A Buddhist’s rethinking of the Law of Attraction
As a pragmatic Buddhist, I felt a lot of skepticism when I first encountered the Law of Attraction (LOA). Many things I’ve seen really stretch my credulity. But the more I think about it, the more I see nuggets underneath the hype that make sense to me, if reformulated a bit. While I wouldn’t go so far as to say the Buddha was a Law of Attraction proponent, I do think there is some common ground to be found between the two.
We create our worlds through our thoughts
In short, LOA says we create our worlds through our thoughts. It’s not just our conscious thoughts – but perhaps even more so our subconscious and inchoate beliefs, attitudes, and feelings. So let’s say for example, we think we don’t have enough money and take a miserly view toward what we do have. In Western literature, we have the Ebenezer Scrooge archetype. In the Buddhist world we have what are called “hungry ghosts.” Both characters hold the belief that there is never enough, and are never satisfied. (We probably know some people like that!) And there are a thousand different ways they interact with their worlds that telegraph their attitudes in subtle ways. People respond in kind, further reinforcing their belief that there isn’t enough to go around.
LOA says the reverse is true, too. If we go around smiling, feeling like life is abundant and that there’s much to be grateful for, we will act with openness and generosity of spirit. And people respond to that in kind. No doubt it was this sort of observation that formed the starting point for the Buddha’s famous teaching from the Dhammapada:
“Experiences are preceded by mind, led by mind, and produced by mind. If one speaks or acts with an impure mind, suffering follows even as the cart-wheel follows the hoof of the ox. … If one speaks or acts with a pure mind, happiness follows like a shadow that never departs.” 1
How do we find happiness?
As a starting point, I think it’s safe to say everyone is seeking happiness. But what exactly will bring us lasting happiness? And how do we go about finding it? That’s where the views start diverging.
What I find troubling about some LOA perspectives is the advice to pursue whatever “feels good.” The wildly popular movie The Secret goes so far as to say ANYTHING we think will make us feel good is fair game – a million dollars, a dream house, a sexy red sports car. It goes on to imply that each of us has some sort of supernatural power to make the world do our bidding, suggesting that we each are the center of the universe. It also implies that spiritual growth is all about fun, lightness, and pleasure as we jump from one blissful experience to the next.
Let’s bring this all back down to earth. In my experience, what “feels good” is a pretty faulty indicator of what’s in our best interest. All we need to do is remember the last time we indulged in a gallon of ice cream or four shots of tequila to know that. And I’m sure we’ve all experienced what usually happens after we get that one thing we wanted so much. The grass quickly starts looking greener on the other side.
The Buddha’s advice
So how DO we go about pursuing happiness? The Buddha gave us another of his famous lists to help us with this. He advised us to look for things that conduce to dispassion, detachment, a decrease in worldly goods, frugality, contentment, solitude, energy, and delight in good.2
So let me unpack this a bit. In the context of LOA, I would very loosely interpret his criteria to mean something like this:
- Dispassion and detachment: Does the thing we want fan our small-minded emotions and self-centered desires? If so, it won’t lead to happiness. This isn’t a matter of good or bad, right or wrong. It’s simply because we aren’t the center of the universe, and living with that incorrect assumption will inevitably smack the unhappy truth right into our faces.
- Decrease in worldly goods and frugality: Are we expecting worldly goods and money to create happiness for us? If so, think again. As above, this isn’t so much a moral issue, but the simple truth that everything changes. What was once a source of happiness will inevitably fade away, again smacking the truth in our faces.
- Contentment and solitude: Does it conduce to superficiality and distraction? If so, look elsewhere. What’s implied by the advice to turn away from the things above is the truth that nothing outside ourselves is a reliable source of happiness. We need to find the courage and quietude to look within. When we abide in the stillness of the present moment, we’re at our place of greatest potential and creativity. Free of self-indulgent thoughts, free of fear or wanting. Completely aware of and open to what IS. Think about it. It’s the only place from which we can move forward productively. And that open-mindedness is the most pragmatically positive frame of mind with which to do it.
- Energy and delight in good: Does it energize us and give rise to a deep sense of goodness in our innermost heart? This is really the ultimate test. Looking forward, if we put our energy and intentions into being a positive influence in the world, our positive energy will reflect back to us and snowball. We’ll know we’re on the right track because our happiness grows.
Dark experiences
Keep in mind that being completely open to the present moment isn’t always going to be fun and pleasurable. We all go through times when life is difficult – whether it’s troublesome relationships, chronic illness, significant loss, and the like. Our inner lives can be difficult too, with depression or anxiety, for example.
I can honestly say from personal experience that sometimes the best route to happiness is to stay with that darkness. Sometimes our greatest obstacle is within ourselves – the limits we place on ourselves out of a need to be in control, to know everything, to feel secure. There is tremendous power in learning to sit with the discomfort and uncertainty, and letting go. Yes, we see that all things change. But more than that, by bravely walking through it, we begin to see what we need to see. We begin to transcend our own fears and self-limiting views to reach a higher and, dare I say, wiser place. We each have our own unique path to walk in order to grow as an individual, and this is a vital part of that process.
My reinterpretation of LOA
So let’s not confuse happiness with “feeling good.” The word usually ascribed to the Buddha is “contentment”, which is a quiet sense of well-being and equanimity that comes from within. It’s a deep trust in the greater forces of the world of which we are a part. It’s a respectful awareness that we don’t act alone – that our every thought and deed is part of an interconnected web of humanity and life overall. It’s a knowing that everything we experience teaches us something valuable and helps us grow. And that by continually striving to be a positive influence in the world, we make it a better place not only for ourselves, but for everyone around us as well.
So this is my reinterpretation, as a Buddhist, of the Law of Attraction. I expect I’ll be writing more on this topic in the future, but in the meantime, I welcome your comments.
Other related perspectives on LOA:
The Spirituality of Narcissism
by Stuart Davis
I’ve got a secret: the Law of Attraction is a lie
by Jonathan Fields
Footnotes:
1. The Dhammapada, chapter 1, verses 1 and 2. Translation by Sangharakshita, available for free download at www.sangharakshita.org.
2. Extracted from the Vinaya, ii. 10, Some Sayings of The Buddha, translated by F. L. Woodward, Asian Educational Services (2002), p 278.
Thank you for sharing this beautifully written Buddhist perspective on a topic that has been quite the buzz in many circles these days.
I think you make an important distinction between the empty happiness of wanting the latest sexy car and what more sustaining, substantial, and spiritual happiness can be.
You article is a refreshing and balanced grounder among all the other LoA responses, many of which are rebuttal-type.
Also, it’s nice to see another mindful website.
Thanks for the wonderful article. You have given me much to think about today. With metta, Mark
Hi Sunada,
Thank you so much for this article! Your viewpoint on this “trendy” topic is so on the mark. I have struggled with the Law of Attraction and have always felt a chafing discomfort with the material I’ve read. I have been unable to discredit it completely in my mind yet have been troubled by the level of self deception and narcissism necessary to adhere to the “laws” that are often purported to be “universal”.
When I read your article, I found myself nodding in agreement with a sense of recognition and relief!
I love receiving your newsletter. It’s the only one I actually take time to read of the endless ones that stream through my inbox!
Thank you.
Michelle Mares
Melissa, Mark, and Michelle,
A belated thanks to all of you for your kind comments.
To Michelle in particular –it’s great to hear from you. I’ve thought about you from time to time, wondering if you’re back performing again. Please drop me a line and let me know what you’re up to!
Much metta back to you!
Hi Sunada,
Thanks for sharing your insights. When The Secret became wildly popular, many people have the notion that LoA is going to transform their lives and make all their wishes come true, without having them to do much. Invariably, this only leads to more laziness, greediness, attachment, and the subsequent disappointments, frustration and hopelessness.
Frankly, I was attracted to LoA’s promise of easy wealth and riches before but like you, I found the part about going for anything that feels good worrying.
So far, this is the first blog article I’ve seen that gives a more balanced view about LoA and I’m glad to have seen it. Thank you.
Thank you WP. I guess we’re kindred spirits. I like your website too!
Hi Sunada,
I like the way you expressed your opinion. Happiness won’t come from the sport car or the money I will win at the lottery! Law of attraction works best from the inside out: BE, DO, HAVE. BE happy for what I have right now. DO the things that make me feel great now but also in the future. Taking the ice cream as example: I would eat some of it, but not the whole pot! HAVE the things that enhance happiness in the short and long run. This is the way I live my miracle life!
Hi sunada,
Thank you for sharing.You know a lot about Buddha and buddhism.
Dolma
Thangka paintings
Hi Sunada
Thanks for a great article – like others who’ve commented above, I’ve felt very uneasy about the LOA. It sounds too seductive by half! It also seems to put forth a blanket policy that is supposed to fit all situations, which goes against common sense. For example, using pornography probably produces a feel-good effect but it would be crazy to imagine it isn’t in some way very harmful both to the user and to people involved in the industry. As with all attractive theories however, there’s bound to be a grain of truth somewhere, and I reallly admire your thoughtful and responsible approach to pinning that down.
Thank you for adding the clarity I needed for understanding why I just don’t “get” LOA. A great article that extracts something tangible from a work that, for me, was just so much pie in the sky. The timing was perfect as well. This was just what I needed to read right now.
Namaste’
Cynthia
Hi Sunada:
I was sorting through my son’s morass of junk yesterday and came across a DVD of “The Secret” ( he’s moving back in with us on my recommendation and is out of the country so I have to move him out of the house he was sharing ).
I remember hearing about it a few years back from a therapist. The fact that she quickly got to the notion of manifesting your material dreams immediately put me off, probably more because of a spiritual snobbishness than anything – I considered myself above madcap schemes to get rich and be happy and suspicious of any message that touted such shallow dream fulfillment as its goal.
My son does have a belief in a guardian angel – that when he is in a fix something will happen to help him out. This belief does generally seem to be valid. He is by nature a very positive person who seems to literally light up the lives of those in proximity to him. I recently had a house guest, Didier, who share’s my son’s philosophy on this point. Interestingly, my sister in law had just dumped him after he closed his business and gave away all of his possessions to come from France to start a new life with her. I found him to be a real conundrum – a person who knows how to smell the roses, how to be very happy with a good cup of coffee, a walk with the dogs or a warm conversation at the kitcen table but yet also feels propelled to “live life to the full”.
As a person who is trying to turn around my life from a position of deep pessimism and negativity, this whole idea of reinforcing your own world view with your attitude is interesting. It has taken me two bouts of severe depression to get to the point where I will take care of myself and that my outlook has shifted.
I would also say that as a young man I envisioned certain things for my future which did happen. I wanted to learn languages, travel and work outside of the UK and I imagined myself marrying somebody from another country. All of these things happened but it certainly wasn’t a case of living happily ever after. So I guess I would argue that even if we can “manifest” these dreams, I think a lot of people might struggle to come to terms with the disappointing reality of dreams come true.
Hi Ed,
You mentioned the struggle of “the disappointing reality of dreams come true.” Yes, I completely agree with you. What I’m talking about in this post isn’t “manifesting,” where we envision things being a particular way and then holding out some hope and expectation that it will come true. That is bound to lead to disappointment, and is what I’m talking about in my first bullet point on Dispassion and Detachment. The world doesn’t obey our particular wishes about how we want or don’t want things to be.
What I’m speaking of here is for example a positive outlook, like what you mention is helping you out of your depression. As long as we hold on to a belief that we are depressed and that’s just the way it is, well, we’ll never find our way out. We need to have an intention to change, and an inner motivation to do the work to change. We also need to believe that we have the ability to be that happier and more positive person. But this is all about a positive sense of direction and motivation, NOT a specific expectation that the world will turn out exactly as we envision.
The key point, I think, is that happiness is an inner attitude. We won’t find happiness by holding out the hope that someday in the future, we’ll find something we want. We can only find happiness by creating more positive things in our world here and now, and continually building on that. So I think we are in agreement!
Best wishes to you,
Sunada
Hello, can you please post some more information on this topic? I would like to read more.
Hi Konstantin,
I’m not sure what kind of information you’re looking for. Could you say a little more about the kinds of questions you still have?
Best wishes,
Sunada
Dear Sunada,
I can’t add to the conversation except to agree and affirm…your perspective and the comments, that it isn’t about getting more “stuff,” it’s about quality and meaning. Thank you. Peace.
This is wonderful article. The spiritual text contains many tips for law of attraction. I personally like the Dhammapada from Buddha. Lots of Buddha’s quotation are true and very enlightening by reminding us to the reality of life and how powerful is our thought and being.
Hi Sunada,
I am a student of Buddhism and am getting to know the river as you beautifully put it another article.
I received The Secret book from a mentor and the only immediate improvement in my won life at the time was, to distringuish between noisy thoughts in the mind and those that actually contribute to a feeling of contentment and serenity. This was not an easy change and took me all of about 3 months or so and have been sharing this with everyone ever since. Then the actual attraction of material goods has never been a wanting personally but know that it seems to have worked for others. I agree with you and most comments here, that acquiring of more unnecessary material goods does not contribute to any personal fulfilment, it needs to come from a spiritual place inside.
I understand Buddhist principles and ways of thinking very well and keep thinking, I wish I stumbled to find this door sooner – all time is good timing.
Keep sharing, we are all connected……metta
I prefer not to think of the LOA as explained in The Secret. As a student of Buddhism, I find the works of Abraham-Hicks are much closer to the actual teachings of Buddhism. Self-appreciation, self-love, compassion for self and enjoying the moment are all parts of their wonderful works at http://www.abraham-hicks.com
I enjoyed reading your post. Keep it up! Peace will find you.