by Jerry Hicks
Sunlight is beginning to spill across the Malibu coastline as I begin this Preface. And the deep indigo tint of the Pacific Ocean at this time of the morning seems to match the depth of pleasure I’m feeling as I’m imagining the value you’re about to receive from the revelations within this book. Ask and It Is Given is certainly a book about our “asking” being answered by All-That-Is. But it’s primarily about how whatever we’re asking for is being given to us—and it’s also the first book to ever, in such clear terminology, give us the simple practical formula for how to ask for, and then how to receive, whatever we want to be, do, or have.
Decades ago, while searching for plausible answers to my never-ending quest to know what “It” is all about, I discovered the word ineffable (meaning “incapable of being expressed in words”). Ineffable coincided with a conclusion I’d formed relative to It. I had decided that the closer we get to knowing the “Non-Physical,” the fewer words we have for clearly expressing It. And so, any state of complete knowing would also, therefore, be a state of ineffability. In other words, at this point in our time-space reality the Non-Physical cannot be clearly expressed with physical words.
Throughout physical history, we’ve evolved to, through, and into billions of philosophies, religions, opinions, and beliefs. Yet, with the billions upon billions of thinkers thinking, concluding, and passing their beliefs on to the next generations, we have not—at least not in any words we can agree on—found physical words to express the Non-Physical.
Recorded history has retained some form of documentation of but a few of the many Beings who have consciously communicated with Non-Physical Intelligence. Some were revered, while some were damned by others. Most, however, who have been conscious of personal communication with the Non-Physical (perhaps in fear of being damned or even institutionalized) have decided to go and tell no one about their revelations.
Moses, Jesus, Muhammad, Joan of Arc, Joseph Smith... to name but a few of those better known to the English-speaking world... were each outspoken recipients of Non-Physical Intelligence, most of whom met with quite untimely and horrible physical ends. And so, although each of us is directly receiving some form of Non-Physical guidance, only a few receive blocks of Non-Physical thought that are clear enough to be translated into our physical words—and of those few, fewer still are willing to disclose their experience to others.
I remind you of this information as a preface to what you’re about to read, for my wife, Esther, is one of those rare persons who can, at will, relax her conscious mind enough to allow the reception of Non- Physical answers to whatever is asked. Somehow Esther receives blocks of thought (not words) and, just as a Spanish-English translator would hear a thought projected in Spanish words and then translate the thought (not the actual words) into English words, Esther instantly translates the Non-Physical thought into its closest physical (English) word equivalent.
Please note that since there aren’t always physical English words to perfectly express the Non-Physical thought that Esther receives, she sometimes forms new combinations of words, as well as using standard words in new ways (for example, capitalizing them when normally they would not be) in order to express new ways of looking at life. And for that reason, we’ve created a brief Glossary at the back of this book in order to clarify our uncommon usage of some common words. In other words, there is the common term, well-being, meaning the state of being happy, healthy, or prosperous. But the basis of Abraham’s uncommon philosophy is translated into English as Well-Being. It’s about the broader Universal, Non- Physical Well-Being that flows naturally to all of us unless we do something to pinch it off. (Also, within the text, we will initially put in quotation marks any coined words that you wouldn’t find in any dictionary but whose meanings are obvious—such as “overwhelment” or “endedness.”)
Since 1986, Esther and I have traveled to about 50 cities a year presenting workshops, and any of the attendees can discuss or pose questions on whatever subject they want to talk about; no subjects are off- limits. People have come by the thousands: from different ethnic groups, from different walks of life, from different philosophical backgrounds... all wanting to improve life in some way, either directly for themselves, or indirectly by assisting others. And to those thousands who have asked for more, the answers have been given—through Esther Hicks, from Non-Physical Intelligence.
And so, in response to the asking by those, like you, who want to know more, this philosophy of Well- Being has evolved into the creation of this book.
At the heart of these teachings is the most powerful Law of the Universe, the Law of Attraction. Over the past decade, we’ve published much of Abraham’s teachings in our quarterly journal, The Science of Deliberate Creation, which has highlighted the newest perspectives gleaned from questions posed by the attendees of our Art of Allowing Workshops. As such, this philosophy is continually evolving as more of you bring to our attention your newest questions and perspectives.
This book offers you a hands-on course in spiritual practicality. It’s a how-to book in the broadest sense of the term—that is, how to be, do, or have anything that pleases you. This book also teaches you how not to be, do, or have anything that displeases you.
— Jerry