The world witnessed Michael Phelps winning 8 gold medals at the Summer Olympics 2008; beating Mark Spitz’s gold medal count and establishing a new world’s record. Most people consider winning an Olympic event to be the ultimate achievement of athletic ability. While it can’t be denied that natural ability as well as dedication and hard work were involved here, I believe that what happened was much more than that. I believe that we just saw the universe smiling on Michael Phelps to grant him his dream. To me, there is no other explanation.

His dream was to win eight gold medals. And this he did, though not entirely due to the uniqueness of his own athletic abilities. This was an example of how it takes more than our own efforts to accomplish anything.

Examining the races

There’s no denying that Michael Phelps is a world-class athlete, as demonstrated by his setting world records in four events:

• 400 meter individual medley
• 200 meter freestyle
• 200 meter butterfly
• 200 meter individual medley

Given his performance in these events, it’s no surprise that he won gold medals in each of them. But in three other events the correlation between performance and result is not so clear-cut. In fact, the results were due, in a large part, to circumstances beyond his control. This is because they were team events which would not have been won if not for the effort and abilities of his team members.

But didn’t Michael Phelps demonstrate his prowess by outperforming his team members during his leg of the races? Well, maybe in only one of the races – the 4 x 200 meter freestyle relay. This was the only relay event where he had the best time of any of his team members. Even so, he still depended on their performance to win a gold medal.

In the other two relays – the 4 x 100 meter freestyle relay and the 4 x 100 meter medley relay – he did not have the best time, so his dependency on his team members was even more evident. Especially when we consider the 4 x 100 meter freestyle relay.

In the freestyle relay the US was behind for most of the race! It was the last swimmer in the relay, teammate Jason Lezak who came from behind to take the lead. Lezak’s performance was incredible – he started out a full body length behind and ended up with the fastest 100 meter freestyle split (46.06 sec.) in history to pull ahead and win the race for his team.

Until Lezak finished his leg, Phelps’ dream of winning eight gold medals was in question.

Winning by a fingernail

This brings us to the 100 meter butterfly. This was the race that made me realize there must be some arrangement with the universe whereby Michael Phelps was meant to win no matter what.

In this individual race, he did not set a world record. In fact, he came in 0.18 seconds behind the current record held by Ian Crocker. But he must have beat everyone else hands down – everyone else just couldn’t keep up with him, right? Well, not really. He got off to a slow start, and spent most of the race behind. At one point he was in seventh place and a full 0.5 seconds behind the leader Milorad Cavic It wasn’t until the last one-hundredth of a second that he pulled ahead – just in time to win!

And even then it was not evident that he had won. Everyone watching the race thought that he came in second for the bronze. It sure looked like there was no way he could have beat Cavic after being behind for what looked like the entire race. But that was not in the cards. According to the electronic touch pad, Phelps hit it first. It really seems as if he was destined to win eight gold medals no matter what.

Lessons to be learned

We can see the ingredients for applying the law of attraction at work here.

Michael Phelps made clear his intent when he wrote on a piece of paper (which he kept to himself) a list of his goals for the Olympics – his dream. He also had a strong belief in the power of intention. In fact, throughout the Olympics I heard athletes say, after winning this or that event, “you can do anything you put your mind to!” Phelps himself is quoted as saying, upon setting one of his Olympic records, ?Dream as big as you can dream, and anything is possible ?”. And then later ” ? Anybody can do anything that they set their mind to.? Finally, he was able to let go and do his best. After the 100 meter butterfly I saw an interview where he commented something to the effect that his strategy was just to go out there, give it his all, and then let the chips fall where they may.

Well now he is a celebrity, but from what I’ve seen he continues to maintain a sense of humility. Perhaps he recognizes that while you can believe in your own abilities all you want, there is a whole world of circumstances out there over which we have no control. Achieving anything depends on the cooperation of those circumstances to support our goals. Knowing this helps to keep us humble.

You really know that people or ideas have reached a meaningful level of familiarity when they make an appearance in pop culture. But when jokes fly, what does that mean?

I caught a commercial the other day for that TV series 30 Rock. One of the characters is trying to start a secret Santa gift exchange at the office and right away the objections came.

Whoaaaaahhh! Yeah, Jenna is portrayed as the stereotypical dumb blonde, a self-centered and flighty actress. Jenna, simplistic follower of the Kabbalah, possibly involved with Scientology, is of course the one on the show who would embrace something as ridiculous as the ideas presented in the The Secret, right?

Is that how pop media views The Secret?

Yes, pop culture tends to poke fun at many belief systems that in themselves are respected by a large following (such as the Jewish Kabbalah and the Church of Scientology). Apparently, many are under the unfortunate impression that the Law of Attraction as presented in the movie The Secret is just the latest New Age fad.

The movie The Secret does not present a new belief system, but has only repackaged a concept that has been around for a long time – perhaps thousands of years. You see ideas based on the Law of Attraction in Vedic teachings, Judeo-Christian writings, and in the writings of businessmen in the early 20th century. It is a life concept that can be apparent to anyone who takes the time to notice.

My son has been driving for only a couple of years, so he is still learning how to deal with various traffic situations. There is one lane-merge situation that he encounters every day on the way to school that has caused him a lot of stress. After turning right onto a major street he needs to merge left in order to get out of a lane that becomes a freeway on-ramp. During regular commute times this can be a bit of a challenge and he’s mentioned coming close to having an accident several times.

So the other day we’re talking and tells me “remember that intersection that I’ve been having trouble with? Well, I decided that instead of dreading how hard it’s going to be each time, I told myself that it will not be a problem.”

Apparently, he did more than just tell himself – he actually believed that this would have some effect.

“It’s weird, but ever since then the traffic has not been bad. The same situations that made it so difficult don’t come up any more.”

And then came the revelation.

“Heyyyy, this is just what that DVD you had us watch was talking about!”

Of course he was referring to The Secret. Then he asked how all these people got together to come up with these concepts for the Law of Attraction. I told him that each person is relating information based on their own experiences, and many people just noticed how things worked in the course of their lives – much like he took note of his own small experience.

So, the movie The Secret has slickly packaged the ideas behind the Law of Attraction and contributed to spreading these concepts throughout modern society. But the ideas are not new. They’ve been experienced by people throughout history – some in small ways while others have worked to gain mastery over the process with great success. I’m sure you’ve noticed events in your own life that indicate that life is not a jumble of random events in which we are helplessly swept along. We see these ideas in most religions, too, in the emphasis on prayer and faith.

It’s not confined to any particular religion, faith, or movement. And it’s definitely no joke.

Check out this one minute intro into recent studies in the power of intention.

The last week or so has been somewhat of a wild ride with this blog. I’m technically oriented, but by no means a wiz at blogging software and databases. Unfortunately I probably know just enough to be dangerous, which led to the events of the past week. In the process, though, I’ve learned some valuable lessons.

The Mistakes Begin

I caught the WordPress theme bug and started trying out different themes in an effort to change the look of my blog. I wanted to see if a three-column theme would work, and in the process of experimenting with John TP’s TripleK2 theme I accidentally clicked the Uninstall K2 Theme button. The theme reverted to the default, but when I went to reselect the TripleK2 theme, all the sidebar modules were gone. They were even gone with the normal K2 theme!

So what do I decide to do then and there? Upgrade from WordPress 2.2 to 2.3!!

I guess I thought that if I was going to go through the trouble of fixing something, I may as well REALLY fix it with an entire blog upgrade.

Big Mistake.

Having already successfully upgraded from WordPress 2.0 to 2.2 earlier this year, I went through the same process. But this time, when I went to look at the blog after the upgrade I got an error message and no blog.

Trying to Keep Cool

The next 48 hours were a panic frenzy as I worked to restore things. Throughout the whole time I kept reminding myself that in the grand scheme of things this wasn’t really a big deal, and besides, one way or another everything was going to work out. I’m not sure I can relate everything that I did but I’m going to try to share the main parts.

Things were going from bad to worse so I restored everything from my last backup, which was on September 8. But for some reason, the K2 theme was still broken in that the K2 side bar modules were not appearing, so I had to switch to the customized default WordPress theme.

Since I was still determined to install the latest versions, I again attempted an upgrade to WordPress 2.3 and also installed the updated K2.0RC1 theme. The K2 side bar modules were still broken.

Data Base Problems

I made one last attempt to get things closer to where I was (theme-wise) before all this started happening. I reinstalled the down level WordPress 2.2.3 and then also reinstalled the original K2 theme (0.95RC1) that I had on my hard drive. Ahhhhh … that seemed to work. The side bar modules that I had created were all there, restored from who knows where.

But then I started to get database error messages on the blog as well as on the WordPress admin panel, pointing to the comment table. After searching through online forums I found out how to repair a database table and, after a couple of repair attempts, managed to fix the problem. How did the table get corrupted in the first place? Not sure, but the fact that I accidentally upgraded the database before the blog software was fully installed might have had something to do with it.

Dealing with a Stale Blog

So now the only problem was that this blog was reset back to September 8. Three weeks worth of comments and posts (well, only a couple of posts) were gone. Fortunately, I still had all the e-mail notifications that contained the contents of each comment so I was able to basically reconstruct everyone’s comments from the missing weeks.

I then took another chance and reinstalled the TripleK2 theme that I was happy with before all this began. Yes! It worked!

So, as I kept telling myself, things worked out OK. I just had to give up (for now) the idea of upgrading to WordPress 2.3 as well as using the latest K2 theme (which is supposed to support three columns). I don’t know why those two aren’t working for me, but perhaps later I’ll feel brave enough to give them another try.

The Permalink Snafu

Of course I couldn’t leave well enough alone. After following a recent MyBlogLog visitor’s link and then reading several blog suggestions from Alan at SEOImage, I decided to change the permalink structure of my blog posts. I thought that this would only affect new posts but it wasn’t until the end of the day that I noticed that it affected all my posts. This meant that if anyone clicked on a link that used the old permalink format, they would get a 404 error message instead of the post!

Yeah, I’m my own worst enemy.

After some web searching I came across a couple of plugins that let me redirect posts from the old permalink structure to the new one. Problem solved.

Summary of Things I Learned

• Never try to upgrade an unstable blog.
  Stabilize the down level blog first – upgrading will not necessarily fix a problem.
• Perform regular backups of both your blog files as well as your database.
  Database backups are pretty quick so I plan on doing that even more often – say, once a week.
• When updating your blog software, be sure that you have completely uploaded the new files before running the database upgrade program. Duh.
• If you get a database error that points to a particular table, you can usually repair the table using your web host management software.
• If you change the permalink structure of your posts, be sure to redirect from the old structure to the new structure.
  Two good WordPress plugins for that are Dean’s Permalink Migration and Permalink Redirect.

Do affirmations really work? By themselves, not always. But I’m going to share a simple exercise that may work for you. Several years ago I added it to my morning meditation routine and I believe that my health has benefited as a result.

The exercise incorporates immunics, a process that is based on the same principles that are behind pendulum divining and applied kinesiology (muscle testing). Pendulum divining is a method of amplifying bodily responses from your subconscious (or, if you prefer, God or the Universe). Applied kinesiology likewise is based on your body’s reaction, but involves a weakening or strengthening of muscles in response to positive or negative thoughts, words, or objects that are presented to it. Immunics uses these principles in the process of removing the causes of illnesses.

How to Practice Immunics – the Basics

Learn how to test – Pendulum divining and muscle testing made simple

First you need to learn how to “test”, which is getting verification of whether a statement is true or has been accomplished. Unlike other feedback methods, this doesn’t require any special equipment, tools, or even an assistant.

Hold your hands out in front of you in a relaxed manner, palms up. Recite the statement “I am now connecting with my ability to control my immune system”, and be alert to any change in feeling in your hand or hands. It could be an involuntary movement. You might feel a twitching in a finger, or slight vibrations, or surge of warmth. Whatever the sensation, it indicates that the statement is true and that you have successfully made the connection.

Another method that might work for you, and which is what I do, is to bend the third finger of one of your hands towards the palm and hold it lightly with your thumb. A few seconds after reciting the statement (sometimes sooner), the third finger will pop free of your thumb. This indicates a “yes” response from the universe, God, or as the people behind immunics call it, the “Harmonic”.

Testing and affirmations combine to make a powerful process

Now recite the following affirmations one by one, and wait for a “yes” confirmation before going to the next statement:

“I am now connecting with my own ability to control my immune system.”

“I am removing all pathologies from all of my bodies.”

“All of my bodies are free of pathologies.”

“All of my bodies are at full function.”

Other Applications

While the focus of immunics is to cure things, you can also use this principle to put your mind in a positive state to start out the day, for example:

“I will accomplish all that I need to accomplish today.”

“I am attracting good things today.”

…

How does it work?

According to the teaching of immunics, we all have the ability to access a universal energy source called the “Harmonic” and use it to change our DNA, eliminate viruses, and obtain information. David Hawkins, who has studied applied kinesiology, similarly claims that there is a universal knowledge base that we all have the ability to access and learn from.

I believe that the Law of Attraction applies here as well. You make the statement – the intention, then wait for the confirmation. That confirmation may come from an outside source, from your own subconscious, or may even be a random event. But when it occurs, you perceive it as not coming from yourself, so part of you receives it as a validation and reinforcement of your intent. The affirmation becomes more real. And it is the belief in its reality that makes it so.

So give it a try. For the most part I’ve escaped the colds and flu that my family has had to deal with. The events of each workday resolve themselves without a lot of stress on my part. And this is just with the minimal amount of practice – immunics offers much more. What I’ve described is a preventative-measure approach. I’ve also experienced relief from illness using immunics, which is tremendously validating.

Play with it and see if it can be incorporated into any routine that you already practice. It’s easy.

More About the Process

About Immunics

I came across this process on the internet a few years back – the website is now called CureDrive.Org, which emphasizes the founder’s goal of curing the world of all illnesses using this method that anyone can learn. Much of the information on the website requires a password to access (and a donation to get a password), and there is a wealth of videos and instruction on how to cure all kinds of illnesses. In fact, there is an entire body of teachings available through the website, such as the concept that we have a number of bodies of varying densities – celestial, spiral, gravitational, etheric, astral, karmic, emotional, mental, physical, universal mental, universal emotional, and universal physical – and that illnesses can invade these bodies. To be completely free of the cause of an illness requires that the cause be removed from all of the bodies.

Here is a video showing people actively supporting the immunics cause and reaching out to teach others. The audio doesn’t match the video but nevertheless gives you an idea of what immunics is about.

Other Uses of Applied Kinesiology

Perhaps one of the better known proponents of applied kinesiology is Dr. David Hawkins, who believes it to be a means by which you can get answers to any question. In fact, he has used applied kinesiology to develop a scale of human development, the discussion of which is beyond the scope of this post. You can read about it in his book Power vs Force, which I highly recommend.

Or maybe it only took three days, depending on how you look at it. All I know is that last month I wasn’t even thinking that I would be getting another vehicle, didn’t really need one nor had any clue what type I would want, and today I’m driving a 2001 Lexus IS300.

I debated whether to even work on this post. I don’t advocate a materialistic attitude, but I do believe that this is a classic case of manifestation and that there are some lessons here that will help others understand the law of attraction and the manifestation process.

Countdown

Day One – An idea gels
This is a pretty arbitrary starting point. For over a month a friend of mine had developed an intense interest in used Mercedes ever since he found out how much within financial reach they were for him. He even offered to help me find one whenever I decided to replace the car I was driving. I wasn’t in a hurry and figured maybe in a year I would start looking.

I casually mentioned this to my wife, and I couldn’t believe that the next day (day one) she called to tell me she saw a nice one for sale in the neighborhood, and that I should check it out. Now I honestly didn’t mean to give the impression that I needed to find something right away, so her encouragement surprised me. But I went ahead and contacted the owner and took a look at the car.

So it was on this day that I started to entertain the idea of getting another car sooner rather than later.

The car, a 2002 Mercedes C320, was very nice. But something new happened – I started to think about what I would be really happy with. And this Mercedes, while in excellent condition, didn’t feel quite right. I wasn’t willing to settle. After some discussion with my wife, I decided that a Lexus IS300 would be a good choice, plus I developed a better idea of some of the details that I would enjoy.

I searched Craigslist and started to get a feel for price ranges and years, keeping in mind the upper limit that we were willing to spend.

Day Four – Financial help
At the time I wasn’t aware the role this event would play. There was a bit of a jump in the company stock price – enough to tip the scales in favor of exercising a few options.

Day Five – Shopping at the Dealers
The weekend came, so I spent some time visiting a few dealers in the area looking at the used car selections. I found one that was offered at a decent price, although it also had slightly high mileage.

Day Six – Advice to slow down
My father-in-law happens to be well practiced in the art of buying and selling used cars, so my wife called him for advice. He recommended avoiding dealers and, most importantly, not rushing the process. It could take as long as a month, but if I was patient I’d be sure to find a quality car at a good price.

It was hard not to take the easy route and get that car I saw at the dealer, but my father-in-law offered to help all he could so I decided to relax, slow down, and let him have shot at it. I would give it a month. In the meantime I continued to browse Craigslist.

It was also at this time that my wife and I started to view the proceeds from the stock options as basically being used to fund this purchase. The amount would cover what we were comfortable spending, plus there would be a little left over for future landscaping projects.

Day Eight – Intentional Manifestation
All the cars that I found searching the ads had one problem or another – overpriced, too many miles, unattractive colors, salvage titled, … the list went on. I was starting to feel discouraged, which I shouldn’t have been since I’d only been looking for a few days.

But I caught myself and forced myself to stop and realize that, since I clearly had this as my intention, it was basically a done deal. It was going to happen – I had no doubts about that. It was inevitable.

And it was with that thought that I sat for a few minutes and visualized myself sitting in the driver’s seat, gazing at the dashboard and upholstery, and experiencing all the feelings of new car ownership. Up until then you could say that the intention was there but not as a direct creative act. This was the moment that I made a deliberate and conscious effort to manifest.

Day Nine – The Ideal Car Appears
The next morning, out of habit and without any increased expectation, I searched Craigslist again. And there it was – a new listing with all the right criteria: local, within our price range, low mileage, the right interior and exterior colors (yeah, I got selective about that), and with all service records.

I saw no reason not to inquire about it so I sent the seller an e-mail requesting the VIN# and received a reply that evening. Based on the results of the title search using Carfax, the car had a clean title so I asked about seeing it.

Day Ten – Appointment to see the car
We made arrangements to meet during lunch at a local shopping center between our places of work. The car looked and drove great. There was just one more thing I needed to see, and that was the service records which he had at home. That would have to wait until the next day.

Day Eleven – Offer and Purchase
I almost lost the car. He called me that morning at the behest of his wife to tell me that a guy was planning to drive down with a check to buy the car sight-unseen. I had to make a quick decision. Maybe not smart by normal standards, but I went with my gut and offered him the full price. He accepted.

Later that evening I picked up the car.

Reflections

One point that should not be overlooked is that some level of action was required. I did not sit at home and wait for something to appear in the driveway. But the action I did take seemed as if it was rewarded at every turn.

I also did not do everything “by the book” as advised by my father-in-law. Yes, I only considered ads where the seller claimed to have service records, but I was supposed to see evidence that oil changes were performed regularly at acceptable intervals. There were no such records in the folder, so by my father-in-law’s standards I should have walked away.

I should have also taken the car to a trusted mechanic for a “check up”. I didn’t do this either (and I would strongly recommend this to anyone buying a used car).

Still, the car had a good Carfax history. The report showed that the car received regular servicing at a dealer up until the first owner sold it to his brother, the current seller. The seller owned it for just a few years and changed the oil himself. Again, I went with my gut feeling and trusted his honesty after several conversations with him. (The fact that I saw his other two cars, Porsches that looked very well maintained, also helped.)

This is how it works. Not with struggle. Not with scientific precision. Not with controlling all the angles. It works with intention, faith, and being alert to the flow of life as it guides your actions in harmony with your intention.