Oct 12, 2014

Pondering’s

I have been talking about Abundance from a different point of view from what is most popular. That is because there are two different forms of abundance, that work in different styles with differing results. The first is Ego Abundance, and the second is Soul Abundance.

Ego Abundance

Ego Abundance or ego-based abundance, is a popular method of attempting to use the creative power of our being to bring us things that we believe will make us happy, things like money, power, a specific potential lover, or other specific goal that we believe will bring us happiness. It is called the power of positive thinking, sometimes called the Law of Attraction, the Abundance Prayer, and other similar names all are, in general, used to feed desires of the ego to generate personal desires, wealth, and power.

A key phrase to recognize “ego-abundance” (or ego-based abundance) is the use of a key phrase similar to “Attract all you desire by following these steps”. Note the word “desire”. That is the ego speaking, not the soul. All such ego-based programs are based upon “desires”, and quite frankly, “desires” are too often personal ego-trips, usually for money or power, or both, or demanding that someone (usually a specific someone) be attracted to us.

Now don’t get me wrong. These approaches do work when pursued as a goal for a personal purpose. Certainly the power of positive thinking has been used since Norman Vincent Peale’s book on the subject. There are large groups, some of them in and out of various religions that stress the power of positive thinking, and yes, eliminating the negative thought patterns that can govern so much of our lives reduces stress and gives us a fresh and vital view of the world, all very good things.

But much of the hoopla surrounding these teachings, usually called abundance and/or prosperity events and teachings, or the Law of Attraction learning, depend on convincing the follower to follow a brain-washing approach of creating lists and/or goals, setting power goals of some type, then using techniques such as chanting, dance or at least body movements, repeating mantras (not that I do not believe in mantras) and other ways to suppress our normal negativity and doubt by these group events. All of these practices can be useful, as we will discuss when talking about soul-abundance.

Do they work? Sometimes they do. They always work for the leader, as they become prosperous and lack for nothing, always from the pockets of those attending their services or rallies. And yes, they have a valid point: we do create our own lives, we are the ones driving our own bus, always, so they sometimes appear to work. Monies come, jobs may appear, and other testimonies as to their effectiveness can be gathered. Many of the mega-churches who preach the prosperity line contain usually well-off fairly young people who respond enthusiastically to these events, often each week. They drive nice new cars, have well-paying jobs, and live dynamic lives. And if someone fails, loses their job, has a serious illness, abuse, etc. it is their fault for not having sufficient faith in the teachings of the leader. Give more money, change your negative attitude, and all will be well – despite the reality of the present condition that they are experiencing.

The reason these events, churches, and groups seem to work is because they are using (or, as we shall see, mis-using) the power of Abundance. Abundance is always there, for as we truly believe, in our inner being, it will be done. Jesus said “If you have the faith of a mustard seed, and you say to this mountain, cast yourself in the sea, it will be donee.” That is true, no matter how that faith is couched. But that faith must come from our deepest part of our life, and it is possible to misuse that faith for personal gain if we desire. If we work hard enough, we can convince ourselves that we deserve these things, and they will make us happy if we achieve them.

And they do make us happy.

For a while.

Then they do not.

Then we want more. More of the same, or something else.

Then we will be happy.

Until we are not.

Then we cycle again.

Yes, we can convince ourselves, deep in our beings, that these things are all we need to be happy. That is why large crowds, intense music, hard driving speeches, promises, chanting, and other means to generate self-hypnosis are used to bring the emotions to a peak, suppress our analysis portion of our minds, and keep us at an adrenalin-peak for those times, usually so we will come back again for another charge next night or next week.

These emotions that are generated within us can tap into the infinite energy stream that flows in and around us to create the very things we think we crave. And so they will be created. But these very things, that we so desperately thought would bring us joy and happiness, eventually pale, and become something that bring us no joy, only boredom, feeling of exhaustion, discontent, and sadness.

Then we try again, because I just know that “THIS” will be the answer that will bring me joy, internal peace, and everlasting sense of accomplishment.

And then that fails, and we go on to the next.

Eventually we are worn out, all of our adrenalin has been spent, and these rallies now fail to move us. Oh yes, some can go on for many years at that level, but most weary of them in a few short years or even only months, and drift off in a daze to try to find something else to generate the energy level they need to feed upon.

And they will find it, at the next font of energy, the next speaker that sounds great, the next church that shouts and jumps, the next promise of a way to get everything we want: money, power, whatever we think will bring us happiness.

If we stop to look carefully at this process, we see what looks suspiciously like an addiction. Getting a high, a period where we return to normal, than another high. This is the pattern of an addiction. Only instead of an outside chemical that we ingest in our blood or stomach, it is a a method where we raise our adrenalin level so often that we must have that “shot” again, and again, until we “burn out”, and the “shot” fails to have any effect on us. I have watched this in the past, whether it be in the form of the “Holy Spirit” filling one, speaking in tongues, dancing around, the mega-churches that have the massive singing and dancing, groups that gather for the purpose of achieving some personal goal, usually called prosperity or abundance.

Now, I enjoy these as much as anyone. One of my favorite methods of prayer, or being with God, is with music. A good song, generally a driving rhyme, but often a gentle flow, meaningful words, all give me a good jolt and a high. I love to have energetic music and tempo, and a rousing sermon or talk at a service. I love the energy and spirit of a gathering, the life of the Spirit that exudes at a good gathering, and the occasional gathering of a large group at a convention where one or two thousand are caught up in the Spirit.

But I do not need this every day. These events are not what feeds the day to day force of Life. These events are like the trip to the ice cream shop that our family had a few times a year. That was all we could afford. And so it is with the high spirited events that feed the soul and bring excitement to the spirit.

I also love the sung mantras, today I enjoy and find great meaning in the older Sanskrit approach that I have found in Deva Premal and Miten music and meditations. Gentle flowing music can work wonders to smooth the soul. These I do listen to every day I can. I also listen to, and enter into, Deepak Chopra’s meditations as often as I can.

But they are not the basic elements that bring us lasting peace and joy. These emotional highs become the focus of the user of Ego Abundance, where these high events form the crux of life in order to achieve a goal that has been set in the ego mind. Eventually the person following this pattern almost always becomes exhausted, and is unable to continue on. They remember this interlude as exciting, meeting their expectations at the moment, but too exhausting to continue, and a bit disappointing in the conclusion. And they go back whence they came, sometimes to try again, but too often to become absorbed by the events of day-to-day life, and become lost in the perceived trials of just living.

Next time: The Soul Abundance.

Meditations

My Eternal Spirit, you have shown me the path of perseverance and inwardness. You have shown me the errors of the ego, especially as espoused in the Ego Abundance approach to an abundant life. I am grateful for not having fallen into these enticing paths, but you have led me to see your Face everywhere, your Being in all things. Your presence is always before me, in me, around me, filling me, if I am aware of that presence or not.