having it and to revel in the joy of having it before it comes. But by the same token, if we are not aligned, by being too specific we can end up creating from our limiting beliefs and our fears, and then we create lack and disappointment for ourselves. And yes, it is always important to leave room for the Universe to give us something better than we’ve dreamed.
Thanks for commenting – it is cool to meet a colleague online.
So, this seems to be contradicty on the idea of specificity, between this article, and the LOA starter kit 7 mistakes (first mistake: Not Being Clear Enough). What’s the distinction I’m missing?
Hi John
Thanks for asking such a great question. I really like it when folks question me and give me a chance to offer more clarity. The distinction is that you want to be clear in defining the experience you want to have, and the feelings you want to have, and not in defining how it is going to come. Here are two examples: If I want a new relationship, I can say I want the person to be this age and this height, with this eye color and make this amount of money, and I really want that guy over there; or I can say I want a relationship where I can fully love and be loved, I want a partner who is sexy and gorgeous to me, and that we laugh a lot and he treats me really well. And we have enough money to do all the things we want to do. If I’m too specific about wanting “that guy there,” I might get him and be very unhappy with him. Whereas, if I go for the feelings I want, I’m sure to be happy with whoever comes along. Example two: if you want a new car and you want a red Porsche, it might be good not to be too attached to that. Would you accept a red Ferrari or a yellow Lamborghini instead? What are your, possibly conflicting, feelings about the Porsche? Fun, but too expensive? High maintenance? Get lots of tickets? What experience do you really want? How about the experience of a fun, fast, sleek sports car that turns heads whereever you go, that you feel proud to drive, that is easily affordable (you don’t have to define how you’ll afford it, just that you’ll have the experience of affordable), easily maintainable, and just a joy all around to drive? You may get the Porsche, or you may get something better. Do these examples make it clearer?
So, specific with the feelings that you want. So, not the red car itself, but the “coolness” of the red car. Not the well-paying job itself, but the independence, and other feelings, that come with it. Sound right? BTW, Merry Christmas!!
You got it, John! That’s exactly it. Because it is so hard to find the feeling of a big pile of money, but it is easy to find the feelings of what we’d do with the money. And if the feelings make you smile, then its on its way to you. Happy Holidays to you, too.
Sounds interesting but idk…
What if my goal was a specific thing? For example, let’s say I wanted a certain person, and no one else. The person did had a lot of issues that I probably don’t like, like if She didn’t like me, and is already married?
Is it fair to avoid that and just look for another person? Even if it did “work” out with my “feelings”? Yes, maybe in the future, your feelings can change but it’s possible to keep them or have even different ones too.
Anyway, doing that destroyed the exact dream I would have desired, even if I was happy in that alternate way.
Instead of that, it could be possible that you could use the Law of Attraction to change those issues instead of avoiding them all togather. Both ways are neither right or wrong on them selves.
I know addressing my feelings can be interesting but sometimes I want to be suprised so I can experience other goals anyway.
Note: Being too specific could be a problem sometimes but if your goal is specific it’s self, I think you can have that “specific” goal without being “too specific” about it?
What do you think?