What If..?. Martina Faulkner

delicious: a thought-provoking exercise in imagination and manifestation. A journey into possibility. I hope it proves equally as exciting for you as it was for me once I started employing the actual power of the phrase.

      And it all begins with two little words:

      What if..?

      CHAPTER 1

      How to Use This Book

      “Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can.”

      — Arthur Ashe —

      We read most things cover to cover. It’s how we were taught to experience a book. Indeed, most books are written in a progressive narrative, building on the pages that came before. This is not such a book. Not entirely.

      This is a book that is meant to be used.

      What do I mean by that?

      Once you’ve read the opening chapters (1–5) explaining the concept, the rest of the book is at your disposal to read as you are inspired. That means you can pick it up at any point after chapter 5 based on your current situation and needs. Or you can allow the Universe to guide you to what would be most beneficial. I’ve done that with many a book and have always gotten what I need when I have trusted enough to let go and allow myself to be guided.

      How did I do that?

      Well, what if you sat down, put the book spine down on your lap, closed your eyes, and let it fall open to a random page? What if you allowed yourself to trust in that process, and you opened your eyes to read whatever words you saw without actively searching for them? Then, what if it was exactly what you needed to hear?

      Whether you’re holding this book in your lap, or scrolling through on an e-reader, what if you sat quietly, moved your finger through the pages, and stopped when it felt right? That’s how I advise you to use this book. Use it, don’t “read” it.

      Of course, you can read it straight through if you want, or chapter by chapter based on what you need. Both ways are equally effective and important. In fact, you can do it one way, and then go back and do it the other. As with all things in life, the power of choice is yours. Just as it is with how you formulate your phrases around the concept of What if..?.

      You get to choose.

      The one caveat, as I’ve already mentioned, is that it is a good idea to read the opening chapters to get a greater understanding of the concept before jumping into using the book in the way that best suits your needs.

      After completing the opening chapters (1–5), you’ll find each subsequent chapter contains the same approach to a different topic. They each start with a series of questions to get you thinking and connected to the topic at hand. From there I employ exercises and share ideas and information to help you expand your process. Finally, they each end with a summary to help solidify the ideas you’ve just explored. Some chapters are longer than others. Some may be of interest to you while others may not. That’s ok. The overview and material presented initially may not seem very deep, but the work you are invited to do can be profound. Again, it’s all in how you choose to use it.

      So let’s get started.

      CHAPTER 2

      The Power of Possibility

      “It is better to believe than to disbelieve; in doing you bring everything to the realm of possibility.”

      — Albert Einstein —

      What is The Power of Possibility, and what does all this mean?

      We’re going to get a little science-y now. Everything — everything — carries potential within it. Everything is comprised of energy. We’re all little balls of energy wandering around a rock made up of energy, floating in a Universe comprised of energy.

      Well, that’s a REALLY simple way to look at it, but it works. As I started to go further into the details of energy and matter, I realized the importance of simplifying things in order to understand the concept of the Power of Possibility and its role in manifesting. Here are some basics that I have distilled from my readings:

      Everything has energy. Energy can’t be created or destroyed; it can only be transferred. There are different types of energy, specifically potential energy and kinetic energy. Typically, everything has potential energy until that something is put into use or activated, and then it becomes kinetic energy. Once it’s dormant again, it reverts to potential energy. Nothing is lost or gained; it is merely transformed temporarily.

      So, in many ways, energy is in everything and everything uses energy. But energy itself is not a tangible “thing.” Therefore, energy is pure potential. It’s the essence of possibility and creation. And, since we are energy, we also carry the essence of possibility and creation within us. Cool, huh?

      That gives us a good place to start. But what does it really mean?

      It means that with few exceptions, mostly biological, if you can think of it you can probably do it. Which also means that if you can focus your attention (energy) on something, you are activating it and giving it infinitely more power to come to fruition.

      The action of thought transforms the potential into the kinetic, even briefly, which increases the possibility of it manifesting. This applies to everything.

      Enter Murphy’s Law.

      Have you ever noticed how we say things like “Just my luck” and “Wouldn’t you know” after something happens that we were hoping wouldn’t? We’ve even given it its own category in life: Murphy’s Law.

      Actually, Murphy’s Law is the idea that anything that can go wrong, eventually will. Colloquially, the connotation has come to describe any and all such adverse outcomes that have been thought of, or could have been thought of, and are then attributed to mere coincidence. But if we accept the truth that everything has a base energy, it stands to reason that we have the power to call forth even the things we don’t actively want simply by thinking of them.

      So, here’s the big piece we’re missing when we attribute unwanted events to coincidence:

      If we are putting ANY energy into them at all, we are helping them manifest.

      What does this mean, though, with regard to manifesting the life you want in alignment with who you are and what your soul needs?

      It means that if you can imagine it — it can happen.

      You may not control the “when” of it all, but by putting your energy and focus on it in a healthy and deliberate manner, while keeping the guidelines and Universal laws in mind, you’ve increased your chances of bringing it forth. Dramatically.

      This also means if you spent your time praying and hoping for something not to happen, chances are you’ve just helped it happen. Focusing your energy on anything helps it come about. Murphy’s Law.

      Now, to put this into practice, let’s play a little. Here’s a variation of an exercise I was given a long time ago in order to begin to see how The Power of Possibility truly works.

      I want you to choose something to focus on. You can get as specific as you like, but it’s best to start with something simple. Here’s what I did:

      I asked the Universe to show me yellow cars. Yellow cars are not a common color on the road, so it seemed that this would be a good test of sorts. For a few days, I focused on seeing yellow cars and inviting them into my sphere. Within a week, the amount of yellow cars I saw as I was driving increased noticeably. It was a bit spooky, actually. I had no idea so many yellow cars existed.

      I