AWAKENING TO ABUNDANCE

“The key to abundance is meeting limited circumstances with unlimited thoughts.” Marianne Williamson

Photo: Georganne Spruce

Is abundance based on what you have or how you perceive what you have? Do you ever feel abundant? Do you feel lacking no matter how much you have?

During the years I was teaching dance in Denver, I lived in a one-room apartment most of the time. It contained a kitchen in one wall, one table, a single bed, a small closet, one chest of drawers, and one window. Most people would consider that an extremely limited space, but for several years I was very happy there.

Abundance Isn’t About Quantity

The apartment was in a beautiful old Victorian house two blocks from Cheesman Park where there were walking trails and I could experience nature within the city. The bay window covered one entire end of the apartment and filled the room with light and framed the upper branches of a large, beautiful oak. It was a five minute drive from my part-time job on the edge of downtown. With rent that was well within my meager means, I felt I had everything I needed.

Our Feelings of Lack Come From Inside Us

Our society has been so focused on money and things that people often feel poor if they don’t have much more than they need. When we have plenty, yet feel lacking, we need to look within because what we are missing isn’t a thing; it’s what is inside of us.

What Makes Us Feel Abundant May Be Spiritual

What made me feel abundant during those years in Denver was that I was following my passion, teaching modern dance, and I had friends who shared my passion for dance and also my dedication to a spiritual journey. Sharing their spiritual practices, my friends were also teachers who enriched my journey. They introduced me to meditation, Eastern thinking, and Science of Mind philosophy.

Photo: Charlie Davidson

Work That Doesn’t Offer Satisfaction May Feel Like Lack

There have also been times when I felt my life lacked abundance, when something significant was missing. In New Orleans, I tried to work in sales because I wanted more money. I had a larger, spacious apartment and newer car than in Denver, but my job took so much time and the contention in the office drained my energy. Although I had more on the physical level, I didn’t feel abundant. I felt drained and deprived of what made my life feel full.

When we at least have the basics that all people need, our definitions of abundance may vary widely, but it really comes down to how we see what we have. For example, most people would feel very lacking without a smart phone and having the ability to text and use the internet. If they can’t keep in constant contact with friends, they feel something is lacking. I find that distracting.

When We Love Ourselves, We Feel Abundant

But at the base of our concept of abundance is the question: Am I enough? If we love ourselves, we more easily love others and share without feeling that sharing involves a loss. In fact, sharing will make us feel richer. When we love ourselves, we feel loved even without a romantic partner, and when we feel connected to Spirit, we feel loved in a deep spiritual way.

Photo: Georganne Spruce

Thinking Positively Enriches Us

When we have our basic needs met, but still feel no abundance, what do we need to change? Often we get caught up in negative thinking so that we are always seeing what is wrong with life rather than focusing on what is good. Reality isn’t always smooth and peaceful, but if we focus on solving problems and maintain a positive attitude that most problems can be solved, we are more likely to find solutions.

Having Chronic Fatigue Syndrome many years ago was a gift. Working with a wonderful holistic doctor, I learned how to use supplements, food, and alternative methods like acupuncture to attain and maintain a healthy lifestyle. During that time, I had so little energy that everything I did seemed like a burden. I also had to continue working in order to pay the bills.

I had to hunt for things to lift my spirits. Sometimes it was simply the song of a bird or a cool breeze blowing through the window. (I lived in New Orleans) I was always grateful when a friend came to visit, my mother brought me dinner, or I had more energy than usual. But whatever I chose to focus on, I gave thanks for it as a form of abundance.

Enjoying the Moment Enriches Us

Making the time in each day to relax allows us time to be in the moment. Just being in the moment can feel luxurious and special. It is only then that we can take the time to truly look at our day and be thankful for what it has offered us. At times, I start my day, before I even get out of bed with five minutes of meditation. I welcome the silence and am thankful for that and then offer thanks for not only what I have but what I expect to experience that day.

Abundance is not only about what we have or our attitude about what we have; it is also about what we expect to have. Positive expectations may draw to us what is most abundant in any area of our lives.