ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
CONTENTS
AUTHOR’S NOTE
People think of prosperity as a fiscal bottom line. “When I have X amount of money, I will feel better.” The truth is that prosperity is a spiritual bottom line, and the formula should actually be: “When I have X amount of faith, I will feel better.”
—from The Prosperous Heart
True prosperity has nothing to do with money. And no matter where you are financially, you can feel better immediately. Yes, we are going to take steps to resolve concrete financial questions along the way. But it’s not necessary to wait until some undetermined moment in the future to appreciate the life you have. If you decide you should wait until you are rich “enough” to feel like you have “enough,” you will never get there.
When we shift our perspective to one of gratitude, we instantly feel better. When we feel better, our attitude toward ourselves—and others—is naturally more generous. More generous, we prosper.
Drawing from multiple sources, this book is intended as a daily support on your journey toward greater prosperity—in your wallet and in your life. Read daily, these meditations will put you on a spiritual path that improves your solvency. Deceptively simple, these meditations perform a spiritual realignment.
GLOSSARY OF BASIC CONCEPTS
COUNTING: a daily tabulation of monies in and monies out
MONEY MAP: a monthly tabulation of our cash flow
PROSPERITY PLAN: a map of where we feel our money should go
ABSTINENCE: no debting
CREDIT CARD ROULETTE: maxing out one card and moving to the next
SOLVENCY: a state of financial security; we have “enough”
MONEY MADNESS: a state of the misuse of money characterized by debting and overspending
SPIRIT: the spiritual source of our well-being
January
JANUARY 1
A Spiritual Bottom Line
Prosperity isn’t about money. This statement flies in the face of our usual thinking. “Of course prosperity is about money,” we want to say. But if we believe prosperity is about money, then there is never enough. We need to recognize that prosperity is a spiritual bottom line, not a fiscal one.
JANUARY 2
Unlimited Supply
When we are grounded spiritually, we recognize that Spirit is our source. This means we have an unlimited supply. Turning to a spiritual source moves us into a feeling of abundance. There is one energy, one force, sustaining all of life. That source is Spirit.
JANUARY 3
Money and Creativity
Many of us believe we will be more creative when we are financially comfortable. “When I have enough money, then I’ll try . . .” we tell ourselves. But creativity does not depend on money. It depends on our sense of abundance. When we extend ourselves creatively, we often trigger an increased flow financially. Creativity is an act of faith. We extend ourselves, believing that good will come to pass. This act of faith brings us closer to our Creator, closer to our flow of good.
JANUARY 4
Having Enough
We are often anxious, telling ourselves that our security is in jeopardy. We fret and worry rather than take concrete actions to remedy our situation. Counting is the beginning of security. We learn how much money we have and where it goes. We are ending fiscal vagueness. As our knowledge becomes more concrete, we are better able to act on our own behalf. It helps to remind ourselves that we have always been taken care of. The Universe is abundant, and it manifests its abundance in many ways.
JANUARY 5
Clarity
Putting pen to page and recording our spending and earning gives us the beginning of clarity. Prosperity is not about vagueness, a dim sense that we have enough. Rather, prosperity and clarity go hand in hand. We don’t think we might have enough; we know we do have enough. And if we have a shortfall, we know its proportions. We gain clarity about what we can do to improve our solvency. Often, it is a small step. Are we billing properly for our time and attention? If not, we are debting to ourselves.
JANUARY 6
Anxiety
Anxiety blocks our flow. Worried about what we don’t have, focused on our lack, our anxiety increases. It takes a deliberate act of faith to reverse our scarcity thinking. Often, work with an affirmation will clear a channel. The affirmation can be simple: “There is plenty for all of us, including myself.”
JANUARY 7
Adrenaline
Many of us, seeking prosperity, find ourselves facing resistance. Why? We have an active addiction to anxiety. We are accustomed to worry. We are habituated to an overflow of adrenaline. Ambiguity is the breeding ground of obsession—but Counting eliminates ambiguity.
JANUARY 8
Spirit as Source
When we rely on a higher power, we invite a divine energy to enter our lives. No longer self-reliant, we rely instead on the limitless abundance that is our true source. No task is too difficult for divine intelligence. As we allow Spirit’s mind to think through us, problems are replaced with solutions.
JANUARY 9
Addiction
Addiction saps our energy. It keeps us from feeling abundant. Addiction can take many forms: alcohol, drugs, sex and love addiction, overwork—any of these can divert our flow or block it entirely. Turning to our higher power for help with our addictions leads us to freedom and prosperity.
JANUARY 10
A Beautiful Harvest
Solvent, we plant the seeds of a beautiful harvest. We look forward with anticipation to the bounty that will come. We count our blessings and know that more abundance follows. Taking our cue from the natural world, we expect abundance.
JANUARY 11
True Values
For many of us, values translate into material belongings. We want the new car, the designer clothes, the chic apartment. So focused are we on these goals that we seldom ask, “What do I truly value?” Our true values, often neglected, are spiritual. We want to feel comfortable in our own skin, secure—something we tell ourselves material goods will convey. The truth is that our spiritual well-being comes to us as we express our true values, extending ourselves in generosity to others.
JANUARY 12
Loss
When we experience material loss, we often find ourselves shaken in our faith. “How could Spirit let that happen?” we ask, when we should be asking, “Where does this loss point me?” Very often, we are encountering gain disguised as loss. A blow to our economic well-being asks us to acknowledge that in the moment, we are actually fine, despite our loss. We are asked to redouble our faith, affirming that Spirit is in charge and that there is a divine plan of goodness for us, of which this loss is a part. We can pray for acceptance. We can ask to see the silver lining. We can ask to trust that such a lining always exists.
JANUARY 13
Spiritual Nutrients
Sourced in Spirit, we are each abloom in the garden of God. Unique and irreplaceable, we are cared for precisely. We are each given the specific spiritual nutrients that result in our glorious blossoming.
JANUARY 14
The Magic Number
Many of us have a magic number, a sum that we tell ourselves will solve all of our problems. The magic number is elusive. It is always more than we currently have. And yet, when we reach our magic number, we often find that it has gone up. Our expenses have gone up as well. Our magic number is a fantasy. We tell ourselves our finances will be manageable when . . . but financial manageability is grounded in what we have got, not what we will have. It is often the imagined status our magic number will confer that is our true addiction. “If I make six figures, everyone will respect me,” we falsely believe.
JANUARY 15
Abundance for All
We commit ourselves to Spirit. Doing so, we open our hearts and our minds to all of creation. Rather than having a separate, selfish voice, we find ourselves united to all. Rejoicing in our abundance, we see abundance for all.
JANUARY 16
Turbulent Emotions
As we withdraw from money madness, we often experience turbulent emotions. Committed to change, we ride those emotions out. Eventually, always, serenity takes their place.
JANUARY 17
Our Creative Dreams
Too often, we tell ourselves that our creative dreams are beyond our reach. If we had more money, we would be more creative, we say. We have it exactly backwards. If we are more creative, we experience a greater flow. When we take our dreams to our higher power and ask for them to manifest, we are often led, a step at a time, to their fulfillment.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
CONTENTS
AUTHOR’S NOTE
People think of prosperity as a fiscal bottom line. “When I have X amount of money, I will feel better.” The truth is that prosperity is a spiritual bottom line, and the formula should actually be: “When I have X amount of faith, I will feel better.”
—from The Prosperous Heart
True prosperity has nothing to do with money. And no matter where you are financially, you can feel better immediately. Yes, we are going to take steps to resolve concrete financial questions along the way. But it’s not necessary to wait until some undetermined moment in the future to appreciate the life you have. If you decide you should wait until you are rich “enough” to feel like you have “enough,” you will never get there.
When we shift our perspective to one of gratitude, we instantly feel better. When we feel better, our attitude toward ourselves—and others—is naturally more generous. More generous, we prosper.
Drawing from multiple sources, this book is intended as a daily support on your journey toward greater prosperity—in your wallet and in your life. Read daily, these meditations will put you on a spiritual path that improves your solvency. Deceptively simple, these meditations perform a spiritual realignment.
GLOSSARY OF BASIC CONCEPTS
COUNTING: a daily tabulation of monies in and monies out
MONEY MAP: a monthly tabulation of our cash flow
PROSPERITY PLAN: a map of where we feel our money should go
ABSTINENCE: no debting
CREDIT CARD ROULETTE: maxing out one card and moving to the next
SOLVENCY: a state of financial security; we have “enough”
MONEY MADNESS: a state of the misuse of money characterized by debting and overspending
SPIRIT: the spiritual source of our well-being
January
JANUARY 1
A Spiritual Bottom Line
Prosperity isn’t about money. This statement flies in the face of our usual thinking. “Of course prosperity is about money,” we want to say. But if we believe prosperity is about money, then there is never enough. We need to recognize that prosperity is a spiritual bottom line, not a fiscal one.
JANUARY 2
Unlimited Supply
When we are grounded spiritually, we recognize that Spirit is our source. This means we have an unlimited supply. Turning to a spiritual source moves us into a feeling of abundance. There is one energy, one force, sustaining all of life. That source is Spirit.
JANUARY 3
Money and Creativity
Many of us believe we will be more creative when we are financially comfortable. “When I have enough money, then I’ll try . . .” we tell ourselves. But creativity does not depend on money. It depends on our sense of abundance. When we extend ourselves creatively, we often trigger an increased flow financially. Creativity is an act of faith. We extend ourselves, believing that good will come to pass. This act of faith brings us closer to our Creator, closer to our flow of good.
JANUARY 4
Having Enough
We are often anxious, telling ourselves that our security is in jeopardy. We fret and worry rather than take concrete actions to remedy our situation. Counting is the beginning of security. We learn how much money we have and where it goes. We are ending fiscal vagueness. As our knowledge becomes more concrete, we are better able to act on our own behalf. It helps to remind ourselves that we have always been taken care of. The Universe is abundant, and it manifests its abundance in many ways.
JANUARY 5
Clarity
Putting pen to page and recording our spending and earning gives us the beginning of clarity. Prosperity is not about vagueness, a dim sense that we have enough. Rather, prosperity and clarity go hand in hand. We don’t think we might have enough; we know we do have enough. And if we have a shortfall, we know its proportions. We gain clarity about what we can do to improve our solvency. Often, it is a small step. Are we billing properly for our time and attention? If not, we are debting to ourselves.
JANUARY 6
Anxiety
Anxiety blocks our flow. Worried about what we don’t have, focused on our lack, our anxiety increases. It takes a deliberate act of faith to reverse our scarcity thinking. Often, work with an affirmation will clear a channel. The affirmation can be simple: “There is plenty for all of us, including myself.”
JANUARY 7
Adrenaline
Many of us, seeking prosperity, find ourselves facing resistance. Why? We have an active addiction to anxiety. We are accustomed to worry. We are habituated to an overflow of adrenaline. Ambiguity is the breeding ground of obsession—but Counting eliminates ambiguity.
JANUARY 8
Spirit as Source
When we rely on a higher power, we invite a divine energy to enter our lives. No longer self-reliant, we rely instead on the limitless abundance that is our true source. No task is too difficult for divine intelligence. As we allow Spirit’s mind to think through us, problems are replaced with solutions.
JANUARY 9
Addiction
Addiction saps our energy. It keeps us from feeling abundant. Addiction can take many forms: alcohol, drugs, sex and love addiction, overwork—any of these can divert our flow or block it entirely. Turning to our higher power for help with our addictions leads us to freedom and prosperity.
JANUARY 10
A Beautiful Harvest
Solvent, we plant the seeds of a beautiful harvest. We look forward with anticipation to the bounty that will come. We count our blessings and know that more abundance follows. Taking our cue from the natural world, we expect abundance.
JANUARY 11
True Values
For many of us, values translate into material belongings. We want the new car, the designer clothes, the chic apartment. So focused are we on these goals that we seldom ask, “What do I truly value?” Our true values, often neglected, are spiritual. We want to feel comfortable in our own skin, secure—something we tell ourselves material goods will convey. The truth is that our spiritual well-being comes to us as we express our true values, extending ourselves in generosity to others.
JANUARY 12
Loss
When we experience material loss, we often find ourselves shaken in our faith. “How could Spirit let that happen?” we ask, when we should be asking, “Where does this loss point me?” Very often, we are encountering gain disguised as loss. A blow to our economic well-being asks us to acknowledge that in the moment, we are actually fine, despite our loss. We are asked to redouble our faith, affirming that Spirit is in charge and that there is a divine plan of goodness for us, of which this loss is a part. We can pray for acceptance. We can ask to see the silver lining. We can ask to trust that such a lining always exists.
JANUARY 13
Spiritual Nutrients
Sourced in Spirit, we are each abloom in the garden of God. Unique and irreplaceable, we are cared for precisely. We are each given the specific spiritual nutrients that result in our glorious blossoming.
JANUARY 14
The Magic Number
Many of us have a magic number, a sum that we tell ourselves will solve all of our problems. The magic number is elusive. It is always more than we currently have. And yet, when we reach our magic number, we often find that it has gone up. Our expenses have gone up as well. Our magic number is a fantasy. We tell ourselves our finances will be manageable when . . . but financial manageability is grounded in what we have got, not what we will have. It is often the imagined status our magic number will confer that is our true addiction. “If I make six figures, everyone will respect me,” we falsely believe.
JANUARY 15
Abundance for All
We commit ourselves to Spirit. Doing so, we open our hearts and our minds to all of creation. Rather than having a separate, selfish voice, we find ourselves united to all. Rejoicing in our abundance, we see abundance for all.
JANUARY 16
Turbulent Emotions
As we withdraw from money madness, we often experience turbulent emotions. Committed to change, we ride those emotions out. Eventually, always, serenity takes their place.
JANUARY 17
Our Creative Dreams
Too often, we tell ourselves that our creative dreams are beyond our reach. If we had more money, we would be more creative, we say. We have it exactly backwards. If we are more creative, we experience a greater flow. When we take our dreams to our higher power and ask for them to manifest, we are often led, a step at a time, to their fulfillment.