The luxuriant summer days, the lushness of the gardens and the bountiful summer harvest always get me thinking about abundance and how it manifests in my life.
Taken literally, abundance means plenty, profusion, bounty, exuberance, wealth. Lots of something. Many people think of abundance as a lot of extra money and possessions. Abundance can certainly mean financial wealth. Money is important - it not only allows us to cover our basic needs, it can empower us to create the life we desire and deserve.
And there are many other ways to consider abundance. To find it, it’s as easy as opening your eyes and your awareness to all that surrounds you. Easy…but that may take a shift in perspective. Abundance will mean something different for each of us. It doesn’t have to mean buckets of money and a luxury lifestyle. Sometimes just having enough is a luxury in and of itself. Your circumstances change all the time, and as they do your concept of abundance and an abundant life might also change and evolve.
From my perspective, an abundant life is a life lived on your terms, where you can live in the comfort you desire, love immensely and be loved deeply, express yourself and create freely, experience the world as you wish, grow continually on your life journey. It took me some years to figure out what was most important, what my true priorities were and what type of life would bring me the most joy. And now I am creating exactly the life I want to live...my abundant life.
And it’s about so much more than just financial abundance. Abundance can be a plenitude of any and all of these:
We might not have all of these at the moment, but we always have some of them, and we always have the possibility of more for everyone.
I’ve found that abundance starts as a state of mind and heart. It’s an intention, actions to support the intention, and just plain old believing it whole-heartedly. The abundance mindset is a critical component of achieving the life you want. It’s the state of mind that allows you to align with the vibration of abundance, whatever form of abundance attracts you at this time.
Many believe that you can manifest what you want in life through your thoughts and desires. You can find any number of coaches to guide you through the “law of attraction” and show you their process for manifestation if that is a way you want to explore abundance.
And you can find other sources of inspiration. Think about this verse from the ancient Vedic texts known as the Upanishads:
I do believe that we can create our own energy of abundance.
And I’d like to share a few of the personal practices I use to cultivate an abundance mindset. Some of them are a bit quirky, my aim in sharing is to inspire you to create your own and to you align with the vibration of abundance. Some may feel comfortable, others not. That’s the beauty of an abundance of ideas! You get to pick and choose what feels right for you.
1. GET CLEAR ON YOUR INTENTION, CREATE YOUR SANKALPA
What does abundance mean to you? What is it that you really desire at this time in your life? What is the lifestyle you wish to live? What do you wish to bring into the world? How do you want to feel? It may take some work to answer these questions. Listen deeply to your heart. Meditation can help. Give yourself permission to dream big!
Getting clear on your intention is the first step on your abundance journey, then align your thoughts, energy and actions to that intention. Creating a sankalpa, a statement of your intention, can guide your choices and actions. Here is the sankalpa that I created to guide the development of my HUM business, and I still hold it close to my heart. May it inspire you to create your own.
I will successfully launch my own beautiful brand...HUM...that is an authentic expression of who I am, that will inspire and empower others on their yoga and meditation journey, and respect the earth. I remain eternally grateful for all who join me and support me on my adventure. Sales and profits will grow and flow, I’ll be on my way to making millions (dream big!) and having fun doing it.
2. PRACTICE GRATITUDE
Gratitude is the key to an abundance mindset. Acknowledge and appreciate what you have instead of worrying about what you don’t have. This is the way to welcome abundance into your life. There are many ways to practice gratitude. I’ve found that the easiest way is to time one minute at the end of my meditation to focus on what I’m grateful for each day. You may prefer to keep a gratitude journey and daily list 5 things you are grateful for. For more ideas, see 5 Easy Ways to Thank Your Lucky Stars.
“The fastest way to bring more wonderful examples of abundance into your personal experience is to take constant notice of the wonderful things that are already there.” ~ Esther Hicks
3. MEDITATE ON YOUR INTENTION
Meditation is one of the most powerful tools to shift your perspective, so you can see things differently. So it can also help you to shift your mindset out of a lack mentality and into an abundance mindset. Here are three ideas for a meditation to cultivate abundance, with links to more information.
4. REMIND YOURSELF WITH SYMBOLS OF ABUNDANCE
I have a number of symbolic objects that I’ve collected and that remind me of my abundance and growth mindset. I keep them on my altar where I see them everyday. I may hold them in my hand as I meditate. Find your own symbolic objects, they are tools to remind you of your intention and will help you cultivate your abundance mindset each day. To inspire you, here are some of my symbolic objects:
5. DECLARE IT WITH AFFIRMATIONS
An affirmation is a declaration, a statement of your intention, and it strongly connects you to your mindset. I love the powerful SO HUM mantra, a mantra of inner fire and carries transformative powers, it’s a statement of being, an affirmation of the energy I wish to live with. So my best abundance affirmation is “ so hum…I am…abundance”. I say this out loud as I circle my arms in a wide open gesture of amplitude and abundance. Ok, so my husband chuckles and thinks I’m a strange…but it works for me!
Here are more ideas to help you create your own abundance affirmations. Declare it. Feel it. Make it a daily mantra.
6. BE GENEROUS
What goes around, comes around. Some people call it karma. I’ve noticed that the more I give, the more I receive. Giving doesn’t just mean giving gifts and “things”. You can be generous with your time, your compassion, your listening skills, your support. Going a little further by making the things you do a little extra special is also a gift. When some one offers you an act of generosity or kindness, whatever it may be accept it gracefully.
“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
7. CONNECT WITH NATURE
Seasons come and go, but they always return each year with renewed energy. Simply getting out in nature in any way you can and tuning into the energy of the earth will remind you that you are always surrounded by beautiful bounty, and that there is always more than enough for everyone. Perhaps this awareness will also remind you that we are only stewards of this incredible planet and we must each do all we can to preserve and protect it. Every choice we make matters!
8. COOK A MARKET-FRESH MEAL
This is my favourite way to acknowledge and appreciate the bounty and abundance that surrounds me. I go to the market on Saturday morning (we’re lucky to have a local farmers market) and I use up all that bounty to make beautiful fresh-cooked meals for family and friends, and to fill my freezer for the cold winter months. This is also an exercise in mindfulness, as I tune into the sensations of the food and the cooking process.
9. PRACTICE YOGA TO CULTIVATE YOUR ABUNDANCE INTENTION
Try our I AM Abundance Yoga Practice. This is a fun and flowing practice with generous movements intended to help you tune into the abundance that surrounds you and which is in you, always. May each sensation and each breath that guides you through this practice call you home to this truth. Fill your cup with gratitude and you will always have enough.
Find the practice HERE.
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