Creating Abundance

“Abundance is about being rich, with or without money.”— Suze Orman

Happy Thanksgiving!

Depending on your perspective, the holidays can either be a joyful time shared with family and friends or a dismal demonstration of unrealized expectations. The choice is yours. Abundance is everywhere, if you choose to look for it.

On this day of feasting and family, I'd like to share with you some quotes, breath practices, and meditations that can help you find abundance in your own life.

"Whatever we are waiting for -- peace of mind, contentment, grace, the inner awareness of simple abundance -- it will surely come to us, but only when we are ready to receive it with an open and grateful heart.”—Sarah Ban Breathnach

Breath Practice:

1. Lengthen your inhale and exhale, making them approximately equal.
2. Remain at that lengthened breath for several minutes. With each inhale, imagine abundance in all its forms entering your heart. With every exhale, imagine those same qualities flowing through your body and taking root in every cell.
3. After several minutes, return your breath to a normal rhythm. Carry the energy of this breath practice to meditation.

Meditation Question: How can I invite abundance into my life, regardless of my material wealth?

“The universe operates through dynamic exchange…giving and receiving are different aspects of the flow of energy in the universe. And in our willingness to give that which we seek, we keep the abundance of the universe circulating in our lives.”— Deepak Chopra

Breath Practice:

1. Lengthen your inhale and exhale, making them approximately equal.
2. After six breaths at that lengthened breath, add a two second pause after both the inhale and the exhale.
3. Remain at this breath for several minutes. With each inhale, imagine abundance in all its forms entering your heart. In the pause after inhale, imagine abundance completely filling you. With every exhale, offer abundance back to the world. In the pause after exhale, imagine abundance both within and around you.
4. After several minutes, release the pauses, but continue breathing with a lengthened inhale and exhale.
5. After several more breaths, return your breath to a normal rhythm. Carry the energy of this breath practice to meditation.

Meditation Question: How can I create abundance in the lives of those around me?

The prosperity hens pictured above symbolize prosperity in Indian culture, because any family fortunate enough to own a hen has a continual source of nourishment. Find your own symbol of abundance and keep it near as you get caught up in busy-ness of the holiday season.  Allow it to remind you of all that is truly important.

Namaste

Tracy Weber

Come visit Whole Life Yoga in Seattle, and check out Tracy Weber’s author page for information about her  yoga and dog-related mystery series, the Downward Dog Mysteries.

How to Get Lucky--Happy St. Patrick's Day!

1. Take risks. Calculated ones. Don’t worry so much about failure. Instead, think in terms of abundance and opportunity. Some of what you do won’t work out. So what? Something’s bound to “stick” if you keep at it. I wrote a book not knowing if it would sell. That was a risk. But if I hadn’t written the book, I wouldn’t have anything to sell, right? So it was a calculated risk I was willing to take.

2. Put yourself “out there.” If you want to get hit by lightning, go stand in an open field during a thunderstorm. Be where people who can help you can find you. For example, by going to Sleuthfest I was able to meet my agent and my editor.

3. Show up. No one is going to come to your front door and ask you to be the next bestselling author or scrapbook designer or rock star. You need to circulate. You need to be around people who are doing what you want to do. That way, when an opportunity comes, you’ll know about it.

4. Meet people and make a good impression. You never know who will be the person the Universe sent to help you. So…be open and friendly. I met Emilie Richards, USA Today bestselling author, at a book festival. I didn’t know she was a BIG name. But I’ve been taught to treat everyone with respect, so we enjoyed each other’s company and have since become friends. Only after we’d “clicked” did I discover she was a mega-author.

5. Ask yourself, “What do I have to give that is uniquely mine?” I often send people four-leaf clovers I’ve found. I make small scrapbooks for friends. I invite people to come along on a tour of the Steinway factory. Those are lovely “things” I have to offer. What do YOU have that’s unique to you?

6. Work harder than anyone else on the planet. I work seven days a week, usually at least 8 hours and often 10 or 12. I am constantly learning. I always ask myself, “What does this mean to me and how can I use what I’ve discovered?”

7. Steal with your eyes. Watch other people carefully. Don’t make the same mistakes they do, but do learn what they do right.

8. Believe in a Universe of abundance and opportunity. You can only receive if you have open hands and an open heart.

9. First be a giver. When you give to others, it comes back to you, many times over.

10. Acknowledge your hard work. Psychologists have found that when women are complimented we often say, “Oh, I was lucky.” Maybe you were, but more likely you worked hard. If you only think you were lucky, you won’t have the courage to tackle new things—the courage that comes from saying to yourself, “Yes, this is daunting but I’ve handled tough situations before and I can figure this out.” So give yourself credit. That will fuel your ability to tackle new challenges.

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