Adversities Are Our Greatest Teachers (also a Brief Lesson on the Law of Attraction)

"The problematic situations in your life are not chance or haphazard. They are specifically yours, designed specifically for you by a part of you that loves you more than anything else. The part of you that loves you more than anything else has created roadblocks to lead you to yourself. Without something pricking you in the side, saying, "Look here! This way!" you are not going to go the right direction.

The part of you that designed this loves you so much that it doesn't want you to lose the chance. It will go to extreme measures to wake you up, and it will make you suffer greatly if you don't listen. What else can it do? That is its purpose. I wish for you much love and peace." - A.H. Almaas

Change. This is perhaps the most hated word in our modern society.

Ironic really, as most people long for a better life, a happier marriage, a more successful career, a more understanding boss, a bigger house.

But yet, most of us fail to realize that these bigger, better, happier are in fact changes themselves - changes that can only happen when a change has taken place in advance.

In other words, when we change, our circumstances change.

We all have heard of that saying that goes, "You can't expect to open new doors with old keys". Yet, day by day by day, we sit on our hands and hope for a miraculous change to happen that would transform our lives for the better.

A quick lesson on the Law of Attraction

There is a danger in this wanting and yet not acting behavior. Any occult student who are well versed in the natural laws of the universe knows this. Anyone who learns about the law of attraction should already be aware of this too.

You see, what you are doing while you are "wanting" and "wishing for" the bigger, better, happier - day in and day out, is that you are telling the universe your desires.

However, without a clearly defined intention, visualization and inner experience, along with the elevated emotions that we spoke about in an earlier article, that allows for a positive experience of the manifestation of your desires, you may instead manifest them with a less than pleasurable experience.

Remember, the universe does not judge the good from the bad and vice versa. It is not going to send you your desire riding on a multi-colored pony that slides down a rainbow straight into your arms, just because it believes that that will please your heart.

It will always find the path of least resistance in manifesting your intentions. Without giving it certain terms and conditions ('let no one be harmed' for instance), we are leaving it entirely to the universe's hands. And the result may be in the form of the crisis I will talk about later.

Want an example or three?

An occult magick teacher I follow had a student who wished for a certain sum of money. He finally did received a large sum, at the expense of the death of an uncle.

Another student wished for a better parent for the little child next door whose mother was an abusive drug addict. The result, the mother died of drug overdose and the child was sent to a relative.

And my personal favorite: I wanted to lose weight without having to work for it. Not long after, I was diagnosed with an illness that made me lose 9 kg in a mere 1 month. It wasn't the kind of illness where all I had to do was sit in bed and watch TV either mind you. I endured much anguish that lasted months. Lesson learned? Indeed!

Back to our discussion about Change

Sadly, most people wait for some sort of crisis, either in the form of a disease, accident, betrayal, divorce, or a loss, to happen to their lives in order for them to change.

And when this happens, this change that one is forced to make becomes a dreadfully painful experience. No wonder no one looks forward to change.

Most will go through this experience kicking and screaming bloody murder while all the time succumbing deeper and deeper into the state of victimhood.

Because of our shortsightedness (and our faithlessness in the universe), we are unable to see the silver lining. Oh trust me, there's always a silver lining if you're willing to look closely (or make one yourself, if you know what I mean).

You see, the adversities in our lives are like the wise teacher who appears when our soul is in need of guidance. They come with the best of intentions, with wisdom that only the most sincere of disciples could appreciate.

And because life isn't exactly like a Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale, these teachers may be stern disciplinarians rather than gentle fairy godmothers. Tough.

It is during these challenging times that one learns the lesson of humility, of self love and accountability, of understanding and strength, of patience and perseverance.

It is during these times that one realizes that the knowledge one's ego has accumulated is of very little purpose and value, while being taught the lesson that is closer to the heart, closer to the humble ground of the ever magnanimous mother nature.

Adversities are meant to initiate you into greatness. Cursing at the obstacles in your life is like casting stones at the teacher who comes bearing you the gift of strength and wisdom.

Carl Jung once said, "What you resist not only persists, but will grow in size". Therefore resistance is futile. The lessons that you need to learn never leaves until you have learned and mastered them.

Allah does not burden a soul beyond that it can bear. - The Quran 2:286

It is truly not a task for the faint hearted, but alas! The Lord does not test you beyond what you are able (1 Corinthians 10:13).

So if you are suffering from a disease or struggling with a loss of a loved one, if you are going through the toughest divorce or some other forms of challenges and tragedies, I say this to you:

This isn't the death of you. It isn't the end of life as you know it. And it isn't "oh it's all downhill from here". How things are going to pan out from here on out depends entirely on you - your perception and your attitude.

There is much lessons to be learned. Consider this life's generous gift to you in order for you to grow into the next best version of you.

It is time for growth, it is time to leave some parts of you behind as they no longer serve you. It's time to expand - in love, in compassion and in understanding.

But know this, things will only get better the moment you take accountability of your own life instead of taking on the victim role.

Things will only get easier once you set it in your heart and your mind that this is a mere lesson of many that you have to encounter and persevere. And that you shall willfully do both with determination and dignity.

Take it in stride, one day at a time, knowing that the better, stronger, wiser you will emerge at the end of this.

On better days, feel the joy of being alive and celebrate every little victory every time you overcome yourself.

On not so good days, be grateful for the adversity and for the lessons it brings. For “Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow.” – Melody Beattie

Thank you for reading.