Have you thought about how much you have, how much opportunity, how many food choices, how many lifestyle choices? Life today for most of us in the US is richer than that of any of the greatest lords of history. Exotic food from all over the world is presented to us in huge and beautiful stacks of abundance. Our necessary objects are ridiculously inexpensive in relation to our income. We are able to travel anywhere at anytime. We have the remarkable opportunity to chose our life’s work unlike those in the past who inevitably fell into the family business. We are even able to explore diverse spiritualities and cultural lifestyles. If this is not heaven then what would heaven be?
How much does an individual really need in life? I am continually inspired by a friend from way back who made a conscious practice of simplifying his life, it was an art for him. Whenever I go through those purging moments or when I reexamine to discover what’s important or not I think of him. These are the gifts we share with each other, often without even being aware of it. But whether the idea is to chose simplicity or to embrace our abundance what needs to really work is how we feel on the inside. How much is enough? For some people it seems they can never get enough so there is a constant scrambling to acquire resources whether it’s for individual enrichment, corporate power or national dominance. We are powerful creative beings and our ability to influence each other’s inner state is extraordinary. Even while in the midst of abundance it is possible to feel empty, desperate, insecure and grasping; look at our leaders, politicians and some celebrities. When one individual functions from this mindset it spills out and affects others. Then we have abundance of desperation.
We see people of incredibly limited resources doing extraordinary things; a school teacher creating a 12 block garden out of a garbage dump, a waiter beautifying the inner city with paint uplifting and inspiring his neighbors, a boy in Canada raising millions to build clean water pumps for African school children. What is true abundance? For these people it seems to swell up from a generous heart and spill into the world filling a need outside. Clearly there is a push pull between us all; a give and take of the energy of life. What do we really need in life anyway?
A great Indian saint, Nityananda, used to say, “The heart is the hub of all places, go there and roam.” This is not just a concept, the heart is where the true abundance lies. Our ability to create abundance from a heart of abundance is proven. Those who do it from a place of gentleness know this and practice the art of drawing abundance to themselves. This kind of abundance functions outside the realm of have or have not, of limited resources and the idea that if one person gets rich then another goes without. It is a kind of abundance that brings more abundance; a win win abundance. When I was a kid my father used to say you can’t get something from nothing. Well, I am sorry but that theory flies in the face of every bit of reality that we see. Where did the universe come from? There’s the ultimate something from nothing. Actually, it’s everything from nothing.
This brings me to the concept of nothing, which I suppose could be thought of as the opposite of abundance. I used to just bristle and angst whenever I met anything that smacked of nihilism. Nihilistic art, writing and philosophy made me plummet into a place of depression and emptiness; afterall nihilism is emptiness. But now after much study and contemplation I have a brand new view of emptiness. In that nothingness exists the potential for everything. All things come from nothing. The causal field of creation contains the fruit of everything that we see in this world we live, breathe, and move in. It is the vibrant, roiling breath of the divine, a conscious field of energy that births us, the food we eat, the joy we share, the hopes we fulfill. Our door into that field of consciousness is the heart. Yes, we can force abundance but from the heart comes the abundance that is right, needed, appropriate for all. It is enough no matter how little or great. It is manageable and delicious and never stale.
It is the hope of my heart that all people may experience the abundance of the heart, with that we will need no regulations, investigations or further financial crashes. It is interesting to watch a shifting consciousness and to see that irrationally exuberant wealth models are looking less fashionable today. I’ve noticed two major companies now promoting social consciousness; American Express with their Members Project to promote good ideas and Pepsi has just started Pepsi Refresh Project again to promote good ideas. Is this a sign of turning the tide and creating abundance that shares with all? I hope so.
abundance should not be confused with illusion and distraction, which seems to be the best way to keep people unbalanced… the american dream says you can have it all, and you deserve it all, but just because it’s there doesn’t mean you can afford it (or it is what you are meant to experience). many people live leveraged into credit-poverty grasping at the “abundance” around.
nothingness spurs creation out of need. when there is nothing the individual looks forward and says, wow here is a need, i can create here. that desire goes into agreement and creates that abundance. that kind of creation is simple, dedicated and designed by a person’s path. the abundance of choice or luxury, however, serves only to distract from that kind of creation, to accept what is sold to you, to spend beyond your means on things you don’t really even want. i think you hit the nail on the head when you said “Yes, we can force abundance but from the heart comes the abundance that is right, needed, appropriate for all. “.