Abraham-Hicks: The Complete Guide to Esther and Jerry Hicks, the Emotional Guidance Scale and the Evidence

Abraham-Hicks is a self-help teaching presented by Esther Hicks, who says she receives answers from a non-physical group called Abraham, and by her late husband Jerry Hicks. It centres on the Law of Attraction and an emotional guidance scale. No controlled study has tested the teachings, though some related research on optimism and goal setting is relevant.

Mind and emotions · Helps with: mood, stress, worry, goal setting, motivation, money mindset, relationships

Last updated: 23 October 2026

Reading time: about 30 minutes

How we wrote this guide
We used the Hickses’ own site for their story, teachings, prices and dates, and publishers’ pages for the books. We did not read the full text of Ask and It Is Given, because we would have needed unauthorised copies. Where we describe the Focus Wheel and the “17 seconds” idea, we say whether the source is the official site, a book listing or a fan explainer. For the couple’s early lives we used a 2023 Skeptical Inquirer article and The New Yorker. We checked every DOI, abstract, link and price in October 2026. This guide is general information, not medical, financial or psychological advice.

⚠️ Before you start: who should be careful

• Abraham-Hicks is not a treatment for any mental or physical illness. Keep taking your medicines and seeing your doctor or therapist. The teaching’s own Money book says money and health are the two subjects most affected by the Law of Attraction (Abraham-Hicks Publications, n.d.-b). Research does not support using thought alone to change the course of serious illness (Petticrew et al., 2002).
• Depression, despair and grief are not thinking mistakes. The emotional scale places them at its lowest level. If you feel stuck there, you need support, not a better thought.
• Don’t blame yourself for what happens to you. Illness, accidents, crime, job loss and abuse have many causes, and being told you attracted them can deepen shame.
• Be careful with money. Believing you can attract wealth has been linked to riskier investing and bankruptcy (Dixon et al., 2023). Never borrow to buy events or programmes.
• If you are in crisis, call or text 988 in the US or Canada (988 Lifeline, n.d.), or call Samaritans free on 116 123 in the UK and Ireland (Samaritans, n.d.). In an emergency call your local number: 911 in the US and Canada, 999 in the UK, 000 in Australia, 112 in the EU and India. To find a helpline in another country, use Find a Helpline.

Quick answer: what is Abraham-Hicks and does it work?

• It is a Law of Attraction teaching from Esther and Jerry Hicks. Esther says a group called Abraham speaks through her. The claim is theirs, and it can’t be verified.
• The core idea is that your emotions show how aligned you are with what you want. The “emotional guidance scale” lists 22 emotions from joy at the top to fear, grief and despair at the bottom. You are meant to reach for a thought that feels slightly better (Hicks & Hicks, n.d.-a).
• The claim that thoughts attract matching events has no direct evidence. We found no trial of the teachings. Related research is mixed: positive self-statements can backfire and picturing only the happy outcome can reduce effort (Wood et al., 2009; Oettingen & Mayer, 2002).
• Specific numbers such as “17 seconds” and “68 seconds” are claims, not findings. We found no research behind them.
• The biggest risks are self-blame and ignoring real problems. Some passages say you caused what happens to you.
• Costs run from free to thousands of dollars. YouTube is free. Paperbacks cost about US17toUS19, workshops US245adayandliveonlinesessionsUS49.

Contents

1. What is Abraham-Hicks?
2. Esther and Jerry Hicks: the story
3. The core teachings
4. How to use the emotional guidance scale
5. How it relates to the Law of Attraction and visualisation
6. What the evidence says
7. Criticisms, risks and limits
8. Costs and where to learn
9. Books
10. Watch, listen and follow
11. Frequently asked questions
12. Key takeaways

What Is Abraham-Hicks?

Abraham-Hicks is a teaching, a business and a publishing company. Esther Hicks is its speaker, and at workshops she says Abraham speaks through her and answers audience questions. Hay House, their publisher, calls Abraham “a loving group consciousness from the non-physical dimension” (Hay House, n.d.-a). That is the Hickses’ belief, and we present it as their claim, not established fact.

The message itself is simple. Your thoughts and feelings send out a “vibration”. The Law of Attraction responds by bringing you matching people, events and circumstances. Because you can sense your vibration through your emotions, feeling better is the way to get more of what you want. The official site puts the law as “The essence of that which is like unto itself, is drawn” (Hicks & Hicks, n.d.-b).

Abraham-Hicks became known to a wide audience through the 2006 film The Secret, in which Esther Hicks was a leading voice (Sanneh, 2010).

The business has several parts:

• Books and audio. The Hickses’ official biography says Esther co-authored eight books with Jerry. Five were New York Times bestsellers: Ask and It Is Given (2004), Money, and the Law of Attraction, The Law of Attraction, The Astonishing Power of Emotions and The Amazing Power of Deliberate Intent (Abraham-Hicks Publications, n.d.-a).
• Workshops and cruises, which Esther has continued since Jerry’s death in 2011 (Hay House, n.d.-b).
• Online broadcasts on Abraham NOW, a paid platform (Abraham NOW, n.d.), and a free YouTube channel (Abraham-Hicks Publications, n.d.-f).

This guide assesses the teachings as ideas and practices. It does not take a side on whether Abraham exists.

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Esther and Jerry Hicks: The Story

The people

Most of what is known about their early lives comes from the couple themselves. A 2023 Skeptical Inquirer article by Adrienne Hill summarises a 2007 Independent interview, which we could not access (it is paywalled), and the Hickses’ own book. According to that account, Esther was raised in Park City, Utah, and worked as a bookkeeper. Jerry grew up in San Diego and Arkansas, worked as an acrobat and entertainer, and became a top performer for Amway. They met in 1976 in Fresno, California, at an Amway presentation run by Jerry, and married in Phoenix about four years later (Hill, 2023). We could not check these details elsewhere.

How they say it began

Hill’s summary of the Hickses’ book The Essential Law of Attraction Collection gives their own telling. Jerry had read Napoleon Hill’s Think and Grow Rich and, later, Seth Speaks, a book of channelled messages by Jane Roberts. The couple visited a channeller in Phoenix who told them they would be contacted directly. Esther then began daily meditation. She describes an entity making her head move and her nose “spell out” letters, then typing and eventually speaking through her. One day on a highway, she says, Abraham told Jerry to take the next exit (Hill, 2023). The official site describes the same event: “Abraham saying, ‘Take the next exit’ and Jerry parking our car under the freeway overpass and talking with Abraham for the very first time” (Hicks, 2013).

None of this can be tested; it rests on Esther’s word. One research team has studied trance channelling in general, not Abraham-Hicks. They recorded the brain waves, heart, skin response and breathing of 13 people who channel. The participants felt distinctly different states, but nothing changed in the physiology except the sound of their voices (Wahbeh et al., 2019). That tells us about the experience, not whether the content is true.

Dates differ across sources

The dates mark different stages, so they need not conflict. Treat them as the Hickses’ own timeline.

The Secret dispute

The Secret (2006) featured Esther Hicks prominently. By the time Rhonda Byrne’s book appeared she was gone from it. The New Yorker reports that the two parted after a financial dispute and that Esther later said she felt “drawn in, in one way, and utilized, and then sort of discarded” (Sanneh, 2010). Esther’s own account, as summarised by Hill, is that Byrne wanted rights signed over and the Hickses declined (Hill, 2023). We did not find Byrne’s account, so this is one side only.

Not a new idea

The Hickses did not invent the Law of Attraction or win a trademark on the phrase. William Walker Atkinson published Thought Vibration, or the Law of Attraction in the Thought World in 1906 (Atkinson, 1906), and the US Patent and Trademark Office refused the Hickses’ 2006 application because the phrase was already in use by then (Hill, 2023). Earlier New Thought writers such as Phineas Quimby, Ralph Waldo Trine and Wallace Wattles taught that thought shapes circumstances (Sanneh, 2010; Schaffner, 2022). What is distinctive about Abraham-Hicks is the emotional scale as a practical gauge, the vocabulary of “vibration” and a set of named processes.

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The Core Teachings

We describe the teachings as Abraham-Hicks presents them. Our assessment comes later.

The Law of Attraction and vibration

The central claim is that like attracts like. Whatever you give attention to, you “activate”, and the Law of Attraction responds with matching experiences. The official text compares it to gravity, which responds to everything the same way whether or not you understand it (Hicks & Hicks, n.d.-b). The excerpt says that if you are angry about being taken advantage of, “no action that I can take can stop those unpleasant things from happening”.

“Vibration” is used loosely. The official page says: “You might say that different emotions have different vibrational frequencies, but a more accurate way of saying it would be: Your emotions are indicators of your vibrational frequency” (Hicks & Hicks, n.d.-a). No physical measurement is described. Writer Anna Katharina Schaffner says the “quantum physics” claims of manifesting advocates have no solid evidence (Schaffner, 2022).

The three laws

The official excerpt names three “Universal Laws”. The first is the Law of Attraction. The second is the “Law of Deliberate Creation”: by deliberately directing attention you can be, do or have what you choose. The third is the Law of Allowing, which the text says is “really where all of your personal power lies”. Allowing means “the conscious, gentle guiding of your thoughts in the general direction of the things that you desire” (Hicks & Hicks, n.d.-b). The Hay House listing for The Law of Attraction has the same structure (Hay House, n.d.-c).

The excerpt contrasts the Art of Allowing with hypnosis, meditation, affirmations and “strong methods of mind control”. A Hay House quotation sums up the alternative: “Rather than trying to monitor your thoughts, we encourage you to simply pay attention to how you are feeling” (Hay House, n.d.-c).

The emotional guidance scale

This is the practical heart of the teaching. Abraham-Hicks says emotions are a guidance system that tells you whether your thoughts are in line with your “Source Energy” (the term for the non-physical part of you). The better you feel, the more aligned you are. The official page compares it to a fuel gauge (Hicks & Hicks, n.d.-a).

The official list has 22 levels, with 1 the best:

Followers advise moving one step at a time, starting with a statement that feels only slightly better and not jumping to one that feels false (TheVortex.me, n.d.). Esther introduced a 15-minute video where “Abraham demonstrates an easy and effective use of one of their processes”, saying “every subject, topic, and issue in your life will be immediately improved” (Hicks, 2020). That is a promise, not a finding.

One thing deserves care. The scale ranks how pleasant emotions feel and is not a clinical tool. It puts depression, grief and powerlessness at the bottom with fear, as if better thoughts could lift you out. Clinical depression is a medical condition that usually needs professional help, and grief takes time. Neither is a thinking error.

Pivoting and the Book of Positive Aspects

Followers use “pivoting” to mean catching a negative thought and turning, step by step, to a better-feeling one. An official recording listing says the pivoting processes and “the book of positive aspects” help you find what matters to you and reach “the strong, clear place of well-being” (Abraham-Hicks Publications, n.d.-c). We found no official definition of the Book of Positive Aspects beyond this. Money, and the Law of Attraction opens with a section on “Processing of Pivoting and Positive Aspects” (Abraham-Hicks Publications, n.d.-b).

The Focus Wheel

Ask and It Is Given offers 22 processes (Hay House, n.d.-a). The best known is the Focus Wheel, which we could not read in the original, so we rely on a fan explainer. You write what you want in the centre of a circle. Around it you write a series of believable statements that move towards it, starting with one that is true and feels slightly better. Each statement is meant to lift your mood and prepare the next. The fan site uses a 12-slot template (TheVortex.me, n.d.). This resembles cognitive reappraisal (see the evidence section).

Segment Intending

Followers describe Segment Intending as setting an intention for a segment of your day, such as a meeting or a drive, before it starts. We found no official definition beyond the listings, one of which says: “Our futures are individually paved by the steady stream of thoughts we set forth” (Abraham-Hicks Publications, n.d.-d). It resembles planning and rehearsal. Research on “implementation intentions” (if-then plans) found a medium-to-large effect on goal attainment across 94 tests (Gollwitzer & Sheeran, 2006). Segment Intending is vaguer than an if-then plan, though, and nobody has tested it.

17 seconds and 68 seconds

The claim is that if you hold a thought for 17 seconds, a matching thought joins it, and that 68 seconds of pure focus starts manifestation. The chapter list for the new book The Art of Allowing includes “You Are Only 17 Seconds Away from 68 Seconds to Fulfillment” (Penguin Random House, n.d.-b). A 2000 video set lists “The 17-second focus flash-point” among its topics (Abraham-Hicks Publications, n.d.-e). A fan explainer quotes Ask and It Is Given: “if you manage to stay purely focused upon any thought for as little as 68 seconds, the vibration is powerful enough that its manifestation begins” (Bocay, 2022). We found no research behind the specific numbers. No study supports 17 or 68 seconds as thresholds, and the explainer’s quotes are our only source for the exact wording.

The Vortex

The Vortex describes a “creative Vortex” that has “already assembled” the relationships and things you want. The publisher says Abraham “will show you how to enter that Vortex, where you will rendezvous with everything and everyone you have been looking for” (Hay House, n.d.-d). The Vortex is a metaphor and can’t be tested.

Money, health and relationships

Money, and the Law of Attraction applies the teaching to wealth and health. Its description says “Not having enough money or not having good health puts you in the perfect position for creating more of that which you do not have” (Abraham-Hicks Publications, n.d.-b). An excerpt tells readers that their “money and financial assets”, their body’s “state of wellness” and their work conditions are all “happening because of the story that you tell” (Hicks & Hicks, n.d.-c).

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How to Use the Emotional Guidance Scale

We could not read a full official protocol, because the detailed processes sit in the books and recordings. This routine takes the central idea (notice how you feel, reach for a slightly better thought) and adds what research says about making it work. Steps marked as our addition are not Abraham-Hicks teaching. Use it for everyday stress and worry, not clinical depression, trauma or grief.

Time. Five to ten minutes. No research gives an ideal length.

1. Choose one topic. Pick a specific worry or frustration, such as a deadline, an argument or a bill, not “everything”.
2. Name the feeling. Look at the 22-level list above and pick the closest word, for example “worry” or “overwhelm”. In a brain-scan study, putting feelings into words dampened the amygdala, a region involved in emotional reactions (Lieberman et al., 2007). This step is our addition.
3. Accept it first. Say to yourself, “This is where I am.” The scale is a map, not a verdict. People who habitually accept their negative feelings report fewer emotional reactions to stress and better psychological health six months later (Ford et al., 2018). This step is our addition: pushing a thought away tends to bring it back (Wegner et al., 1987).
4. Look one or two steps up the scale. Move toward relief, not joy. From worry (level 14), aim for doubt, disappointment or frustration. Followers advise against jumping to a statement that feels false (TheVortex.me, n.d.).
5. Find a believable thought that feels a little better. Choose something true, such as “I have dealt with money problems before” rather than “I am a money magnet”. Reframing (cognitive reappraisal) has a small-to-medium effect on emotions across 306 comparisons (Webb et al., 2012). Repeating a statement you don’t believe can backfire if your self-esteem is low (Wood et al., 2009).
6. Stay with it for a minute and check how it feels. Followers use 17 seconds as a minimum, but we found no evidence for a timing rule, so use the feeling as your guide. If it feels worse, drop it and go back to step 3.
7. Name the obstacle and make an if-then plan. Ask what might get in the way, then plan: “If I start to spiral, I will take three breaths and write one next step.” This is mental contrasting with an if-then plan, a method with a small-to-moderate effect on goal attainment (Wang et al., 2021; Gollwitzer & Sheeran, 2006). This step is our addition.
8. Take one real step, and know when to stop. Send the email, make the call, ask for help. If your feelings stay at the bottom of the scale for days, or you feel hopeless, stop and talk to a doctor or therapist.

A short session once or twice a day is enough.

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How It Relates to the Law of Attraction and Visualisation

Abraham-Hicks is one branch of the Law of Attraction tradition. The Law of Attraction guide explains the general principle. The guide to The Secret covers the film that brought Esther Hicks to a mass audience. The visualisation guide covers mental rehearsal, which has a research base.

The practical difference matters. The official listing for a 2000 video set includes the topics “Never face reality” and “Tell it the way you want it to be” (Abraham-Hicks Publications, n.d.-e). Mental contrasting does the reverse. It asks you to picture the wish, then think about what is in the way, and then plan. Researchers who built it found that positive fantasies alone can reduce effort (Oettingen & Mayer, 2002).

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What the Evidence Says

Direct evidence

We searched Europe PMC in October 2026 for Abraham-Hicks, Esther Hicks and the emotional guidance scale. We found no study that tests the teachings, the scale, the Focus Wheel or the 17-second and 68-second rules, and no measurement of “vibration”. The closest study measures belief in manifestation in general. Lack of research is not proof the teachings are wrong, but it leaves the central claims unsupported.

Related research, claim by claim

Where there is overlap

• Noticing emotions. Naming a feeling dampened amygdala activity in a brain-imaging experiment (Lieberman et al., 2007). Accepting negative emotions was linked to better psychological health over six months (Ford et al., 2018). The scale may help as a vocabulary of feelings, though no study has tested it.
• Reaching for a better thought. This is close to reappraisal. Across 306 comparisons, changing how you think about an event had a small-to-medium effect on emotion (Webb et al., 2012).
• Appreciation. In experiments, people who listed things to be grateful for showed more positive feelings on most measures (Emmons & McCullough, 2003).
• Rehearsing the process. Students who rehearsed how they would study got better grades, unlike those who pictured the prize (Pham & Taylor, 1999).
• Mental contrasting. Meta-analyses found small-to-moderate benefits for goals and health behaviour, g = 0.28 in one (Cross & Sheffield, 2019) and 0.34 in another, though publication bias may mean the true effect is smaller (Wang et al., 2021). The method is the opposite of avoiding obstacles.

Where research cuts against the teaching

• Positive statements. The official text contrasts the Art of Allowing with affirmations, but telling yourself a better story carries the same risk when the story feels false to you (Wood et al., 2009).
• Health. Optimism predicts better health, but it also goes with income, social support and healthier habits. Lee et al. (2019) adjusted for several of these and still found a link, yet an observational study can’t show that thinking differently would change your health. In cancer, a review of 26 studies on survival found little consistent evidence that coping styles matter (Petticrew et al., 2002). A review of psychotherapy trials found no positive effect on survival in trials that were designed to test it and kept medical care equal (Coyne et al., 2007).
• Money. Across three studies with 1,023 people, over a third endorsed manifestation beliefs. Believers felt more successful but were more likely to have been bankrupt and to like risky investments (Dixon et al., 2023). The study covers manifestation belief in general, not Abraham-Hicks, and is correlational.

The bottom line

The practical heart of Abraham-Hicks, noticing how you feel and gently moving toward relief, overlaps with research-backed ways of managing emotion. The explanation, that vibrations attract matching events, has no direct evidence. The timing and health claims are unsupported, and advice to avoid unwanted thoughts or rely on a happy mental picture runs against what research found.

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Criticisms, Risks and Limits

It can blame the victim. In The Law of Attraction the Hickses write that “only you have caused” unwanted things, because “no one else has the power to attract what comes to you but you”. Hill, who quotes the passage in full, argues that victims of crime, scams, floods or cancer “would disagree” (Hill, 2023). The official excerpt on money says your wealth, wellness and workplace are “happening because of the story that you tell” (Hicks & Hicks, n.d.-c). Schaffner argues that such thinking “may leave people feeling ashamed and guilty for not achieving their dreams” (Schaffner, 2022). Barbara Ehrenreich, a critic of positive thinking and The Secret, is most offended by the notion that “poverty is a voluntary condition” (Sanneh, 2010).

It makes health claims it can’t support. The official book listing says that not having good health puts you “in the perfect position for creating more of that which you do not have” (Abraham-Hicks Publications, n.d.-b). Hill reports a video in which Esther advises someone against professional help for mental health problems, and says things will only get worse unless they learn the Law of Attraction. We have not watched that video and give it as Hill’s account. If accurate, that is a serious concern. Never delay or stop treatment because of any teaching.

The scale can pathologise normal feelings. In our assessment, a model that treats low emotions as a failure to align can lead people to avoid feelings, while research on acceptance points the other way (Ford et al., 2018).

It can cost a lot. The paid products stack up: subscriptions, broadcasts, tickets, workshop recordings and cruise fees. Hill notes a cruise workshop that sold out at US$450 on top of the fare (Hill, 2023). Workshops forbid recording, so audio is sold afterwards (Abraham-Hicks Publications, n.d.-i). Given the link between manifestation belief and risky finances (Dixon et al., 2023), set a firm budget.

The central claims can’t be falsified. If a wish comes true, the teaching is confirmed. If not, you weren’t aligned enough. A theory that fits every outcome predicts nothing.

It repackages older ideas. A sceptic would note that Jerry had read Napoleon Hill and the Seth books before Abraham appeared; believers see Abraham as a separate source. Nothing in the evidence can settle that.

What supporters say

Supporters say the teaching helps them feel calmer and more hopeful, and that the scale gave them a language for emotions. We found no study of those reports, but feeling better is a legitimate aim and the practice is mild. The risks arise when the explanation is taken as a rule that covers illness, crime and money. Keep what helps your mood, drop the causal claims and use proven methods for the rest.

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Costs and Where to Learn

Prices are in US dollars, from the official sites and publishers in October 2026, and may change.

For readers outside the US. Prices are charged in US dollars. In-person events are mostly in the US, with cruises such as the Caribbean cruise of 19 to 29 March 2027 (Abraham-Hicks Publications, n.d.-j). YouTube, the introduction audio and the online broadcasts work anywhere. The 18 November 2026 listing runs 1:00 to 3:15 pm Central Time, which is 7:00 to 9:15 pm in London, with replays.

Is it worth paying? Start with the free material and a library copy of a book. No evidence shows paid events produce results beyond what participants report.

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Books

We checked every title on its publisher’s page. Read the Hickses’ own books for the teaching in their words, and at least one critical or research-based title.

By Esther and Jerry Hicks

• Ask and It Is Given: Learning to Manifest Your Desires (Hay House, 2004). The main introduction, with 22 processes. Paperback US$18.99 (Penguin Random House, n.d.-a).
• The Law of Attraction: The Basics of the Teachings of Abraham. The shortest overview (Hay House, n.d.-c).
• Money, and the Law of Attraction. Wealth and health. Read it with the criticisms above in mind (Hay House, n.d.-e).
• The Vortex: Where the Law of Attraction Assembles All Cooperative Relationships. Relationships (Hay House, n.d.-d).
• The Essential Law of Attraction Collection. Omnibus of the three titles above (Abraham-Hicks Publications, n.d.-l).
• The Astonishing Power of Emotions and The Amazing Power of Deliberate Intent. Two more bestsellers named on the official biography (Abraham-Hicks Publications, n.d.-a).
• The Art of Allowing: You Get What You Think About Whether You Want It or Not (due 8 December 2026). Hardcover US$29.99 (Penguin Random House, n.d.-b). Pre-orders were announced in September 2026 (Hicks, 2026).

For balance

• Rethinking Positive Thinking by Gabriele Oettingen (2014). On why positive fantasies alone can backfire (Penguin Random House, n.d.-c).
• Bright-Sided by Barbara Ehrenreich (2009; paperback 2010). A critique of positive thinking and its social cost (Macmillan, n.d.).
• Thought Vibration by William Walker Atkinson (1906). An early book on the theme, free online (Atkinson, 1906).

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Watch, Listen and Follow

Videos

• Abraham NOW excerpt from September 19, 2020 – Abraham-Hicks Publications. The official site presents it as a demonstration of an emotional guidance scale process (Hicks, 2020).

▶ Abraham NOW excerpt from September 19, 2020 – Abraham-Hicks Publications. The official channel’s own demonstration.

• Rethinking Positive Thinking (Gabriele Oettingen, New York University) – DLDwomen 14. A counterweight on positive fantasy.

▶ Rethinking Positive Thinking (Gabriele Oettingen, New York University) | DLDwomen 14 – DLD Conference. Oettingen on positive fantasies and mental contrasting.

• Abraham NOW – March 21, 2020 – Abraham-Hicks Publications. A full online session; 14.6 million views by January 2023, per Hill (Hill, 2023).
• Abraham: The Secret Behind “The Secret” – Abraham-Hicks Publications. Esther’s account of the dispute with the film’s producer, one side only (Abraham-Hicks Publications, n.d.-g).

Podcast and audio

• You 2.0: WOOP, WOOP – Hidden Brain. Oettingen on pairing a wish with obstacles (Vedantam, 2020).

Accounts and sites to follow

• Official site: abraham-hicks.com, with a blog, excerpts and event listings.
• YouTube: Abraham-Hicks Publications.
• Abraham NOW: the store and broadcast platform.

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Frequently Asked Questions About Abraham-Hicks

What is Abraham-Hicks?

A Law of Attraction teaching presented by Esther Hicks, who says a group of non-physical beings called Abraham speaks through her. Her husband Jerry, who died in 2011, helped develop it. The core practice is to notice how you feel and reach for a thought that feels a little better.

Is Abraham real?

We can’t say. Abraham is the Hickses’ claim, and no test can confirm or rule it out. Judge the advice on its merits.

What is the emotional guidance scale?

A list of 22 emotions, from joy at the top to fear, grief and despair at the bottom. Your emotions are said to show how aligned your thoughts are with what you want, and you are meant to reach for a thought that feels slightly better (Hicks & Hicks, n.d.-a).

What are the 17-second and 68-second rules?

The claim that holding a thought for 17 seconds lets a matching thought join it, and that 68 seconds of pure focus starts manifestation. We found no research behind the numbers.

Does Abraham-Hicks work?

There is no direct evidence that the teachings work as described. Noticing feelings and gently reframing thoughts overlaps with research-backed methods, but vibration, attraction and the timing rules have no support. Supporters say it helps their mood.

Is it the same as The Secret?

They share the Law of Attraction idea. Esther Hicks appeared in the film and parted ways with its producer afterwards (Sanneh, 2010). Our guide to The Secret covers the film.

How much does it cost?

YouTube and the introduction audio are free. In US dollars, paperbacks cost about US17toUS19, live online sessions US49, one − dayworkshopsUS245 and cruise workshops US$450 on top of the fare.

Can it replace therapy or medical care, and can it make me feel worse?

It can’t replace care. It is not a treatment, and research does not support using thoughts alone to change the course of serious illness. For some people it makes things worse: if you feel to blame for bad events, or trying to feel better only makes you feel worse, stop, speak to a doctor or therapist and see the crisis lines at the top of this guide.

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Key Takeaways

• Abraham-Hicks is a Law of Attraction teaching built around an emotional guidance scale. The channelling is the Hickses’ claim and can’t be verified.
• The core claims have no direct evidence. We found no trial of the teachings, the scale or the 17-second and 68-second rules.
• Parts of the practice overlap with research-backed methods. Naming feelings and gently reframing thoughts help a little.
• Some advice runs against research. Positive self-statements can backfire, and avoiding thoughts can make them return.
• Beware of self-blame and health or money claims. Do not delay treatment, and set a firm budget. The YouTube channel and introduction audio are free.
• If you feel stuck at the bottom of the scale, get support. Depression and grief need care.

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Explore More on Self Help Supermarket

• Law of Attraction
• The Secret and the Law of Attraction
• Visualisation: the complete guide
• Silva Method
• NLP
• EFT tapping: the complete guide
• Havening
• Depression: WHO fact sheet (external)
• Mental health: WHO fact sheet (external)
• Browse all techniques

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Sources

1. 988 Lifeline. (n.d.). 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. https://988lifeline.org/
2. Abraham NOW. (n.d.). Store. https://www.abrahamnow.com/store
3. Abraham-Hicks Publications. (n.d.-a). Esther Hicks official biography. https://abraham-hicks.com/esther-hicks-official-biography/
4. Abraham-Hicks Publications. (n.d.-b). Money and the Law of Attraction. https://abraham-hicks.com/money-and-the-law-of-attraction/
5. Abraham-Hicks Publications. (n.d.-c). #12 Pivoting and positive aspects. https://abraham-hicks.com/ab_cd12/
6. Abraham-Hicks Publications. (n.d.-d). #5 The process of segment intending. https://abraham-hicks.com/ab_cd5/
7. Abraham-Hicks Publications. (n.d.-e). Video, The Art of Allowing, Vol II “Monterey, CA”. https://abraham-hicks.com/aoavol2/
8. Abraham-Hicks Publications. (n.d.-f). Abraham-Hicks Publications (YouTube channel). https://www.youtube.com/@AbrahamHicks
9. Abraham-Hicks Publications. (n.d.-g). Abraham: The secret behind “The Secret” (video). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CFp-iPSPplE
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11. Abraham-Hicks Publications. (n.d.-i). Workshops and cruises. https://abraham-hicks.com/workshopsandcruises/
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30. Hicks, E. (2018, December 6). California, here we come! Abraham-Hicks Publications. https://abraham-hicks.com/california-here-we-come-2/
31. Hicks, E. (2020, October 23). New video: Abraham demonstrates the ease and power of the Emotional Guidance Scale! Abraham-Hicks Publications. https://abraham-hicks.com/new-video-abraham-demonstrates-the-ease-and-power-of-the-emotional-guidance-scale/
32. Hicks, E. (2026, September 3). New book available for pre-order! Abraham-Hicks Publications. https://abraham-hicks.com/new-book-available-for-pre-order/
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