Abundance

The source of all abundance is not outside you. It is part of who you are. However, start by acknowledging and recognizing abundance without. See the fullness of life all around you. The warmth of the sun on your skin, the display of magnificent flowers outside the florist’s shop, biting into succulent fruit, or getting soaked in an abundance of water falling from the sky. The fullness of life is there at every step. The acknowledgment of that abundance that is all around you awakens the dormant abundance within. Then let it flow out. When you smile at a stranger, there is already a minute flow of energy. You become the giver. Ask yourself often: “What can I give here; how can I be of service to this person, this situation?” You don’t need to own anything to feel abundant, although if you feel abundant consistently things will almost certainly come to you. Abundance comes to those who already have it. It sounds almost unfair, but of course it isn’t. It is universal law. Both abundance and scarcity are inner states that manifest as your reality. Jesus put it like this: “For to one who has, more will be given, and from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away.”

– by Eckhart Tolle, from “A New Earth: Awakening to Your Life’s Purpose”

I’m just about to start reading “A New Earth” in preparation for an on-line course that Oprah Winfrey is teaching with Eckhart Tolle himself every Monday night for 10 weeks starting March 3rd. The course is free to anyone who is willing to register on Oprah’s website. By reserving a seat, people who are reading the same material will have a chance to participate in live classroom webcasts which include the ability to listen or ask questions that are fielded by both Oprah and the author. It’s a new kind of learning experience that should prove to be very interesting.

The painting of pears that I posted along with the quote is something I did years ago after we had just moved into a new house that was perched on top of a hillside overlooking a field. One day while I was wandering around getting used to our new surroundings, I discovered not only was the land bursting with wild raspberry bushes, there was also a lone pear tree at the bottom of the field burdened with ripe fruit. Judging by how many pears had already fallen to the ground, the tree seemed neglected and aching to be noticed. Feeling a sudden sense of urgency, I ran home to get a basket and went back to pick as many pears as I could carry so that not all would perish needlessly. That afternoon, I set up a still life on our front porch and took photos of what eventually became the source of the painting above. A few days later, I canned jars and jars of pear chutney that I gave away at Christmas time – and I ended up donating the painting to S.A.F.E. Studio’s annual art auction – an organization that offers art therapy for victims of domestic abuse. I didn’t know the significance of what I was doing then, but now that I think back, it certainly was a day of recognizing and sharing abundance in a way that was not only nourishing to myself (I was still very sick then), but also to many others around me.