Saturday 29 September 2007

God and the law of attraction

I receive numerous emails every day regarding The Secret, how to apply it, do I agree with it all etc. I received one today from a friend so I thought I would share with you both her email and my response. It follows on from an earlier blog I posted about Christians & The Secret I:

Email received:
Thank you so much for attention to this matter. In one of my emails I asked Dr. Wolf if he was a christian? and he stated that it didn't matter. I believe in the Secret and have shared it with many many people. I believe it would be a benefit to Christian's to hear more about God & the secret. I first want to say that I am a Christian and I love all people and I believe like God everyone has a choice to to worship who and what they want. I personally believe that the LOA taught me that God loves me and it took away the mean vengeful God who I feared and got mad with (like with my mother). It has brought me closer to God then any sermon ever has. Well let me correct that it made me more open to hear the Sermon and to feel God's love.

I would like to hear more about your opinion on God & the LOA. One of his laws. The book that I read called the " the Secret things of God" by Dr. Henry Cloud really doesn't disagree with alot of the secret. I believe that "ALL THINGS WORK FOR THE GOOD OF GOD." and the secret can be used to bring people closer to God. I was first a baptized Catholic & now I am born again and I just couldn't get that God would send Jesus to die on the cross and shed his blood so that we can be miserable. I can tell you most Christians are miserable. If I could just help by expressing that God's love is everywhere and open people up to just being happy then they can really praise God.

My response:
I am a born again Christian and know that God’s desire is abundance for his children … that means abundance in health, money, love, relationships, knowledge, happiness … everything. (Mark 9:23 - Jesus said to him, "If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.")

Jesus showed us many miracles then he said "I can guarantee this truth: Those who believe in me will do the things that I am doing. They will do even greater things because I am going to the Father.." (John 14:12) … so the only thing that stops Christians from healing the sick, raising the dead, walking on water, calming the seas, casting devils out and heaps more is their lack of faith and belief, which is simply a lack of understanding.

God is the giver of all good and has infinite abundance at His command, we as his children suffer in poverty, sickness, loneliness etc because we either don’t ask, don’t know how to ask or simply don’t believe. Jesus said “When you pray, pray believing that you already have it and it will be yours.” (Mark 11, 24) I find through ignorance of this verse and the ignorance of the greatness of our God, many pray 'wanting' rather than already having. For example, a person who is in lack financially will normally pray “God help me, I need some money”; they should be praying like Jesus said as if they already have received it “Thank you God for this abundance of finances that you have blessed me with”and believe it.

The Secret talks a lot about manifesting, it doesn’t explain much about actions. The process of manifesting on the physical plane is always the same: thoughts + feelings + actions = results

  1. Create it in thought;
  2. Turn it over to spirit (Let go and let God);
  3. Expect with all your heart and soul, which means act in accordance to your faith that you already have it.


On another note, Neale Donald Walshe states on The Secret “Your life will be what you create it as, and no one will stand in judgment of it, now or ever.” I’m not sure what Neale means but what I do know is God’s word tells us there is a judgement and that everyone will be accountable for their actions. Through the grace of God Jesus died on the cross as the only sinless man ever, and he took away all our sins so that we could know God’s love and abundance here and now and for all eternity. Those who refuse to accept Jesus as their Lord and Saviour here in this life will not enter into the promise of everlasting peace and happiness with God.

That’s my understanding.

Friday 28 September 2007

The Secret is a nothing mare than a sales gimmick?

I received an email today quoting one of The Secret teachers saying that the Law Of Attraction (LOA) is nothing more than a sales gimmick! Following was my response:

My part on The Secret was small, however the part I played in bringing it about was somewhat integral I believe.

My life story is quite long and not room nor time to share it here. In summary I was broke, uneducated, unemployed, had a wife and 4 children, about to be evicted from our rented home, phone disconnected, driving around in an unregistered car and over $50,000 in debt. Today my family and I enjoy our beautiful home, drive nice cars, travel the world and help millions of people ... it doesn't matter how you explain it, it still is a miracle (A miracle being something other than what is explainable by science on the physical realm).

The words "Law of Attraction" or "The Secret" is a term or phrase for a universal principle. Napoleon Hill in his writings called it the secret; Wallace D Wattles in The Science of Getting Rich called it "The one great law - Energy is" and also referred to the law of vibration which explains LOA; the Bible states "As you sow so shall you reap", also "as a man thinketh in his heart so is he" (also quoted by James Allen) ... the heart being translated from original text as the 'other than conscious mind'.

For the lay person that does not desire to study quantum physics or have an understanding of metaphysics, the Law Of Attraction or The Secret is a great basic understanding to start people thinking differently and cause the masses to attract abundance into their lives. What a breakthrough!!!

Is it a marketing gimmick? In my humble opinion ... absolutely not.

It is amazing how much flak The Secret has got claiming the whole thing was a deliberate marketing strategy put together by Rhonda Byrne and associates. That is so far from the truth. I was there from almost the beginning of The Secret DVD, Rhonda heard of my own LOA story through someone else, I gave Rhonda Byrne copies of CD's, books, DVD's and material on LOA including much of Bob Proctor's material, I passed on Bob Proctor's cell phone number to Rhonda which started a chain of interviews across the United States.

I saw some of the seemingly impossible challenges that Rhonda and the Prime Time Production team faced during the creation of The Secret, from funding to getting it into the market. Had Rhonda and the team not totally believed in the LOA, and used it every day I have no doubt that we would not be having this discussion as there would be no Secret DVD.

What people don't realise is that every plan that Rhonda had to market The Secret DVD didn't work!!! She faced road block after road block ... however, she remained fixed on taking the message to the world, the universe provided the best method possible. People now look at The Secret marketing and study it as an amazing marketing model ... yet they still don't get it. It has nothing to do with marketing strategy and everything to do with one person holding true to an image in their mind and the universe providing the best, most effective, most efficient way of delivering that image on the physical plane.

I agree with Dr Fred Alan Wolf that The Secret DVD is not complete ... how can it be as there is so much to tell and the DVD is only 89 minutes long. The Secret is missing most of the other laws that are intertwined in the LOA, plus is misses the important component of Action ... our part in the LOA ... plus God, the unseen, omnipotent, omnipresent and omniscient force.

The interesting thing is you can look at all that The Secret isn't and what it is missing and you will find it, or you can look at all The Secret is and what it delivers ... and you will find that to!!

The Secret will always have its naysayer and those who seek to pull it down. (One of the six basic human needs that we all need to feel is significance - some people do that by creating, for example, building a taller building; others get significance by destroying, for example, knocking others down so that their building is taller. A few create while many still compete and destroy.)

Whatever can be said against The Secret and those who are on it, it has and is changing the world for the better by increasing the awareness of the masses through understanding that:

"Abundance and Wealth in ALL areas of our lives is a
deliberate choice rather than a circumstance."

Wednesday 12 September 2007

Quote

"It is the mind that maketh good of ill,
that maketh wretch or happy, rich or poor."
- Edmund Spenser

Monday 10 September 2007

The Fire Walk with Tony Robbins

The Fire Walk ...

It is difficult to explain the first fire walk you ever do. This one at UPW (Unleash the Power Within) with Tony Robbins was about 12 feet long (3.5 metres).

Tony had spent hours with us getting us into the right state to walk across red hot coals without getting charred bloody stumps (burnt feet!) We had spent hours closing our eyes and visualising the celebration after we achieved the impossible. We learnt how to chant 'cool moss, cool moss, cool moss' as we walked on the imaginary hot coals. Now we were ready ... apparently!

We all streamed out into the huge car park ... and there lay in front of us 12 rows of red hot coals. We lined up in rows in front of the coals with our buddy (who I didn't know from a bar of soap), all chanting 'Cool moss, cool moss'.

Tony's instructions were that when we got to our turn, an assistant would be there to make sure we were in 'state', when they thought we were they would say 'go'. We then had to walk the coals at a steady pace with our head held high, once we were off the coals we had to wipe our feet and celebrate.

I wasn't going first ... just in case!!

Finally I got to the front of the line ... it was my turn! I had noticed that after every few people that walked across, men came with wheel barrows and shoveled more hot coals on. At least a few people had been across before me since new coals where added so hopefully it was a little cooler. Right then the assistant yelled "Halt ... Fresh coals please!" Mine were fresh hot ones!!!

I focused on a spot way ahead (as we were told to do) and I chanted 'Cool moss, cool moss'. There was this little voice in my head saying "Are you crazy? You're not ready yet!!" The next thing I hear is the assistant saying 'GO'.

I thought 'What ... me???' And off I strode across red hot coals!

It felt just like walking on course gravel. Had the guys at the end not caught me and yelled "STOP ... wipe your feet ... and celebrate," I'm sure I would have ended up all the way to Bondi Beach.

After walking across the coals people were jumping up and down and yelling and screaming. I didn't!

I thought "Hmmmm ... now that's interesting ... how did that just happen?"

Now some people will tell you it's an illusion, or the coal are not hot, or that it is not possible. Here is what I do know - I have walked the hot coals at UPW now eighth times ... it is real and they are HOT. If you are not in focus you will get burnt! So why do it?

Good question! As Tony says, the fire walk is a metaphor. It taught me many things:

  1. The physical is ALWAYS rules by thought; nothing can happen on the physical plane until or unless it first happens in the thought plane;
  2. The power of focus will get you through even the most seemingly impossible obstacles;
  3. The longer you lose your focus during extreme challenges, the more you get burnt (I learned that the second time I fire walked!)
  4. There is no such thing as impossible;
  5. Many people let fear rule their lives and often don't even attempt what seems impossible;
  6. When I'm absolutely focused, little can stop me.

There are other lessons I learned, most importantly when I come up against seemingly impossible challenges I think back to my first firewalk and draw on a strength and power of focus that I never knew existed.

Life will never be the same.

My first day with Tony Robbins

I had no money expect what was in my pocket - just enough to pay for my ticket a Tony Robbins event, pay something towards very cheap accommodation and buy enough groceries to last 4 days.

I walked up to the registration desk, they checked off my name and noticed I hadn't paid yet! (This was a prepaid ticketed event, everyone else had already paid for their tickets, I had convinced the salesperson other the phone that I would be there with the cash ... I had no credit card and didn't know how I was going to get the money) I handed them my few dollars, proud that I could be there, excited by what I might learn and scared knowing that I had to go back to my miserable poverty existence afterwards.

The helper at the desk asked me to read and sign the 'Disclaimer' ... the WHAT!! The disclaimer to say if I burnt my feet off walking on the red hot coals during the firewalk on the first night that Tony Robbins wasn't responsible!

Well, I thought he must have done it before and people survived, so I'd give it a shot ... I signed the form ... In any case, I was here to play full out for me, I didn't care what others came for, this was my last chance to figure out success.

I got to the entry doors early, I wanted to be first in and get the best seats. I had purchased Gold tickets which are the cheapest seats up the back ... so I was getting the best of the cheap seats! We waited and waited ... the crowd grew larger and larger until I could only see a sea of heads. The music started and a few of Robbins volunteers came out to dance and clap and get everyone excited.

I just wanted to go in ... I wasn't into this dancing and clapping stuff ... but since I was here to play full out after a while I joined in. When we finally got inside it was like one huge dance fest! And hug fest I might add! Now that was interesting for me ... a shy, reserved country boy getting hugs from these over zealous city folk ... it really tested my personal space issues. I never hugged anyone other than my family before; I'm not a 'touchy feely' person!

Tony finally came out in to the stage ... danced, clapped, jumped up and down ... got everyone else dancing, clapping and jumping up and down. Oh, by the way ... I had never danced before either!!! Some people sat in their seats and didn't participate; I was here to get everything I could so I played full out no matter how uncomfortable I was.

From that point on I did everything Tony said, wrote down every word I could ... just trying to absorb every last ounce of information. Then about 1:30am ...

... The Firewalk!!! (read my next Blog)

Sunday 9 September 2007

My amazing journey with Tony Robbins that most people don't know about

It is 7:53am Friday morning, September 7, 2007 ... I'm sitting at my desk with a cup of tea and just getting mentally ready for a new day.

Warren, our newest team member, said to me yesterday "I am amazed how quickly you manifest things. You discuss an idea one day and the next day people are calling you with exactly what you need!" This has happened over and over again recently.

Sometimes I forget how amazing the Law of Attraction is and how quickly it does work. It got me thinking about where my journey began. Here is some of my story that few people know:

Many people know that Bob Proctor had a big influence in my life and that I have been studying his Born Rich program now for over a decade - so much so that I teach the You Were Born Rich workshop. And because of that I introduced the producer of The Secret, Rhonda Byrne, to Bob Proctor when The Secret was produced in 2005. What most people don’t know is the other mentors that helped me along this journey - one person who had the biggest impact on my life was Tony Robbins.

In 1995 I had no money, massive debt, no job, no education or qualification, behind in rent and driving an unregistered car. I went to a Bob Proctor seminar and I really struggled with the fact that it was ok to be rich!! The Facilitator, Andres Johanssen, suggested I read two books,
Dynamic Laws of Prosperity by Catherine Ponder and Awaken the Giant Within by Anthony Robbins. Apparently he saw something in me I didn’t see myself.

I read "Awaken The Giant Within" and immediately decided to get to his seminar ... I didn't care how much it cost or where in the world it was, I just knew I had to be there and I would find a way.

I then found out that Tony was coming to Australia in 3 months time!! I had to be there … I didn't know how, but I had to be there. Isn't it interesting that when you make something an absolute MUST, you achieve it.

I had already learnt that your life in five years time will be exactly the same as it is today except for the people you meet, the books you read and the tapes (CD's) you listen to. So I had to meet Tony Robbins.

The cheapest ticket to attend
Tony Robbins UPW (Unleash the Power Within event) was $895 ... I didn't have $89!! I was also living in Toowoomba, Queensland at the time ... that is about 9 hours drive away from where Tony was running his event in Sydney or a $600 plane ticket (the price of a plane fare at that time).

I boldly approached some friends - a wonderful older couple, Cliff & Shirley Robinson, they lent me their nearly new car, and then three friends decided to make the journey with me ... they would pay for the fuel. I just have to find $895 for the ticket and somewhere to sleep.

I approached a company to do some sales work. Just before UPW I sold enough products to earn $1,100 in commission - the day before we had to leave I received my commission money. I literally arrived at UPW registration in Sydney with the money in my hand to pay for my ticket. We found a really cheap hotel accommodation near Randwick - $29/night ...
shared bathroom and shared cockroaches!

You might be asking what happens at a Tony Robbins UPW 4-day event! I have had hundreds of people ask me that same question over the years and my answer is still the same:

"I can't really explain it all … just be there, it will change your life"

Ok, how has it changed mine?

Here are just a fewof things that come to mind:

  1. Prior to attending I earned a taxable income of just under $5,000 for the whole 12 months; I came back home and I earned $10,000 in one month!!!! That’s a 2,400% increase in income!
  2. I started working for a company that gave me a stable income and good lifestyle for the next 3 years.
  3. A Robbins Consultant gave me the kick up the backside that caused me to start up Trading Edge ... our stock market education company that has turned over many millions and is now know around the world.
  4. Within 5 years of attending UPW our new business turned over $1,000,000 in a year.

There are many, many more things I could put on the list ... you see, I got such an amazing result after I attended the first time I decided to go back 18 months later. Then we doubled our income again so I went back the third time ... I have attended UPW seven times ... this year will be my eighth!

I figure this ... If Tony Robbins is worth $250 million plus and I’m not, then he can still teach me stuff.

I hope this inspires you to do whatever you can, drop everything else in your life and get there ... it will make a massive difference.

I have arranged with Tony's company here in Australia something extra special.

We have sent hundreds of people along to listen to Tony over the past 12 years so I decided to get some incredible tickets at a ridiculous price.

Two tickets to Tony Robbins UPW is now $2,990.00. I have secured 30 tickets only at $747.50/person* (You SAVE $1,495 for two tickets - that’s less than what I paid in 1995!!) as a special thank you for any of our clients who would like to attend. I promise you ...

... Life will NEVER be the same again!

Click here to find out more ... the site may take a short while to load but it is worth the wait ... it has a couple of great videos that will inspire you.

Enjoy,

David Schirmer

P.S. If you are in some other part of the world reading this (other than Australia), go to Tony Robbins website to find out where he will be.

P.P.S. If you want to know more of my story with Tony ... read my blog over the coming week