frame of mind, you’d stick this at the top of the list even before pure air, because without a doubt, the need to both give and receive love (to and from everyone) is the subtext of all our interactions with others – not that I’d say it’s all you need, because without clean air, something to slake your thirst, a bit of grub in your stomach, a roof over your head, freedom from pain and illness, strength and all the rest of it, you won’t be feeling very loving; and without some nice threads and a bit of a wash every now and then you won’t be very appealing in the loveability stakes anyway. But once the basics are taken care of or transcended, it’s love you want, not just carnal or romantic love but the unconditional, universal variety, as well as general day-to-day bonhomie. So visualize yourself now, chest completely relaxed, heart open, with love not only pouring forth from you, but pouring forth into you from six billion people worldwide including partners, lovers, family, friends, acquaintances and strangers, and don’t just see it, but feel yourself veritably glowing with it now.
respect
Pretty much all the trouble and strife, the rage, the violence and the war comes about because someone feels someone else doesn’t respect them in some way or other. Everyone wants respect – it’s almost crucial to psychological survival – and to get it, as you know, you have to give it, not just to others, but most importantly to yourself. But what does it look like? I don’t know – you’ll have to make up your own picture – but do it now. Visualize yourself fully worthy of respect, respected and respectful, like an oriental master (or mistress) of some ancient, arcane art, with that air of respect hanging lightly but unquestionably around your person – and feel how it subtly alters your demeanour now.
visualize yourself now, chest completely relaxed, heart open, with love not only pouring forth from you, but pouring forth into you from six billion people worldwide.
everyone wants respect – it’s almost crucial to psychological survival – and to get it you have to give it, not just to others, but most importantly to yourself.
gainful, fulfilling employment
Though you may well think it would be nice to lay around in bed all day (especially if you wake up tired in the morning), you’d probably find it a tad tedious after a few days, as anyone unfortunate enough to be bedridden will tell you. No, it’s a fact, people like to be employed, and need to be – not just for obvious reasons of survival, for even those blessed or cursed with large inheritances crave a purpose in life, and purpose generally tends to be intimately tied up with gainful, fulfilling employment. Indeed, from my own perspective, I’d say it’s one of the best drugs around, and seeing as you generally have to spend such a large slice of your available time doing it, it would be just as well to enjoy what you’re doing. So visualize yourself now, doing exactly (or even approximately) the kind of work you imagine bringing you both the money you need and the fulfilment you crave, and if you already have that, visualize yourself refining it, so you earn even more and enjoy it even more profoundly. And don’t just see it, but smell it, hear it and feel it too as a vapour of utter satisfaction pervading your person from head to toe.
social status
There’s no need to point out how important social status is to everyone, even if they don’t admit it. Our entire social structure, whether we like it or not, is organized around hierarchies of social importance, based on criteria of merit, wealth, power and influence (including the ability to provide connections through marriage or association). Were it not so, everyone would drive around in identical cars and wear identical clothes and have identical exteriors to their houses, and we wouldn’t have such a sick fascination with celebrity culture, with all its shallow tawdriness. The energy we put into outward displays of status, however discreetly splurged, is truly phenomenal – hence the pointless expenditure on so-called premium logo branded clothing, for example, or being seen at the ‘right’ overpriced restaurants and clubs. And while it’s obviously utterly silly, it’s an utterly silly life in many respects, and nothing is gained by avoiding the status game altogether, so you might as well visualize yourself now enjoying good social standing and having the power to influence events in a positive direction. I’m not sure how that looks to you. But however it looks to you, let yourself see it, feel it, smell it, taste it and hear it now.
a good reputation
Having a reputation as a mostly (no one’s perfect) honest, just and fair-minded person, as opposed to a dishonourable, no-good lying cheat, is not only desirable but fairly indispensable (unless you live in a bubble), for your very survival depends on people being willing to engage in commerce with you in one form or another and commerce depends on trust. So visualize yourself now enjoying a solid reputation as an all-round honourable character with whom others are keen to be involved on whatever level. Perhaps see yourself walking through the great marketplace of life and being greeted left, right and centre as a queen among women or a king among men – or even a queen among men and a king among women (or it could all turn out to be a bit of a dry experience for everyone).
popularity
(maybe involving fame)
Everyone except the most miserable spoilsport wants to be popular. Popularity is almost akin to respect, status and having a good reputation but is subtly different, in that when you walk into a crowded room, people don’t just treat you with respect, admiration or at least deference, but come up and hug you instead, which is always a lot more fun for everyone involved. Indeed it’s great to be popular, as long as you remember people are fickle and resist the temptation to take it seriously. So visualize yourself with a scintillating social life, the most popular belle or beau of the ball, your card marked for the duration, but visualize it so because you’re exuding so much love and bonhomie. More importantly, visualize yourself with at least a few real friends, sisters and brothers who make your heart sing whenever you meet, talk, email or text, because as far as I can tell, all the clever-clever stuff aside, there’s hardly anything more important.
safety
Interesting one, safety. Even though we know that living in a human body on a planet in deepest, darkest space, which is hurtling around the nearest star at 66,000 mph, while simultaneously rotating on its own axis at no less than 1000 mph, and is subject to the vagaries of stray asteroids and comets, unpredictable weather and climate, tidal waves, flooding, drought, famine, pestilence, economic turbulence, social unrest and human violence, is probably the most dangerous game a spirit can play in life, still we delude ourselves into expecting safety in our everyday lives and are strangely surprised when events turn dangerous. Nonetheless, start immediately visualizing a protective sheath of energy around you and anyone whose safety you may be concerned about. See yourself so surrounded, walking through the jungle of life without a single lion, tiger, mugger, rapist or murdering gangster pouncing on you now.
entertainment
Well it would be pretty damn boring without it, wouldn’t it? No matter how spiritually developed you are, nor how fully engaged you are in your gainful, fulfilling employment, you still need to be entertained by life, whether formally at the
