Increasing Our Spiritual Fulfillment

Self-help has been a growing topic in North America, studied by Americans in search to raise their overall level of happiness. According to the article "A Brief History of Self-Help", the study of spiritual fulfillment roots to the Puritans in early colonial America, in their search to better each individuals' feelings of self worth. Websters dictionary defines Self-Help as “the act or an instance of providing for or helping oneself without dependence on others.” Although Self-Help roots back to early colonial America, it wasn't until the 20th century that self-help has become such a wide spread phenomenon. Steven Starker, in his 1989 book Oracle at the Supermarket: The American Preoccupation with Self-Help says "self-help is an essential part of American culture," connecting it to American Independence and Thomas Jefferson who idealized the new nation as a place where "a man could rise in his station according to his merits and abilities."

If you're interesting in Attending a Self-Help group, read into the following article on what Self-Help groups are really all about.

Self-Help Groups

The Secret

The Secret, by Rhonda Byrne

The Secret, by Rhonda Byrne is a motivational book that reveals 24 teachers' findings and stories, based on a simple concept, "The Law of Attraction."
  
"You've probably been sitting there wondering, "What is The Secret?" ill tell you how I've come to understand it. We all work with one infinite power. We all guide ourselves by exactly the same laws. The natural laws of the universe are so precise that we don't even have any difficulty building spaceships, we can send people to the moon, and we can time the landing with the precision of a fraction of a second. Wherever you are—India, Australia, New Zealand, Stockholm, London, Toronto, Montreal, or New York—we're all working with one power. One Law. It's attraction! The Secret is the law of attraction! Everything that's coming into your life you are attracting into your life. And it's attracted to you by virtue of the images you're holding in your mind. It's what you're thinking. Whatever is going on in your mind you are attracting to you. "Every thought of yours is a real thing—a force."  - Bob Proctor, (pg. 3-4)

Bob Proctor, one of many teachers in this book, believes that the Law of Attraction works in every bodies lives. If you think about what you don't want, you are going to receive what you don't want. On the other hand, if you think about what you want, you will receive what you want.

When you're feeling down, did you know that you can change it in an instant? Put on a beautiful piece of music, or start singing—that'll change your emotion. Or think of something
beautiful. Think of a baby or somebody that you truly love, and dwell on it. Really keep that thought in your mind. Block every thing out but that thought. I guarantee you'll start to feel good. Bob Proctor, (pg. 52)

What does The American Dream mean to the public?

In "The Polls-Trends" the following three questions were asked to participants, to gain insight about  what the American Dream meant to them: What are the trends in public opinion on the definition of the American Dream? What are the trends in public opinion on whether the American Dream is achievable? Related to this are issues of who can achieve the Dream, as well as when and how it can be achieved. What are the trends in public opinion on the role that politics and government play in making the American Dream achievable?

Many Americans seem to believe that persistent hard work and determination, are essential for having a happy life style, but this does not guarantee success, especially in the newer generations. Spiritual happiness was the underlying role, to what the majority perceive the American Dream to consist of for themselves and for their family.  The statistics show that most American's gain overall satisfaction and happiness through the means of spiritual fulfillment. Next to spiritual fulfillment, material success contributed most heavily to American's overall happiness. The trend the data reveals is a decrease in the level of happiness gained from spiritual fulfillment overtime, with an increasing rate of happiness in return from material success, and that it is becoming harder to get return from hard work and determination.