You've hosted workshops in prisons, how does the Law of Attraction go down with the inmates?
It goes down well- because it is an empowering and freeing philosophy that doesn’t judge. I have found people in prison, in general, to be freedom-seekers who have felt confined by society and don’t know how to deal with their minds- so act out in a disconnected way and then, unsurprisingly, create a situation where they are confined physically. However there is a blessing in this- the restricted surroundings can sometimes lead to people ‘awaken’- and I met a lot of people like that who were actually very loving and caring people who were finding their way back into connection and love. It was an uplifting experience and very different to what you’d expect (if you’ve read about prisons in the newspapers or seen prison dramas on TV)
How do you deal with people who are disappointed that the Law of Attraction isn't a quick fix?
In my experience, quick fixes never work- which can be initially disappointing to the side of all of us which dislikes practice and ‘doing the work’. In a way people are relieved when I explain that it isn’t a quick fix- as this explains why this approach hasn’t been working for them up to this point and how, with right application and regular practice, it can and does work. My Success Stories are proof of this- hundreds of examples of mine (and The Law of Attraction Centre’s - which I co-founded) approach working. You can read about these on the website http://www.
It says on your website you "evoke elements of Humanistic Counselling" how do you take the spirituality out of your work?
I don’t take the spirituality out really- although I might change my choice of wording depending on the audience, though I find I need to do that less and less as more people are becoming open to a sense of spirituality we all share. Humanistic Counselling is part of my approach as far as Carl Rogers’ (one of the more well-known contributors to Humanistic Psychology ) Unconditional Positive Regard in his Person-centred approach; the idea of allowing someone to be exactly as they are, which leads to change- and trusting that everyone has access to the answers within themselves. It’s a very spiritual approach too, if you think about it. In my opinion everything is spiritual- and you can’t take that out of life. Though sometimes I acknowledge the label ‘spiritual’ can be off-putting to some.
Do you ever find people that get "hooked" on the victim mentality and compulsively attend self-help workshops. if so how do you help them?
Yes- many people. I’m sure I was in this mindset once- in fact I definitely was; Self-help became just another way to promote my helplesssness, constantly looking outside for the answers. In this way, this question leads in well from the last one- as my work is all about inspiring people to connect to their own power which is the true purpose of all genuine "self-help" . I guess I can sometimes be quite direct with people when needs be. My confidence comes from doing over 500 events and seeing many people change their lives for the better. So I challenge the victim attitude- which isn’t really them at all but rather a false-self imposter, popularly known as the Ego.
Do you have a "go to" exercise for bringing us back to living in the moment that you could share with us?
Meditation and physical exercise (for example, a workout at the gym). My book Instant feeling Good is a concise book full of things you can do in the moment to shift your mood quickly. You can see more about it at www.michaeljames.be
Can you tell us how you and Nikki work together in "Sound and Focus to Align with the Law of Attraction?
Nikki’s work is amazing and she respects mine, too. We have both attended one another’s groups; myself and Nikki know each other very well- which helps- and I trust her approach. She brings in sound and gentle movement and I bring in meditation and written exercises. I find this approach works very well together. Our aims are the same; for people to get into touch with their empowerment and find their own inner voice (Nikki’s company is actually called Free the Inner Voice which explains this). The workshop will be spontaneous in many ways, sharing insights in the moment around some pre-arranged practices. I find this fluidity works well. I’m really looking forward to it.
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