Abundance and Prosperity Begin Here - Part V

An elderly Cherokee Native American was teaching his grandchildren about life. He said to them, "A fight is going on inside of me; it is a terrible fight and it is between two wolves. One wolf is evil-he is fear, anger, envy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority and egotism. The other is good-he is joy, peace, love, hope, sharing, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, friendship, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion and faith.

"This same fight is going on inside of you and inside every other person, too."

The children thought about it for a moment. Then, one child asked his grandfather, "Which wolf will win?"

The old Cherokee simply smiled and replied, "The one you feed."

Each day, each moment, you have an opportunity. To give into the habits of a lifetime that have kept you in doubt, fear, anger, or bitterness; or to choose to acknowledge those habits, then to move in a new direction.

Turning from old habit patterns is not only difficult; it's risky. You never know what waits when a protective barrier comes down. That is what your habits are. They have served you well. You hesitate when anything or anyone tells you that, in order to be happy, more successful, more spiritual, more joyful, these habits must be overcome, released, or denied. But your habits serve as an immune system for your emotions. They keep away all that would peer in, look at the stuff of your life, and perhaps criticize.

We often use these habits to keep even ourselves at bay. So, what do we do with these incredible protectors, these habits of mind and body and spirit that do their best to make sure we travel this earthly journey in relative safety, these habits that can also keep us locked in a pattern of fear and defensiveness?

First, thank them for doing a marvelous job in keeping you alive. Second, bless them and let them know that some of them may have to go in order for you to grow, to progress, to experience new beginnings. And finally, recognize that we are all going through similar awakenings, that we are all attached to our habits. And that much of the time, what we take personally from another person is just their habit reaching out to protect them from presumed danger.

Acknowledging and facing your habitual patterns can be both enlightening and discouraging. Either way, when you engage with your habit patterns, new possibilities emerge. And, surprisingly, you don't have to let go of any of them if you don't want to. All you have to do is decide which ones you'll continue to feed. In making the conscious choice, you can be fairly assured of the result.

Take a moment now to go within, consciously acknowledging any habit you are aware of, good or bad, and thank it for how it has served you. If the habit of feeling bad about other habits arises, thank it as well. And, ultimately, if you allow it and feed it, gratitude will also become a habit.

It all depends on the wolf you choose to feed.

Richard Matthews is an ordained New Thought minister and currently serves a friendly, open-hearted, and joy-filled Unity congregation in a beautiful suburb of Portland, Oregon. He has been actively and happily ministering since 1993. His articles on abundance, prosperity, spiritual growth and inner guidance have appeared online, in newsletters, and local newspapers. He is a singer/composer/musician, specializing in spiritually uplifting music of the heart and soul, and has performed in venues throughout Oregon and southern Washington State. He is also a professional business speaker and executive coach. "My purpose is to help you become your best so you can share your best with the world." Connect directly with Richard at RichardSpeaks@Minister.com

Abundance and Prosperity Begin Here - Part III

"This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it."

Sometimes you wake up in the morning in a mood, perhaps not the best mood. You have a long to-do list, much of it unpleasant, some of it you've put off for a while-a long while-and you know you can't put it off any longer. You bury your head under the covers. Just a few more minutes of doze and I'll get up, you murmur. Not a great way to get the day going, right?

This could even be one of those days for you. You might even take it out to some degree on those closest to you. And I am the last person to tell you to simply change your mind and get over yourself. If you want to you will, if not, not. But I do suggest this:

There is a place deep in your heart where you feel totally connected to all that is. It can seem difficult to reach that place when you're feeling rotten, but it's there nonetheless. You can hang on to a bad mood; you can feel justified in doing so. But you already know that a slight shift in consciousness can turn the day around. The world begins to look different, better, even eager to have you as a part of it. And you don't have to start off the day in a bad mood to make a deeper connection with that Place.

It's a matter of choice.

So, with that in mind, whatever your mood, allow yourself to take a few moments to access that deeper part of yourself that knows how to lift your spirits. It knows how to bring you into a gentler state of mind and how to help you change your worst feelings into feelings of joy, wonder, and playfulness. It leads to a more generous space, a more prosperous space-physically, mentally, spiritually. And, at the end of those few moments, if you still decide that the bad mood is better, that it's really where you want to be right now, that's okay, too. Just as long as you recognize that it's your call.

Life is happening at its best right here in this moment, in this place. It only takes a minor tweak in our outlook to turn a dreary day into the most powerful day of our life.

As the old saying goes: Laugh! When you get old, all your wrinkles will be in the right places.

Richard Matthews is an ordained New Thought minister and currently serves a friendly, open-hearted, and joy-filled Unity congregation in a beautiful suburb of Portland, Oregon. He has been actively and happily ministering since 1993. His articles on abundance, prosperity, spiritual growth and inner guidance have appeared online, in newsletters, and local newspapers. He is a singer/composer/musician, specializing in spiritually uplifting music of the heart and soul, and has performed in venues throughout Oregon and southern Washington State. He is also a professional business speaker and executive coach. "My purpose is to help you become your best so you can share your best with the world." Connect directly with Richard at RichardSpeaks@Minister.com

Abundance and Prosperity Begin Here - Part II

I often tell those I minister to that we can literally create our own miracles. Sometimes, though, I will be challenged. A person will say, "Hey, I try to create miracles every day and nothing changes. I think what you say is bogus. What do you think about that!"

"Are you saying there are no miracles in your life?" I respond.

They will often counter with something like, "Ah, don't tell me about the birds, the trees, and the flowers. They won't change my life. I need the Real Thing. I need. . ." And then they will list the things, situations, or people that will actually constitute a miracle--to them. Do I try to convince them that everything around them is a miracle, that the universe itself is a miracle, that the grandest miracle of all is their very life? No.

After all, when someone decides that there are no miracles, and believes it with all their heart, then, in that person's life, there are no miracles. When they've lost someone they love, or their home is in foreclosure, or they don't have enough money to buy clothes for the kids, or they find themselves in unfriendly surroundings, miracles seem like the last thing to expect. Hope for, maybe. But expect? Well, perhaps not. Or so it would seem. Here's what I tell them:

I know that miracles are the simplest form of energy in the universe. Why? Because all it takes to create them is a thought. Simply by moving from impossible to possible, you change the energy field around you. You open a slight crack in the so-called hard reality of daily living and allow in just enough light to shift your focus. Just a little. But a little is all it takes. And once the light begins to shine, the picture changes. I tell them that miracles are not supernatural. They are the very essence of the natural world. No matter the appearance, miracles are always unfolding, always presenting themselves for us to see, or not to see. It depends upon our perspective, our thinking. God will not send you a miracle.

Why? Because you brought all the miracles you'll ever need with you when you came into this life. That is the great gift that your Creator gave you. Believe it, don't believe it. It's your call. But the moment you choose to see the miracle in everything, the miracle appears and your life changes. It can be no other way.

Richard Matthews is an ordained New Thought minister and currently serves a friendly, open-hearted, and joy-filled Unity congregation in a beautiful suburb of Portland, Oregon. He has been actively and happily ministering since 1993. His articles on abundance, prosperity, spiritual growth and inner guidance have appeared online, in newsletters, and local newspapers. He is a singer/composer/musician, specializing in spiritually uplifting music of the heart and soul, and has performed in venues throughout Oregon and southern Washington State. He is also a professional business speaker and executive coach. "My purpose is to help you become your best so you can share your best with the world." Connect directly with Richard at RichardSpeaks@Minister.com

Abundance and Prosperity Begin Here - Part VI

Are you spiritually awake? Maybe. Maybe not. Let's see...

What is spiritual awakening, exactly? You get a flash of light and suddenly, you can levitate, or walk through walls, or predict someone else's future, or speak in tongues?

You may believe that those who are "spiritually awake" are somehow very different, set apart from the rest of the mundane world, superior in some mystical, galactic way. God or Buddha or Krishna or Yahweh now holds them in special favor, in a brighter light. Their everyday world has changed to continual bliss, no more troubles, no more pain. They're already in heaven. It's just a matter of sending in the change of address card.

This may come as a surprise, even a disappointment, but people who are spiritually awakened know that the journey has just begun. When the spiritual eyes and the spiritual mind open, the one who is waking up realizes that, to this point, little progress has actually been made. It's back to square one. The beginning. Kindergarten. Now the real work starts.

Almost immediately, the demons strike. "I want what I want when I want it. And I don't beg anyone's pardon." The ego rears its frightened head again in ways you never thought possible. Everything that you think is the right way, the spiritual way, the holy way, becomes the ego's target. Who do you think you are? There's no real spirituality in you. You're the one who thinks only of herself, the one who thinks helping others is a sign of weakness. You're the one who hides the truth of himself from the rest of the world. How can you possibly be spiritual? You're such a liar...and a hypocrite. Oh, yeah. The spiritual walk is a piece of cake. Well, guess again.

Your demons will do everything to bring you back into conformity with the old ways, the safe roads, the familiar paths-even the ones that continue to bring suffering into your life. They've become habits that the ego is reluctant to release. The spiritual path, the awakened path, is a path you must choose daily.

The great spiritual teachers of every generation remind us to "keep your eye on the Light for it shines only through the darkness and the darkness is always close at hand." It is where we still live. We do the same work, interact with the same people. We continue to chop wood and carry water, as the saying goes. Awakening then, is not about leaving the world, but recognizing it as our home and as our responsibility. This is where the work is. This is where awakening takes place-within the mundane, within the daily plodding, within the ongoing connections with each other.

The spiritual path is the path we've been traveling all along. Only now, we see it for what it really is: The Teacher. The Mentor. The Master. Awakening then, is finding yourself right back where you started, only this time with a reminding appreciative bump on your spiritual head that says, "Pick yourself up, join the hubbub. You've arrived."

In this moment, peer into your own heart. Are you willing to start from the beginning each day and let everything and everyone be your teacher? Can you see your daily experience as the gift it really is? Look closely. Look deeply. The answer is there, ready for you to find it. There is no longer any need to fear the darkness for it is only through the darkness-the pride-that the light can shine.

Richard Matthews is an ordained New Thought minister and currently serves a friendly, open-hearted, and joy-filled Unity congregation in a beautiful suburb of Portland, Oregon. He has been actively and happily ministering since 1993. His articles on abundance, prosperity, spiritual growth and inner guidance have appeared online, in newsletters, and local newspapers. He is a singer/composer/musician, specializing in spiritually uplifting music of the heart and soul, and has performed in venues throughout Oregon and southern Washington State. He is also a professional business speaker and executive coach. "My purpose is to help you become your best so you can share your best with the world." Connect directly with Richard at RichardSpeaks@Minister.com

Abundance and Prosperity Begin Here - Part IV

If all the insects were to disappear from the face of the earth tomorrow, the rest of life on this planet would follow very shortly. But if humanity were to disappear tomorrow, the rest of life on the planet would thrive. Or so say the scientists.

How's that for knocking our arrogance down a bit?

There is a major difference between arrogant selfishness and a healthy self-interest. You are born with an inherent drive to survive. Naturally, you want things your way. And if you're still alive, you've gotten everything your way. Surprised?

We're all in the same position. Those who survive have literally gotten everything their way, no matter the mindset that says, "I'm a victim." Or "Nothing ever goes my way." Or "Nobody loves me, I'm not good enough, life is unfair." One more surprise, perhaps even a bit of a shock: the world can take you out any time it wants to. It is through the benevolence of the people, the animals, the insects, the bacteria, the viruses, the weather, timing, the planets, the sun, the galaxy, and the universe itself that you remain to read this little article today.

It appears we owe a much greater debt of gratitude than we might previously have thought. But it is quite possible that we wouldn't have had the chance to exist here if you and I didn't have something to offer. The universe brought us into existence because it either needed or wanted us here. Too much to swallow? It's all due to blind chance? Perhaps. But we're here, fulfilling some purpose. Or we wouldn't be here. We might even present a kind of evolutionary advantage.

It may well be that the universe needs our talents, our gifts, our ability to love. Maybe the universe just wouldn't be the same without us. Maybe the world wouldn't thrive as much without us as the scientific experts might suspect.

Maintaining any sense of personal victimhood stands in the way of your precious resources manifesting to their fullest. So, if you are willing, declare yourself-right now, in this moment-to be the contribution the universe brought you into existence to be, even if you're not certain of what that even means. Accept consciously that, wherever you are most needed, will be revealed to you. Reaffirm that idea daily. Soon, you'll begin to believe it. And then, watch out. There'll be no stopping you. The world, the universe, all of us, await your decision. Arrogant or not, you may be the one that changes everything. Indeed, you are the contribution.

Richard Matthews is an ordained New Thought minister and currently serves a friendly, open-hearted, and joy-filled Unity congregation in a beautiful suburb of Portland, Oregon. He has been actively and happily ministering since 1993. His articles on abundance, prosperity, spiritual growth and inner guidance have appeared online, in newsletters, and local newspapers. He is a singer/composer/musician, specializing in spiritually uplifting music of the heart and soul, and has performed in venues throughout Oregon and southern Washington State. He is also a professional business speaker and executive coach. "My purpose is to help you become your best so you can share your best with the world." Connect directly with Richard at RichardSpeaks@Minister.com

Where to Begin a New Life of Prosperity

As an Army Ranger, I spent a lot of time in the wilderness with a map, protractor, compass, and my wits. Orienteering is a very difficult thing to do, you see, without the usage of a GPS. When all you have is a map and compass, the only way not to get lost is to have a well-established sense of confidence in your own ability to navigate from point to point. Otherwise, you will start to doubt, change directions, get overwhelmed by the landscape, and panic unnecessarily.

This example is just as relevant in the forest of the mind. If one is not prepared, steady, and confident in one's treading of a righteous path, one can become overwhelmed and lost inside the depths of consciousness. Since this example is so pertinent, I feel compelled to share my wisdom of Orienteering with all readers, as it pertains to using the principles of "The Secret".

The first thing that anyone must do to begin a journey in a new direction is to Pinpoint his or her location! One simply cannot get anywhere without first knowing where one is at. That is a statement worthy of committing to memory. Before I can get anywhere, I must know where I am.

That lesson implies this: We MUST become completely aware of ourselves. Some authors have referred to it as 'Taking Inventory'. Below is a detailed set of instructions that anyone may use to begin taking inventories of themselves.

Begin by simply taking a sheet of paper and a pencil (not pen, yet). Now, begin writing a list of simple, one-word attributes that describe the things you like or love about yourself. Use only the front side of this paper to do this.

Using the backside, begin to make a list of one-word attributes about yourself that are typically short-comings or things you dislike about yourself.

Begin a separate sheet of paper. Use this sheet to begin matching up the opposite lists of attributes. Think of them as Assets and Liabilities of yourself. This exercise is ongoing and should take a considerable amount of time to arrange and finish. It is well worth the effort, as I will show you in a future installment of this article series.

Sean Himebaugh is an internet entrepreneur and life-coach. For more information on his work, visit [http://www.aristocash.com]

Use Your Flip Switch to Stop Negative Thinking So You Can Begin to Attract Abundance

I'm sure you'll agree with me that it is a great benefit to us to feel positive, but with all the negatives influences that surround us today it can be difficult to maintain a positive outlook all the time or even just some of the time, therefore we struggle to attract abundance or anything desirable into our lives. Quite often these days when we are under pressure or feeling a little under the weather, we allow negative thoughts to pile up, which in turn cause negative feelings to build up inside us. The results of this are guaranteed to be far from pleasant but what do we do about it? Usually nothing, because our race is conditioned to focus on the negative aspects of life and to dwell on them until our inner world mirrors that of the negative events in the outer world.

It is a sad state of affairs. However we can do something about it and the technique I'm going to share with you is quite an easy technique to master because it is simply a matter of being more aware of what you are feeling and then flipping the switch to bring you to a more positive place where when you are ready, you can begin to attract abundance and the resources that you need to live your purpose. Be aware that feeling bad is a habitual response to an outside event that has been conditioned into you for your entire life. There is no conspiracy against us where someone is brainwashing us to feel bad, it is just the way we humans have learned to deal with fear and worry. We dwell on it, think and talk about it until we eventually find some way of easing the pain or we store it away inside which is just asking for trouble.

Next time you feel yourself dwelling on a bad thought whether it be about the job that you didn't get or the amount of money that you wanted to make or something that happened in your past, ask yourself these questions "Will it help me in any way if I dwell on this thought?, will anything good come of thinking in this way or is there even one benefit here for me by feeling bad?" You have a choice about what you think about. You just need to be more aware of your feelings and thoughts and this will allow you to flip-switch to something more positive.

In those moments when you find yourself feeling down or miserable about something, make it a habit to reach for the thoughts that feel best, that make you feel positive and upbeat. Don't wait, find something else to think about that makes you feel good right then and there and say these 6 magic words, "I choose to feel good now." That means you need to learn to flip-switch to a higher vibrational state right now, not in the next moment but right away as soon as you think a negative thought and you begin to feel bad.

If you practice this technique until it becomes a habit, I can assure that you your outlook on life will become more positive and you'll be in the correct alignment to attract abundance, prosperity and wealth into your life.

Richard O'Neill is a TEFL Teacher and a trainee life coach who hopes to one day open his own spiritual retreat to aid others in their healing process. For some useful info and resources on meditation and how to attract abundance go to http://www.learntomanifestdesires.com

Why Should We Begin With Introspection When All We Want is Abundance?

Part 2

Some of you may be wondering why I began with a self-inventory article for this series. The answer is simple, and it is to be found in "The Secret" itself: It's called the LAW of Attraction.

The LAW of Attraction. Not the 'Sometimes-happens' of Attraction. Nor is it the 'Everyone-wins-but-me of Attraction.' It is the LAW!

This Law cannot be broken. It cannot be changed. It cannot be dismissed, rewritten, or ignored.

The summary of that Law is this: Like attracts Like.

When I got started with this knowledge, I began wondering how it worked. I wanted to know how it was going to get me an Aston Martin, a few million dollars in the bank, and dates with movie stars. In fact, as I got started with this knowledge, I got an audition for a casting call pinned under my windshield wiper. It was for a new Reality TV show. It required relocating to another state for the summer and going door-to-door on behalf of the show's sponsor companies.

Immediately, I thought that I was going to have everything I wanted. The show's grand prize winner got US$250,000 venture capital to start his or her own business, access to top dogs in order to really make this new business sizzle, and a new Hummer to boot. 'Boy', I remember thinking, 'this Secret is really as great as I thought it could be.'

As life and luck would have it, I was right...just not in the way I imagined. I relocated for the summer. I knocked the doors. My car died twice on the way there. I lost over $1900 to my phone provider, who was charging me roaming fees for the entire time I was located in this city. I was chased by hungry looking dogs. My life was threatened. I had eggs thrown at me as I walked down the street. And here comes the punchline: the TV show was a scam, as was the company I had gone through all of this for. I got paid a fraction of what I had earned.

I left totally heart broken, and in a total state of depression and self-doubt. Why had the Universe played such a mean trick on me? Why had I not seen the changes I wished to see?

Because the Law attracts All of you towards yourself. What I had experienced was a world-sized version of what I had brought with me into my journey. Just like in "The Empire Strikes Back", when Master Yoda tells Luke that he must go into a cave filled with the Dark Side. Luke had asked him, "What's down there?" Yoda replied the way that the Universe had replied to me by saying, "Only what you take with you."

So, our first step is to follow the 3 step exercise I laid out in my previous article. That way, each and every one of us can begin to come to terms with things about ourselves in a controlled fashion, rather than having the Universe expose it for us in a much more painful way.

Secondly, introspection is one of the greatest things that anyone can do. Learning about oneself is key to self-mastery. From self-knowledge can come opportunity to grow, which can also be an opportunity to attract toys and income.

If you want to employ the Secret, start now by figuring yourself out. If you're ready to move on to the next level, then come visit my website.

A former combat soldier, Sean Himebaugh has since finished schooling in AZ, and makes his living as a life-coach and internet entrepreneur. If you like what you have seen in this article, and would like to know more about how to attract success, then simply visit him at [http://www.aristocash.com]