Many people believe in the existence of spirit guides. I don't know one way or the other if so-called spirit guides actually exist or if the whole idea is purely imaginary. It's unprovable one way or the other. I only know that I can create the possibility in my mind that such guides exist, and I can imagine that I'm communicating with them. But I have no way to determine whether I'm communicating with real beings that exist on some other plane of existence, or if I'm merely communicating with aspects of my subconscious.

In practice, however, this distinction doesn't matter.

Many people like to ask their spirit guides for advice. Other people prefer conscious problem solving. And still others use techniques for accessing their subconscious intelligence. All of these approaches can work. They can all help you devise creative, intelligent, and practical solutions to real-world problems.

During times when I immersed myself in spiritual exploration, I liked using the lens of spirit guides. I especially liked communicating with animal guides. I found that when I used such lenses, my reality reflected my intentions and beliefs. Bears and eagles often popped up as symbols for me, such as to validate certain decisions I was pondering.

In other years when I was much more interested in neuroscience, I liked using the lens of communicating with the subconscious parts of my brain. I thought of my brain as my own personal supercomputer, capable of solving problems computationally with its vast network of 100 billion neurons. I would pose questions to myself and use techniques to encourage my brain to calculate possible answers that satisfied my constraints. That approach worked well too. Some problems that normally took me 2-3 days to solve with conscious effort could be solved in only 20 minutes this way, such as coming up with creative new puzzle designs when I was writing computer games.

At other times when I was deeply engrossed in the subjective reality mindset, I imagined that I lived in a subjective dreamworld. I posed questions to the world itself, such as by speaking aloud in an empty room. Then I allowed the simulated universe to bring me the solutions I desired. This was pretty amazing, especially when the solutions seemed to come from outside of me through unusual synchronicities.

Some people prefer a more social lens. They mainly seek guidance and advice from people, such as friends or experts. When they need help, they'll ask for advice via email, social media, or by phoning a friend. They may hire a coach, consultant, or trainer for help and support as well.

I don't think the particular framework matters, as long as you're able to use some lens that lets you ask for help and advice when you need it.

Seeking Advice vs. Creating Reality

Now let me nudge you to try something different.

Instead of asking for advice, guidance, or solutions, try assigning tasks instead. Depending on which lens you prefer, you can assign tasks to your spirit guides, to your subconscious mind, to your reality simulator, or to other people.

When you assign tasks, use the imperative voice. You can still be polite.

Here are some examples:

• Spirit guides, please find people who will appreciate my new workshop, and encourage them to sign up.
• Brain, wake me up at 5am tomorrow morning feeling alert, refreshed, and motivated to start my day.
• Simulator, bring me an interesting travel opportunity in Australia.
• Friends, please help me stick to my new fitness program, check up on me once every week or two, and encourage me to keep improving.

Assign tasks to invite solutions, education, resources, new behaviors, opportunities, people -- whatever you need.

How long does this take? Only a few seconds.

Does it work? Not always, but it may surprise you that it often does work. Sometimes the effects are subtle though.

Consider just the last item from the list above. If you tell your friends to help you stick with a new fitness plan and check up on you, will they do so? It depends on your friends, but many people would make some effort to comply, especially if you also express gratitude and appreciation for their help. It's not difficult to see that this could create a few small ripples.

The other cases may be more difficult to grasp unless you already have a lens in your philosophical toolbox that can explain how they might work.

Your Universal Fallback

A universal fallback is a lens you can use to explain just about anything, as long as you translate all events into the framework of that lens.

Sometimes I like using the neuroscience lens as my universal fallback. All of my thoughts influence at least some of my brain cells, so all thoughts have a self-programming effect. Whenever I declare a desire, I'm programming some part of myself to influence my behavior to make it happen. So if I think I'm talking to spirit guides or to reality itself, it doesn't matter -- I'm really just talking to my subconscious. Since my subconscious is always listening and since it's influenced by input, including my internal thoughts, then I can explain any effect as a form of brain programming.

Other times I favor the subjective reality lens as my universal fallback. I am constantly living in a simulated dream world, whether I'm aware of it or not. The simulator is always able to read me, so it knows what I want even when I can't consciously articulate it. Whatever happens then, the simulator is making it happen. Spirit guides, people, and my brain all exist within the simulator and are therefore simulations themselves. So it doesn't really matter if I use a more specific lens. The simulator hears all.

What's your favorite universal fallback lens? Do you already have one? If you speak an intention aloud in an empty room, who's listening? Is anyone or anything influenced by that? Your brain? The universe? The simulator? The Force?

If someone tells you they communicate with spirit guides, do you believe them at face value, or do you translate their statements into your preferred lens? Do you believe their guides actually exist? Are they just practicing a form of neurological self-programming in an objective universe? Are they influencing the dream world in a subjective universe?

Use whichever lens you prefer for your framework of reality. But don't just ask for advice and guidance when you feel stuck or need help. Practice deliberate creation as well. Tell your favorite guides what to do. Give them tasks to perform for you. Assume that your guides, the universe, the simulator, your friends, the gods, and/or your own brain are all on your side. Assume they're happy to help you. Tell them what you want, and invite them to bring it to you.

See what happens. ;) 

Steve Pavlina is an American self-help author, motivational speaker and entrepreneur. He is the author of the web site stevepavlina.com and the book Personal Development for Smart People.

Source Here