Magister Artium (Sport, Recreation and Exercise Science) - MA(SRES) / The law of attraction, which is referred to as a pseudo-science by most scientists, focuses on the ability of athletes to reach deep within their soul/ energy sources to re-align their thoughts and feelings in order to achieve their desired outcomes or goals. This study explores whether kickboxers within the African continent are using the phenomenon of the law of attraction in order to enhance their kickboxing performances. In context of law of attraction, kickboxers attract achievements or experiences that they focus on into their life’s, weather these are positive or negative. This means that if they stay focused on the good and positive things in their lives, they will automatically attract good and positive things into their lives. Being part of the cosmic Universe, we are, in our smallest form, nothing but energy with magnetic abilities, hence, we have the ability to attract things or push things away. This belief can contribute to the fulfilment of the desires of kickboxers and can ultimately enhance their sport performances. A qualitative methodology was followed to explore the use of the law of attraction by kickboxers within the sport of kickboxing to achieve optimal results. The population of this study was chosen from kickboxers in countries within the continent of Africa where kickboxing is practiced. These participants were elite athletes (international competitors). A semi-structured interview guide (questionnaire) was used to interview selected kickboxers. Data was recorded and analysed in order to verify the use of the phenomenon of the law of attraction. It was found that most of the participants were unaware that they were utilizing elements of law of attraction and that some elements are intertwined with various sport psychological tools being utilised for sport enhancement. Findings further indicated that the thought process of the participating kickboxers was occupied by various desires or goals that needed to be achieved. The kickboxers found it difficult to prioritize or to streamline their thoughts and this created a situation where energy flowed in the wrong direction. Their feelings in terms of what they thought, what they wanted to achieve and what they could achieve must be in sync. This did not come out strongly because the kickboxers concentrated on their own physical capabilities and kickboxing skills and, at the same time, felt very stressful prior to a kickboxing contest. It was recommended that the phenomenon of law of attraction should be explored more extensively in relation to its application in kickboxing and moreover in sport. It is further recommended that the study be repeated exploring the perspectives of the coaches in the application of law of extraction in their coaching techniques. This study concludes that the law of attraction is not used to its fullest extent in the practice of kickboxing even though some elements were already used by kickboxers.

I am investigating a New Age spiritual movement called the Law of Attraction that has been the source of recent media attention due to the recent publication of a self-help book called The Secret. The book investigates this phenomenon, which is a theory that takes positive thinking to the extreme. The theory states that reality can be literally manifested through one's thoughts. I am interested in this trend because it supports consumerist values, entrepreneurship, and self-actualization while using socialist rhetoric to promote capitalist values. I am also interested in the implications that this rhetoric holds for women and marginalized groups. I will investigate how the theory draws on quotes from spiritual leaders, famous scientists, and revered world figures and abstracts their meanings by placing them in a paradigm for their own use. I will also look at how they use the authority of science and an appeal to traditionally Christian language to promote blind faith in this principle. I will look at how this movement positions consumerism and consumption as a means of self-actualization and spiritual salvation and analyze how the theory lends itself to the ideals of capitalism. Finally, I will emphasize how the Law of Attraction disregards women and marginalized groups by ignoring systemic restrains by focusing only on the power of the individual with a blatant disregard for social institutions and systems. This project will be a textual rhetorical analysis that will incorporate an ethnographic study, textual analysis, and a critical theoretical approach to theory. The goal of this project is to interrogate a contemporary self-help and New Age spiritual movement that is symptomatic of the contemporary preoccupation with self-actualization and the discourse of positive-thinking.