Hi all! In this video I dive into the "law of attraction"--the idea that you can manifest the things you desire in life through the manipulation of universal energies. It's based on the idea that "like attracts like," so if you have "good vibes" you'll attract positive things into your life, including material wealth. While this sounds great, I think there are certain elements about this "manifestation" mindset that can be really toxic and harmful.
In addition to discussing some of the more problematic elements of the law of attraction, I get into what the law of attraction is, some of its historical roots, and also some elements of the law of attraction that can be beneficial, like the way it encourages positive thinking.
Sorry for the super long video again--I promise next time I'll ramble less!
Thanks for watching! :)
Sources used in this video:
Crockford, Susannah. 2021. Ripples of the Universe: Spirituality in Sedona, Arizona. University of Chicago Press.
Schmidt, Leigh Eric. 2012. The Restless Souls: The Making of American Spirituality. University of California Press.
Albina, Albert C. 2018. “The Law of Attraction: Positive Thinking and Level of Gratitude Towards Happiness.” CMU Journal of Science 22, no. 1: 15-22.
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Albert-Albina/publication/334083472_The_Law_of_Attraction_Positive_Thinking_and_Level_of_Gratitude_towards_Happiness/links/5d15bf1b458515c11cfdb431/The-Law-of-Attraction-Positive-Thinking-and-Level-of-Gratitude-towards-Happiness.pdf
Eagleson, Claire et al. 2016. “The Power of Positive Thinking: Pathological Worry is Reduced by Thought Replacement in Generalized Anxiety Disorder.” Behaviour Research and Therapy 78: 13-18.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0005796715300814
Lyubomirsky, Sonja and Laura King. 2005. “The Benefits of Frequent Positive Affect: Does Happiness Lead to Success?” Psychological Bulletin 131, No. 6: 803-855.
https://www.apa.org/pubs/journals/releases/bul-1316803.pdf
Segerstrom, Suzanne C. And Gregory E Miller. 2004. “Psychological Stress and the Human Immune System: A Meta-Analytic Study of 30 Years of Inquiry.” Psychol Bull 130, no. 4: 601-630.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15250815/
National Geographic’s Brain Games episode “Positive Thinking” (S4, E13)
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4447546/
Also a good article: https://www.psychologytoday.com/ca/blog/the-blame-game/201609/the-truth-about-the-law-attraction
Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/skeptical.witch/
Music in this video is Blossom by Lakey Inspired: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oUwo03pUYx8
#lawofattraction #toxicspirituality #religiousstudies