I am celebrating the release of my new book, Doorways to Transformation: Everyday Wisdom for the Creative Soul! It has been such a pleasure to birth this offering into the world. And below is an excerpt from a chapter in the book about learning to perceive the world through a lens of abundance, something that I always need to return to again and again. May it encourage you to trust more deeply in the flow of life...
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“Abundance is now, not somewhere in the future. It’s waiting for you to simply step into it.”
—Journal entry, April 3, 2018
Recognizing abundance in the universe is first and foremost an act of being present. How many times do we suspend our contentment by attaching it to a future event? We say things like, well, when this happens, or that happens, then I will be happy, or then my life will look as it should. Our future-minded thoughts, though perhaps well intentioned, rob us of the flow that is available to us right now, and in fact, is only available now. In our attempts to strain for the future, we end up missing the opportunity to dive into wells of abundance that are only given in the moment.
My French writer friend just had $100 worth of alcohol delivered to her house today. She and her husband were joking about stocking up on needed supplies after being quarantined for two months during the COVID-19 pandemic. They were enjoying exploring mixology and making fancy cocktails in the evenings as a new creative outlet.
She relays this news to me on the very morning I sit down to write this chapter on abundance. And I realize that this action is a perfect illustration of seeing the reality of an abundant universe even in the midst of great lack. Instead of focusing on all the things taken away during the pandemic (gathering with others, economic stability, etc.), she is celebrating the fact that a service exists that will deliver a wide variety of alcohol to one’s home, and in great quantity, no less!
Although this may appear to be a small thing, abundance more often than not comes to us in glimpses instead of a massive tidal wave. It is why we must train our eyes to see it. We literally need new vision to help us tune in to an energetic field of provision, instead of one of deficit. We have the power to shift both our perception of reality and our subsequent experience of that same reality.
On a recent trip to a park, I sat down on a bench overlooking multiple waterfalls cascading over a rocky precipice. I reclined, my legs stretched out in front of me, and took in the view, relishing the sound of the rushing water. The waterfalls were the epitome of a never-ending supply. And as I sat there observing, I wondered to myself, What if we were to believe that there is an infinite supply always being poured out toward us? Would this increase our awareness of abundance, and even more so, our ability to receive it?
Simply put, where we let our minds dwell matters. We can entertain anxious assumptions about a felt lack we must strive to fix. Or we can look for the evidence that supports a deeper truth—that we are being cared for by a loving Universe, even and especially in times when our circumstances send us messages to the contrary. An abundance lens assists us in seeing the synchronicity that is trying to come our way, precisely when we are most in need.
It is not a matter of whether the synchronicity is there or not—it is a matter of our own receptivity. When we open up to receive, we begin to see exactly how we are being provided for and can more easily trust that a way will be found, no matter what obstacles are on the path. Abundance isn’t a word to simply describe when all appears to be going well. It is more a reality of the universe that is there to ground us in the here and now, no matter what life happens to be serving up at the moment. Ultimately it is the belief that our needs are being met—not tomorrow, nor next week—but in the very present moments of today.
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Reflections:
What are some ways your present reality reflects an abundant universe?
Identify a current circumstance where you are experiencing a sense of lack and try viewing this situation through a lens of abundance instead. Ask yourself, “How are my needs being met, despite the challenges I am facing?”