Many modern teachers tell us to focus on what we want; to focus on our desires, but what if it is not the object of desire that we want, but the relief from the agitation inside brought on by the wanting. Is this not what we truly desire?

Living an unconventional life right now, where I have few material possessions, the desire and the wanting for more than I have can be great, but I now see that the receiving is only ever going to be a temporary experience. For example, I would love to take a vacation this year, but I am currently unable to. I love to travel and see the world, swim in the sea and really relax into a new environment. Watching others fly off can feel incredibly painful to the ego and so the wanting increases and yes, a great feeling of agitation builds up in me. Yet if I were in the present moment, fully, right now, I would not be thinking of future wants, I would be content, satisfied with where I am now.

When I think of my past unfulfilled desires, when the moment has passed, I relax, let go and accept my circumstances or my current life experience. When I think about fulfilled desires, the excitement and relief I felt when they arrived was not from the manifestation of the desire, but from the relief from the wanting that I mostly felt.

Is The Law of Attraction A Good Thing?

Are ‘Law of Attraction’ and ‘Create Your Reality’ teachings bringing us to a deeper experience of inner peace, or merely fuelling an increased sense of wanting?

I feel the latter. Yes, it’s true that we can’t stop a natural desire that bubbles up from the present moment, but the focus on the future manifesting of desires I no longer feel is healthy to the mind, body or spirit.

When something you want is not coming, has not arrived, and causes you much agitation inside, ask yourself:

Is it the vacation I want or the relief from agitation? In all honesty, my mind tells me it’s the ‘vacation’, but my spirit tells me it’s the relief from the agitation the yearning causes.

Agitation of mind is the cause of desire, the sense of doership and personality. If that is stopped there is quiet. There, ‘knowing’ means ‘being’ ~ Sri Ramana Maharshi

Kelly Martin

Kelly Martin, author of ‘When Everyone Shines But You’ is a dedicated writer and blogger who fearlessly explores life’s deepest questions. Faced with a decade of profound anxiety and grief following the loss of her father and her best friend Michael, Kelly embarked on a transformative journey guided by mindfulness, and she hasn’t looked back since. Through her insightful writing, engaging podcasts, and inspiring You Tube channel Kelly empowers others to unearth the hidden treasures within their pain, embracing the profound truth that they are ‘enough’ exactly as they are.

Find me on: Web | Twitter/X | Instagram | Facebook