The title of this thread distills my current ideas about consciousness down to these three important entities.  If we are to believe what many have reported in NDEs, astral travel, etc. then thought quite literally is powerful and creative.  On the other side, thought creates anything instantaneously (so we are told).  Distance is meaningless.  Intent translates easily there.  Many have even conjectured that our purpose of being incarnate on the physical plane is to learn and understand about the power of thought, and to purify our own thoughts, and become more loving.

Here, in the "real world," things are a bit different.  Transient fleeting thoughts often do not go anywhere.  Many buy lottery tickets; the odds are astronomically against winning.  Obviously, most don't.  So many thoughts have no power to cause an instantaneous effect in the physical world.  Why is this?  It appears that the physical world is governed by natural and divine law which in turn creates reproducible actions and reactions.  Much of this we learn from experience and being taught.  This is a unique environment that we are all in.  However, some rules were meant to be bent or broken.

In my reading on intent and the power of the mind, and in my personal experiences I have found that only when thought enters into the realm of belief in the subconscious does it get incorporated into our daily lives.  This is why, many who are schooled in the power of the mind or prayer do so while meditating or relaxed.  When the "chatter," and anxieties are gone, if an intent is impressed on our shared universal subconscious - over and over, in a relaxed repetitive way, it eventually manifests in our real-world lives. 

How does this happen?  In my own experience I have found that the belief/prayer changes probabilities in the real world.  Not overt magic, but a series of "happy coincidences" or synchronicities are produced.  One can easily experiment in this manner to see the cause and effect; I have on numerous occasions. 

Our minds are complex creations, and there is much confusion because of what Kathy has called "cross intentions."  We have many beliefs which are countered by opposite thoughts; the net effect is that one cancels out the other.  In reality the positive belief is not a belief at all; it is a thought that we call a belief, but because we have cross intention thoughts, we haven't really convinced ourselves of it yet.  As an example, a person may say they have the clear cut belief that they deserve a promotion at work.  Their cross intention thoughts say "you are not ready yet.  Your boss thinks you are unworthy, etc."  If you ask the person, they will swear that their belief is that they are deserving.  It has not unfortunately entered into the realm of belief for them (alas).

Belief impressing itself on the subconscious is uncontested and resolute.  No ifs ands or maybes.  No "cross intentions."  Many practice this by assuming that the belief has occurred and giving thanks for it (ask and ye shall receive).  Actually there is much New Testament scripture to support this technique. 

Now then, why did I post this thread?  To tie together a number of issues and conversations from other threads.  We have spoken of the true nature of good and evil, right and wrong, past lives, and scientific evidence on the physical plane vs. subjective experience.  So where does the truth come in, in all of these discussions?  Dave may have hit it best yesterday in the hypnoregression thread when he mentioned that true knowing occurs on an individual basis when one achieves a merger/unity with God and all things.  This type of experience can not be taught or described easily. 

When some criticize one form of reaching the afterlife or one's experiences as being fallacious, often the argument against that person's statement is "your belief was that you would encounter spirits or aliens, and so you did."  As if belief always implies a delusion.  As I've noted in my above discussion of the mind, true belief is a powerful creative force, and may in fact be necessary to experience mystical experiences on the physical plane such as OOB travel and communication with deceased spirits.  So belief is not something to be so easily dismissed; it may be something to be both respected and cultivated for our conscious explorations.


Matthew

I'm always looking for ways to condense what I call my truth, into as few words as possible. I suppose because I'm fascinated with writing and using words and puns and the like.
here's something I picked up from this board awhile back I thought was neat " you must see before you believe, but you must believe before you will see.

I hope all is well Doc with you. and I enjoyed VikingGal's post very much. love, alysia

Apologies for late posting. I'm new here.

I agree and am impressed with all opinions expressed in regard to this post. In addition, I think that you have distilled--as you put it--your thoughts quite well.

Perhaps one reason why thought is not translated into action instantaneously in this existence is because--as you suggest--the purity of faith and belief is lacking in the individual.

This may explain, for instance, why some individuals are capable of performing telekinetic feats (bending spoons, making objects move, etc.) via the power of thought: their belief and faith is complete and without any shed of doubt.

One could even apply this to religion. For instance, the many miraculous actions witnessed by followers of Christ.

It would seem that most in everyday existence may claim a belief but it is not total, therefore it is not made manifest in their reality. To have complete faith, based on your thesis, would be one in which the believer "knew" that the action would result without any doubt whatsoever...as if even before the belief is expressed it is known that it will occur, or is occurring.

This is a difficult concept for me to express, and is not as simple as saying that "I believe the action will occur" when deep down there is doubt...as if to say "I am saying it, but I'll believe it when I see it." Such is not true faith and belief.

No. It would be necessary to know completely that the action has occurred even while saying or expressing the belief: to see the spoon bend even while thinking it; to see the object move even while thinking it; and to never accept that even with a shred of doubt that the action will not occur because of faith.

Anyway, I may be going a little loopy with some of this. However, I think your points are very well made, and I believe (or should I say "know") that most people are not walking around with that type of thought and intention in their actions, and that is the reason why their thoughts are not made manifest in reality for them.

If objective proof is sought, I suggest that it is merely necessary to point out the characteristics of those successful people around us. What characteristics are common in those who seem to be able to achieve great results (money, good things in their lives, whatever)? One common characteristic (it seems) is that all "success-oriented" people tend to never accept failure, or even believe that they will fail: as if they expect only good things, or things that are consistent with their beliefs, and it never even occurs to them that any other result will occur. There are many, many people in this world who have demonstrated this.

Thanks for the opportunity to respond.

-SciMan

this is a most cool thread. I used to attend Religious Science of mind church for awhile. didn't get but one thing out of it;

1) Treat
2) Move your feet

thank u Mr Ernest Holmes.

treating could be thought of as Mathew said, drinking the water, then acting "as if" it were true already.

another thing I'm reminded of in my trek this through this world..in ACIM a question was asked that when you are praying for someone to be healed, yourself or another, the question was do you pray for it just one time? meaning, if you pray for the healing and then there is no healing which is evident, are your practicing your doubt or are you practicing your faith that it is done?

the answer was it's not necessary to pray again if your prayed right the first time. another way of saying this thought is whatever the stuck situation is, to go forward "as if." its done. amen. or see the illness as "not there." it's where you focus on the most, the positive or the negative, is what you will see manifested because that is where you are looking. love, alysia

Hi all  

Hi Alysia thanks for describing Roswell that was interesting. Like a bunch of other towns, but with one distinguishing event.

I posted about a book I haven't read yet at off topic posts but it is related to ACIM. I found the reference to this out of the blue but in reading at the author's site, I find he is addressing some questions I've had lately. Sort of my coincidence-that-indicates-something-else-is-happening. Sometimes it would be nice to post the same answer on multiple threads because the ideas are connected. That's why Doc started this thread. I need a 3-D website. Have you heard of this book? What do you think of the guy's claim about 2 ascended masters dropping in on him?

Can't live the answer to the question about how long do you keep praying...hard to see it already happened. Need to practice!

the religion is such a problem. My friend gushing to me about how great Cardinal O'Malley looks in his new red robe. I don't want to offend so I don't say what I think. Does that kind of behavior adversely affect my ability to "see it as already happened"?

I like the part about considering a lifting of the veil when you connect like that to someone else....