Manifesting in the outer world is proof that your inner ideas work.

A lot of people pay lip service to being wealthy, but they don't really want a bunch of paper notes with portraits of dead presidents on them. What they want are the things that money can buy. Or at least that's what they think they want.

What people really want is the feeling that they think those things will give them.

Of course, you can have the feeling without the thing. So why pursue the thing at all?

Because its the pursuit, the journey, that is the most important thing. It's that journey that produces wisdom, not the things or the money.

Vesuvius beat me to the point with his wonderful answer. But I feel like giving my answer to this question in my own way (even if only for myself...because I always learn when I answer questions hehe)

The outer world is the testing ground for the truths experienced on the Inward Quest.

I consider this important. Exploring our inner depths is dodgy at best...there is not much to grab on to. Above all else, what we are prone to by the nature of what we do, is self-delusion. So one must ask oneself...why am I going on this inward quest? For myself, one of the answers (I have a few) is to find my own truths.

There is a part of us, that does not wish us to explore inwards. I am not sure why. But it is there. It would prefer you don't try at all. But if you do, and persist, it will surrender on that front - and then the real issue begins. It throws up all sorts of experiences, and a whole load of bullshit and try and convince you it is true. If it succeeds at this, it has won...and though we continue to think we are exploring our inner being...all we are doing is exploring whatever this part of us desires to have us experience. And rest assured, there is no truth in its mockery of us.

The only way I know of, out of that dangerous situation, is to test in the outer world. Because, as far as I have experienced (in my admittedly short life this time around)...truth will always present to our conscious mind a means to test it in the external world...or at least, elements of it. If it does not present this opportunity, then the unveiled lie of that part of us should quickly be discarded. Only contraction of our life results from such a "truth."

In genuine laboratory alchemy (it does exist), the mystic performs inner meditation and exercises to explore, alter and unfold the self. The test of this growth is in the transmutation of the physical materials which they are working with. As far as they are concerned...if the materials do not change...you have not really changed or unfolded either, despite protests to the contrary.

In my personal opinion, merely going inward is not what we're here to do. The God within us, wants to express itself outwards. It enjoys it. It does not -really- need to go inwards...it knows itself plenty. Going inward is helpful to our conscious mind, far more than our inner being. Going inward allows us to touch it...and then it says to me "Enjoy the bliss...and now go out to your brothers and sisters...I want to do this for...and with them!"

As to what others seem to be interested in...people are always more than they seem to be. Some may appear one way, but one does not know what deep desires, ideas and feelings are brewing below the surface. It is the classic 'friendly giant'/"good book with a bad cover" issue.

Those who might "actually" just be interested in attaining health and wealth (though the fact is, even they are not interested merely in that) will eventually consciously desire other things. And, believe it or not...many of those who currently are only interested in inner wealth, such as wisdom...will begin to desire outer things. [Such was the case for me] Of course, one could desire health, wealth AND wisdom. It is not such a shocking thought. :P

I am in complete agreement with Vesuvius's answer here.

I discovered this with my own life. Once I discovered that I could transform my circumstances with conscious focus or preference of intent within consciousness, I didn't have a desire to manifest all the material things in life, quite the contrary.

When you begin the journey by understanding the movements of your own consciousness, understanding that movement becomes the object of fascination, not the stuff on the outside reflecting the results of intention.

For me sitting in a brand new car doesn't feel any different from sitting in a reasonable car that is capable of taking me from A to B.

A large house feels very cold and un-inviting. Because I always pay attention to the "feeling" of things, I have always found that little cozy houses have the best feeling almost like a shelter of love.

I find that there is such a thing as "more than what you need". And when your desires to just manifest "stuff" go beyond that balance point, it actually causes a new kind of tension or discomfort.

When you trust yourself it matters not what you have. But when you trust other's opinions about you, all of a sudden the stuff that you have becomes a measure of judgement.

There is a great story in Hinduism that talks about the goddess of wealth and the goddess of wisdom, and it said that to have wealth you must worship the goddess of wisdom, if you worship her the goddess of wealth gets jealous and blesses you with wealth.

I heard that story from Depak Chopra now for a story I am more familiar with the story of Solomon, God asked him what he wanted he could have anything, he chose wisdom. God said because he chose wisdom he will be blessed with wealth and wisdom.

The choice of wisdom brings both it seems no matter what your religion. So it is wiser to seek wisdom and in wisdom you will find wealth too.

There is a story of Apollonius of Tyana, a man came to him and said to him he wanted to show him his house, Apollonius said to him "this is quite impressive, how much did you spend on this house?" The boy said I paid 80 talens, Apollonius said "80 talens, wow how much did you spend on your education?" The young man said "10 talens" Apollonius said "who would be better equipped to own such a house someone of education or someone poorly educated? It seems to me you don't own your house your house owns you."

Thanks for posting such a beautiful question. There are some wonderful answers here already. Maybe I should have not used G16 as my log in but The Worshipper . Since I was young I have believe in God and my truths about God has changed as I have become more opened to who I am. In the beginning I lifted my eyes toward heaven from which cometh mine help. Then there was a change, the Kingdom of God is within you. I saw manifestations in many areas of life, material, health, relationships..I then held a belief that is still has a place in my belief system. “Delight yourself in the Lord and Spirit will give you the desires of your heart.” Delight and desires are matters of the heart, not the thought life. It is beautiful that the current spiritual evolution is with controlling the thoughts. Health and Wealth are symbols that represent the desire for happiness. Liam wrote in her answer about that something in us that opposes our inward quest.. Shaolin wisdom names this something the Dragon. As we go within the Dragon will try to keep you normal. Every thought has a controller either you or the Dragon and what he presents to you. One of the questions in Shaolin is: Who is feeding your Dragon ? I once spoke to a friend about winning the lottery. He responded you don’t want all that money someone might kidnap your kids. (Later I realized he fed my Dragon.)
Another Master Advised us to not try to manifest with the Crown Chakra but let the light of the Heart Chakra shine forth. A Metaphysician once told me about her Treatments that she first treats herself then she begins with thoughts of the person until she has a Heart-Feeling about the person then is the treatment finished.
That thought influences our bodies and our reality should not be denied. This has been proven by Science.
I close with 4 Sentences from the Law of Resonance..German Author. I will add the English translation.

1. Sei zufrieden mit dem was du hast. Und du bekommst immer mehr dazu! (Be content with what you have and you will receive more.)

2. Erfreue dich an dem, was du bereits hast, und du wirst immer mehr zu wertschätzen haben. (Enjoy what you already have and you will always have more treasures to value. )

3. Genieße, was du hast, und du wirst immer mehr zu genießen haben! (Enjoy what you have and you will always have more to enjoy !)

4. Liebe, was dich umgibt, und du wirst immer mehr von Liebe umgeben sein. (Love what surrounds you and you will always be surrounded by more to love.)

i agree with this question. it makes alot of sense. if you do not know your self and know other why are you trying to change the outside? should you not know the inside first?

even jesus said it:

"Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it.

Luke 13:24 "Make every effort to enter through the narrow door, because many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able to.

http://bible.cc/matthew/7-13.htm

if you do not know your self what good will it give you to try to gain the world?

What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?

Matthew 4:8 Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor.

"All this I will give you," he said, "if you will bow down and worship me."

Jesus said to him, "Away from me, Satan! For it is written: 'Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.'"

Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him.

http://bible.cc/matthew/16-26.htm

1. Jesus said, "Those who know all, but are lacking in themselves, are utterly lacking."

2. Jesus said, "If you bring forth what is within you, what you have will save you. If you do not have that within you, what you do not have within you [will] kill you."

3. Jesus said, "The Father's kingdom is like a merchant who had a supply of merchandise and found a pearl. That merchant was prudent; he sold the merchandise and bought the single pearl for himself.

So also with you, seek his treasure that is unfailing, that is enduring, where no moth comes to eat and no worm destroys."

1. Jesus said, "Why have you come out to the countryside? To see a reed shaken by the wind? And to see a person dressed in soft clothes, [like your] rulers and your powerful ones? They are dressed in soft clothes, and they cannot understand truth."

2. Jesus said, "Why do you wash the outside of the cup? Don't you understand that the one who made the inside is also the one who made the outside?"

3. Jesus saw some babies nursing. He said to his disciples, "These nursing babies are like those who enter the (Father's) kingdom."

They said to him, "Then shall we enter the (Father's) kingdom as babies?"

Jesus said to them, "When you make the two into one, and when you make the inner like the outer and the outer like the inner, and the upper like the lower, and when you make male and female into a single one, so that the male will not be male nor the female be female, when you make eyes in place of an eye, a hand in place of a hand, a foot in place of a foot, an image in place of an image, then you will enter [the kingdom]."

1. Jesus said, "I have cast fire upon the world, and look, I'm guarding it until it blazes."

2. Jesus said, "This heaven will pass away, and the one above it will pass away.

The dead are not alive, and the living will not die. During the days when you ate what is dead, you made it come alive. When you are in the light, what will you do? On the day when you were one, you became two. But when you become two, what will you do?"

1. Jesus said, "When you make the two into one, you will become children of Adam, and when you say, 'Mountain, move from here!' it will move."

2. Jesus said, "The heavens and the earth will roll up in your presence, and whoever is living from the living one will not see death."

3. Jesus said, "Damn the flesh that depends on the soul. Damn the soul that depends on the flesh."

4. His disciples said to him, "When will the kingdom come?"

"It will not come by watching for it. It will not be said, 'Look, here!' or 'Look, there!' Rather, the Father's kingdom is spread out upon the earth, and people don't see it."

1. Jesus said, "I will give you what no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, what no hand has touched, what has not arisen in the human heart."

2. Jesus said, "If your leaders say to you, 'Look, the (Father's) kingdom is in the sky,' then the birds of the sky will precede you. If they say to you, 'It is in the sea,' then the fish will precede you. Rather, the (Father's) kingdom is within you and it is outside you.

When you know yourselves, then you will be known, and you will understand that you are children of the living Father. But if you do not know yourselves, then you live in poverty, and you are the poverty."

1. Jesus said, "Those who seek should not stop seeking until they find. When they find, they will be disturbed. When they are disturbed, they will marvel, and will reign over all. [And after they have reigned they will rest.]"

Jesus said to them, "No matter where you are you are to go to James the Just, for whose sake heaven and earth came into being."

1. The disciples said to Jesus, "Tell us, how will our end come?"

Jesus said, "Have you found the beginning, then, that you are looking for the end? You see, the end will be where the beginning is.

Congratulations to the one who stands at the beginning: that one will know the end and will not taste death."

1. Jesus said, "Congratulations to the one who came into being before coming into being.

If you become my disciples and pay attention to my sayings, these stones will serve you.

For there are five trees in Paradise for you; they do not change, summer or winter, and their leaves do not fall. Whoever knows them will not taste death."

1. The disciples said to Jesus, "Tell us what Heaven's kingdom is like."

He said to them, "It's like a mustard seed, the smallest of all seeds, but when it falls on prepared soil, it produces a large plant and becomes a shelter for birds of the sky."

1. Jesus said, "From Adam to John the Baptist, among those born of women, no one is so much greater than John the Baptist that his eyes should not be averted.

But I have said that whoever among you becomes a child will recognize the (Father's) kingdom and will become greater than John."

1. Jesus said, "Congratulations to those who are alone and chosen, for you will find the kingdom. For you have come from it, and you will return there again."

2. Jesus said, "If they say to you, 'Where have you come from?' say to them, 'We have come from the light, from the place where the light came into being by itself, established [itself], and appeared in their image.'

If they say to you, 'Is it you?' say, 'We are its children, and we are the chosen of the living Father.'

If they ask you, 'What is the evidence of your Father in you?' say to them, 'It is motion and rest.'"

1. Jesus said, "Congratulations to you when you are hated and persecuted; and no place will be found, wherever you have been persecuted."

2. Jesus said, "Congratulations to those who have been persecuted in their hearts: they are the ones who have truly come to know the Father.

3. Jesus said, "I am the light that is over all things. I am all: from me all came forth, and to me all attained.

Split a piece of wood; I am there.

Lift up the stone, and you will find me there."

1. Jesus said, "Whoever is near me is near the fire, and whoever is far from me is far from the (Father's) kingdom."

2. Jesus said, "Images are visible to people, but the light within them is hidden in the image of the Father's light. He will be disclosed, but his image is hidden by his light."

3. Jesus said, "When you see your likeness, you are happy. But when you see your images that came into being before you and that neither die nor become visible, how much you will have to bear!"

4. Jesus said, "Adam came from great power and great wealth, but he was not worthy of you. For had he been worthy, [he would] not [have tasted] death."

5. And he said, "Whoever discovers the interpretation of these sayings will not taste death."

http://www.gnosis.org/naghamm/gosthom.html

experience and enjoy.