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A Radical New Technique for Manifesting Anything You Want
Hay House 2006 ISBN #1-4019-0561-3 "Flow-dreaming" takes dream work up not just one but several notches! I was impressed with so many things about this book that it was hard to know where to begin. I think the best thing to do is to start with Summer McStravick's background and credentials. McStravivk is the producer/director of HayHouseRadio.com. Founded by Louise Hay, this network is focused on producing live programming that "inspires, enlightens, and uplifts" - in other words, programming that helps us grow as individuals and as a community of people. Part of her work includes hosting "The Power of Intention With Dr, Wayne Dyer", as well as her own show "Flow-dreaming". The technique of Flow-dreaming grew out of the work that McStravick's own family was doing with their special "guided day-dreaming" technique. In 1999 McStravick spontaneously experienced going into the Flow. This prompted her to do further research into consciousness and theoretical physics. Don't let the words "theoretical physics" alarm you! There are levels to this book, yes, but the work can be done, and the benefits experienced, with a basic understanding of the technique. The depths of the "why" and "how" will be of interest to some, but are not really necessary to understand to do the work. McStravivk defines the "Flow" as that which is all around us. It is also part of us, and we are part of it. Everything is made of the "stuff" of the Flow - it is what holds everything together. As stated, the Flow is good, and pure, with a forward, into the future movement that we want to flow with. (Literally, to "Go with the Flow.") The energy that is the Flow brings to everything that it touches an increased sense of life force. To align ourselves with the Flow is to bring increased understanding and energy into our lives. Some important points about the Flow (from the book) are: 1. The Flow can be accessed by anyone. 2. It will show itself differently to everyone, since we all come to it with our own unique understanding. 3. The Flow is a place of great harmonizing and manifesting power. 4. It always travels in a particular, forward direction that mirrors the forward movement of life. 5. It feels outside of time and space. 6. Every thought, event, action, object and situation in life has its very own personal Flow, which is part and parcel of this larger Flow. 7. You can easily access the Flow by utilizing what I've come to know as "Flow-dreaming," which is simply a technique used to get there and start making things happen in this great energetic space. McStravick goes into the background of mind/body/spirit work, and the nature of dualism as a preparation to working with Flow-dreaming. The technique itself is explained in a manner that is easily understandable, beginning with the premise that in our imagination plays an active part in Flow-dreaming. Being "in the Flow" assumes the following (from the book): 1. The Flow is a creative, manifestational field or cosmic consciousness that you're a part of, and from this "place" you can participate in directing your life through thought alone. 2. Your particular Flow moves, or flows, in a general direction toward order and evolution, which also means your highest good and happiness. 3. When you fight against the current of your personal Flow, you create obstacles and frustration - things stop going your way. 4. Guided daydreaming or "Flowdreaming," coupled with strong emotion, can take you into your Flow. 5. Once in the Flow, you can start manifesting those things that you want to occur in your life, and they will start to happen as long as they fit well with your Flow and the Flow of those around you. If they don't fit in, either you'll find yourself swimming against the current the current if you continue to stay fixated on those things, or those desires simply won't manifest - something even better and more in keeping with your Flow will come to you instead. One of the most important points that McStravick makes (indeed, it is part of the foundation of Flow work) is that the power of positive emotion will move this work forward. McStravick presents the technique of Flowdreaming step by step, in an easily understood, easily followed manner. This is actually one part of the work - you read about the technique in an intellectual manner. A huge bonus with this book is a CD that walks the listener through the entire procedure. The combination of McStravick's gentle, well spoken voice and soft, delicate background music makes this CD very easy to use. The CD is presented in the following manner:
1. Track 1 - Introduction In working with Flowdreaming, we learn to work with all of our senses, and with the images and symbols that come to us when we are in the Flow. In this manner, we learn a unique technique for keeping our Mind/Body/Spirit aligned, and experience the gift of having what we wish to manifest coming to us in the best possible manner, with the least possible effort. Part of this is learning to ask for what we want, in the most open manner possible. From the book: "the most effective Flowdream that creates the absolute most beneficial outcome for you is one that allows for the broadest number of good things to come to you, with no restriction." There is a wonderful section towards the end of the book that answers the most common questions asked about Flowdreaming. One of the questions addresses whether a third party (or parties) can be taken into the Flow with you, and whether you need their permission to do so. Another question deals with experiencing negative emotions while in the Flow, and yet another deals with the act of "changing" the past. I was impressed with the answer to this last question, as McStravick indicated that when "altering" the energy of the past, what is altered is not the act, but our reaction to it. We "redo" the scene to bring resolution for ourselves. At the end of the book is a section on resources for further study. I found this section to be a great source of "where to go from here". I personally made the choice to work with this system as soon as I read the book (being that I seem to be swimming "upstream" a great deal lately!). This is a wonderful working resource for personal empowerment that can be used on a personal basis, or as part of group work (McStravick indicates that the energy essentially build on itself in group work, so that in group work you experience a stronger Flow than you do in personal work).
Bonnie Cehovet
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