"I live in a place of beauty..."

by Alice Harvey

I live in a place of beauty. Looking back now I can see I have always lived in places of beauty.

I live in a place surrounded by magical red rocks, topped by azure blue skies and occasional wispy clouds.

There have been years when I lived near the ocean and allowed it to lull me into my meditations, where the air was moist and fragrant and the nights warm and embracing.

I have lived with man-made towers standing tall and close with the sunlight glinting off the mirrored faces. And I have seen the setting sun, huge and orange, fit itself between rows of buildings, poised and still, radiating rays of light and warmth to the concrete forest. I have experienced the ebb and flow of life.

I am grateful to have lived where I have lived and seen what I have seen. In this I see myself always surrounded in those things which make the heart sing and fill it with peace. In this I see myself always surrounded in prosperity and abundance.

Prosperity is a state of mind, like happiness. It is feeling rich with the blessings of life. The outward trappings of prosperity can by defined by such things as money, success, material things such as a house, a car, a boat, but it is the inner feeling, the inner attitude, that truly makes us prosperous.

There are too many who, having all these things, still find life empty, for they have not gotten to the heart, to the source of things, to the knowledge of themselves as co-creators with the Power of All That Is.

To prosper, to grow rich with the things that nourish the soul, that bring joy to the spirit, this is a much more subtle, yet more powerful prosperity. There is a need, I believe, on soul level, to redefine what prosperity is, to look beyond the material.

Inherent in the gathering of things is the belief that we aren't enough and that there isn't enough. We need to have this thing or that thing to feel fulfilled, to feel whole. It is a belief in limit, in lack, in the inability of the universe to supply our needs.

It is based in fear. In true prosperity and abundance we grow in the knowledge that it is all there for us. There is no lack. In gratitude for what is, we prosper. In realizing our blessings in the now, we prosper. In living our every moment to the fullest, we prosper.

We always move in the direction of our focus. What we focus on is generally what we bring into our lives. It is the Universal Law of Attraction. It is the recognition of ourselves as co-creators of our experience that we can begin to consciously attract into existence that which we want. And that is possibly the most difficult part of prosperity, for most of us know what we don't want, but find some difficulty defining exactly what we do want.

Our belief systems betray us. Many times we are not even aware of what our specific beliefs are. Look at what is in your life and you will see your beliefs.

Do you believe in the necessity for struggle? Does love always hurt? Listen to your own words. Do you tell yourself life is hard? Do you see yourself as limited and undeserving? Do you surround yourself with others with the same belief in lack?

We connect prosperity with money, and we measure our prosperity, as well as our self-esteem, against how much money we make. And yet make a list of what comes to mind when we think of money. It is the root of all evil. We have heard it is easier for a camel to get through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to reach heaven. We think of those we know who are "stinking rich".

At the same time we yearn for money we are suspicious of those with wealth. How can we attract to us what we have such negative ideas of? The first task is to understand where we are coming from and shift or reframe our attitudes and perceptions.

The very word "want" connotes lack. (The Lord is my Shepherd. I shall not want). And if we desire to 'want' things, the universe will fulfill our request by supplying us with continual lack.

So how to shift? Is money bad? Are things to make us comfortable not to be had by the "spiritual"? Of course not. For by having these things we can get beyond them to the true meaning of prosperity, which paradoxically includes all these things, but has nothing what so ever to do with them. All is made of energy and energy is the stuff of the universe.

Seek to know what you desire and you will find it. Prosperity is as far or as near as your ability to define it clearly to yourself. Open your eyes to your present blessings if you wish to create more. Keep your focus on the emotional components of what you wish - how will you feel having this thing? Send energy to this vision and act in the now as if you have it - for indeed you do.

You have sent out a vibration, which the universe cannot ignore. It will give to you what you send energy to. If you concentrate on what you do not have, on the lack, you will also attract that. Be always in the state of mind of knowing you are connected to an endless source. Be always aware of unlimited abundance for you to revel in. Never doubt your ability to manifest.

We are creators. We are constantly creating. But so many of us fall short in bringing our desires to full manifestation. We doubt. We ower the vibration that was busy attracting what we desired. we fear and judge ourselves unworthy, and begin again to believe the illusion of lack. Don't be afraid. Remain steady and constant and maintain the focus.

It is from within that we create that which is in our reality. If you drive your car and are constantly taking your foot off the accelerator you will not reach your destination very quickly. When you lose the vision, when you doubt yourself; you are taking your foot off the pedal, so to speak. You are separating yourself from that which will bring you toward your goal.

Know that you deserve to have what you vision. Know that you are worthy to have everything you desire and that there is no lack in the universe. There is only a power, a source, that is ours to tap into and use. Bring yourself into the state of knowing that whatever you can conceive of is possible.

Create for yourself an ever flowing state of appreciation and gratitude for the abundance in the universe. Wrap yourself in security and confidence and serenity. And allow the "miracles" to flow.

Yes, I have always lived in beauty, and looking ahead, I see more vistas opening up before me.

Alice Harvey is a Pastoral Counselor, Certified Hypnotherapist and Channel living in Sedona, AZ. She can be reached at aliceharvey@sedona.net