THE CREATIVE PROCESS IN THE INDIVIDUAL by Thomas Troward Theone Press Introduction, Text Revision, and Notes by Jonathan Star Introduction, Notes, and Text Revision Copyright © Jonathan Star, 2011 CONTENTS Introduction: Jonathan Star Forward: Thomas Troward The Creative Process in the Individual 1. The Starting Point 2. The Self-Contemplation of Spirit 3 The Divine Ideal 4. The Manifestation of the Life Principle 5. The Personal Factor 6. The Standard of Personality 7. Race Thought and New Thought 8. The Denouement of the Creative Process 9. Conclusion Notes Appendix 1. Questions and Answers 2. The Subjective and Objective Minds 3. Ourselves in the Divine Offering Selected Bibliography About the Authors ____ ╬ ╬ ╬ ╬ ____ INTRODUCTION (Jonathan Star) In recent years there has been a resurgence of interest in the ideas and principles of the creative power of thought and, in particular, in the ‘Law of Attraction’—a universal principle that was articulated over 100 years ago in the field of mental science called, ‘New Thought.’ The ‘Law of At- traction,’ or the new buzzword, ‘The Secret,’ points to the universal principle that ‘like attracts like’—and if we hold to the principle that our thoughts are creative, then the wise application of the Law of Attraction would be to think about what you want (the positive) and not about what you don’t want (the negative). That’s one way a person can con- sciously work with this law. However, the mainstay of what we attract corresponds to what we hold to be true, and how we truly feel about ourselves. So changing our thoughts, thinking about the positive (and not the negative), is a sur- face approach which has some positive effect but it does not get to the root of the issue—which the concepts we hold about ourselves, our place in the world, and our relationship to Universal Spirit. In sum, we can only attract to ourselves what we already feel ourselves to be, what we feel is natural. So in order to attract something different (and better) into your life you must first change the underlying beliefs upon which your life is based. This ‘inner change’ will, in turn, bring about a change in your thoughts and change in the outward mani- festation of your life. Thus, the “Law of who you believe yourself to be” or the “Law of Being” determines what you attract; the “Law of Attraction” is secondary, it is wholly de- pendent upon the deeper and more fundamental law of your own Being. The Law of Attraction essentially brings you what you al- ready are. To cultivate the proper relationship to this law i one must stop thinking about attracting things but focus on changing the underlying conception on has of oneself. If we don’t know who we are, if we have no clear sense of our true magnificence, and our integral relationship to Spirit— thus, if we are coming from a place of lack, from a place where our understanding of self is based upon the predomi- nance of race-conditioning (and where we believe that at- tracting certain things will bring us the happiness we seek)— then, ultimately, the only thing we can attract is that which supports our partial and distorted notion of self. What we will attract is more lack (because, our fundamental belief about ourselves is that something is lacking, and that we must use the law of attraction to try and fill this lack). The deep sense of lack attracts more lack. Ignorance attracts more ignorance. Quite frankly, if we do not understand that the fundamental fullness of our own nature, then you will naturally seek to attract things outside ourselves in an at- tempt to gain the happiness, joy, love, beauty, etc.—that which is inherent to our own nature—which we feel is miss- ing. The fundamental concept, then, is this: what we are seeking, what we truly long for and desire, is our own na- ture—a nature that is now missing from your own experi- ence of life. The sense of Aliveness, Joy, Abundance, Peace, Beauty, etc. that you seek is really your own nature. You are seeking yourself, the qualities of your own true self, yet you are unaware of this. The only reason that you seek happiness, joy, love, etc., is because that it is your own na- ture. You are looking for yourself. There is nothing wrong with attracting outside things, as this is a necessary stage in most people’s development—but the fundamental tenet to understand is that what you are truly seeking is your own nature. The only sense of permanent happiness and fulfill- ment can come when you—who you truly are—your alive- ness, love, joy, etc.—is found, and becomes present in your own life. And when you live from that place of fullness— which is your natural state of wonder—you will naturally at- tract more and more fullness, more and more of your own wonder. xxx change the concept you have about exterior use of this Law is wi‘work’ which we formedparticipate That’s it for the Law of Attraction—‘Like attracts like.’ However, the Law of Attraction does not offer us any help in answering the deeper questions of ‘who am I?” and ‘what do I really want?’ This requires the application of other laws and prin- ciples. We are always attracting what we are—so, the fun- damental change must be made on the level of our being, on who we are, in order to effectuate any meaningful change in our outer world. The Law of Attraction is directed by your thoughts but empowered by your emotions, your passions, what you really want. What you really want is what you tend to at- tract (unless that desire is constantly undermined by uncon- scious fears and feelings of unworthiness). So, in order to work most effectively with the Law of Attraction one must get clear about what he or she really wants, and then direct one’s energy toward that end. Once there is clarity of intent, and diligent application toward an end (which usually re- quires the dissolution of unconscious fears and resistances) sometimes, quite marvelously, one’s desires manifest. And once you obtain your desired goal, this then begs another question: “Is this what I really want? Does this bring me the happiness and joy that I truly seek? Does this help me realize who I truly am?” And the answer, ultimately, is “no.” Who are You—Really? Let’s get clear on something: most people are occupied with getting what they want because they believe that the at- tainment of those outer things (which may include the ac- quisition of material wealth, relationships, career goals, etc.) will lead them to the love, fulfillment, and happiness that they seek. And, on one level, it does—yet on a more fun- damental level, it does not. One’s true being—which is the true source of one’s happiness and what everyone seeks, iii without even knowing it—is not something which can be gained or attracted since it is the essence of one’s beingness. It is never lost, so how can there be talk of attracting it? Thus, the whole Law of Attraction becomes moot when you realize the truth of your own being: there is no need to try and attract anything because the wonder of your own alive- ness draws everything to you—nay, you realize that you are the creative center of your own life and your joy and fullness overflow into wonder. i Cause and Effect Ultimately, the only thing a person attracts is what he al- ready is. Hence, what you will discover when you begin to apply these universal principles is that there is no secret, no magical formula, no cosmic short-cut to personal transfor- mation. What you attract into your world, and what you al- ways atract, is that which is consistent with your own state— that which you are, that which feels natural to you, that which amounts to the sum-total of what you believe yourself to be (which includes both your conscious and unconscious beliefs.) Thus, the only way to effect any fundamental change in your world is to change its source, your inner state (which is shaped by your beliefs). Your inner state is the cause, it determines that which you attract into your life; the outer manifestation is the effect, the out-picturing of your inner state. (Part of the ‘Secret’ is to realize that you have inadvertently reversed or inverted the cause and the effect, believing that the outer circumstances determine your inner state rather than the opposite: that your inner state and that which you hold to be true about yourself—consciously and unconsciously—determines your outer circumstances. The Law of your own Being Most people approach life from the stance of need, scar- city, and lack, and their modus operandi is to get things in order to be happy. When hearing about the Law of Attrac- tion this, too, is approached from the position of lack, as some cosmic slight-of-hand, some new method by which people can procure the things they want. Thus (in accor- dance with the Law of Attraction) when people labor to ap- ply the Law, and base their efforts upon an underlying assumption of lack (and the need to gain things) then that is what they end up attracting—more lack! And this is the very opposite of what they intend—not something that comes about from a fault in the law but from one’s misunderstand- ing and misapplication of it.