***Emotional Freedom and Abundance

(Adapted from Emotional Freedom: Liberate Yourself From Negative Emotions and Transform Your Life by Judith Orloff MD)

Emotional freedom is all about abundance in every form, including financial abundance. Abundance involves embracing your total energy. It always begins with the heart, then extends outward, not vice versa. In my vision, external achievements alone, no matter how grand, can’t penetrate our depths enough to bestow such wholeness. However, as we become wise arbiters of where our energy does and doesn’t go, and when choices about money become gut-inspired, abundance does become real.

Our society’s shameless con is that wealth and fame equal happiness. True, if your heart’s in the right place and your ego isn’t the size of Godzilla so nothing’s ever enough, affluence can be magnificent. Still, that’s a big “if.” Frequently, my patients who “have it all” are the most miserable. What makes them even worse off than others is feeling, “With all my success why am I so unhappy?” The reason: they experience an emotional poverty that damns their ability to appreciate what they’ve got. Until my patient’s hearts are resuscitated--my job, and it’s a blast--grasping their gifts, material and more, isn’t possible.

It’s important to give and receive the blessing of abundance. Rest assured, you’re worthy of the blessing. We all are. Then poise yourself to welcome joyous prospects, doors opening, and love. Yes, love. Traditionally, abundance implies getting your material wants met, which we’ll explore. But a larger view is that abundance is constantly operating, even during times of sadness or seeming lack. It entails grasping the perfection of the moment, arduous or sublime, realizing that what you’re giving and being given is good enough. An understanding of abundance helps me stay centered when things are falling apart and do my darndest not to close my heart, knowing that turmoil isn’t all there is. This perspective also lets us see the Big Bang in the minutiae. Our attitudes determine abundance.

Abundance is a state that’s possible to go after. The formula for increasing it is simple: the more you give the more you get, a paradox to the ordinary mind but a certainty from the standpoint of energy dynamics. Your small self says, “There’s not enough. I want to keep it all.” Your Large Spiritual Self says, “There’s more than enough. I want to share it.” I know the temptation of clinging to what you’ve got, petrified it’ll be snatched from you. (The curse of being an only child is that sharing is often a real feat). But I also know if I keep inhabiting this mind-set, I’ll be trapped in a teensy fear-filled box, not a pretty prospect. To liberate vitality, we must learn to switch from the small to the Large Self, a technique I’ll share.

Let me explain how this relates to finances. I’m defining financial abundance as being able to live comfortably and enjoy what you have, not solely a humungous bank account. Though money typically symbolizes earth-plane power, in my scheme, it can’t masquerade for self-worth. Nor does it justify becoming a bitch-on-wheels or pumping up your ego--the “power” that ensues is worthless to me. How can money catalyze positive energy? Wondrously, these flimsy pieces of paper with pictures can pay our bills, make life easier, more fun; they can be bartered for a home, a college education, a doctor’s care, an escape to Shangri-La. But money can also instigate wars; it’s loss has prompted people to throw themselves out of high windows. Contrary to many civilization’s warped notions, this program NEVER lets it dictate our value as a human being or makes any person “better” than another. In the end, one thing’s a slam dunk: when you leave this body, you can’t bring the fool’s gold of possessions along. What you can take, however, is your loving heart. It alone provides the momentum for where you need to go.

I tell my patient Bob this, who nods a lot, but thinks my advice is impractical. “Sure, Judith, but I’m living in this world now.” Bob, in the appliance business, makes plenty of money, but he always wants more. True, he’s got expenses from a mortgage to his children’s middle school. But overall his life is abundant, though pity, he’s the last to know. Bob gets caught in, “If only I made___I could___.” And “My colleague who makes___, has more leverage and respect than I do.” Some nights these thoughts keep him awake; everyday they siphon his energy. The problem is Bob equates his paycheck with who he is, a crippling assumption that pervades our world. My continuing work with Bob is to help him find a sense of self that defies outer circumstances, the sure path to emotional freedom. I always point him back to his heart, to the good he’s done, which is hugely impressive. Also, to access his Larger Self, I have Bob practice the exercise in this section.

I appreciate the seductive undertow of our society’s make-more-money push. And how the money=power tic is conditioned. I’m not saying these mass-mind maladies are easy to get past. But I am certain that if we don’t try a huge chunk of our energy and self esteem will be sacrificed. The starting place is to identify forces that blind us to the abundance we already have: feelings of envy and competition; greed; lack of faith in the integrity of our soul’s path; fear that we’re “not enough” in comparison to others. Getting thrown by these serenity wreckers doesn’t mean you’re “not spiritual.” But, for heaven’s sake put up your dukes and fight. As my patients and I do, use this exercise to free yourself from painful thinking.

Make Changes Now. Shifting from Your Small Self to Your Large Spiritual Self.

1. Be candid about what stops you from appreciating abundance now. Whether you feel you can’t achieve it without $___ in the bank, or envy every schmo on the street, take a compassionate look at what’s inside. Know exactly what you’re dealing with. No editing. This is your small self. Get to know it. Let yourself feel the constriction, anxiety, and low energy of residing there.

2. Next, shift to your Large Self. Begin by taking a few slow, deep breaths. With each inhalation, feel yourself growing more spacious, more merciful. Gently touch your heart center in the mid-chest; sense the warmth, the comfort. Reconnect with how much you’re loved by Spirit, whatever your conception. From this large-hearted place, know there’s enough room for all our successes, there’s enough love to go around. Then center your attention on what’s beautiful about your life NOT on what you perceive is lacking. Let your mind meander. Remember the money you do have in the bank, your health, the angel on your shoulder who’s always been there. In these quiet moments, take your eyes off other people. Concentrate on your gifts and the enormity of love that’s available to tap into, a powerful redirection of energy.

To achieve emotional freedom and financial abundance, it’s important to be generous. This accelerates the free flow of money and everything positive in your life. Of course, when it comes to finances, a good job, smart investments, and saving wisely are important. But beyond these essentials, the secret is to be generous, whatever your net worth.

Generosity is an expansive energy. Stinginess is constipated. If you’re on the cheap side, don’t worry. But wake up! Realize it’s a HUGE drawback; take contrary action. How? If someone gives you a nickel, give them a dime. Gradually, resolve to let go of the tit for tat mentality, a small-mind approach antithetical to abundance. Be the bigger person: that’s generosity. Also, help people out. Charities, tithing, donations. Give what you can; it doesn’t have to be a lot. Feel the growing sense of abundance it produces, an energy which circulates far and wide. It’ll find its way back to you. Maybe you’ll win a jackpot, or perhaps you’ll just feel better about yourself. However generosity plays out, you can’t lose.