The Aisle Seat

[Written on June 22] It is a long travel day. We disembarked at 9:30am, waited an hour for a shuttle from the ship terminal to the airport, and are now sitting for 6 hours to catch our 3-hour flight home. Our boarding group is towards the end, so it's very likely we'll be grabbing middle seats. Not the funnest way to fly.

I'm listening to an audio book on The Silva Method. It's a meditation and positivity visualization technique. I'm open to certain forms of woo-woo, but others I'm a bit skeptical. I definitely agree with the idea that thinking positively increases positivity in your life. Whatever we focus on grows. So, to that regard, I think our thoughts can very much shape our lives.

Where I lose it a little is when people talk about the idea of manifesting. Like in ways that violate the known laws of physics. I believe in the Divine, so technically I believe anything is possible. What I'm not so sure about is using our minds to spontaneously change physical reality.

For example, through the power of my thoughts, can I manifest an aisle seat on the plane ride home? I dunno. Let's try an experiment. I'm going to sit here for a bit and visualize the aisle seat. One of two things will happen. One, I get the seat. Then I am presented with the question if my thoughts manifested the seat or if it was pure coincidence. Two, I don’t get the seat. That doesn’t necessarily mean thoughts don't affect reality, just that it didn’t affect this situation. I have the choice to either tell myself it doesn't work or tell myself there must be a reason for my non-aisle seat.

Either way, I will find contentment.

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