abundance

Free to Share-Abundance (1.5.10)

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Copyright Tam Black 2018
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Guiding Thought

The Divine Presence of Love is the most natural energy in the world and beyond. Through the wisdom of Love, I understand Love as True wealth and an expression of my Divine nature, to be cultivated in my consciousness, expressed, and shared. My Love is infinite. My wealth is infinite. I realize this as my reality and circulate wealth with joy and gratitude.

Reflection

There’s this thing called Divine Presence. Its nature is Love. This Love, which is the nature of Divine Presence is the most natural energy in the world and beyond. And I have access to it!

This Love-thing…it also has the highest wisdom available to anyone anywhere. Imagine that! Since I have access to this Love-thing, I also have access to its wisdom. All I have to do is tune in to it–and that is easy, since it’s the most natural energy in the world. In fact… not being able to access it is what is unnatural!

So, when I access this wisdom, and think about Love, and how It’s the most natural energy in the world, I really understand that It really is True Wealth. What more could there be to abundance, than having the most natural energy in the world and beyond?

And since I have it already, all I have to do is recognize that I have it. It’s right here.

I can give and give and give…because I have It. And It’s infinite. 

In fact, if I ever feel like “I’ve given too much” or that “I am giving too much” then I can totally laugh at myself because the only reason I can give is because I have it. If I didn’t have it in the first place I couldn’t give it. So the fact of giving only verifies how much I have.

People who give know how much they have and give freely. People who can’t or don’t give simply can’t see the abundance that is there for them to give.

Love is the wealth of the universe…the infinite wealth of the universe. We all have this wealth; we all can give this wealth. If there is “nothing else to give” Love is there to be shared. There is always something to give.

The more you give, the more you are acknowledging how much you have to give. This is why it’s perfectly reasonable to circulate wealth with joy and gratitude!

The Gift of Life -Abundance (1.5.9)

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Copyright Tam Black 2018
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Guiding Thought

Divine Abundance expresses infinitely through my own Divine Presence. When I identify with my Divine Presence, I open the floodgates and Divine Abundance flows naturally, easily, and effortlessly through me, materializing all good in my life and affairs.

Reflection

After my reflection yesterday, I had a further insight. Yesterday, I wrote about how service and gratitude make the most sense.

Today, I realized that those two things are my priority right now. All I want is to serve and to be grateful.

What do service and gratitude have to do with abundance? On the surface, not a whole lot.

It’s what I have gratitude for and what (or how) I want to serve that have implications with abundance.

  • I have gratitude for my very existence.
  • I have gratitude for life, and all my experiences.
  • I have gratitude for the Love and Grace that gives me this existence, this life, and all of my experiences.
    • In order to show my gratitude, I want to give back to (aka serve) that Love and Grace

This thought/feeling goes beyond identifying with my own Divine Presence, and allowing Divine Abundance.

This thought/feeling acknowledges that without my Source–Love and Grace, which gives me existence–I do not exist.

What would or could I do if I did not exist?

Nothing that I do matters if it does not first acknowledge and appreciate the Source of Existence.

Once I acknowledge that Source…really acknowledge it, and understand that my very existence is due to Its Grace and Love…then I want to do everything acknowledging with gratitude the gift of life.

Every meager gift of gratitude is received by Source with celebration and rejoicing, because every gift of gratitude to Grace and Love is a gift in the world of Grace and Love.

And that’s what abundance really is: Extending and expanding Grace and Love.

 

 

 

Peripheral Vision– Worth (1.3.19)

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Copyright Tam Black 2018
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Guiding Thought

Extend the Love that you are, for that is all you truly are. As you learn to be aware, to understand and to Know your own will as Love, and make choices according to that will, your life experiences become worthy of you. Expressing your Self that is wholly Love and United with All is the only choice that is worthwhile. It is the only thing that brings you satisfaction, the only choice that allows you to experience your Self—the Love that you are. Your-my-our- freedom depends on your right choices, depends on you to choose what is worthy and what is not; it depends on you, depends on me, depends on us.

Reflection

Worth–feeling worthy–seems so far to be one of those issues, or emotions, or psychological states that I cannot yet look at directly. There are lots of threads crossing, weaving, tying to each other that need to be gently pulled, untied, and  disentangled. I am too focused on the threads to understand how they work together (or not) and combine for my worthiness.

One thread is called prosperity or abundance. It represents the worth I am able to bring from within to without, how my financial situation reflects how I feel about what I am worth.

One thread is called esteem. It represents what I respect and admire about myself–what I like about myself, those qualities that I enjoy expressing, and that I feel bring me the respect and admiration of others.

One thread is called value. This thread represents deeper qualities than esteem, but still qualities that I like about myself. These qualities are those qualities upon which esteem is built: what do I value in myself, and in the world? What do I care about most deeply?

One thread is called self-image. This thread represents how I think the world sees me, and how I see myself. What am I able to do? What can skills and talents and personality traits do I have? What am I good at? How much do I like myself?

All of these make up worth and worthiness. Each one is pretty huge of itself, which is probably why I am not quite ready to address worth head on.

What that means, or what it feels like, is that I am looking at worth only through peripheral vision, or a side-glance. Abundance, esteem, value, or self-image “issues” are going on in my center focus. At least that’s what it feels like. However, even in my center focus, these “issues” are still hard to look at, to deal with. So, I feel like my sub-conscious has been doing the heavy lifting for me, and that I’ve just kind of been “hovering” and un-involved.

I feel good that I have just written about this. At least I am at a level of awareness about what’s going on. This makes me want to get a bit more involved.

 

 

Up-Training: Journey of Courage 2017 – Day 14

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Looking within at the shadow places gets easier with practice, but sometimes I still need help. Fortunately, I have an infinite supply.

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Copyright Tam Black 2015
Designed for susanwithpearls.com

Guiding Thought

You are safe in Divine Love’s assurance. Have the courage to face the ignorance and illusions within yourself and root them out. Allow the Light of Love to enter your mind and heart. Divine Love shines within you destroying anything false, transforming you from within.

Reflection

Even though I know I am safe in Divine Love’s assurance, I have to admit, facing my own ignorance and illusions is a little scary.

I am currently working on two things to expand my consciousness, for which it seems I am in need of courage. They are 1) Eternal Peace (relevant to Journey of Courage, because where Eternal Peace resides, Courage is unnecessary, see Why a Journey of Courage) 2) Infinite Abundance.

Of themselves, these things are not scary. Of course I WANT Eternal Peace and Infinite Abundance. But, dang if facing my own ignorance, barriers, and illusions that prohibit my experience of them is a bear.

These Consciousness Journeys evolve the spiritual consciousness through mental practice–they are designed to evolve the mind to deeper understanding of our Oneness with Divine Mind, with Love, and with All that is. No problem. I am good with my mind; I think my spiritual evolution is coming along just fine.

However, spiritual evolution is nothing if it is not matched in my experience of reality; that is, if my belief system is such that I do not or can not get past my own limitations, I will only experience what my belief system allows, even if my spiritual consciousness has evolved.

If you were to buy a $50,000 race horse, then hire a trainer who has only trained $5,000 race horses, pretty soon your $50,000 race horse will only be worth $5,000. The trainer’s knowledge, experience, and expertise is at a certain level; the trainer can only train at that level, even when the potential for more is available.

Right now, my spiritual consciousness is (I think) a $50,000 race horse. My understanding of Oneness, of Love, of the Unity of Life within All is pretty good; I get into the flow of life a lot; I am confident in my understanding and knowledge of connecting with Divine Love and Living from a core-identity of myself as a Divine being.

But my human belief systems are at the level of a $5,000 trainer. I grew up with certain ideas about money, which included scarcity beliefs, ideas about my self-worth, and about what I deserve (or do not deserve). These ideas are limiting what my spiritual consciousness can do for me, through me.

I know this does not sound as scary as some of the emotions I have rooted up and released, but it’s still a lot–these feelings and issues are long-held beliefs about who I am, and what I deserve in relation to comfort, security, and how I am “allowed” to live in the world.

Another “issue” I seem to be having is identifying the root of the limitations, and how I unravel those. How have I limited myself? Why? Where did my limitations originate? Why did I feel like I needed them? I feel like I am looking at my ignorance and illusions (for that is why my out-dated belief systems are), through a frosted window. I can see a form on the other side, but it is just a shadow. I can neither identify it, nor grasp it.

Fortunately, today’s Guiding Thought, accomplishes the rooting out, and the transformation, without me needing to know what that shadow is. First Divine Love gives me confidence through a positive declaration, a promise of Itself. Then I am “told” to allow the Light of Love to enter my mind and heart, which it does. 

Then, Divine Love does all the work: Divine Love shines within you destroying anything false, transforming you from within.

I prefer conscious mental work. That is so much a part of this. I want to be able to consciously (not sub-consciously, not un-consciously) work with my Divine Self. But sometimes a little help from Divine Love is just fine. I will sit back and consciously allow Divine Love to help me.

 

 

 

Practical Courage: Journey of Courage 2017 – Day 05

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Sometimes I come out of the clouds and land solidly on the earth. Today, Courage takes a turn toward the worth. What can Courage teach me about abundance?

Copyright Tam Black 2015 Designed for susanwithpearls.com
Copyright Tam Black 2015
Designed for susanwithpearls.com

 

Guiding Thought

I am ready and willing, here and now, to be courageous. I release my mind’s idea of security, of “right” and of “wrong”. I allow my personality to dissolve and to become One with the Love that Is, everywhere. All false boundaries evaporate like mist in the sun as I devote myself to the Oneness of Love.

Reflection

Courage can apply to just about anything. For people who prefer to avoid conflict, courage can mean standing up to someone, or standing up for someone. For people afraid of heights, courage can mean a hot air balloon ride, with a special someone. For people who have felt body-shamed, courage can mean (finally!) buying and wearing that outfit. For people who are afraid of speaking in front of others, it can mean joining a Toastmasters group.

I know I take the spiritual angle a LOT. It’s kinda who I am. I’m much, much more practical when you get to know me as a householder or worker. I can relate to three of my four  examples above. I just want life to be the practical result of living as connected to God/Love/Life/people as I can. And, I think it’s possible.

Along those lines, courage can also be about attaining success and financial freedom; this is how I read the Guiding Thought today. I want even my financial wealth to be a practical result of living a Love-filled life, and that takes courage.

I read: I am ready and willing, here and now, to be courageous as, “I am willing to put my faith and trust in God for my financial care, my income, my success, my wealth”. That takes courage–if you’ve followed along on any of the Journeys of Abundance, you’ll know I’ve been at this very thing for quite a while. Trusting God/the Universe for financial needs is really kind of scary for me. Money and how we “get it” is one of the most deeply rooted material beliefs. To switch and depend solely on Spirit…speaking for myself…has been a long learning process (in which I am now reaching a turning point!). 

I release my mind’s idea of security, of “right” and of “wrong” became an understanding that I need to shift how I think of security. In the past, security has meant a paycheck every two weeks, and knowing what I need to do to get that paycheck. But, as I rely on God as my supply, security becomes something else. It becomes God’s idea of security, not mine. And I can tell you, I am certain that God’s idea is much bigger than my own.  

I allow my personality to dissolve and to become One with the Love that Is, everywhere. With this statement of the Guiding Thought, I understood that even my idea of abundance needs to be re-evaluated in a new (higher, bigger) light. Oneness, Love Is. Everywhere. There is an abundance of Oneness and Love right here, where I am, right now. We also know that Love is the Source of healing, harmony, compassion, etc; so it must follow that there is an abundance of harmonious relationships, perfect health, and caring, loving-kindness everywhere, also. Abundance is everywhere, when I re-frame what I think abundance is. Abundance is not just money, riches, or material things. Abundance is whatever I need right now: and I have that already. 

The re-framing also takes courage, because, like I said, the conviction of believing abundance to be solely material is tenacious. It takes courage (and strength) to deny material causes, to seek only a supply from Source. The final sentence of the Guiding Thought helps to modify that as well: All false boundaries evaporate like mist in the sun as I devote myself to the Oneness of Love. God, as Source, is my supply. Anything else is a false boundary, a limitation on what God can give me, and what God wants to give me. It’s in my best interest to devote myself to the Oneness of Love, so that It can evaporate all those false boundaries! 

You See? – Journey of Gratitude 2017, day 05

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I’d like you to know that I do not look at the Guiding Thoughts before the day that I am to do them. I have not looked at these Guiding Thoughts since the last time I did this Journey, back in 2015. …Which to me, makes the synchronicities even that more amazing.

Copyright Tam Black 2015 Designed for susanwithpearls.com
Copyright Tam Black 2015
Designed for susanwithpearls.com

Guiding Thought

When I am aware of my Self of Love, I see the world through new eyes. Love is the Source of all I see, all I experience; it is the very activity of Life itself. I place my faith in the principle of Love and receive with gratitude all my experiences.

Reflection

Didn’t I just write, yesterday, about the effects of gratitude on seeing? Let me refresh your memory:

Gratitude opens the mind and heart to seeing in a new way. The more grateful I am, the more I see. The more grateful I am, the more I open to Love. The more I open to Love, the more accepting I am. The more accepting I am, the more I can see…we’re not so different, you and I.

Yesterday’s Guiding Thought had nothing to do with seeing! Why did I write about seeing? …Then today…the Guiding Thought is all about seeing. Whoa.

I am reminded of Lessons 27 and 28 in A Course in Miracles: Above all else, I want to see (Lesson 27) and Above all else I want to see things differently (Lesson 28). In the introduction to Lesson 28, it says this, “You see a lot of separate things about you, which really means you are not seeing at all. You either see, or not. When you have seen one thing differently, you will see all things differently. The light you see in any one of them, is the same light you will see in all of them.” (Original Edition)

The Guiding Thoughts have been working out this same idea, but with a different (there is no difference!) approach. The ACIM Lessons approach wholeness through seeing, the Guiding Thoughts approach seeing through wholeness: recent days here have been about All that is, Unity, and Love, which leads us to Oneness. Only after thinking about Love and Oneness for the past four days, do we then arrive at seeing.

Why is seeing important?

Again, I touched on this yesterday. It’s all about how positive emotions, like gratitude, change your perspective, indeed literally change your perception and how your senses physically interact with the world. The very act of experiencing changes.

Again, a Course in Miracles offers more on this. In the section Principles of Miracles, numbers 22 and 23 tell us, “Man believes that what he cannot see does not exist, and his physical eyes cannot see in the dark. This is a very primitive solution, and has lead to the denial of the Spiritual eye.” and “Miracles rearrange perception and place the levels of perception in true perspective.” (Original Edition)

What is that “true perspective”? At-One-Ment. Oneness, arrived at through forgiveness, and Love.

Why’s it important? Those things lead us to Joy and Peace. Remember: we are talking about perception and perspective, and how those things affect our actual experience. Gratitude shifts your mind into a new place that leads you into Joy and Peace. Receive with gratitude and the experience changes.

My highest vision for the world

Back in the old days, when there was actual mail, with postage stamps, and you could send different things in envelopes, there was also this thing called a chain letter. The idea was that you get a letter, copy it 10 times, and send out 10 letters, putting a dollar in each. There was a formula, about adding your name to the list, and when your name rose to the top, you would see a return on your 10 dollars a hundred fold. But this was contingent upon everyone sending out 10 envelopes and 10 dollars. It rarely worked.

But the idea was good. It’s basically a way to re-distribute money with a small investment; a way to receive money from strangers, a way to receive unexpected money. That’s kind of cool.

Thinking about this idea, I can see how we are becoming a society that has this idea built in. Everyone has the potential to receive money from strangers, receive unexpected money–all you have to do is put something out there. Write something. Paint something. Create a recipe. Anything. Then put it out there and ask people for a dollar. Or two or ten.

If everyone did this, and if everyone contributed to others’ creations, maybe for no other reason than to show support or say, “hey, I like your stuff”, then the creative works become the means of exchange and distribution. Any one can create something and get into that flow.

Today that’s my highest vision: everyone creating with love and putting it out there, creating streams of income and abundance for everyone. It’s happening even now, you know it is.

Why a Journey of Abundance 2016

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Public Domain Image

It’s a new beginning! Welcome! It’s time to get clear, time to focus. Why DO I want to do this Journey of Abundance? What is important to me? What are my priorities? Where do I want to grow? What do I want to change? Let me begin to get clear by thinking about what abundance means to me now.

Right now, abundance has to do with vitality, energy, productivity, motivation, and time to give those things in service to others and the world.

In a way, then, abundance follows from Journey of Healing, since vitality and energy are quintessential qualities of being Whole and Healthy (in my opinion).

Vitality and energy lead naturally to motivation and productivity. I love when I am so excited and enthusiastic about something that I can spend hours at it and the time flies.

That leaves time, because in order to utilize energy and vitality toward motivation and productivity, one must have the time to get lost in projects, when the time flies.

Even though all that makes sense, I am honestly feeling very unclear at the moment. What do I want? I can feel issues of unworthiness creeping in; I feel afraid to state boldly, fearlessly this is what I want. I feel almost afraid to want anything. What am I allowed to wish for?  What am I allowed to want? If I want something, aren’t I being greedy, or selfish? How do I balance needing money to live with living a spiritual life, or with spiritual principles?

Intellectually, I know: money and material goods are neutral. There is nothing “unspiritual” about them, there is no one who would blame me for using money to support myself and my family. Money can do a lot of good for a lot of people.

Emotionally, it seems I have some opposition, some resistance. Maybe I need to back up a step. What did I learn on the last Journey?

AHHHHHHHH…I just realized why this “abundance thing” is uncomfortable at the moment…During Journey of Healing, and especially at the end,  I did a lot with light and love—stuff that is heavy-spiritual, not exactly material. The pendulum swung toward the spiritual, apparently the back swing to materiality is a bit disconcerting to my brain/emotions.

To put this in perspective, I turn to my teacher, John Randolph Price:

Do you have an aversion to wealth? Do you object to being rich? Does the word “abundance” bother you? If you have the slightest reservations, then you’d better check your belief system regarding God. You see, God is omnipresent Wealth, the Infinite Riches of the universe, the lavish Abundance of creation. And if you deny unlimited prosperity, you are denying yourself, because YOU are the image of omnipresent wealth, the expression of the infinite riches of the universe, an individualization of lavish abundance. You are as rich right now as any individual who ever walked on this planet. The cattle on a thousand hills are yours, the gold and silver are yours, and an abundance of money is yours now! (The Abundance Book, p. 18-19, 1987, Quartus edition)

My mind needs abundance healing!

Like in the Journey of Healing, I need to transmute or transform my beliefs (which bring about my experience) of those things that fall short of the Wholeness, Fullness of God (Love), into an experience of God (Love), including my relationship with money, wealth, prosperity, and success.

Thus, the first thing I am working on is transmuting or transforming my thoughts/beliefs about God-Love-Fulfillment, so that I include the material aspects of money, wealth, and success into my idea of God-Love-Fulfillment.

This includes the second thing I am going to work on, which I have mentioned quite a bit this year (but it just makes so much sense): “Your task is not to seek for love abundance, but merely to seek and find all the barriers within yourself that you have built against it.” – Rumi

Finally, by the end of the Journey, I want to be clear about what material success means to me. How much is enough? What do I need? What does prosperity look like to me, as me, in my unique situation? What material life would bring me the most joy, the most happiness, the most fulfillment?

Feel free to share your thoughts about WHY you are doing this Journey in the comments! I’m so glad you are here—it’s going to be fun (but then, it always is…). Blessings to you!