What is Abundant Living?

Or could it be the awareness, faith and manifestation of something Infinite, loving, friendly, all-present, all-power, as well as all-abundant?  

Most of us - through no fault of our own - have inadvertently embodied a belief about this power from early childhood passed down through generations.  The belief, even if we're not conscious of it, is in a presence and power that is judgemental, moody, withholding and unavailable.  He's keeping a list, and checking it twice...

I share with my clients that even if we are not aware of those beliefs, if we take an honest look at some specific areas in our lives, we will see what we really believe.

So the first key to abundant living, is to become microscopically honest about those core, false and sabotaging beliefs.  There's no shame in it.  It's simply important to acknowledge it, so that we can move on to the truth about the nature of this Universal Presence and Power and how it relates to us individually.

The second key is dissolving that old limiting concept, and come into a direct experience of that which is Real through meditation.  I say Real with a capital "R" because this is the Reality of your very beinginess.  It is unlimited, lavish, loving, always available and desires to express through you as Itself.  When we experience disharmony, lack or limitation, it is not because this Universal Presence is not good, it's because we don't believe that it is good or we think that it's too good for us.  We don't believe it's truly available to us.

The third key is to understand and embody our oneness or union with It.  Oh-oh, touchy subject here - "What do you mean, I'm one with a Higher Power - that's blasphemy".  Is it?  Or is it blasphemous to not experience the amazing life you are meant to have because you're holding on to a concept about this Universal Presence and yourself that's painful, limiting and ineffective?  Well, being raised in a religion that was all about begging, beseeching, separation and unworthiness, I can relate to that confusion.  But here's what I promise.  Through making a journey in consciousness back to your original nature - which is the One Presence and Power - you will wake up to your true identity and your birthright as a whole, complete and prosperous expression of It, which is only good.  

The fourth key is to pray from that awareness.  We're not praying "to something out there" to give us our good.  We get to declare and accept our good FROM our conscious union with this thing called Life.

The fifth key is to re-image ourselves in its image and likeness.  It is not made in our image and likeness (thank goodness).  We are made in Its image and likeness. How amazing.  How wonderful we must really be, to be made in the image and likeness of perfection.  We are not damaged, wounded, mistake-ridden human beings. We are spiritual beings that have had less than desirable human experiences, but so what...those errors are not who you are.  You are an expression of unlimited, wonderful magnificence.  I know this about you.  Now I want to show you how to know this about yourselves.

The sixth key is healing the deep universal fear about tithing, and then tithe from a joyful place of understanding.  This one was HUGE for me, until I understood the law of circulation.  Most of us have come from the belief based on some biblical scripture that we had to tithe or be punished in some way, or that the church was just manipulating us out of all of our money so that the minister could drive a Rolls Royce.  I came to understand that there's no obligation to tithe, just like there's no obligation to pray or to forgive, but because we live in an orderly Universe, based on cause and effect, it might be liberating, healthy and prosperous for us to give back to that which has nurtured our spiritual unfoldment.  Everything is about consciousness, and what we believe, we tend to experience.  So, if I'm not tithing based on the fear that "I don't have enough to live on myself - why in the world should I tithe to others", guess what - you've sent out a vibrational frequency to the Universe of lack and limitation, and you will never have it to give.  Nothing personal - that's the law.  Joel Goldsmith of the Infinite Way made it so clear for me.  He says that through the realization of oneness, when we tithe, we're not giving our money away, we're simply circulating it back to ourselves, because there's only one of us anyway.  Tithing is a demonstration of faith that the well never runs dry, and that you are prosperous and abundant.  Because of developing that faith in consciousness, it returns to you multiplied.  I've proven this principle over and over again in my own life.  "Prove me now, sayeth the lord of host, if I will not open the windows of heaven and pour you out a blessing that is too big to receive". _Malachi 3:8-11

The seventh key is visualization.  My minister, Michael Beckwith always talks about "seeing it rightly vs. setting it rightly".  How many times have you prayed and prayed for things to change in your life, but you continue to obsessively see only what is appearing, or thinking about what you're afraid will happen?  Not only does worry, fear and doubt cancel out any prayer you might have prayed, but when we're in fear, we're not in the vibrational frequency of the solution. Is it possible to experience abundance when all you can think about is how you're gonna pay the light bill or the mortgage?  I think not.  However, through a disciplined life of meditation and prayer FROM our union with the Universal Presence that is loving, available, lavish, unfailing and constant, we are now in position to allow It to see it's perfection as and through us.  It only knows health, harmony, abundance and wholeness.  So, when we turn away from the appearance of negativity, and visualize that which we really want to experience as if it is already done, and hold there, the old gives way to the new.  Yes, this takes courage and boldness, but more than anything, it takes being consciously connected to the all Power and Presence.

The eighth key is forgiveness of all resentment.  Resentment is a core wound(s) that perfectly mirror back to us as people and circumstances.  Resentment is an obsessive repeat of the event that caused it, long after the event has past.  Sound familiar? It is one of the lowest vibrational frequencies we can hang out in.  So, when we're not experiencing joy, gratitude, fulfillment, health and prosperity, it is not because the Universal Presence is withholding good from us, it's because It cannot lower it's frequency to meet us where we are in consciousness.  We must rise through the healing of the erroneous core wounds of abandonment, rejection, not-enoughness, unworthiness, powerlessness, betrayal, etc., to the truth of who we really are.  As we heal these wounds, the stories that have held us in bondage began to change.  We then make amends for the part we've played in the situation, forgive others and make room for the prosperity and fulfillment that's been there all the time.

The ninth and final key is divine right action.  We are now ready to act from guidance, direction and inspiration in a way that support our desires.  Now we act from the awareness that we are supported by the entire Universe, and what seemed impossible, is now done with ease and grace.