By Judith Orloff, M.D.

Adapted from Positive Energy, Harmony Books, April, 2004

A basic dynamic of energy is that we attract who we are--the more positive energy we give off, the more we?ll magnetize to us. Ditto for negativity. It works like this: Love attracts love. Grumpiness attracts grumpiness. Passion attracts passion. Rage attracts rage. The explanation? This human form of ours is a subtle energy transmitter. We?re constantly sending out signals which others on similar frequencies pick up on, and gravitate towards--an instinctual call we may not be aware of. Why opportunities do or don?t show up in our lives is a function of this. Energy doesn?t simply have an on-off switch. Just as a radio has a volume control, you can adjust your energy. Here?s how to boost your positive signals.


Identify your best parts and speak from them
Pinpoint your finest qualities. Perhaps irreverence, sensitivity, compassion, humor--then project them to the world. By speaking up and stepping out of your comfort zone you?re enlarging your energy field. Before meeting new people or going to important events prime yourself. Take a break for an inner pep talk. Think, ?I?m not going to focus on my insecurity but on a strength; I?m going to feel and trust the positive energy inside me. I?m going to claim my full power.? Such a selective attention device puts your best parts front and center. Then, perspective shifted, it?s easier to confidently move forward. You can?t overdo this approach. Use it routinely. Making a choice about where you?re coming from focuses your energy.


Extend heart energy outward
Love creates an irresistible charisma, a warm glow that makes us and others happy. You can send it in any situation, a nurturing that won?t drain us. How? Focus on your heart center (see Chapter Two?s meditation), and envision something you love. A flock of seagulls. Your son?s smile. A blooming rose. Then, during a conversation, inwardly ask, ?Let love flow through me.? Feel it rise from your chest; notice a sense of heat, serenity, a radiance. These vibes move outward. People soften around them, feel safe, want more. So, when standing by your boss start pumping away. Loving energy smoothes the rough edges of any circumstance, facilitates rapport. Try it even if you don?t like someone, but seek to get along better. Our loving heart can melt the feistiest curmudgeons. It conveys the sense of what Buddhists call the ?groundless ground,? an ultimate secure place that stabilizes us from the inside out. Others pick up on this primal draw. Without heart, people are energetically wobbly, despite outer confidence. (For instance, a spiritual teacher who talks a good game but doesn?t emit heart energy is an imposter). The kinder we are to ourselves and others, the more love we communicate.


Regularly Meditate
Happiness can be increased by meditating. Cutting edge brain research confirms that we all have a certain mood set point, a range of feelings we usually inhabit. But with regular meditation, it?s been shown that we can alter our habitual moods towards the positive. Use this method. When feelings surface during meditation, monitor them. Focus on what?s uplifting, not the swirl of negative emotions. As you?ve done before, use the breath to center yourself. This inner turnabout transmutes pessimism to something higher. Subsequently, your vibes change; others will respond.


Commit to Emotional Housecleaning
A fact I?ll keep trumpeting: healing negativity prevents toxic build up in your energy field. As I emphasized in Chapter 4, consistently chipping away at the negative makes room for more light in your being. Self-awareness is our greatest ally against fear and its bullying cohorts. When these brutes appear, it allows you to say, ?I know you. Now scram!? Psychotherapy, introspection, meditation, journaling, and/or talking with friends all work to further healing. As negativity remits, your energy becomes more alluring.


Judith Orloff, MD is a board-certified psychiatrist and a medical intuitive.
This article is adapted from her newest book, Positive Energy: Ten Extraordinary Prescriptions for Transforming Fatigue, Stress, and Fear into Vibrance, Strength, and Love (Harmony Books, 2004). Positive Energy is available at http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0609610104/ref=pd_pym_ka//103-3388166-3207859?v=glance. She?s also written the bestsellers Guide to Intuitive Healing and Second Sight. Dr. Orloff is an assistant clinical professor of psychiatry at UCLA and an international workshop leader. For more information on Dr. Orloff?s workshops and workshop schedule visit http://www.drjudithorloff.com/