Thoughts on Prosperity

The saying “Not for love nor money” is one I’ve heard all my life. That phrase is usually predicated by something like “I wouldn’t do that for love nor money,” implying that love and money are two of the most important things in life and valued equally. While I hadn’t thought of it in those terms until recently, I have always shared those beliefs. And, since my spiritual awakening in early 1988, I have been looking at my belief structures around money and love and using numerous rituals, affirmations and techniques, not to mention reading many of the books written on each topic, to bring more of both into my life.

I’d like to share some of the newer perspectives I’ve discovered recently around prosperity. These have been most enlightening to me and hopefully will spark some new awareness for you.

Last fall, I attended a weekend program that dealt with, among many other things, giving new definitions to commonly known words, focusing on myself and saying no to everyone and everything that doesn’t nurture or support me. After the first day of this program, I wrote in my journal about how nurturing myself had always taken a back seat to everything and everyone else in my life. I acknowledged a need to shift that belief. I then quickly noted that my relationship to money also needed to shift. Soon I realized that my lack of money flow was probably mirroring my lack of energy flow around nurturing myself. Now this is not new “stuff” for me, I’ve been dancing around these ideas for many years and, as usual the new framework that was being presented in the workshop was shifting my perspectives.

When I’m journaling, I frequently ask my guides/Angels to “talk” with me and give me guidance. When I asked for their insights on what I needed to do to change my relationship to money, this was their reply:

“You place way too much importance on money – you’ve connected it to your worth. You have it backwards. You are valuable, not money. As soon as you believe that, all will change. Money is a tool for you to use. Only you can make it valuable or important. It’s the way that energy flows on your planet. And, it’s been connected to value – a means of exchange. It’s only a means of exchange and it’s represented by squares of paper. You need to give you the importance, the value that you have been giving to money. Begin to value yourself, your time, your connection to Spirit, your passion, your heart and the money will follow. Money follows value – it only has the value you give it and what you’ve given it is way out of proportion and that’s being reflected in your bank accounts. Begin to fill the accounts in your Judith bank with food for your soul, and watch your bank accounts flourish. They will flourish when you do. There’s a direct correlation. That’s why writing, dancing, meditating with the labyrinth – doing whatever you love and what nurtures you is the key to opening new doors in your life. Your joy, your perspectives, your inspiration are needed in the world. Tell your story – the world needs to hear your story. Value your thoughts & ideas – act on them and see where they lead – there’s the adventure.”

As I was focused on new ways to see the meanings of words, I next realized the judgement I’ve had around scarcity, so I began to look for its gift. Without scarcity there can be no abundance – it’s the other side of the coin. It helps set a boundary on over spending or over acquiring. I realized a long time ago that I become my most creative when I’ve had the least money. So scarcity feeds my creativity when I’m not blocked by fear. Lack can also be seen as the void – the emptiness from which all possibilities come - when there’s no emotion attached to it. I’ve seen it as a black hole that I would disappear into – losing myself, and yet, it could be a place to lose my ego. Scarcity is very humbling and, as my humility increases, I am stripped of all pretenses. It clears the decks – makes room for peace, serenity, and simplicity.

Lack can also mean lack of distraction and lack of outside influences so I can hear myself think, find my center – my heart, my purpose, my direction. Scarcity also helps me focus while making me more conscious of my choices and needs. When I have lots of money I go unconscious and my compulsion to accumulate things is triggered. It’s the emotional charge around it that’s given scarcity a bad rap. Our society has placed such a high value on the abundance of things to the detriment of the abundance of natural resources – what we have instead of who we are. What we value is all screwed up, hence my disjointed, misplaced, value of money vs. myself. Developing a list of what I value from an internal perspective gives a whole new look to this issue. My values list includes:

Passion
Love
Creativity
Nurturing
Rest
Balance
Peace
Simplicity
Rhythm
Truth
Possibility
Curiosity
Spirit

The more I have focused on bringing these values into my life, the more nurtured and valued I feel, which has increased the flow of money and blessings. What might your list include?

Hopefully these thoughts serve to support your journey towards increased creativity, love and prosperity.