The spiritual realm is the world of Causes. The manifest material world, that is so familiar to us through our senses, is the world of Effects. Thought always precedes manifestation in the material world. All that is manifest in the material world, whether in nature or man-made, was first a thought; a grand design. 

So, when the Higher Self overshadows your conscious mind, you become a master of manifesting because you work on the fluid spiritual level where creation first takes place. So, to truly take control of your life, you must learn to manifest the effects you seek in the material world by first becoming a master of your mind; one who is skilled in the spiritual realm of Causes. 

Why do goal-setting and visualization work so well in helping you manifest what you really want? It is simply because they work at the level from which the entire universe manifests. By functioning at the level of Cause, they influence and control the basic substance and mechanism by which things eventually manifest in the everyday world. 

Although this may seem like a profound concept, it is actually not a difficult one and is actually relatively commonplace. After all, everything in human society works in a similar fashion. Where do skyscrapers come from? They do not simply grow out of the ground! They are meticulously planned first in the mind of the chief architect. He draws upon years of his own experience, decades of experience by his forerunners, and crystallizes his vision through the use of accurate drawings.

In fact, all works of Art, all technological inventions, and even a child's sandcastle are all constructed through creating first in the world of Causes or Ideas, and then manifesting in the world of Effects. 

Of course, these examples are analogies to help you realize that the realm in which all manifested reality is first created is actually non-material in nature. In truth, manifestation does not necessarily require paid labor, bulldozers and huge financing, as in the case of the skyscraper. It can happen directly. Once the Mind and Spirit are in perfect harmony, i.e. the Higher Self is in its rightful relationships with the rest of your psyche, then this is exactly what happens. 

The esoteric tradition teaches that before the Creation described in the Book of Genesis ever took place, God created the whole universe, down to the last detail, in his mind first! It was all planned down to the very last details and only then was it brought into being in the "real" world. 

Whether you choose to take this literally or as a parable on the principle of manifestation, the idea is very clear. In order to manifest anything in the world around you, it is essential that you hold it clearly and completely in your mind first. Once you can do this, and truly will it with emotion and drive, it must happen. 

A modern day example, and exact comparison with the creation story in fact, is Nicola Tesla; the genius who brought us alternating electrical current, upon which our entire modern civilization is based. Tesla designed an entire electric motor, down to the last details, and then set it running for several months IN HIS MIND. He observed it and made appropriate corrections. Only when he was completely content with it did he actually build it in the physical world. It worked flawlessly the very first time!

Thought is everything and the power of the coherent mind that is fully under control and knows exactly what it wants is unstoppable. That is why the ancient scriptures tell us to be shepherds of our thoughts. In the ancient parables, what are sheep? Ask yourself, what do sheep do? They run all over the place if left to their own devices. They have no overall group coordination. However, a good shepherd can cause them to move as one coherent unit. 

The sheep are our thoughts. You are the shepherd and your job is to bring your thoughts, will and desires under conscious control. Whilst it is no easy task, this is the first step on the road to true spiritual mastery. It is only achieved to perfection when the Higher Self is in its proper relationship to the rest of your being. 

Once this is achieved, you can readily produce powerful effects through working directly in the world of Causes. This is the principle by which magic and miracles are done. This is how you manifest the chance meetings and "lucky" breaks you need to get where you really want to be. It is how millionaires became rich and how spiritual seekers gain Enlightenment; by having a clear unshakeable vision of what they want and holding it firmly and coherently in mind each day until it manifests, as it inevitably must. 

So how do you go about doing this? The following steps are the way to begin the process: 

(1) Gain a true perspective on Creation. Work actively to undermine the materialistic erroneous assumptions you have come to firmly believe. Read and ponder works that describe the spiritual realm, and teach you to manifest what you want.

(2) Learn to meditate. The clearest way to take control of your thoughts is first to observe them and see them for what they are. 

(3) Keep active guard at the door of your mind. Be careful what you let in. Do you really need that rather violent home video rental? Question the sort of TV you watch. 

(4) Actively seek to reduce and ultimately eliminate negative and unresourceful thinking in your life. Seek out and study the means to do this. Put them to work. 

(5) Most important of all, develop a clear vision for what you want to manifest. Most people have no idea. See it, taste it, touch it and smell it in your imagination. Get excited about it. Expect it with all your being and you must eventually attain it. It is the infallible law of creation. 

Copyright 2001, Asoka Selvarajah. All Rights Reserved.

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