| For as long as I can remember, I've had money | | | | began to significantly improve. I had been using |
| issues. Growing up in a middle class family during | | | | her mediation tapes to visualize my health |
| the 60s, my mother took care of the family, | | | | improving and, although difficult, I had to admit |
| while my father went off to work. We rarely had | | | | there was some truth to what she had been |
| money for anything extra and if I had a nickel for | | | | telling me. |
| every time my parents said "We don't have the | | | | Six months later, I was able to return to work |
| money for that", I'd be a millionaire. | | | | full-time. It was at this time she asked if I would |
| At 16 years of age, I began working at a | | | | be interested in becoming attuned to reiki. I |
| restaurant after school. During the summer | | | | figured I had nothing to lose, so I allowed her to |
| months, I worked two jobs and was able to | | | | perform the ceremony. After leaving her office |
| purchase a car by the time I was 17. The | | | | that day I didn't give much thought to what had |
| freedom that money gave me motivated me to | | | | happened. I went on about my life as usual until I |
| earn more. Upon graduation from high school, I | | | | received a phone call telling me I had won a |
| began working as a travel agent. I thought I had | | | | $2500 shopping spree. |
| hit the mother-lode and within a few months, I | | | | I couldn't help but wonder if the reiki attunement |
| moved away from home and began creating | | | | had something to do with this wonderful change |
| what I thought would be the perfect life. | | | | of luck, so I called my spiritual friend. I distinctly |
| It wasn't long before reality hit and my love-hate | | | | remember how nonchalant she was about it. "Of |
| relationship with money began. It seemed that no | | | | course, the reiki had something to do with it, but |
| matter how hard I tried, I never had enough | | | | YOU are the real reason this event occurred", she |
| money to do the things I really wanted to do. | | | | stated. When I asked how I could possibly be |
| Every dime went to pay bills and I was becoming | | | | responsible for winning a contest, she asked me |
| quite annoyed. | | | | one simple question - "When you entered the |
| At nineteen years of age, I wanted to play, not | | | | contest, did you believe you would win?" |
| pay and things began to spin out of control. By | | | | Actually, I did believe I would win. I had even cut |
| the time I was twenty-one, I had fifteen credit | | | | pictures out of the company's catalog. I knew |
| cards and each was maxed out. While I had all the | | | | exactly what I was going to purchase with that |
| material things that credit cards could buy, I was | | | | money. As she explained how I set things into |
| in big trouble. Thirty thousand dollars in debt | | | | motion by believing and then accepting that I |
| trouble! | | | | would win, the light bulb turned on in my head. I |
| The phone was constantly ringing and creditors | | | | was beginning to understand Prosperity |
| were threatening to take my precious | | | | Consciousness. |
| commodities. When the transmission went out in | | | | Prosperity Consciousness is a term which |
| my car, I couldn't afford to get it fixed. My credit | | | | describes our personal beliefs about prosperity. It's |
| was such a mess I couldn't get a loan for a | | | | based on the Law of Attraction, which simply |
| bicycle, let alone a car. By 23, my finances were | | | | states you will attract what you focus on. |
| in complete shambles. Out of shear desperation, I | | | | Prosperity Consciousness teaches us to make an |
| filed bankruptcy and moved back home. This turn | | | | active decision and expect that prosperity is ours, |
| of events left me feeling as if I were a complete | | | | right now. It involves using visualization techniques |
| failure. | | | | and affirmations to manifest whatever we desire |
| Even with all the evidence in front of me, I could | | | | into our lives. |
| not believe what a financial mess I had created. I | | | | Prosperity means different things to different |
| came up with a million excuses as to why I had | | | | people. For one person, it could mean having an |
| to have that designer dress with matching shoes | | | | abundance of money, for another it could mean |
| and purse. I could easily explain my outrageous | | | | owning property. Someone else might see |
| expenses for monthly salon visits and trips to the | | | | prosperity as being able to travel whenever they |
| spa. After all, I had a job where image was | | | | desire. Another may see it as being able to stay |
| everything and it was important to always look | | | | home with their children. |
| my best. | | | | Manifestation exercises involve being able to |
| My mother is the queen of dollar stretching. She | | | | determine exactly what you want and eliminating |
| did her best to help me unravel the money web I | | | | thoughts which prevent you from obtaining it. It's |
| had created. We spent hours creating a master | | | | important to understand what your definition of |
| "get out of debt" plan. She shared her joy of | | | | prosperity is before you embark on manifestation |
| clipping coupons, scouring sale ads and even talked | | | | exercises. When we can clearly focus on our |
| me into designing my own clothes. While the | | | | actual needs and wants, prosperity work |
| process of debt elimination was painful, it provided | | | | becomes much simpler. |
| an opportunity to create priceless memories with | | | | For instance, if we want a new car, we visualize |
| mom. | | | | the make, model, color and features. Perhaps we |
| Four years later, I ventured out on my own and | | | | visit a dealership and take the car for a test drive. |
| this time I was certain I possessed all the skills to | | | | We smell it, touch it and feel the vibration of the |
| get it right. I moved into an efficiency apartment. | | | | road as we grip the wheel. In essence, we bring |
| I became a fanatic about turning off lights when | | | | all of our senses into the manifestation of the car. |
| they weren't needed. Consignment shops and | | | | When people focus only on manifesting money, |
| thrift stores were now my shopping paradise. I | | | | they limit the abundance that the universe can |
| cooked every meal at home and spent countless | | | | provide. |
| hours at the sewing machine. I opened a savings | | | | Abundance is much more than money. It is also |
| account and faithfully deposited funds every | | | | physical gifts such as good health, knowledge, |
| week. I was confident that I would never be | | | | strength and athletic skills. The greatest |
| indebted or financially broke again. | | | | abundance of all is knowing others who can and |
| On the day of my 31st birthday, I purchased a | | | | will help you reach your goals as you help them |
| brand new home. It was one of the proudest | | | | reach theirs. |
| moments of my life. The day I moved in, I knew | | | | Many people experience challenges with money |
| I had finally made it. Unfortunately, the feeling | | | | because of their personal beliefs. You may have |
| didn't last for long. Six months after moving into | | | | heard that "Money is the root of all evil". This |
| the home, I began experiencing flu-like symptoms. | | | | statement is incorrect and really states "for the |
| Within a matter of months, my health had | | | | lust after money that is the root of all evil". |
| deteriorated so much I could no longer work. The | | | | In loose translation, the message that was |
| savings account I had worked so hard to acquire | | | | intended to be received is this: When money is |
| was dwindling at the speed of light. | | | | intentionally withheld from those who need it, |
| It took three years to receive a diagnosis. During | | | | when it is used to cause harm to others, when it |
| the process of determining my illness, I had once | | | | becomes more important than love, family, and |
| again lost nearly everything that I believed was | | | | spirituality, it's a problem. No one ever says: "It is |
| important to me. The only thing I had left was | | | | bad to have more love, more time, more space |
| my home and I seriously questioned my ability to | | | | in my life". In fact, people are always seeking |
| hold onto it. | | | | more love, take time for granted, and occupy |
| It was in my hour of darkness that I began | | | | space without even noticing it. Yet these same |
| looking into alternative therapies. Little did I know | | | | people say "give me less money" because they |
| that seeking solutions to my health problems | | | | believe it is "evil" and will prevent them from |
| would lead me to solving my money problems. | | | | "being a good person". Nothing could be further |
| Before my illness, I had no concept of the | | | | from the truth. |
| spirituality of money. Money was money. It was | | | | Money is neither good nor evil. It is simply energy, |
| something I needed to pay for food, shelter and | | | | and the energy of money can be used positively |
| clothing. It allowed me to take vacations and | | | | or negatively. If you find it challenging to think |
| indulge in spa treatments. | | | | about money as energy, think about electricity. |
| The only thing I knew about money was that I | | | | Electricity can be used to generate light, cook |
| had a hard time holding onto it. In my quest to | | | | meals and regulate the temperature of our home, |
| improve my health, I began seeing a massage | | | | or it can be used to electrocute people. Yet, very |
| therapist, who was also a reiki practitioner. She | | | | few of us carry around judgments about |
| introduced me to spiritual practices I never knew | | | | electricity. When we need some, we just plug into |
| existed. Practices that involved using my mind to | | | | it. Most of us take electricity for granted and |
| control my thoughts. It was during this time, I | | | | trust in the abundant availability of it. This is the |
| was exposed to the philosophy of "Prosperity | | | | same kind of trust we need to adopt in our belief |
| Consciousness". | | | | about money. All you need to do is plug in, believe |
| The first time she told me I was responsible for | | | | in the abundance, then stand back and watch it |
| everything that was happening in my life, including | | | | flow into your life. |
| my disease and lack of money, I was mad. Really, | | | | As I worked through my "lack" issues, I |
| really mad and highly insulted. How could I possibly | | | | discovered many wonderful things that helped me |
| be responsible for the disease that had stripped | | | | attract abundance into my life. I read books, |
| me down to nothing? The disease was the root | | | | listened to tapes, incorporated meditation and |
| of my financial problems, not ME! | | | | visualization techniques and surrounded myself |
| Because I was desperate to get well, I continued | | | | with beautiful art that symbolized abundance. |
| working with her. I half-heartedly listened to her | | | | There are many techniques for Prosperity |
| financial advice and thought her Prosperity | | | | Consciousness. Some will work better for you |
| Consciousness theory was completely out in left | | | | than others. With practice, you'll be able to |
| field. She sent me home with prosperity books | | | | determine which mental "tricks" are most |
| and meditation videos. I'd throw them on the | | | | effective for you. One thing is for certain - healing |
| coffee table and spend the rest of my evening | | | | our personal attitudes about money may be the |
| wondering how I was going to dig out of my | | | | most important contribution we can make to |
| financial mess. | | | | ourselves, our world and to the universe. |
| After two months of working with her, my health | | | | |