The delicate balance of Buddhism, and why you must carefully reconcile many teachings and not just pick & choose, is that you can:
1. ignore all emotions and be purely happy from within, not being affected by outside events
or, 2. be sensitive and compassionate to others and try to alleviate suffering by feeling and responding to it.

I have always followed the second belief, because only someone who is very well trained, who is very wise, or who is enlightened, could be purely happy from their own Knowledgeable Truth and be unaffected by suffering while still curing suffering. I'm not a monk, I'm just a layman. I would rather be sensitive to others and feel a human connection in their joy and sadness.

You worry about the words of others hurting you. The actuality is, it's their intent to cause harm, and the betrayal that is hurting you. When you don't have enough money to take care of your obligations, you feel powerless and fearful. The Buddha, unlike christ, taught that money and wealth is a Virtue. With money, people can help others and give donations to the temples. You aren't wrong to want or need it.

With the law of attraction, you may find it is at strange angles with basic Buddhism, which overall states we are reliant upon karma, we must try to escape samsara. I believe the "law of attraction" talks about just waiting for the things you need to come to you by wanting it, because the universe loves you and wants to feed you. That's a very gentle and self-serving principle, but studying Buddhism you must know that gaining wealth and prosperity without doing good acts and earning it is impossible. Living gently, being generous to others, being peaceful even to our enemies, practicing patience, avoiding the company of fools and dangerous people--all these lead to prosperity and good opportunities arise when they are followed.

I've been studying Buddhism for about 3 years now and my life has made some really major changes, all for the good. I'm sure if you are persistent you'll also find the happiness and peace of mind you're looking for.

"The actuality is, it's their intent to cause harm, and the betrayal that is hurting you."

Wow. I never thought of it like that. I had to read that over again. You know, it makes sense. It really does. It makes me want to work on, even more so, watching what i say when i am upset, or when i feel hurt, and it makes me realize that it isn't me...it is them wanting me to feel what they feel. I really never thought about that, and that is eye opening. I only hope that I can become more compassionate and more loving, allowing that retaliation to affect me less and less. Thank you. I will think about that if something happens in the future. :)

People have been coming to me for advice so long, I might as well do this all in one spot. I watch a lot of unfathomable Japanese TV and drink a lot of coffee. I'm a freshly-hatched Illustration major, formerly trapped & dying in the American South, now busily teaching phrases to all of Nagoya Japan. I'm always on the lookout for more video games and sushi.
I have lots of interesting pets. Wanna see my beetle?

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