It’s Just A Thought

“The Law of Abundance 

What’s Money Got To Do With It?”

November 20, 2007

Rev. Regina Maria Cross

Many of us are running, if not literally, emotionally, mentally and spiritually, chaotically in fear due to the worldly and therefore personal financial situation. We are asking questions we never thought we’d have to. Questions like; will my retirement be there when I am, will I be able to send my children to college, will I be able to pay my next car payment, do I have enough to add the cream to the grocery cart, can I afford to drive to work next week, will I have work to drive to next week?

We are holding our breath in pain and fear of circumstance knowing in some way we do have a responsibility in it. We are holding our breath, as if we do long enough, something, someone will come save us as if we deserve saving.

WWell,we do deserve and we already are, saved that is. Exhale. We need only wrap our minds, hearts and spirits around the very concept that there is a Universal Law of Abundance in existence given by the Universal Source of All, the Great I Am, God, Yahweh, what ever name you may be comfortable calling the All Inclusive Energy.

What is a Universal Law, you may ask?  As quoted from The New Dictionary Of Spiritual Thought by Rev. Carol Parrish “Universal Law – A way of designating the sustaining axioms of spiritual reality as we can understand them within the human experience.” And as quoted from The Emancipated Person by Brenda Cutrell, Ph.D., “These are unvarying, and therefore universal, no matter what the belief system of the experiencer.” (Both books are available at The Sparrow Hawk Village Bookstore by calling 800-386-7161 or www.sanctasopohia.org)

Keeping in mind we are Spiritual Beings having a human experience there are several Universal Laws we live our life through on a daily basis whether we are conscious of them or not. Being conscious just makes life a whole lot more pleasurable most of the time. The rest of the time through the lesson, life becomes more fulfilling as it knocks our enlightenment up a notch or two.

One of the Universal Laws that exist for our benefit is the Law of Abundance. Again quoting from Rev. Parrish, the “Law of Abundance – A concept of prosperity that acknowledges richness of supply on each level: physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual. Operating in harmony with giving and receiving brings much to us. ‘the abundant life’ conveys ample challenge and opportunity and the growth that results.”

Stop for just a moment. Really, for just a moment and look around you wherever you are. What do you see? Unless you are reading this from a cardboard box under an overpass you are living well. That is not to say that the one living in the cardboard box is not. There is a man that stands on New York Avenue just past the underpass across from the old Hecht Company warehouse. He stands there with a branch in his hand (I believe it to be olive) and as each car passes he gently waves the branch in the air as if blessing each soul. For years now as I leave his presence ever so brief I do feel blessed. I call him my New York Avenue Jesus Man because on some level he is conscious and loving and good enough to bless my existence. That is abundance. He fills me up and I bet he goes home to a cardboard box under the bridge when his day’s work is done.

Now, look to your right and look to your left. What do you see? Walls either at work or home, furniture, collectables, bills, (OK, we’ll deal with those in a moment), a refrigerator with food in it (you have food!). Look outside the window (you have windows!) and what do you see? Color, glorious color in the leaves, the sky, the grass, in the clothes people wear (clothes, we have clothes!). You can see! What Abundance! Perhaps in view there are children of your own. Yes, they as you, mean more money output in the physical scheme of things yet I do hope you realize how blessed you are to have been given charge of each incarnate soul that has come through you. They, as you, are an affluent gift on earth.

Be with your body. Sometimes we aren’t wholly in our body but rather outside treating it as if it were a stranger. Be in your body and realize whatever shape it is in, it is yours and you help create it every day. You are in charge of how it is fed, how much sleep it gets, how relaxed it is through its many challenges and glories. You have been given an abundance of choice in the treatment of your treasure gift. Are you making the most bountiful choices for your body everyday?

When is the last time you gave yourself time? Time, a wealthy gift we tend to squander or actually think we do not have enough of. When is the last time you meditated, prayed or just sat in silence? It’s free and abundantly yours to do so. In so doing we are more likely to realize the prolific gift of soulful calmness and centeredness about us that we never need open our wallet for. Our centeredness is to our peaceful emotions, mental clarity and spiritual enrichment as water is to thirst. And it is abundantly free.

Right now many are worried about money issues and I am not about to say that money does not matter. I want you to read my articles for truth. Money does matter yet to what degree do we allow it to have control over us? The “concept of prosperity that acknowledges richness of supply on each level” could be determined to mean we need to change our relationship to money versus the idea that we need more. To quote Phil Laut from his book Money Is My Friend “People with Prosperity Consciousness know that money is one of the least important things in life.” Money is an exchange of energy. That’s all. We use money now versus pigs and goats.

In 1989 in preparing for my first brain surgery we knew that our lives financially would not be the same afterward. At that time my earnings took care of home and Kenny’s took care of business. Suddenly $25,000 dollars was going to be gone from our budget. That was our living well yearly home income, gone! That was a very scary time dealing with both brain surgery and lots less money knowing if I were to survive I would need 24/7 care. We had to change our thinking and quickly. The choice was to suffer and start work long before I was ready or able, if at all, for Kenny to double his efforts therefore becoming less than well or happy himself or look earnestly at our situation inviting the Law of Abundance to care for us through our decisions of responsibility. Yes, our responsibility, our actions are employed through the Law of Abundance as thought begets form. This idea of God will provide is all grand and good and I do believe it to be so with the equal follow up that God wants to see our effort input toward our Soul’s desire. God does provide; your ability to think and rethink, your ability to manage and re-manage, your ability to manifest and continue manifesting that which already exist for you. One of my favorite lessons through our experience of that time still remains foremost in our living. I share it with you now in hopes that the truth of it will change your life as it has ours; “there is very little that is truly important and that which is pay attention”. Lessons of less bring greater knowledge of more. Again to quote Phil Laut from Money Is My Friend “Financial Freedom is when you never do anything you don’t want to do for money and you never omit doing something that you want to do because of lack of money.”

If you know you are going to leave work today not to return tomorrow perhaps this is the time to image your wildest dream. What it is you truly want to do in this lifetime. Envision not only the idea of having worldly success but of living your most authentic accomplishment. I hear you and now cancel “can’t” and the Universe says, “Yes”. Here’s a thought from John Ruskin that may be of assistance in changing your mind; “In order that people may be happy in their work, these three things are needed: They must be fit for it. They must not do too much of it, and they must have a sense of success in it.”

My belief is that due to the higher consciousness of our human evolution toward our spiritual selves through this financial hardship we will be reunited. It gives me hope that we are moving forward toward an exalted understanding of responsibility to ourselves, each other, the younger kingdoms, Mother Earth and Father Sky. Perhaps in our longing to have more we will give more in caring for the environment using less fuel by lowering the thermostat and wearing that beautiful sweater you bought last year when money seemed to flow through the credit card or by bundling your errands making one trip versus several. Reusing instead of being the throw away society we have become by carrying our own bags to the grocery store, painting that old dresser instead of tossing it to the landfill or taking our own travel mug to the latte counter (God forbid, really, we give up buying that latte). Actually entertaining the idea of staying home one night a week sharing dinner, a movie or hey, sharing ideas and thoughts of our authentic selves together. This multitasking life style we have created isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. Besides the fact that it is extremely costly I have yet to know one child that appreciates going to school from early morn, having multi functions after school, having a quick late dinner that may or may not be shared with family members and then off to their room to start and finish multiple rounds of homework finally falling asleep too late in the night only to wake too early and start what looks to someone else their life to be lived.

Beyond the definition of good life perhaps it is our definition of expectations that hangs us up most regarding money and our acceptance of abundance. Redefining the good life means knowing what our expectations are. Here’s a fun exercise to help you start. Make a list of those things that seem important regarding finances. Step away from it momentarily. Go make yourself a cup of tea inhaling it’s teeming fragrance and tasting, truly tasting, its rich flavor. Now, exhaling any societal link, go back to the list and highlight those noted that truly are important only to you and your definition of the good life. Not so much you say. Not so much is important but that which is pay (pun intended) attention. The other night on the news I heard this Christmas shopping season referred to as “Value Season”. I like that. I really like that. We are showing the world we are becoming a conscious consumer. This Christmas give the gift from your heart befitting the Christ within the other.

“Operating in harmony with giving and receiving brings much to us.” When is the last time you volunteered a few hours, a day or evening to your passionate cause? Do you have a passionate cause? Well, if money is tight for you believe me your most passionate non-profit cause could really use your help right about now. Money toward the good of all goes off the budget more quickly than any other area of financial concern. We all have our priorities and perhaps that is one of our lessons during this time, the reevaluation of priorities. It is the “ample challenge and opportunity and the growth that results” that excites me. If you cannot afford the time remember that 10% tithe and let it go. If you do not let it go, it stagnates in your presence. Money is energy and the tighter you hold on to it the less it flows. Through wise discernment let it flow through you and to you. I am not suggesting frivolous spending. I am speaking wise discernment, as you become the Master of Your Energetic Abundance. Remember money is a symbol of your understanding of deservedness. No, that does not mean Donald Trump deserves more. It does mean he pays attention. Tithe to your passionate cause be it your Church, Spiritual Enlightenment Centre, the American Brain Tumor Association or Cancer Research and/or other. Equally tithe 10% to yourself. That’s how the college education shows up. Teach your children to do the same with an allowance that is earned not just given because you didn’t get one when you were a kid or even if you did. I do remember the excitement of my first earned savings account. There truly was something great and spiritual about it.

The equal exchange of “Operating in harmony with giving and receiving”, is an important Reiki teaching as no one is to be held above or below the other because in reality we are all One. Equal exchange could show up as; for this I do for you, you cook my dinners two nights a week. In the outer world it’s called barter. No money need exchange from wallet to wallet but there is an affluent flow and perhaps in sweeter payment. Consider investing in yourself for a lifetime by becoming Reiki as you learn one of the most abounding healing, relaxing and centering modalities available to all. Look to this coming January for Light Paths - Centre For The Healing Arts next Reiki First Degree class.

Times may look bleak and yet holding onto bleakness does not get us out of bleak times. Instead mediate, pray upon being open to the plentiful all around you and the Universal Law of Attraction will meet you at least half way, as you become a magnet to Divine assistance through the Universal Law of Abundance. Universal Laws follow each other; it’s their job. I have this affirmation from Phil Laut’s book taped to every mirror, on my refrigerator and in my wallet to keep me conscious of my thought process; “Prosperity Consciousness is the ability to function effortlessly and conveniently in the physical world, having money or not”. I also carry in my wallet a $2.00 bill my Dad gave me long ago. My plan is to that carry that $2.00 bill until I need it. There it is abundantly resting in my wallet ready for an equal exchange of energy. So far it abundantly travels the world with me.

It’s Just A Thought but in terms of The Law of Abundance, What’s Money Got To Do With It other than what we make of it? Read those words again and rethink your financial freedom. Suze Orman puts it this way; “Money itself cannot make you financially free. Only you can make yourself financially free.” The Law of Abundance is intentional and conscious and works in harmony with the truth of the Universe. This Thanksgiving wherever you are, look about you, and give Soulful thanks to the Universal Source of All for the abundance in your life. Live the moment and vow to bring a new understanding of abundance to the table sharing your wisdom with those you love enriching yours and their life’s bank account.

Light Paths * Centre For The Healing Arts, a Spiritual Enlightenment Centre and The Sophia School Of Wisdom, an accredited outreach center for Sancta Sophia Seminary are nestled in beautiful woodland only 3 miles from downtown Centreville. Every month on the 22^nd of every month we hold a Reiki Prayer Circle at 7:00pm. All are invited as the Reiki Practitioners assist you in your prayerful intention. Thought to Form. There must be clear thought prior to manifestation. The Universal Energy and the Law of Abundance understands your needs and needs you to do the same. Setting your intention, prayer, invocation and the arrival of answers thereof are a complete and abundant flow of energy. Gatherings are abundantly spiritually enriching. Know you are welcome and we abundantly enriched by your presence. For more information call 410-758-2579 or e-mail us at lightpaths@me.com.

(picture from here)