When you see a bright red glistening apple what comes to mind? For many people who were raised reading Milton’s Paradise Lost it could be temptation (the bible makes no reference to an apple, only to the forbidden fruit, it is Milton who frightened all the Christians with naming the apple as the forbidden fruit in his epic poem of the 17th century). Milton really drives home the point of Eve’s manipulative connivances to draw Adam into the same fate as she. Today I thought I would write how temptation is actually delicious, how we can use it and dispell any misogynistic myths to the contrary at the same time. After all it was Adam’s choice.

When is the last time you felt tempted? What was the experience like? How did you become aware of it? The truth is that temptation, for most of us, is exciting. We are attracted to it. Our heart races and our mind engages. Our senses tingle and we know we want it. This is the energy of creation in the universe. It is deeply engaging the heart and mind together. In order for manifestation there must first be the allure of the desired object, or more aptly stated, the desires of the heart. Temptation is the word we use to describe these feelings. Perhaps you are familiar with the turn of phrase; I succumbed to my temptations. It is more than embracing, it is giving in to. Temptation is a word which titillates the senses and so it should.

Temptation is really just our attachment to things we admire. There is nothing inherently wrong in temptation although it may pull us in ways which distract us from pursuing our ultimate potential. We can however choose to harness the power of our temptations and channel them into the creative energy that is the foundation of living a happy and contented life. You see in reality our temptations are our deepest desires. Only we can decide whether or not we choose them or do not. There is no negative or positive here only choice. It is up to each of us to choose what we do, with whom we do it, when we do it and how we do it. We are the pilot of our own lives.

So if I find myself tempted into something which I do not choose I can channel that energy into something I do choose. The more related it is the more successful we will be. For example, let’s say you are a smoker. It tempts you but you have chosen not to include it in your life experience. You can take the temptation of smoking and channel it into the joy of breathing. Instead of breathing in smoke you are breathing in pure, fresh air. The two are closely related and this is how the “channeling” can work. If instead you had chosen to channel it into your love of reading then it is not as related and it may be less successful.

So, fear not temptation but rather make it your friend and channel it into what you choose. The life you create may in fact be the one you love to live.