Shift Your Perspective

While I generally love New Thought teachings, I have to admit they get me a bit crazy sometimes. One notion that comes to mind when I think about receiving is that in order to manifest something we need we have to stop wanting it, and then it will come to us. To me, that’s like telling a hungry person to stop wanting food so he can get some! I don’t know how to stop wanting what I need, such as enough money to pay my bills.

Now I’ve heard this suggestion more than once, and I usually dismiss it. Recently though I read a wonderful article about perspective by Joanna Blum that enabled me to appreciate this advice. She uses the analogy of a camera and the way the photographer looks through the viewfinder and centers on one particular object. In doing so, the other things in the frame do not disappear; they just become blurry, while the object of interest remains clear. Suddenly, I had a different interpretation of “not wanting.” I didn’t have to stop wanting what I needed. I could allow it to stay in the frame and shift my focus to be on what I do have. I did not have to pretend that I didn’t need the money to support myself. My needs did not have to go away; I could still acknowledge their blurry presence, but keep myself centered in gratitude for the money I do have.

This changed perspective has created a new practice for me. When I find myself thinking about a need or desire I have, I gently acknowledge it. Then I imagine seeing it in a viewfinder and shifting my aim off of it and onto something wonderful that I have. I feel grateful for that and trust that all else is being provided for me.