Spiritual Solutions

Herbert Spencer, English philosopher and sociologist said, “We are ever in the presence of an infinite and eternal energy from which all things proceed.”

He was speaking of the fullness of God, or the kingdom of God that is ever with us, this “infinite and eternal energy” which is waiting to be drawn upon, as dramatically illustrated in the gospel of Luke (5:4-7):

Jesus, surrounded by a throng of people, stepped into Peter’s boat and pushed away from the shore, then taught the multitude from his position in the bow of the boat. Finished speaking, he told Peter to put out into the deep and let down his net, to which the response was, “But Master, we toiled all night and took nothing; but at your word I will let down the nets.” This was done, and right away so many fish were caught that the nets were near breaking. They beckoned to their partners in the other boat to come and help them, and soon both boats were filled brimful with an enormous catch of fish.

The fish were there all the time, but the fishermen had to put out into the deep; they had to avoid shallow thinking; they had to change their consciousness.

We might call this a miracle, but all the remarkable things performed by Jesus – or by anyone else at any time – are done under laws that we may learn and use, as others have done. Fish represent ideas; the sea represents infinite mind. Prosperity and abundance come forth from infinite mind, through a plenitude of ideas. Wherever you are, God is. Therefore, wherever you are there is an answer; there exists abundance, myriads of ideas.

Jesus said, “The kingdom of God is within you.” It is imagined by some that the Kingdom is found only after much striving and seeking, in some later life, or in some far-off heaven in the skies. But Jesus points to the very vital Truth that the good we seek is already within us. Prosperity originates in mind; and we must let down our nets of faith, believing that we can be channels for the expression of prosperity and ideas. Jesus puts it very candidly: “Ask, and it will be given you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.” (Matt. 7:7)

To ask is to claim, to demand, or to create the conditions that make the result inevitable. You ask for guidance or for supply or for life by claiming your oneness with the Source and getting into the flow and expecting the results. The supply is there, but we must put out into the deep and let down our nets; we must alter our faulty, self-limiting attitude.

If we will just shove off from the shoreline – the line of depending upon the security of other people or our jobs or our material possessions – and put out into the depths of spiritual inspirations and quiet meditation, we will find unsuspected possibilities flowing forth from within ourselves. Sometimes the deep waters of spirit, the hidden potential, the greater good, have been obscured, frustrated, hindered, and blocked over many years.

If you have a block in your consciousness, keeping you bound in fear or inadequacy or poverty or sickness, put out into the deep right now, let down your nets, and claim your oneness with the “infinite and eternal energy from which all thing proceed.” God is your all-sufficiency in all things. Believe this. Press out from the shallows of human thinking. Believe, and then act believing. Get into the flow of the fullness of God and you will experience new confidence, new creativity, and a movement toward a whole new life of success and fulfillment and self-confidence.

Remember, God is Blessing You, Right Now!

Rev. Alan A. Rowbotham

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Rev. Alan Rowbotham, a Unity minister for over thirty-nine years, invites you to enjoy more articles and/or subscribe to his free inspirational newsletter, “Spiritual Solutions,” at www.spiritualsolutionsblog.com
 

Feel free to share this article in its entirety with a friend. You may also reproduce and publish this article if you also include this reference box. Thank you!
 

If you’d like to receive “Rich Words,” featuring weekday inspirational quotes, you can subscribe at www.alanrowbotham.com
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Is prosperity possible, even in a difficult economy? Absolutely! Prosperity for you deals purely with your consciousness. Charles Fillmore, co-founder of the Unity movement, said, “Prosperity is based on the conscious possession of the idea of God’s abundance in the back of all things.”

There is no lack in God or in the Universe. The substance of God is limitless. You are not created outside of the Universe. You are an integral part of it, a dynamic center within it. The free flow of substance within you is the continuation of the divine effort that made you. If there is lack in your life, it is not because you are out of the flow of substance, but because you have lost the consciousness of the flow.

Perhaps you may say, “But the economy of the country . . . and to add to that, my employer is erratic. I didn’t cause it, and yet it certainly affects my life.” That is the wisdom of the world that is foolishness with God. We have been conditioned to believe that our lives are shaped by what happens to us. For instance, the back corner of my car recently got damaged; for quite a while, I was really upset about it. Then I realized I wasn’t making it any better by being upset about something in the outer, and I was able to let the upset go and just arrange to have the car repaired. You see, it’s not what happens “out there,” but what we do or think about these things. Thought is the key. However, thought is not produced by circumstances. The incident is external; the reaction is our own.

The starting point in working for prosperity is to accept the responsibility for your own thoughts. Become an original thinker. Reject all “they say” and “hearsay” reports. Stop listening to all the scare talk on television and other media, the widespread negative thought about the economy. Don’t let these persons or conditions decide how you are going to think and feel. Resolve to center your thought on only those things of “God’s abundance in back of all things.”

We may talk a lot about the importance of “positive thinking.” But we need to get a realistic understanding of it. It is not just saying a lot of pleasant words about things you are really worried about. It is not uttering platitudes, mouthing affirmations, or saying, “Oh, everything will be all right.” Everything will not be all right unless you can get into the consciousness of “all-right-ness.”

It reminds me of a time early in our ministry in Roanoke, Virginia; we were meeting in a civic center at the time. At the end of each Sunday service, we would hold hands and say together Unity’s Prayer for Protection:
 The light of God surrounds us;
 The love of God enfolds us;
 The power of God protects us,
 And the presence of God watches over us;
 Wherever we are, God is.
At the end of the prayer we would always add “. . . and all is well.”
Inevitably, a particular man whose avowed intent was to prevent Unity being established in the city would pipe up: ”And all is not well!”

Positive thinking is “creative thinking,” getting your thoughts synchronized with the creative flow. Creative thinking can include humor, and in the example above once we were able to laugh within ourselves as we waited for the man’s final comment, he gave up his futile attempts to stop us from establishing Unity in the community and we never saw him again.

A problem for many persons is the influence of money on thought. Money is not the “root of all evil.” Actually, the Bible says, “The love of money is a root of all kinds of evil.” Money is an important symbol of faith that promotes mutuality. But problems arise when we confuse the symbolic with the real. There is nothing bad about money, but we may imbue money with bad vibrations when we work for the symbols rather than the flow of substance.

The idea of “demonstrating prosperity” is often equated with praying for more money. But if problems are caused by consciousness, the money problems are only postponed but never solved by having more money. Unfortunately, the term “demonstrate” often emphasizes a kind of magic working of divine law. It is best not to pray for money, but to get the awareness of “God’s abundance in back of all things.”

There are three important steps in the orderly process of abundance flowing freely through us: 1. Being, 2. Doing, and 3. Having. There is a tendency to want to reverse the three steps. We reason that if we can just get enough money, then we will be able to do something good, and then we will be somebody. The principle is: What you are in consciousness gives rise to what you can do creatively, which leads to what you will experience.

Here is a helpful test in self-understanding: If you are not as prosperous or secure as you would like to be, ask yourself “Why not?” Make a list. Don’t be too analytical. Just outline the things that seem to be keeping you from your good. Actually, these are alibis. You might spend a few days in this examination.

Then, make a new list. Point by point, restate the reasons in terms of what you think “ought to be” the case. There is always a sense of “oughtness” behind every alibi. How do you think people ought to act toward you? What qualities do you feel you ought to express? Work with these for a month. Always try to satisfy yourself as to the exact state that ought to prevail in mind, emotion, body, and affairs. This is what Eric Butterworth called your “ought-to-be-ography.”

Finally, if you feel these things ought to be true, you intuitively believe that it is the reality. So, go back and rewrite the “ought-to-be’s” in the form of “I AM” statements. These can become your prayer treatment or affirmations, and the basis for some positive thinking. Now you can see that the thought is not just what you wish were true. It is your conviction of “God’s abundance in back of all things.”

Accustom yourself to think that you are surrounded by a divine presence which wishes you good because you are expressing its life. Keep conscious that you are forever in the flow of substance. No matter how things change in the world around you or what happens too you, the flow of substance is constant. All that is required is that you keep conscious of the flow, keep open by positive thought, keep responsive in faith, and keep moving “in the directions of your dreams.”

Remember, God is Blessing You, Right Now!

Rev. Alan A. Rowbotham
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Rev. Alan Rowbotham, a Unity minister for over thirty-eight years, invites you to enjoy more articles and/or subscribe to his free inspirational newsletter, “Spiritual Solutions,” at www.spiritualsolutionsblog.com

Feel free to share this article in its entirety with a friend. You may also reproduce and publish this article if you also include this reference box. Thank you!

If you’d like to receive “Rich Words,” featuring weekday inspirational quotes, you can subscribe at
www.alanrowbotham.com

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Here is the truth about prosperity in just a few words:

 First: God is the source of all prosperity, of all substance, of all affluence. We have the promise: “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there can be no variation, neither shadow that is cast by turning.” This is simply a symbolical and theological way of stating that the source of all substance is nonmaterial, it’s in Spirit.

Second: There is no separation between you and God. The Scriptures tell us: “I and the Father are one.” And that’s the truth about you!

Third: God wants you to be prosperous and has already given you all that you can accept as belonging to you. The promise is: “It is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.” And the kingdom is not “out there” somewhere. Jesus said that the kingdom is within you.

Now, put this into a simple statement of what you must know if you are to be free forever from lack and fear of lack: “God is my abundant supply. All that He has is mine, and He wants to give it to me. I now claim my abundance of good.” Take this affirmation and make it a part of you.

To claim your prosperity as already yours and not off in the future somewhere, it is essential to establish the identity of your oneness with the flow of good. We are all heirs to all God’s Infinite riches, but unless we realize our wealth, we fail to benefit from it. We cannot possibly use what we do not know we have.

Here’s what Wallace D. Wattles wrote in chapter six of his book, The Science of Getting Rich:

“You need not hesitate about asking largely . . . .

“Original Substance wants to live all that is possible in you, and wants you to have all that you can or will use for the living of the most abundant life.

“If you fix upon your consciousness the fact that the desire you feel for the possession of riches is one with the desire of Omnipotence for more complete expression, your faith becomes invincible.

“Once I saw a little boy sitting at a piano, and vainly trying to bring harmony out of the keys; and I saw that he was grieved and provoked by his inability to play real music. I asked him the cause of his vexation, and he answered, “I can feel the music in me, but I can’t make my hands go right.” The music in him was the URGE of Original Substance, containing all the possibilities of all life; all that there is of music was seeking expression through the child.

“God, the One Substance, is trying to live and do and enjoy things through humanity. He is saying “I want hands to build wonderful structures, to play divine harmonies, to paint glorious pictures; I want feet to run my errands, eyes to see my beauties, tongues to tell mighty truths and to sing marvelous songs,” and so on.

“All that there is of possibility is seeking expression through men. God wants those who can play music to have pianos and every other instrument, and to have the means to cultivate their talents to the fullest extent; He wants those who can appreciate beauty to be able to surround themselves with beautiful things; He wants those who can discern truth to have every opportunity to travel and observe; He wants those who can appreciate dress to be beautifully clothed, and those who can appreciate good food to be luxuriously fed.

“He wants all these things because it is Himself that enjoys and appreciates them; it is God who wants to play, and sing, and enjoy beauty, and proclaim truth and wear fine clothes, and eat good foods. ‘It is God that worketh in you to will and to do,’ said Paul.

“The desire you feel for riches is the Infinite, seeking to express Himself in you as He sought to find expression in the little boy at the piano.

“So you need not hesitate to ask largely.

“Your part is to focalize and express the desire to God.”

If you really want prosperity, it will pay you to be decisive and definite in your thinking. Prosperity, of course, means many things to many people. What does it mean to you? What is it that you really want? Maybe you don’t make your inner desires sharp and clear enough for them to be outpictured in your affairs.

Sit down quietly by yourself and make a specific list of the things that spell “prosperity” to you. Don’t be content to say simply, “I want more money,” because that’s indefinite. Substance must have something to fill, and it is up to you to hold out the receptacle. 

You don’t need to outline how your prosperity is going to come to you, because God has many channels through which He works. You can leave the ways and means to the Divine process. But God cannot help you if you don’t know what you want.

Remember, too, that Jesus gave us clear directions for finding true prosperity when he said: “Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things shall be yours as well.” (Matt. 6:33)

First learn to seek the kingdom of God. It is not far off somewhere in time and space; it exists right here and now, because it is the state of consciousness that you enter when you realize that the real you is one with the Father, one with the creative flow of abundance. And what you seek you will surely find.

Remember, God is Blessing You Right Now!

Rev. Alan A. Rowbotham

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Rev. Alan A. Rowbotham, a Unity minister for over thirty-eight years, invites you to subscribe to his free inspirational newsletter, Spiritual Solutions.

Please feel free to publish this article in your blog or newsletter or share it with a friend, as long as you include this resource box.

If you’d like to receive weekday inspirational quotes, you can subscribe at Rich Words.

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SPIRITUAL SUBSTANCE

31st Day, Wednesday. Read Matthew 13: 3-9, 18-23.

There is a kingdom of abundance of all things, and it may be found by those who seek it and are willing to comply with its laws. Substance exists in a realm of ideas and is powerful when handled by one who is familiar with its characteristics.

Spiritual substance is the source of all material wealth and cannot suffer loss or destruction by human thought. It is always with us, ready to be used and to make the consciousness potent and fertile. In this connection Jesus said, “I have meat to eat that ye know not.”

Just as the earth is the universal matrix in which all vegetation develops, so this invisible Spirit substance is the universal matrix in which ideas of prosperity germinate and grow and bring forth according to our faith and trust.

I know that any seed words that are planted in omnipresent Spirit substance will germinate and grow and bring forth fruit “after their kind.” Just as the farmer selects the best seed for planting, so I must choose the words that will bring forth the rich harvest of plenty.

To gain control of Spirit substance I grasp it with my mind; that is, lay hold of the idea back of it. Right thinking is necessary in using my mind constructively to bring about right results.

I affirm: “Divine substance flows in all its fullness into my consciousness and through me as prosperity into all my affairs.”

Questions:

1. How may the kingdom of abundance be found?

2. Where does substance exist?

3. What is spiritual substance?

4. How can we gain control of Spirit substance?

If I have a need of any kind, I open myself to the substance of Spirit. I give thanks that there is abundant supply for every need.

Remember, God is Blessing You, Right Now!

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 Rev. Alan A. Rowbotham, a Unity minister for over thirty-eight years, invites you to subscribe to his free inspirational newsletter, Spiritual Solutions.

Please feel free to publish this article in your blog or newsletter or share it with a friend, as long as you include this resource box.

 If you’d like to receive weekday inspirational quotes, you can subscribe at Rich Words.

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There’s a story from when Charles Fillmore, co-founder of the Unity movement, was still alive and at Unity Village. It’s told that a young girl who was working there came to him and said, “Oh, Mr. Fillmore, I dreamed last night that I became so spiritual that I could fly.” He responded, “Well then, that’s all very well but are you so spiritual that you can pay the rent?”

Charles Fillmore was very focused on his Christianity being practical Christianity, on applying the truths of being to every aspect of our lives.

I want to share with you some of the prosperity truths that are recession, depression, and inflation proof. You will enjoy using them often. Let me share two with you now, starting with a quote from Charles Fillmore right here at the beginning. He says, in his book Prosperity, “The law of supply is a divine law. This means that it is a law of mind and must work through the mind.”

In other words, prosperity, health, well-being, all of those aspects of our life which we equate with prosperity, must come through our prosperous thinking. And our mind can be trained to think prosperously in simple and delightful ways that will bring satisfying and delightful results into our lives. <!–[if !vml]–>

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(Note: This is the ninth lesson adapted from the series “Steady in the Wind,” by Ann Strong. Ann kindly gave me permission to adapt and use parts of the lessons in my blog and newsletter. I believe you will find much value in applying the twelve life principles covered in this course. Enjoy!)

WELCOME TO:
Lesson Nine: Generosity

Please listen to the audio first by clicking on the link below, and then let’s read the lesson together.

Lesson Nine: Generosity

As you give, so you receive. Giving generously means living generously. A little couplet by John Bunyan goes like this: “A man there was and they called him mad, and the more he gave, the more he had.” This is a principle, for giving creates a need and, by the vacuum law, the need draws the supply and draws it beautifully.

As we give of our time, money, energy and resources, we set in motion time, money, energy and resources becoming available to us, coming back to us. As we give generously, we express our trust that we will always have what we need. We have no reason to hoard or hold back. We know we are taken care of.

Get the thought of sharing a bit of love, understanding, blessing, thoughtfulness with every person. Seek ways of actually helping; the little you do is better than the lot you say you wish you could do. Giving the idea of peace and love and understanding is the greatest demonstration of the law of increase. Losing nothing and gaining much, when we get into this kind of consciousness of giving it becomes a flow in our lives, and we find it easy to give of our substance and our efforts and our time. We see a tremendous return because of the law of “Give and you will receive.”

Living generously feels good. We are living from our bigger self, sharing ourselves, connecting more deeply with others. As we feel good, living from our bigger selves, we are more attractive, attracting wonderful people and opportunities into our lives.

Living generously puts us in life’s flow. Giving creates movement, circulation, growth. With generosity we activate generous reciprocity. We have no reason to fear the wind. We know we are always taken care of.

AN EXAMPLE OF GENEROSITY

A man was out of work, depressed, frantic, too young to retire and lacking the financial security to support retirement. Yet, as far as the world was concerned he was too old to get a new job. He took a good look at himself and discovered he was not really looking for work; he had merely been trying to get on a payroll to allay his sense of insecurity. So, he asked himself if there was not something he could do, somewhere that he could give something of himself.

This was a new concept for him, giving of himself for free instead of for monetary compensation. Anyway, he volunteered his services to a friend who was struggling to get a business started, asking for and receiving no pay. During a few weeks’ period he was able to donate a great deal of wisdom gained through experience and other help, so that the business righted itself and went on to do quite nicely.

The other thing that happened was that this new activity opened a flow in his own consciousness. He became part of a giving process and, connected to or coincidental to it, he was led to a marvelous position as a consultant in his own field. The man discovered the wonder of giving, and it changed his life.

ALWAYS ERR ON THE SIDE OF GENEROSITY

Haven’t we all had an experience of deciding to do the “bare minimum” in a certain circumstance? I know for myself when I have overridden that urge and given generously of my time or money, I felt great. And, I’ve opened up a valve for more – more for me, more for the recipient of my generosity and connection to the flow of the universe. We also both have the opportunity for expanded awareness of natural, generous flow. When I have followed my fear impulse to give “as little as possible,” I felt constricted, cheap and small.

God has given us the entire kingdom. As individual expressions of God, why would we give less? Let us always err on the side of generosity.

PRACTICE GENEROSITY THIS WEEK

Contemplate how you would like to be more generous with your time, money, energy and resources.

Put into action two or three of your ideas.

Record how you feel living more generously. What new opportunities and possibilities come your way?

CONTINUE PRACTICING DETACHMENT

How consistently do you KNOW that your good comes from one source only; God? That you serve on God’s payroll? Can you completely focus on the other person’s situation and needs, rather than your own? Are you recording in your evidence journal what happens by focusing on detachment?

CONTINUE PRACTICING GRATITUDE

Are you making entries in your gratitude journal daily? How are you doing with looking for something about which you can be grateful even in challenging situations? Are you recording in your evidence journal what happens by focusing on gratitude even in tough situations?

CONTINUE PRACTICING OPENNESS

In what situations can you brainstorm several possible new ways to proceed? If you get stuck, ask a friend or colleague to help you brainstorm options. Record your findings and opportunities in your evidence journal.

CONTINUE PRACTICING AWARENESS

Several times this week, check in with yourself. How do you feel, physically and emotionally? What will make you feel even better? Look for opportunities. Talk about what feels most exciting to you. Ask for what you want. Find out what others need. Give it to them. Record your findings in your evidence journal.

CONTINUE PRACTICING COMMITMENT

Have you written your commitment for your life or work? Are you recording evidence in your journal that supports your commitment?

CONTINUE PRACTICING COMMANDING 

What have you chosen to command or claim? Are you recording evidence in your journal? What is showing up for you?

CONTINUE PRACTICING VISIONING

Whenever you feel stuck, do you write out a vision? Are you tracking evidence for all your visions?

CONTINUE PRACTICING DEEP LISTENING

Are you integrating both deep listening within and deep listening to others into your natural, regular routine?

CONTINUE PRACTICING YOUR OBSERVER ROLE

Is observation becoming a natural part of your life and work?

Next week, you will receive Lesson Ten: Knowledge Sharing.

Until then, have fun with generosity, detachment, gratitude, openness, awareness, commitment, commanding, visioning, listening deeply and observing.

God is Blessing You, Right Now!

Rev. Alan A. Rowbotham
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Rev. Alan A. Rowbotham, a Unity minister for over thirty-six years, invites you to enjoy more articles and/or subscribe to his free inspirational newsletter, Spiritual Solutions or go directly to the Spiritual Solutions Blog

If you’d like to receive weekday inspirational quotes, you can subscribe at Rich Words

I have been asked how a person can donate to “Spiritual Solutions.” Just go to Send a Love Offering and it will take you to a form you can use for your donation. Thank you – I am very grateful for your generosity!
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 (Note: This is the eighth lesson adapted from the series “Steady in the Wind,” by Ann Strong. Ann kindly gave me permission to adapt and use parts of the lessons in my blog and newsletter. I believe you will find much value in applying the twelve life principles covered in this course. Enjoy!)

WELCOME TO:
Lesson Eight: Detachment

Please listen to the audio first by clicking on the link below, and then let’s read the lesson together.

Lesson Eight: Detachment (or Non-Attachment)

Nobody wants to buy anything from someone who NEEDS them to buy it. We’ve all had at least one experience of a salesperson who pressures us to buy so he or she can meet a quota. Or, worse, the salesman who tells you he needs your sale so is kid can get braces.

Even though we often do feel we need to make more money, we must serve from a place of detachment, not NEEDING any particular outcome. If you are in sales, for instance, it is important that you help your client make a good buying decision based on his or her needs, not your own.

Detachment involves not feeling invested in a specific outcome, not needing things a certain way. You can then serve from that place of helping others and trusting in the bigger picture, knowing that you serve on God’s payroll. You can hold “Steady in the Wind” with detachment, knowing that you offer great service and there is an infinite number of people who will benefit from what you offer. Know, too, that you are building excellent ongoing relationships and will receive tons of referrals.

Do not judge by appearances. If you are having difficulties or going through a tough situation, remember that nothing is ever as bad as it appears to the human eye. Tear down all barriers in your mind and all thoughts of limitation and separation. Your good is already here and yours for the believing. Remember the words of Jesus: “Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they neither toil nor spin; . . . therefore do not be anxious.” (Matt. 6:28, 31) The secret is to let the experiences of life pass. “This too shall pass.” Let it go, and let your good unfold.

UNDERSTANDING DETACHMENT

Detachment is a state in which a person overcomes his or her attachment to desire for things, people or concepts of the world and thus attains a heightened perspective. Detachment as release from desire and consequently from suffering is an important principle in Hinduism, Buddhism, the Bahai faith and Kabbalah.

The Hindu view of detachment comes from the understanding of the nature of existence and that the true ultimate state sought is that of being in the moment. In other words, while one is responsible and active, one does not worry about the past or future. The detachment is towards the result of ones actions rather than towards everything in life. (This description is drawn from Wikipedia.)

DETACHMENT AND THE LAW OF ATTRACTION

Detachment is an important part of the Law of Attraction. Some call it “allowing,” others call it “receiving” and still others call it “detachment.” Using a fishing term,  it could also be dubbed “catch and release.”

It works in this way: When you catch a vision of what it is you want, you see it clearly – just like the fish you just caught and netted. You admire it for a moment, you acknowledge yourself for catching it, maybe you pose for a picture to capture the excitement of the moment. Then you set it free or “release” it and forget all about it; and you go back to whatever you were doing: tying another lure, fixing your pole, having a sandwich and a soft drink, or whatever.

Next time you cast your line, you are not hoping that you will catch this same fish again. You’re not even expecting it. When you cast again, you’ve already and altogether put that first fish out of your mind. In fact, you might suddenly get the urge to pull up anchor and move your boat to a totally different fishing spot; you’re certainly not thinking about the catch you just let go.

And that is exactly the moment when the granddaddy of all fish snaps onto your line. That’s precisely how the Law of Attraction works.

AN EXAMPLE OF DETACHMENT

Ann Strong relates how she recently went into a store looking for a specific type of product. The owner of the store told her they had the product she was looking for, but it didn’t have the exact features she wanted. Instead of trying to sell it to her anyway, the store owner told her which of her competitors might have a larger selection. And, she told her how to get to that store.

The store owner’s willingness to lose a sale to a competitor impressed Ann so much that she bought the product from her. She left the store happy to do without the features she had previously thought she needed because the store owner clearly had her best interests in mind. And, she says, she knows that even if she had gone to her competitor to buy the product, she would go first to her store next time because she would remember the store owner looks out for her.

PRACTICE DETACHMENT THIS WEEK

Start thinking of God or the Cosmos as your employer. Begin to really know that you never NEED any one particular result from any individual. Look for opportunities to serve as a committed employee of God. Know that your good comes from one source: God. It comes through an infinite number of known and unknown channels.

When you are talking to someone, completely focus on his or her situation and needs, not on your own. Serve the highest good of the person you are talking to, even if that means referring him or her to a competitor. Trust that you will be taken care of because you serve on God’s payroll.

Notice where you can practice “catch and release” this week. What are the results of your letting go?

Record in your evidence journal what happens by focusing on detachment.

CONTINUE PRACTICING GRATITUDE

Continue practicing gratitude this week. Are you making entries in your gratitude journal daily? How are you doing with looking for something about which you can be grateful even in challenging situations? Are you recording in your evidence journal what happens by focusing on gratitude even in tough situations?

CONTINUE PRACTICING OPENNESS

Continue practicing openness this week. In what situations can you brainstorm several possible new ways to proceed? If you get stuck, ask a friend or colleague to help you brainstorm options. Record your findings and opportunities in your evidence journal.

CONTINUE PRACTICING AWARENESS

Continue practicing awareness this week. Several times this week, check in with yourself. How do you feel, physically and emotionally? What will make you feel even better? Look for opportunities. Talk about what feels most exciting to you. Ask for what you want. Find out what others need. Give it to them. Record your findings in your evidence journal.

CONTINUE PRACTICING COMMITMENT

Continue practicing commitment this week. Have you written your commitment? Are you recording evidence in your journal that supports your commitment?

CONTINUE PRACTICING COMMANDING 

Continue practicing commanding or claiming this week and beyond. What have you chosen to command or claim? Are you recording evidence in your journal? What is showing up for you?

CONTINUE PRACTICING VISIONING

Continue practicing visioning this week. Whenever you feel stuck, do you write out a vision? Are you tracking evidence for all your visions?

CONTINUE PRACTICING DEEP LISTENING

Are you integrating both deep listening within and deep listening to others into your natural, regular routine?

CONTINE PRACTICING YOUR OBSERVER ROLE

Is observation becoming a natural part of your life and work?

Next week, you will receive Lesson Nine: Generosity.
Until then, have fun with detachment, gratitude, openness, awareness, commitment, commanding, visioning, listening deeply and observing.

God is Blessing You, Right Now!

Rev. Alan A. Rowbotham
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Rev. Alan A. Rowbotham, a Unity minister for over thirty-six years, invites you to enjoy more articles and/or subscribe to his free inspirational newsletter, Spiritual Solutions or go directly to the Spiritual Solutions Blog

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