MULTIPLE MUL-TI-MILLIONAIRES – FROM READILY-AVAILABLE OLD MNEMONIC
An easy avenue to rich and famous
There’s a new best-seller out of England due here in the Fall I feel compelled to tell you about. A caveat or two: I don’t begrudge any writer his/her due (read; success); and I would prefer not to diminish anyone’s work of any kind, in any way; and for sure, never deny him/her one penny of compensation. However, it’s imperative that I share (warn you?) this impending on-its-way-across-the-pond incarnation that milks a universally available up-for-grabs (by thee, thou, and the hoi-polloi,) conceit. It’s “The Law of Attraction” and in this new spin—the guaranteed money generator is called Manifest, 7 Steps to Living Your Best Life, compiled by Roxie Nafousi, published in the U.S.A. by Chronical Books, San Francisco.
Attractive Attraction. The Law of Attraction, and its components, was kicked around big-league in the 1970s when I was going through life-changing experiences — taking on new approaches to thinking, living, and loving (don’t tell mama). These days the philosophies from that pivotal, decadent decade has recently reared their little-big-complicated-simple head in brand “new?” work— many times presented as fresh and original.
The “Law of Attraction” Action
Back then, a dynamical duo, Esther and Jerry Hicks originally got my attention. Many are familiar with the influential pair who were instrumental in laying it all out; but few knew the details. The Abraham-Hicks material was based primarily around the subject at foot, The Law of Attraction. Intriguing, fascinating folks, those two, a married couple who claimed the concept(s) they were literally and liberally handing out were being passed-on to them via “the other side” from an entity (not of this physical world) called Abraham. (For accuracy’s sake, the Hicks said, Abe was a group of entities). Airy fairy, you might agree, but attention-getting as well as attention-holding. (Footnote: Not long after, “Attraction” also became known as “manifesting.”)
Suddenly, high-profile folks, the Hicks were soon instrumental in the video and book versions of what was to become a worldwide phenomenon, Oprah-bolstered, Rhoda Byrne’s The Secret. (I received two copies as gifts.) Ms. Byrne had permission to use the Hicks’ work in her self-help; and so, specifics were included in Byrne’s projects. Then later, the trio had a falling out...disagreements which resulted in Mr. and Mrs. Hicks withdrawing credit in Byrne’s “secret” as well as spawning several lawsuits. Though the point here, I hesitate to guesstimate how much Ms. Byrne earned, and still reaping in, from her enterprise(s). Is envy one of the seven deadly sins? (More soon.)
What’s paramount for me and you to know, for us to grasp, how influential the concept was — and still is — Attraction goes back generations. Don’t take my word for it.
Background. In 1877, the term "Law of Attraction" first appeared in a book by Russian occultist Helena Blavatsky, in a context alluding to an attractive, attracting power that existed between elements of spirit. Then, an original articulator of The Law as general principle, Prentice Mulford surfaced. Mulford was the foremost figure in the development of even-then New Thought thinking. He detailed the concept in a lengthy essay "The Law of Success,” published 1886–1887. And he was then followed by Nineteenth Century New Thought authors: Henry Wood with his God’s Image in Man, 1892. And soon after, Ralph Waldo Trine, in his 1896 What All the World's A-Seeking. For these advanced, thinkers-authors, the Law of Attraction was concerned with not merely health and wealth, but in every aspect of life. *Helen Blavatsky, first to write about manifesting with The Secret Doctrine, offered this: “Do not be afraid of your difficulties. Do not wish you could be in other circumstances than you are. For when you have made the best of adversity it becomes the stepping-stone to a splendid opportunity.”
Then, the 20th century saw contemporary turns of the screw, a surge in the subject with several books using the concept—two of the best-selling books of all time; Napoleon Hill’s Think and Grow Rich (1937), Norman Vincent Peale’s The Power of Positive Thinking (1952), and 32 years later, a bestseller and thought-changer, You Can Heal Your Life (1984), by magnetic, one-time fashion model, healer, minister, publisher, personality, who became a phenomena as well as exceedingly rich, Mrs. Louise L. Hay, with an offbeat, revived, modernized version of The Law of Attraction. There was enviable press on Hay and many a professional openly expressed their considerations (envy?). (An aside: Hay once told a story about how New York socialite Sharman Douglas stole her husband, but that’s another story, for another time. This is not about gossip, or is it?)
In 2006, twenty-two years later, the concept of The Law of Attraction again gained renewed success with previously mentioned, a global explosion with the release of a video called The Secret (2006), then developed into a 2017 book of the same name. The movie and tome gained widespread media coverage and through the roof, over the moon, sales. (Of course, the world-famous volume was followed by Byrne sequels, The Power, 2010, that details the law of attraction as the law of love. Then, The Magic, 2012. And later, in 2020, Byrne’s The Greatest Secret—more of the same…the beat goes on and on and on. There’s more…
Hip, hard-partying author Roxie Nafousi went to Thailand to clean up her act and immediately got work as a yoga instructor—a new career for her. After a short time, that profession wore thin and her attention waned, so she returned to more fun
Which brings us to the female malefactor at hand, Roxie Nafousi, with the world’s niftiest pep talk, Manifest, 7 Steps to Living Your Best Life, Chronical Books, San Francisco, Fall 2022.
Hip, hard-partying author Roxie Nafousi went to Thailand to clean up her act and immediately got work as a yoga instructor—a new career for her. After a short time, that profession wore thin and her attention waned, so she returned to more fun, swinging, native London. Her words: “I was desperate to be part of the ‘cool’ social scene in London.” At this period, she ran across a podcast on the art of manifesting –which fit right in… meshed perfectly with her budding philosophy — an obvious strong position in the power of positive thinking.
Along about now, (back home in London), Roxie got a hit online from dating app called “Raya”* from smolderingly attractive, sexy (and obviously irresistible) blue-eyed Australian-actor Wade Riggs. They hooked up and actor-and-insipient-metaphysical-educator soon had a son they called Wolfe. *App rap: “Raya,” where one “Meets International Ladies,” or so their pitch goes, for $ 9.99 a month. The likes of Mathew Perry and Ben Affleck sampled it.
Roxie has heart. She parlayed her yoga-and-new-age-inclinations into yet another career, life coaching—which included the magic of manifesting. She was to teach hundreds of executives in corporate and private seminars--her re-packaged, refined path to success, all the while revising her instruction manual. That training tool, “training manual,” morphed into a “chic,” designer, burnt-orange-toned, “Hermes,” pocket-sized volume that became an instant best-seller with fellow Brits – a trim 195-page new-age leaner with seven suggested steps--she admits drawn from her own “life turnaround” …TA-DA, what we have here is “Manifest: 7 Steps to Living Your Best Life.” Cliché alert: and we’re off to the races.
In her words: “My own story was not a case of visualizing what I wanted, taking action, and then seeing all of it come to me straightaway. I still had to face rejections and hurdles. But I never allowed them to stop me from moving forward. I never let them derail me or distract me from my goal. In fact, I flat-out refuse to be defeated by obstacles. When something doesn’t go right the first time, I simply think of another way to do it.” You Go, Girl.
What’s it all about, Roxie?
Miss Nafousi boasts no medical qualifications… her work/pitch/philosophy concerns contentment, self-worth, and self-love. (Who could resist all that?) Foxy Roxie upholds high vibe emotions, positive thoughts, joy, kindness all the while minimizing hatred, fear, guilt. “Like attracts like,” she opines. What’s more, her words, “…the more positive energy you generate the more positive outcomes you’ll experience.” She suggests building a Vision Board – a mainstay of Nafousi’s vision of Manifesting – which is a cork, bulletin board collage of tacked on pictures / photos / likenesses of your dreams to help you tangibly keep your positive thinking on track… Another major component: Visualization. She wisely trots out a superb example/subject of this shrewdly chosen subject – Michael Phelps. Below, I paraphrase her brand of visualization and, the story, (possibly in the public domain,) of Mr. Michael Phelps.** … But first, Roxie’s Self-Love practices: journaling, mantras, affirmations, meditation, daily walks, skin care routines, long baths, self-care, breath-work, exercise, yoga, gratitude. Last, hardly least, Nafousi also believes there is a Greater Force in the Universe… pulling and maneuvering for us… an Energetic Force greater than ourselves. Okay, before moving on, let me conclude, an overview of what we/she covers here…no turn un-stoned, across the board touching on mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual.
**VISUALIZATION. In Nafousi’s intro, she explains that when we visualize what we want, our brain responds by alerting “behavior patterns and our interpretations of our surroundings in line with the imagined goal(s)” “… and our unconscious becomes more perceptive and opens unthought of opportunities that will align with what we visualize.” In her words, “We can prime our brains to drive us toward our desired future.” Her powerful, smartly chosen, example:
Gold Medal Winner and Record-Breaking Swimmer Michael Phelps. Phelps practiced / called up / utilized visualization to prepare for all, every one of his competitive races. Sure, he envisioned winning but did not stop there. He imagined situations along the way …things that might go wrong — and then, with ease, pictured himself overcoming each of those challenges. Visualizing, yes, plus a rehearsal of all the scenarios he could conjure up that might go south -- and then: he would “see” the best possible outcomes. Hence, he would enter every race totally prepared to win, as Nafousi put it, “no matter what.”
I’ve typed here as fast as I can, and I still don’t know precisely what it is. So, before wrapping up, I’ve pulled some bon-bon bon-mots from the book for us to consider. Skim on: Manifest means to make something happen… Manifesting is a meeting of science and wisdom; it is a philosophy to live by and a self-development practice to help you live your best life. You manifest from your subconscious beliefs about what you deserve. This means that you can only manifest what you truly believe you are worthy of attracting into your life. That is: you manifest from your subconscious beliefs about what you deserve. This means that you can only manifest what you truly believe you are worthy of attracting into your life. So, to manifest change, we must first create change. We must do something different... We must challenge our fears and doubt, we must act as our future shelf would act, and we must show the Universe how ready and willing we are to step into our power. How to? To manifest: align your behavior by taking some action and being proactive… Another approach, repeat Affirmations, which she calls Mantras: Examples: “I am ready, I am fearless, I am worthy.… and the Universe will meet that fearlessness and readiness with abundance.” Her argument for repeating affirmations/mantras: We can have only one thought at a time.
So, choose to replace a negative thought with a positive one. Important to know: We do not manifest from out conscious thoughts alone but from our subconscious beliefs about what we deserve. Only five percent of our cognitive activity is conscious…95 percent subconscious, 95 percent of our thoughts, reactions, decisions, perceptions, and behavior patterns are driving by subconscious parts of our brains. And we can’t omit this: Self-love is the driving force behind manifesting. And my favorite from her manifesting take: If you want to manifest successfully, you must resist the urge to give up, and instead find an alternative way to move forward. Yes, when stuck, find alternative ways to move forward, works in every challenge.
Wrap/rap/cap. Though not available here in the U.S.A. until October, the compact, hand-and-pocket sized, soothing, orange-colored answer to life, has already surfaced…been seen spotlighted in the hands of name celebs, singer Harry Styles, model Bella Hadid, Kourtney Kardashian. No moss under her Monolo Blahnik, (sexy high heels,) Roxie Nafousi has ready to go, a follow-up book in the hopper, not yet titled, which boasts 141,000 followers (how can that be?) on Instagram. There’s more. Roxie has moxie. She’s appropriated right out of the Louise L. Hay publisher playbook: soon available, a complete line of promising Manifester products that include, mantra cards, and a self-love journal, and God knows what else for sale. (Take Note: Louise Hay built an empire with that approach, called Hay House, thriving years after her passing.)
And, Oh Yes, I forgot to mention, Roxie Nafousi is quite lovely… downright beautiful. There are dozens of photographs online just waiting for you to Google. If you haven’t guessed by now, this gal can’t miss. The book is worth a look and makes a welcome, highbrow, warm-intentioned gift for friends and loved ones.
Bibliography, Bibliographer, Biblio-rama: I’m not listing the seven steps in the effort — that would be unfair to the author. But here’s lots more:
William Walker Atkinson, Thought Vibration, or the Law of Attraction in the Thought World, 1906
Napoleon Hill, Think and Grow Rich, 1937
Norman Vincent Peale, Positive Thinking Every Day, 1993
Robin Sharma, The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari, 1997
Don Miguel Ruiz, The Four Agreements, 1997
Brian Tracy, The Psychology of Selling, 2004
John C. Maxwell, Today Matters, 2004
Dr. Tara Swart, MD, PhD, The Source, 2019
Also, you might Google: Abraham Hicks, Louise Hay, Wayne Dyer, Eckhart Tolle, Oprah Winfrey. (See the New York Post, June 5, 2022, article by Mark Ellwood, called “Gen Z’s New Secret, Guru.”) Also, check out her on Facebook, webinars, and workshops, see online: “Manifest With Roxie.” And “Moments That Made Me”, her podcast series.
MULTIPLE MUL-TI-MILLIONAIRES – FROM READILY-AVAILABLE OLD MNEMONIC
An easy avenue to rich and famous.