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The source is within you,
And this whole world is springing up from it.
The source is full,
And its waters are ever-flowing.
Do not grieve, drink your fill.
Don’t think it will ever run dry, this endless ocean.
—Rumi
As the awareness of your oneness with the Universe deepens, you will begin to see through new eyes; everywhere you look you will find the principle of abundance operating.
The parable in chapter one is not just a story about a school of fish trying to break free of the confines of a limited life and too often failing; it is also our story. Like the majority of the fish in the lagoon, many of us have spent a good portion of our lives swimming in circles of sameness, in the shallows of life, afraid to venture out beyond the apparent safety of the “lagoon” of the known and to go beyond the metaphoric barrier reef, where everything seems nebulous, uncertain, and, yes, perhaps dangerous as well. The great barrier reef is a metaphor for our consciousness, which comprises the totality of all our conscious and unconscious beliefs, accumulated and warehoused in our mind from the day we were born to this moment in time.
The source of one’s good is the Universe in which we live, an infinite well of “more than enough” that knows nothing about lack or limitation, where the potential for everything exists. The secret to life lies directly in front of us every moment of every day, but we fail to see it, perhaps because, like the fish in the water, we are so close to our source that we can’t see we are swimming in abundance. It is the nature of the Universe to bestow upon all sentient forms of life an abundance of whatever is needed not just to survive, but to thrive. The secret to life is embedded in our DNA, but not everyone is aware; it hides in plain view, waiting for us to find it, crack its code, and bring our abundance into specific form. In the words of Ralph Waldo Emerson, “Man was born to be rich, or grow rich by use of his faculties, by the [conscious] union of thought with nature.” Taking a bit of poetic license, I thought it was appropriate to add the word conscious to Emerson’s quote because it is through the conscious use of our minds and the conscious union of our thought with nature (the Universe) that we can intentionally commingle with the source of our good.
From time immemorial humankind has fought and struggled to survive. Throughout history the belief in “not enough” has dominated the minds and the behavior of the majority of human beings. It is the illusion that you are separate from the source of your abundance that gives birth to a belief in not enough.
There is a lie that acts like a virus within the mind of humanity. And that lie is, There’s not enough good to go around. There’s lack and there’s limitation and there’s just not enough. The truth is that there’s more than enough good to go around. There is more than enough creative ideas. There is more than enough power. There is more than enough love. There’s more than enough joy. All of this begins to come through a mind that is aware of its own infinite nature. There is enough for everyone. If you believe it, if you can see it, if you act from it, it will show up for you. That’s the truth.
—Michael Bernard Beckwith
While it is not really a secret, few of us fully actualize our oneness with the Universe in our lives because we have fallen victim to the “legend” of duality: the spoken and unspoken stories (beliefs) passed down from one generation to the next that draw their energy from one massive fear, the fear of not enough—not enough money, food, time, respect, love, land, oil, power. A variation on the theme is that one is not strong enough, rich enough, pretty enough, healthy enough... and perhaps the granddaddy of all not-enoughs: shame, as in, I am not good enough. This mistaken belief is fully inculcated in the collective unconscious of the human race. This is when the concept of duality—the belief in separation—plays out in an entirely different manner as well, dividing those who “have” from those who “have not.” Irrespective of how you define duality, it has been the root cause of every war ever fought; it is the motivating force behind every act of selfishness, greed, corruption, and dishonesty. For this reason, understanding and dismantling the fear of “not enough” is a theme we shall mindfully revisit throughout all ten Abundance Rules because its systemic roots are buried deeply in the collective unconscious of humankind, as well as our individual minds. It is this belief that keeps us stuck in our metaphoric “safe” little lagoons, swimming around in safe little circles, believing we have to struggle to make ends meet in the material world, mistakenly looking to the world as the source of our good—to fill the “not enough” hole. The irony is, all the while, our true abundance awaits our discovery just beyond the known of our current belief system. In other words, we are consumed with the erroneous belief that our abundance comes from our jobs, the government, the economy, the lottery, our parents, our children, and so on. These are only conduits through which our good may flow, rather than the source itself—a limitless Universe. This lack of belief in a limitless Universe impels us to resist the natural urge to explore beyond the safety of the known; it causes us to contract and withdraw from the expansive impulse of life to a degree that it imprisons us. When this happens we stay stuck, possibly living unfulfilled lives, because we fear exploring the possibility that new beliefs can set us free to explore new horizons. Fear tends to do that; it drives an invisible wedge between us and our true source of abundance—and all the possibilities it offers—and thus between us and freedom.
All fear arises from a belief in death in one form or another—the loss of someone or something. It might be our physical death that we fear, but it could just as easily be the death of our bank account, job, lifestyle, relationship(s), health, reputation, and so on. Fear ultimately draws its life force from our belief in duality, a belief that we are separate and apart from , rather than one with and a part of the fundamental source of all life, all supply, all good: the Universe. Can you see this unbroken chain of beliefs working in your own life today? Our work is to reveal where that mistaken belief lies within us and rise above that sense of separation. As we transcend the collective consciousness that is ensconced in a belief that we are, or could ever be, separated from the true source of our good, abundance as a way of life will become natural to us. We will realize what true freedom really is and will be well on our way to creating a prosperous life, one that we know we are worthy of living.
Prosperity of any type begins as the unformed substance of all possibility. With practice, living in alignment with the unseen principle of abundance will become as natural to us as is water to a fish.
Abundant living contains more than financial riches; we need beauty, health, peace and joy as part of living. From earliest times, man has been beset with supply problems... In the search for security he has overlooked the greatest channel for good, namely the self [his true Essence] as part of an infinite Creation [the Universe].
—Arthur G. Thomas
I am blessed to live in Florida on a waterway that opens to the Gulf of Mexico. Living on the water has afforded me many wonderful lessons relevant to the principle of abundance. What I have noticed is that on my waterway, all my neighbors’ boats use the same water to float. The water does not support just certain “privileged” boats, such as the larger yachts. All watercraft, whatever their size—from kayaks to yachts—have equal rights and access to the same surface of water. Such is the principle of abundance. Because it is an omnipresent principle, it does not affect only certain people; it affects us all because it is equally available to us all, irrespective of the “size” of our vessel. Of course, the size of our vessel is another metaphor for the expanse of our consciousness, our individual belief system: the larger the boat (consciousness), the deeper it sits in the same water (source) with all the other boats; it just has access to more of the water based on its size. Using the Great Infinite Ocean as a metaphor for the Universe allows us to discover not just our place in it, but our oneness with an unlimited source equally available to every one of us. You were born into an ocean of abundance, and you really are swimming—or in this case, floating—in it.
How does this information make you feel? Does it bump up against any underlying beliefs that may limit the idea that you are one with the Universe, your source of all abundance? Are you at all caught up in judgment, influenced by what you may perceive in the world as scarcity—or not enough? It is important to begin to pay attention to those feelings, because beneath them are beliefs that need to be called out, challenged, and perhaps changed. Awakening to your true abundance is a process that involves mindfully exploring your deepest beliefs. Abundance is your birthright. The question is, where does this truth live in you? Do you sense that it is not only your right but your destiny to live an abundant life? Do you feel at home in your human skin? Do you feel a sense of being part of something larger than yourself and that there is purpose and reason for you being alive? As Max Ehrmann stated in his poem “Desiderata”: “You are a child of the universe, no less than the trees and the stars; you have a right to be here.” Again, try to remain in touch with the feeling nature of your being—it will tell you what is going on in the unseen realms of your deepest beliefs. This is the importance of emotional awareness.
Manifesting abundance is a choice offered to you every moment of every day based on the depth of your understanding of the first rule, “Be One with Life.” While it is a metaphor, knowing and believing you were born in the “Great Infinite Ocean” of abundance is the core idea found in the first rule: remembering you are one with the source of your good. The hidden problem for the majority of us lies in the underlying belief that we are separate from the source of our good—that somehow we are destined to live a life of not enough. Perhaps that is because we have confused supply with substance.
There is a fundamental difference between abundance and prosperity. Each plays an equally crucial role in creating a fulfilling life, and it is important not to get one confused with the other. Abundance must precede Prosperity.
We see the universe as a solid fact,
God sees it as liquid law.
—Ralph Waldo Emerson
Abundance is defined as “An extremely plentiful or over-sufficient quantity or supply; an overflowing fullness.” Note that this definition does not specify form, only a degree that implies more than enough. This is because abundance is a principle that goes beyond form. It is a universal principle of more than enough of whatever one can conceive. Abundance is absolute potential available to whoever can actualize it by transforming pure potential into a solid reality.
Everything in our world, even a drop
of dew, is a microcosm of the universe.
—Ralph Waldo Emerson
Prosperity is “A successful, flourishing, or thriving condition.” In other words, prosperity is a condition, not a principle; it is the effect, or manifestation, of abundance materializing in a specific form (condition) and degree. The inclination of most people is to think of prosperity as money or material possessions, which it is in part; however, it is far more than that. We can prosper in a multitude of other ways—an abundance of talent, relationships, inner peace, good health, and the time to enjoy them all.
As we deepen our sense of what prosperity is—and, equally important, what it isn’t—we shall see that irrespective of how we define it, with the proper understanding of the relationship between abundance and prosperity, the portal to a whole new world of possibilities opens before us. Simply put, abundance is the causative principle of more than enough, and prosperity is the exquisite effect. The question is, which one do you tend to focus more fully on: the cause or the effect? As we shall discover, we can’t have one without the other. The secret to life lies in knowing which one comes first and giving that our primary attention. The good news is, there is a practice you can introduce to your thinking mind that will assist you in focusing on the principle of abundance. Read on.
As a universal principle, abundance is omnipresent and therefore available to us every moment of the day; the challenge is that we are not always present and available to abundance.
With mindfulness, you can establish yourself
in the present in order to touch the wonders
of life that are available in that moment.
—Thich Nhat Hanh
From antiquity, the practice of mindfulness has been taught as the gateway to the present moment, including the principle of abundance. What is mindfulness? It is “remembering to remember” that the present moment is where the secret to life is always waiting for us to show up so that it may bestow upon us its opulence, often in the form of gifts we seldom take time to consider as abundance. When I say gifts I am referring not solely to material items but also to the plethora of intangible good available to us without asking, such as our next breath or the next beat of our heart. However, while we may not have to consciously cooperate with the autonomic nervous system that keeps our heart beating and gives us our next breath, we must be mindfully available to receive life’s plethora of other gifts. The Universe is continually giving us what we need not just to survive, but to thrive; this is the principle of abundance in action. When we are mindfully present in the moment, we are able to see the gift, embrace it, appreciate it, and use it more fully. Mindfulness is a key player in recognizing, accessing, and activating the principle of abundance in whatever form it may be.
Mindfulness is the practice of calling the thinking mind back to where the body is, wherein the two merge as one in the present moment. Since there is nothing like a demonstration to embody an idea, consider this mindfulness practice:
Intentionally take a deep breath and focus on that breath as you hold it . Note that while your mind is focusing on holding that breath, your body is beginning to wonder what is happening; you have the attention of both your mind and body. Just for a moment reflect on how wonderful that breath is, and what a blessing it is to your body.
Then, as you are releasing that breath, notice you are not fearfully holding on to it, thinking there is not enough air to take in the next breath. Your release is proof that, at some level, you must believe in the principle of abundance; you are demonstrating your faith that you are one with something that knows how to sustain you in this moment.
Now take another breath, and while holding it in, realize the paradox that lies before you; notice that in this moment , your mind and your body are in the same place. Now ask yourself, Am I this mind or am I this body? Then realize one needs the other for you to exist. This awareness invites your mind and body to work as dedicated partners in manifesting a prosperous life.
Finally, as you release that breath, consider the fact that, while your body can’t be anyplace other than in the present moment, too often your mind is everywhere but the present moment, wandering in the wonder of the past or the future; wondering what may or may not happen five minutes, five days, or five years from now—or your mind may be dragging the dead corpse called the past behind you, reliving your regrets, resentments, or memories of the good old days.
Now draw in one more breath, smile, and feel the joy and power found in practicing mindfulness as you release that breath.
The point of this practice is that reliving the past or visiting the future in our mind is not necessarily a bad thing if it doesn’t prohibit us from experiencing what can be available to us only in the present moment. With mindfulness we can practice emotional awareness by paying attention to our feelings in the present moment; they will reveal our deepest beliefs about abundance that may need to be identified and modified. With mindfulness we can challenge our BS (Belief System) and call out outdated beliefs that don’t support us in creating a prosperous life.
Mindful living is a lifestyle—something that can be practiced anytime, anywhere—at home, at work, on the golf course, while driving or eating a meal. When approached with reverence, the practice of mindfulness becomes a way of walking a sacred earth, understanding that meaning and fulfillment in life isn’t a commodity to be bought and paid for by demonstrating prosperity. Mindfulness creates a spacious opening that allows us to bring the gift of our whole selves to our world as well as to perceive the richness contained in the present moment and experience the amazing gift of life itself, the blessing of being fully alive. Henry David Thoreau summarized the importance of mindfulness exquisitely when he wrote, “You must live in the present, launch yourself on every wave, find your eternity in each moment. Fools stand on their island of opportunities and look toward another land. There is no other land; there is no other life but this.” In short, there is no other place—there is no other time—where or when a life of abundance, purpose, joy, peace, authentic power, and meaning will be more available to you than it is in this moment. But the question is, do you believe it?
Freedom! To mindfully actualize the principle of abundance opens the floodgates of prosperity. It is the belief in our oneness with “more than enough” that sets us free.
Freedom means you are unobstructed in living your life as you choose. Anything less is a form of slavery.
—Wayne Dyer
The ultimate payoff of mastering the first rule, “Be One with Life,” is freedom. Dr. Raymond Charles Barker defined prosperity as “Having the ability to do what you want to do, when you want to do it.” Isn’t that the ultimate goal of freedom? Notice that nowhere in this definition is there a mention of money or “stuff.” Living a prosperous life means being established in a belief that affirms there is more than enough of whatever creates a sense of freedom in your life. While that may mean an abundance of money, it could as easily mean an abundance of time, or good health, or new friends, and so on; freedom allows you to enjoy the life you choose to live. The moment you transcend the belief that the material world is the wellspring of your abundance, you set yourself free to explore beyond the confines of what holds the majority of human beings hostage to a life of limitation: fear of not enough. By accessing the limitless abundance of a Universe that operates solely on a principle of more than enough, you release the world from being responsible for your happiness and fulfillment. However, you must remember that—as the young fish in the parable of the lagoon learned—accessing your highest potential is only the first of two assignments. After you discover the secret to life—that you are one with the Universe—you must then learn how to “convert” that infinite potential into form, shaping the substance of the life you call your own, the life you were born to live. The question is, where do you begin such a trek? Angel the fish knew. The answer to this question awaits you in the following nine Abundance Rules. For now, let us just say the Great Infinite Ocean of abundance is calling you. Does it have your attention yet?
There is a difference between abundance and prosperity. Abundance, as a universal principle, is unlimited potential—it is the unseen essence of more than enough of anything . Prosperity is the seen, outward demonstration of that which has been conceived. A sense of oneness with the principle of abundance will always precede a demonstration of true prosperity in any of its countless forms.
Fear of “not enough” arises from a belief in duality, a belief that you are separate from the universal source of all supply. While it is virtually impossible to be separated from the wholeness of a Universe wherein everything is interconnected, it is possible to believe you are. You must be willing to transcend the collective belief (the stories passed down through many generations) that there is not enough for everyone, which always originates from a belief in duality.
The secret to life is that you are one with the Universe, the original and only source of all abundance; you were born into the pure potential of abundance that already exists. To claim your abundance, you must be willing to leave the confines of your current comfort zone.
Practice mindfulness daily; it summons your wandering mind back into alignment with your body, where, in the present moment, the principle of abundance awaits you. With mindfulness, you can become witness to your emotions, which may help reveal your deepest unconscious beliefs about abundance that may need to be identified, challenged, and changed.
What you are seeking isn’t actually prosperity or even abundance; what you really desire is the freedom prosperity represents and the inner peace abundance brings. The moment you transcend the belief that the material world is your source, you set yourself free to shape a new life—one in which abundance rules the day!