Law of Attraction: Do You Ask For Things Then Tell the Universe ‘No Thanks!’?
Author: ophelia | Category: Law of AttractionWell, the title says it all doesn’t it? Do you ask for things and then tell the Universe ‘no thanks!’? This morning on the front page of yahoo I read this story: “NYC cabbie returns bag of diamond rings” and instantly I thought ‘Did he just tell the Universe “No thanks!”?’
The story read like this:
NEW YORK – Never mind diamonds – a New York cabbie was a Texas girl’s best friend. The driver returned 31 diamond rings he found in his cab after dropping off the passenger, who had left him with a 30-cent tip on a $10.70 fare.
“All my life, I tried to be honest,” said Osman Chowdhury, a native of Bangladesh. “Today is no different.”
But the 41-year-old cabbie from Queens did have a message: “I’m proud of what I did so that people know New York taxi drivers are honest.” What he did started on Monday evening, when he picked up the woman at a hotel in midtown Manhattan and drove her to an apartment building several blocks away. She gave him $20 to pay the fare and asked for $9 back.
The woman, who said she was a jeweler, got back the gems on Monday when she arrived at the alliance office around midnight — incredulous at her luck. She offered Chowdhury a reward — a check for $100.
“I cannot take a penny for being honest,” he said, but he reluctantly accepted the money to cover the fares he lost while trying to track her down.
He said it never occurred to him to keep the diamonds.
Now while most of you reading this are going ‘Wow! That’s nice of him’, I’m going ‘Really horrible message you are sending to the Universe!’ Here is why: The Law of Attraction is always in action - every single minute, day, night, weekend, and holiday, and you can only attract into your life the things that are inline with who you are. Your thoughts create your experiences.
Now that we’ve got that covered, it’s really great that this guy gave the diamonds back to a jeweller and the jeweller tipped him a whole big fat check of $100 bucks but what was he doing to attract these diamonds being left behind in the first place?…
I can imagine he drove his taxi everyday and he picked up people to and from and he got bad tips like this lady was giving (30 cents – wow you can buy your lunch with that tip alone). Now I can imagine that at the end of the day this guy goes home to his wife and thinks ‘Man I need to make more money…God/Universe send me more money. My kids need tuition, we need a new car, the mortgage needs to be paid, we need new coats, my wife is pregnant…it’s cold out here, wish I could have a different job’…Every day he thought ‘I need a way to get more money, maybe I could work more hours, put my life at risk driving all hours of the night and day.’ So this guy thinks the thoughts, starts doing the actions he believes will help…So because God/Universe always gives us our heart’s desires, he sends along this lady – who makes jewelry for a living – to get in his cab and leave 31 and I repeat 31 diamonds in his cab.
Now the jeweller probably wanted to make less money or had some thought about losing money in 2007 or some other thought, because really, who has 31 diamonds rings at a point where you can leave them in a cab? (You and I would have it in a bag, then in a box, then in a bigger box – You get the idea!)
So if you truly believe in the Law of Attraction then you have to believe that both these people are attracting to themselves these events and circumstances through their thoughts. Now if you had driven up to this man and said ‘Here is a wad of $100′s’ he would have still told you ‘No thanks!’ He is in reality telling the Universe how the money he has asked for can be delivered to him – he is basically saying if I get this money any other way except working hard my answer is no!
“I cannot take a penny for being honest,” he said, but he reluctantly accepted the money to cover the fares he lost while trying to track her down.
We hear about this every day – someone finds money in a coat pocket with no name, no number and they turn it into the police. We are restricting how the Universe can deliver what we have asked for! We tell people and you hear it all around ‘Write it down, visualize it, act as if you have it’, but you hear very few things about when the Universe sends it to you. If you’ve asked for a car, are you open to someone giving it to you today? If you are asking for money, are you open to finding it on the back seat of your cab, in the lost belt, in a briefcase at the side of the road?…Or are you only open to getting it by hard work and a bonus on your paycheck?
The other problem is we are programmed that is better to give than it is to recieve. If you keep doing that you will end up with nothing left to give and having recieved nothing either. If you read this story and all you could think of was to say ‘Wow, honest guy!’ you may need to rethink your programming and consider have you really been turning away the things the Universe has sent because you don’t like how it was packaged?!
Are you asking for things then telling the Universe ‘No thanks!’?
Tags: accept your abundance, ask the universe, laws of abundance, receiving money
February 9th, 2007 at 9:48 am
Wow, are you serious? You have no idea what this guy’s life situation is. And regardless, his actions represent the kind of behavior that the world needs if it’s going to have any chance of surviving. If I had to choose between you or him as a friend, you wouldn’t even be a consideration. I mean, according to your “law of attraction,” if I accidentally leave my wallet at your place, I’ll never see it again (at least it’s contents). You’ll assume that I (or the universe) “wanted” you to have it. U R cRaZy. Seek help.
February 9th, 2007 at 9:54 am
I can see that you are one of those who believe that you may be poor but at least you are honest- types- there is no greatness in saying no to money and staying poor just so you can toot how honest you truly are…I’m am not talking about stealing, I’m saying that even when this guy was offered money for his time- he still was saying no- this guy is turning money away..and so are alot of people
February 9th, 2007 at 10:17 am
First off: Thank your for letting my comment be posted. When I saw that it was awaiting moderation, I didn’t have high hopes that it would be let through. I appreciate your integrity on that point.
Secondly: I *do* believe it is better to be honest than rich. I think any right-minded person would respond to that statement with: “Well, Duh.” As you say, there may be no “greatness” in staying poor/honest, but there isn’t even any “goodness” in having money that is obtained unscrupulously.
Thirdly: Your reply to my initial comment says that you’re not advocating stealing, but rather that the guy shouldn’t have refused money for his time. But that’s no true, he *did* accept money for his time. Go back and read the article; it says, “he reluctantly accepted the money to cover the fares he lost while trying to track her down.”
Anyway, you *are* advocating stealing. You wrote: “If you are asking for money, are you open to finding it on the back seat of your cab, in the lost belt, in a briefcase at the side of the road?” Come on, a briefcase at the side of the road?
February 9th, 2007 at 11:18 am
Well thanks for the integrity point- so good to know that some rich people have integrity isn’t it.. if you post something as long as it’s not spam- it will get let thru- because my opinion isn’t the only one in the world and everyone deserves a right to their opinions.
Secondly why do you have to choose between honestly and being rich- noone is saying go rob a bank that’s plain stupid- but there is such a thing called free money- money floating around- absolutely free- you don’t have to obtain it unscrupulously- what if the universe set it up so I can get a briefcase of free money- I used the briefcase thing because I read it in “Stuart Wilde’s book- The trick to money is having some”..what’s wrong with a briefcase at the side of the road- or do you immediately think stolen money,drug money, dirty money..
February 9th, 2007 at 12:10 pm
You wrote: “what’s wrong with a briefcase at the side of the road- or do you immediately think stolen money,drug money, dirty money..”
Well, yeah! Either that or it was left there as a ransom for some kidnapped child (which you have just killed by taking it).
My point is that you have *no* idea how that case got there, but you can bet your butt that it didn’t just appear out of thin air at the capricious whim of a generous universe. (And I very much doubt — although I grant that it is possible — the case was put there by some wealthy individual who wants to randomly reward the first lucky stiff who happens upon it.) That briefcase exists in that spot and at that time because of some *other* person who is either very bad (drug money), very sad (lost life savings), or who is in some other negative state. There are so many things “wrong” with the “briefcase at the side of the road” scenario, I’m surprised you are even asking that question. (Or are you just pulling my leg?)
Anyway, just curious if you have read Richard Bach’s “Illusions: Adventures of a Reluctant Messiah”. It also discusses bringing things into your life by a principle similar to the Law of Attraction. It’s a great book; one of my favorites.
February 9th, 2007 at 12:35 pm
No haven’t read Richard Bach’s book but will definately look into it..I appreciate your point about the kidnapped kid, the very bad person but notice these are all negative thoughts about the briefcase and money in it..money is nuetral- it isn’t good or bad, it’s the people who are good or bad..
But as you can see you aren’t truly open to recieving money from other sources- as I said the briefcase thing was one I got from Stuart Wilde’s book- The trick to money is having some where is he says most people aren’t open to FREE money-his friend started to affirm to the Universe that he wanted money from all sources and found a briefcase by a phone booth.. with 1/4 million dollars I believe- Why does the briefcase thing have to be bad?, why does it have to be associated with all these negative things?- Why can’t it just be that the universe is fullfilling wishes?
I was watching a video on youtube where this guy stood out saying Free money-Would you like $5 bucks- Noone would take the money- He changed it to give away $50 bucks- still noone would take it..I’m gonna go search for that video as it makes my point- Are you asking for things and then telling the Universe no thanks here is the video
FREE MONEY VIDEO TO PROVE MY POINT
February 9th, 2007 at 1:49 pm
Those wacky Australians!
Sorry, though, that video doesn’t prove your point. (The idea of the cab driver not accepting the $100 reward does a much better job.) The reason this example doesn’t work is because people are (rightfully) wary of anyone who so vehemently offers them something of value for “free”. (The examples of this are commonly known and too numerous to mention, but if you don’t think so, then I’d like to offer you a free trip for two to Cancun; all you need to do is attend a presentation on some lovely time-share opportunities!)
And, really, upping the amount from $5 to $50 doesn’t work to prove the point more. In fact, it’s just the opposite. Increasing the value made the passers by even more suspicious of the kooky kid standing on the street offering people “free money”. Make it $1000 and my guess is that someone will soon alert the nearest cop.
As for the briefcase, my thoughts weren’t all negative (remember the possibility of the altruistic tycoon?), but come one, although money is neutral, people’s relationship with it isn’t. All I’m saying is that the money got there to the detriment of someone else … someone who might be greatly hurt if you don’t do the right thing and try to find the owner.
And for the record, Ophelia, I am *very* open to receiving money from other sources. In fact, if you yourself were to offer me $1000 of free money, I would feel comfortable enough with the situation (knowing what I know about where it is coming from) to accept it. I know you would be offering it prove your point, and I’d be happy to disprove it (in this case, anyway. I do agree that people aren’t open enough to the opportunities presented to them). So, send me the bucks! (PayPal email address provided upon request.)
February 9th, 2007 at 1:53 pm
Okay how about I make you a better offer- We are starting a podcast called “Views on Prosperity” which is about diffrent views on prosperity ofcourse- started by two articles that were written- you can go read the articles and VOTE too at http://www.breathingprosperity.com/vote.html
but I’d love to have you as a guest on this podcast so we can all hear your voice and your views- Let me know what you think.
February 9th, 2007 at 2:32 pm
Hmmmm … Honestly, I think the $1000 is the “better offer”. I’ll take that, please! (How am I doing? Fast learner, huh?)
Seriously, I wouldn’t mind talking with you and possibly being on your podcast, but here are my three reservations about that:
1. I don’t have any credentials for this kind of discussion, i.e., I’m not a financial expert, self-help guru, philanthropist, criminal, homeless person, drug kingpin, etc. I’m just a guy. A software developer, actually, with a philosophical bent.
2. Judging by your site’s forums, you don’t have a very big readership (yet, anyway), and I’m not sure it would be worth the time to do a podcast (for either of us).
3. I’m actually not in disagreement with your basic ideas (see my previous post), it’s just that I had a problem with some of the logic and examples you were using. (I really think you could improve upon this; perhaps some study on the topic of critical thinking could help you hone your arguments more clearly). Anyway, I’d probably end up agreeing with you more than not. You see, I once came into a bit of money via company-issued stock options. This was money from “other sources” that I didn’t necessarily work for, but I had NO qualms about accepting it. I hear what you’re saying.
Anyway, if you’d like to talk, I can send you my number via email.
February 9th, 2007 at 2:54 pm
You have taken up alot of my time today- Actually we are having problems with our forum and we are in the process of fixing it as people are unable to log in- hence very few posts if any posts- Problem should be resolved next week..
Two you don’t have to be an expert to have an opinion which is obvious by your responses this morning and most people listening will be just regular people and some will hold your view on the subject- So it would be great if you spoke on their behalf..
Last comment on this is the stocks you accepted because it was obvious that sometime in the past you had worked for it..since you worked for said company..
Okay we will end our long discussion now and save the comments for the podcast- deal and no- the 1k in the paypal account isn’t the better deal- I said the Universe delivering -Not Ophelia!
February 9th, 2007 at 7:23 pm
You are both lovely – I enjoyed reading your posts/comments.
Thanks, Astounded, for your contributions here. I also LOVE my two Bachman books – funny enough, I had been just been thinking these past two days that I should read them again…thanks for the confirmation! Law of Attraction at work.
xoxo
Shauna
February 13th, 2007 at 1:37 am
I hope you don’t mind but i made this post ‘Star post for 12th feb 2007′ over at
http://www.stevenaitchison.co.uk/blog/2007/02/12/this-weeks-star-post-12th-february-2007/
I really like this blog
Steve
February 13th, 2007 at 9:07 am
Thanks so much, Steve!
Appreciate your kind words and your recommendation.
Shauna
April 13th, 2007 at 9:09 pm
You obviously don’t know there is a legal offence called “theft by finding.” Anyone who finds something valuable such as jewellry or a large sum of cash is legally obliged to return it to the owner or the police, otherwise they can be charged with stealing it. Sorry, finders keepers is not a true saying.
May 29th, 2007 at 9:24 am
[...] I did a post a few months ago called Do You Ask For Things and Then Tell the Universe No Thanks?! I know I keep bringing him up but it is a valid point – the cabbie couldn’t accept the fact that 31 diamonds were left in his car; it was way more than he had thought or hoped for, just like $25K was way more than I had thought or hoped for with this domain. So then this brings up the question – has the Universe already tried to answer you requests for money? Has the Universe already tried to send the millions that you’ve asked for? The fact that you don’t see that money sitting in your bank account doesn’t mean the Universe never tried and you stopped the transaction with some thought of the fact that it was just way too much for you to accept. [...]
June 3rd, 2007 at 11:33 am
Namaste….
I found your blog through Susan’s over at Divine Sightings. I really enjoyed the post that you wrote about Standing in the Way, which included a link to this post. It’s the only two I’ve read…and I will go through and read more…but I have to say that I was very disheartened by this one.
I could understand your point about the cabbie keeping the diamonds IF he had no idea where they came from. However, because I also believe in the Law of Karma (or Sowing & Reaping), I believe this man did exactly the right thing by returning the diamonds. For several reasons.
1. Since he knew who they belonged to, keeping them would have amounted to theft – not “The Universe” providing him with unexpected riches. The Universe will never do that in such a way as to anything but the Highest Good for all concerned.
2. I believe that you might be projecting too much on the Diamond Seller with thoughts that they originally ‘attracted’ this scenario because they wanted to make less money. It could EASILY have been that they attracted this lesson for growth in the area of GIVING. Someone who gives a .30 tip and then gives a $100 reward might actually be showing a huge leap of growth from anything they’ve ever done before. When we project our own motivations onto others, we risk skewing the whole picture.
3. I do agree that the cabbie not receiving the reward has it’s own lessons in it. Like another commentor, this act – and not the original one of returning the diamonods – speaks more to me about their lack consciousness than anything.
June 8th, 2009 at 8:41 pm
[...] spoken about this before, and recently fellow prosperity coach and blogger Jeannette Maw wrote a great, simple piece about [...]
October 15th, 2009 at 6:17 pm
You know, back when this was going on I felt very uncomfortable about the whole conversation.
I fully understood Ophelia’s point about accepting money or abundance in any form when it comes to you ie. being open to receiving, while I could also feel accutely the discomfort and shock of those who felt she was condoning stealing.
I believe the solution lies in seeing that we can be far more open to receiving abundance than we already are, rather than in nitpicking the example used.
Belated thanks to all of the people who took the time to discuss this post…it still provokes pondering on my part…
Love,
Shauna