Summary of the book "Ask and It Is Given"

The Story of the Book

Ask and It Is GivenAsk and It Is Given: Learning to Manifest Your Desires is a transformative guide to understanding the principles of manifestation and the Law of Attraction. Written by Esther and Jerry Hicks, the book was first published in 2004 and has since become a cornerstone text for those seeking to harness the power of their thoughts and emotions to create a life of abundance and fulfillment.

At the heart of the book is the premise that humans are powerful creators, capable of shaping their realities through focused thought and emotional alignment. This wisdom is presented through the teachings of Abraham, a group of non-physical entities channeled by Esther Hicks. According to Abraham, the universe operates on vibrational frequencies, and individuals attract experiences that match their dominant emotional states.

The story of Ask and It Is GivenAsk and It Is Given begins with Esther and Jerry Hicks’ exploration of metaphysical and spiritual teachings. Their journey started with an interest in self-help literature, but it took a profound turn when Esther began channeling Abraham. The insights shared through these sessions were initially for their personal growth. However, as their understanding deepened, they realized the potential to help others align with their desires.

The book is structured to serve both as a philosophical exploration and a practical guide. It provides readers with 22 processes designed to elevate emotional states, clarify intentions, and attract desired outcomes. From visualization exercises to gratitude practices, these tools are accessible to anyone willing to engage with them. The teachings emphasize the importance of emotional well-being as a compass for navigating life's challenges and opportunities.

The publication of Ask and It Is GivenAsk and It Is Given marked a turning point in the Hickses' work. It gained popularity not only among spiritual seekers but also within the broader self-development community. Its message resonated with those looking for an alternative to traditional goal-setting approaches, focusing instead on the alignment of thoughts and feelings with universal energy.

Since its release, Ask and It Is GivenAsk and It Is Given has inspired millions worldwide. It has been translated into multiple languages, reaching diverse audiences who have shared stories of its profound impact on their lives. The book’s enduring appeal lies in its simplicity and practicality, making complex spiritual concepts accessible to readers of all backgrounds.

Despite its acclaim, the book has also sparked debates, particularly among skeptics of channeled wisdom and the Law of Attraction. Critics question the scientific basis of its claims, while supporters celebrate its empowering message of personal responsibility and limitless potential.

Ultimately, the story of Ask and It Is GivenAsk and It Is Given is one of transformation both for the authors and their audience. It invites readers to see themselves as co-creators of their realities, offering a roadmap to joy and fulfillment through conscious thought and emotional alignment. This blend of inspiration, practical advice, and spiritual insight has cemented its place as a classic in the realm of personal development.

The Author of the Book

Esther and Jerry Hicks, the dynamic duo behind Ask and It Is GivenAsk and It Is Given, are celebrated figures in the realm of personal development and spiritual teachings. Together, they introduced the world to the teachings of Abraham, a collective consciousness channeled by Esther. Their work has inspired millions to explore the concepts of the Law of Attraction and the power of vibrational alignment.

Esther Hicks: The Channel for Abraham

Esther Hicks’ journey to becoming the channel for Abraham was both unexpected and transformative. Born in Utah in 1948, Esther led a relatively conventional life before her spiritual awakening. She describes herself as having had no prior inclination toward metaphysical or spiritual pursuits. Her life took a dramatic turn when she and her husband, Jerry, began exploring the teachings of various spiritual guides in the early 1980s.

Esther’s channeling ability emerged during a series of meditation sessions. She recounts how she first began to feel a connection with Abraham a group of non-physical entities who describe themselves as “the essence of pure love and knowledge.” The process was gradual; she started receiving thoughts, impulses, and later, verbal communication from Abraham. Over time, Esther became a trusted conduit for their teachings, delivering their messages with clarity and enthusiasm.

Esther’s role as a channel is central to the book. Through her, Abraham shares insights on the universal laws that govern existence, focusing on the vibrational nature of reality. Esther’s ability to articulate these teachings in a relatable manner has made her a beloved figure in the self-help and spiritual communities.

Jerry Hicks: The Visionary Partner

Jerry Hicks, born in 1927, was the driving force behind the couple’s exploration of spiritual and metaphysical ideas. With a colorful background that included careers as a circus acrobat, entertainer, and entrepreneur, Jerry brought a unique perspective to their partnership. He was deeply curious and always seeking answers to life’s big questions.

Jerry’s quest for understanding led him to a wide range of philosophical and spiritual teachings. His introduction to Abraham’s messages through Esther was a turning point in his life. Recognizing the transformative potential of these teachings, Jerry took on the role of curator and disseminator, working tirelessly to ensure their messages reached a broad audience.

Together, Esther and Jerry embarked on a journey to share Abraham’s wisdom with the world. They conducted workshops, seminars, and retreats, attracting a global audience eager to learn about the Law of Attraction. Jerry’s organizational skills and Esther’s ability to channel Abraham complemented each other, creating a powerful partnership that enriched the lives of countless individuals.

Their Legacy

Esther and Jerry Hicks’ work is often associated with the rise in popularity of the Law of Attraction, a concept that gained widespread attention through books like The Secret. However, their teachings stand apart due to their depth and practical focus. While Ask and It Is GivenAsk and It Is Given remains their most famous work, the couple has authored numerous other books and audio programs, each offering insights into living a joyful and fulfilled life.

After Jerry’s passing in 2011, Esther continued their work, channeling Abraham and conducting workshops worldwide. She has carried forward their shared mission with unwavering dedication, ensuring that their legacy endures.

The story of Esther and Jerry Hicks is one of partnership, passion, and purpose. Through Ask and It Is Given, they have gifted the world a profound understanding of human potential, leaving an indelible mark on the landscape of self-development and spirituality.

Summary of the Book with Excerpts from It

Introduction to the Book

Ask and It Is GivenAsk and It Is Given serves as a profound guide to understanding the Law of Attraction, teaching readers how to create the life they desire by aligning their thoughts, emotions, and intentions with the vibrational frequencies of their goals. The book combines spiritual wisdom from Abraham, channeled by Esther Hicks, with actionable tools that readers can use to manifest their desires.

The central premise is that every thought and emotion vibrates at a frequency, attracting experiences that match those vibrations. The book provides detailed guidance on identifying and shifting these vibrational patterns to achieve joy, success, and abundance.

Part I: Understanding the Law of Attraction

In the opening chapters, Abraham introduces the core principles of the Law of Attraction. They emphasize that like attracts like: positive thoughts and feelings attract positive experiences, while negative vibrations draw more negativity. The authors explain that everything in the universe, including thoughts and emotions, is energy vibrating at specific frequencies.

Excerpt: “Every thought that has ever been thought still exists, and whenever you focus upon a thought, you activate the vibration of it in your now. So whatever you are giving your attention to causes you to emit a vibration, and the vibrations that you offer equal your asking, which equals your point of attraction.”

This section encourages readers to become conscious of their thoughts and feelings, as these create their vibrational point of attraction. By focusing on what feels good, readers can align themselves with higher frequencies that attract their desires.

Part II: The Process of Creation

Abraham introduces the concept of deliberate creation, which involves three steps:

• Ask:
• Clearly identify what you want. This step happens naturally through your life experiences.
• The Universe Answers:
• Once a desire is launched, the universe immediately responds by creating the vibrational reality of it.
• Receive:
• Align your thoughts and emotions with the vibrational frequency of your desire to allow it to manifest.

Excerpt: “The Universe does not know or care if the vibration you are offering is because of something you are living, or something you are imagining. In either case, the Universe accepts it as your point of attraction and matches it.”

This section highlights the importance of emotional alignment. Readers are encouraged to visualize and feel the emotions associated with already having their desires, which brings them into vibrational harmony with their goals.

Part III: Emotional Guidance System

Abraham introduces the Emotional Guidance System, a tool for understanding one’s alignment with their desires. They explain that emotions act as a compass, indicating whether a person is moving toward or away from their goals.

The authors present the Emotional Scale, which ranges from the highest vibrations (joy, love, appreciation) to the lowest (fear, despair, grief). Readers are encouraged to gradually climb the scale by choosing thoughts and actions that feel slightly better than their current state.

Excerpt: “As you pay attention to the way you feel, and deliberately choose more thoughts that feel good while you think them, you will gently and easily achieve a state of vibrational alignment with your own Source.”

Practical exercises, such as pivoting and reframing negative thoughts, are introduced to help readers shift their emotional state.

Part IV: The 22 Processes

One of the most practical sections of the book is the 22 processes Abraham shares to help readers raise their vibrations and manifest their desires. These processes are designed for people at various emotional states, making them accessible regardless of one’s starting point.

Some notable processes include:

• The Rampage of Appreciation:
• This practice involves focusing on things you are grateful for to shift your vibration toward positivity.
• Excerpt:
  “When you find yourself feeling appreciation, you are always in your natural state of receiving. You are in the perfect place, at the perfect time, with the perfect awareness.”
• Creative Workshop:
• A visualization exercise where readers imagine their ideal life and immerse themselves in the emotions associated with it.
• Wouldn’t It Be Nice If…: A lighthearted method to explore desires without resistance. Readers fill in the blank with scenarios that feel exciting and inspiring.
• The Prosperity Game:

• A fun activity where readers imagine receiving increasing amounts of money daily, focusing on how they would joyfully spend or invest it.

Each process is accompanied by clear instructions and examples, ensuring that readers can easily implement them into their lives.

Part V: Advanced Teachings

As the book progresses, Abraham delves deeper into advanced concepts of the Law of Attraction, such as the idea of vibrational escrow. They explain that every desire creates a vibrational reality that exists in the non-physical realm, waiting to manifest in the physical world when one aligns with it.

Excerpt: “Your work is to remain in the state of joy, balance, and alignment, so that your Vibrational Escrow can flow effortlessly into your experience.”

Abraham also addresses common questions, such as why negative experiences occur and how to navigate resistance. They clarify that negative experiences result from focusing on unwanted vibrations and that shifting focus is the key to change.

Practical Applications

The final chapters explore how to apply these teachings in everyday life, from relationships and health to career and financial success. Abraham emphasizes that no goal is too small or too big; the same principles apply universally.

The book concludes with a reminder that life is meant to be joyful and that aligning with one’s desires is a natural and fulfilling process.

Excerpt: “There is nothing you cannot be, do, or have. You are a magnificent creator, and you are here by your powerful and deliberate wanting to be here.”

This summary captures the essence of Ask and It Is Given, blending its philosophical insights with practical applications. The book invites readers to take control of their lives by aligning with the energy of their desires and living in a state of joy and abundance.

The Benefits of the Book

Ask and It Is Given offers profound insights and practical tools for anyone looking to transform their life by mastering the principles of the Law of Attraction. Its benefits extend across various aspects of personal development, spiritual growth, and emotional well-being. Below is a detailed exploration of the advantages this book provides to its readers:

1. Empowerment through Self-Awareness

One of the core benefits of the book is its emphasis on self-awareness. By introducing readers to the vibrational nature of thoughts and emotions, the book helps them recognize the power they hold in shaping their reality. The Emotional Guidance System, a key concept, teaches individuals how to tune into their feelings as indicators of alignment with their desires.

• Practical Benefit:
• Readers gain clarity about what they want in life and learn to identify and shift limiting beliefs or negative thought patterns.
• Example:
• Through the process of “pivoting,” individuals can replace unproductive thoughts with ones that align with their goals.

2. Emotional Healing and Resilience

The book provides tools to navigate emotional challenges by guiding readers to climb the Emotional Scale. This approach helps people move from low-vibrational emotions, such as fear or despair, to higher vibrations like hope, love, and joy. This gradual improvement fosters emotional resilience and a sense of empowerment.

• Practical Benefit:
• Readers learn to manage stress, overcome negative emotions, and maintain a positive outlook even in difficult situations.
• Example:
• The “Rampage of Appreciation” process encourages gratitude and shifts focus from problems to blessings, creating an immediate mood boost.

3. Practical Tools for Manifestation

The 22 processes outlined in the book are one of its most practical features. These exercises cater to individuals at different emotional levels, making the teachings accessible regardless of their starting point. Whether through visualization, scripting, or games like “Wouldn’t It Be Nice If…,” the book equips readers with actionable strategies to align their vibrations with their desires.

• Practical Benefit:
• The exercises are easy to incorporate into daily life, making manifestation an enjoyable and achievable practice.
• Example:
• The “Creative Workshop” allows readers to vividly imagine their ideal life, activating the vibrational energy needed to attract it.

4. Improved Relationships

By focusing on alignment and vibrational harmony, the book offers insights into improving relationships. It emphasizes that by aligning with joy and love, individuals can attract harmonious relationships and enhance existing ones. Readers are encouraged to focus on the positive aspects of their relationships rather than dwelling on conflicts or shortcomings.

• Practical Benefit:
• Readers experience more fulfilling and loving connections by shifting their focus to what they appreciate in others.
• Example:
• The “Wouldn’t It Be Nice If…” process can be used to visualize and manifest better communication and understanding in relationships.

5. Enhanced Health and Well-Being

The teachings in Ask and It Is Given highlight the connection between vibrational alignment and physical health. Abraham explains that negative emotions and resistance create blocks that can manifest as illness or discomfort. By focusing on positive emotions and releasing resistance, individuals can align with better health.

• Practical Benefit:
• Readers learn to cultivate a positive mindset that supports physical vitality and overall well-being.
• Example:
• The book’s emphasis on joyful living encourages practices like meditation, relaxation, and mindfulness, which promote health.

6. Financial Abundance

The book dismantles common limiting beliefs about money and abundance, encouraging readers to see wealth as a natural outcome of vibrational alignment. Abraham stresses that financial success, like any other desire, is achievable by focusing on the feelings associated with having it rather than the lack of it.

• Practical Benefit:
• Readers gain confidence in their ability to attract wealth and develop a more abundant mindset.
• Example:
• The “Prosperity Game” helps readers practice imagining financial abundance and enjoying the feelings associated with it.

7. Spiritual Growth

At its core, Ask and It Is Given is a spiritual guide. It introduces readers to the concept of Source Energy and their eternal connection to it. The teachings encourage a deeper understanding of one’s purpose and alignment with universal energy.

• Practical Benefit:
• Readers develop a stronger connection to their inner selves and feel a sense of purpose and alignment with the universe.
• Example:
• The book’s meditative practices promote a sense of inner peace and clarity.

8. Universal Applicability

The teachings in the book are not tied to any specific religion or belief system, making them accessible to a wide audience. Its universal approach appeals to anyone interested in improving their life, regardless of their background or spiritual orientation.

• Practical Benefit:
• The book’s principles can be applied to any area of life, from career and relationships to personal fulfillment.
• Example:
• Readers can customize the 22 processes to suit their unique goals and challenges.

9. A New Perspective on Challenges

Ask and It Is Given reframes challenges as opportunities for growth and alignment. It teaches that contrast the experience of unwanted situations—is essential for clarity and expansion. By shifting focus from problems to solutions, readers can overcome obstacles with a sense of empowerment.

• Practical Benefit:
• Readers develop a proactive mindset, viewing challenges as stepping stones to greater fulfillment.
• Example:
• The process of “reframing” helps individuals see setbacks as temporary and necessary for progress.

10. Long-Term Impact

The book’s teachings have a lasting impact because they empower readers to take control of their lives. By mastering the Law of Attraction and maintaining vibrational alignment, individuals can continue manifesting their desires long after they’ve finished the book.

• Practical Benefit:
• Readers gain lifelong tools for creating a joyful, abundant, and fulfilling life.
• Example:
• The Emotional Guidance System becomes a daily practice for maintaining alignment with one’s goals.

Conclusion

The benefits of Ask and It Is Given are multifaceted, offering readers a roadmap to transform their lives on emotional, spiritual, and practical levels. By combining profound insights with actionable tools, the book empowers individuals to embrace their role as deliberate creators of their reality. Whether seeking greater joy, financial abundance, or deeper spiritual connection, this book provides the guidance needed to achieve those goals.