Abraham-Hicks & Shattered Lives: A guest post by Serena

Ideas can be dangerous. One thing that has continued to surprise me is how often people will instantly reject the notion that a nice-sounding belief system could be harmful.

Law of Attraction philosophies are ostensibly empowering and joyful. But in reality, well-intentioned followers will structure every aspect of their lives around these beliefs, which can insidiously lead to negative consequences.

Reader Serena is in a position to know firsthand the destruction that can result from "just" an ideology. A big thank you to Serena for allowing her personal story to be shared with us in this guest post.

Who Gets Addicted to Law of Attraction? 13 Characteristics of Devoted Followers (excerpt)

I no longer follow Law of Attraction teachings (LOA), but I was a proponent for over 5 years. 

In the years after leaving, I began to notice that the unintended consequences of those beliefs were more widespread than I first recognized, affecting many areas of my life. 

But there was something else to analyze, and it took me longer to notice. 

Lying with the Law of Attraction

I didn't realize how much I stretched the truth when I was an avid Law of Attraction follower. I didn't see the depth of it until I reviewed some of my old correspondence. Reading my own Law of Attraction fueled words was a strange experience. I am thoroughly grateful my mind is no longer permeated with that dogma.

In one case, I told my Abraham-Hicks friends that my body changed. I had proof to back it up: I noticed this, then my boyfriend noticed that, and this is what my body has felt like, and these are the changes I am seeing. It's really happening!

Abraham-Hicks: Cult, Scam, or Legitimate? A Reference Guide

Abraham-Hicks, the popular Law of Attraction ideology, is touted as "The Secret Behind the Secret." At the time of this writing, Abraham-Hicks's bestselling book on manifesting your desires, Ask and It Is Given, has a nearly 4.2 star rating on Goodreads from over 17,000 ratings.

But is this system actually teaching a legitimate way to unlock the heights of success and human potential? Or is it a scam or a cult?

The International Cultic Studies Association (ICSA) has a list of characteristics that are associated with cultic groups. Below, I have included the entire list, comparing the Abraham-Hicks (A-H) group point-by-point.

I am writing this evaluation based on my own experiences from being involved, as well as my observations of others who were or are deeply committed to these teachings.

Cult Parallels: Unquestioning Commitment to the Abraham-Hicks Leader and Ideology (excerpt)

Law of Attraction followers who faithfully follow Abraham-Hicks will be well-acquainted with the use of the following words: “Abraham says...”

“Abraham says this about relationships... Abraham says that about money...”

Devoted followers automatically mark anything that comes after "Abraham says" as truth and wisdom.

What's going on here, and how does it develop? This leads me to another installment where I compare known cult characteristics with the Abraham-Hicks Law of Attraction teachings.

Cult Parallels: Abraham-Hicks and the Language of Non-Thought (excerpt)

Is the Law of Attraction philosophy known as Abraham-Hicks a cult? I would like readers to decide for themselves, so I have begun a series comparing components of Abraham-Hicks with known cult tactics.

Next up: Loading the Language.

Cult Parallels: Abraham-Hicks, Encouraging Laziness and Passivity (excerpt)

Why is it that so many people who become disillusioned with Abraham-Hicks and other Law of Attraction teachings come away feeling like they were brainwashed or part of a cult? In no particular order, I will be comparing components of Abraham-Hicks with known cult tactics in a series of blog posts. First up:

Encouraging and Reinforcing Laziness and Passivity