Notes on Abundance

Andrew was making dinner over here a little while ago and I asked him what I should blog about today and he said “abundance”. He likes to cook at my place because I do all the washing up.

We have both been practicing a needs based frugality lately that has some benefits. It certainly limits ones choices and simplifies decision-making. The upcoming Poetry Downtown series, good poets, can’t go. The Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche on his new book tour; can’t go.

I used to be a practicing Financial Planner before I jumped off the deep end into a life in the arts, a life sustained by my spiritual practices, sitting Zazen and yoga,

I focused my Financial Planning practice in the area of “socially responsible” investing, though I did good old common sense investing too, but because I lived in the woo woo Bay Area I had to learn as much as I could about and along the prosperity/abundance/visualization continuum.

My own take on this stuff based on experience is that affirmations don’t work. I was so relieved when my Zen teacher’s teacher Joko Beck said as much. But I do believe that what we think matters, and if nothing else, thinking pleasant thoughts more often than not makes one a lot more fun to be around.

We do seem to create a big portion of our reality, I was struck by reading in Into the Light how much of the practical advice she gives on focus is a direct transfer from Buddhist meditation practices. Kind of like meditation light but hey, whatever gets one closer to the present moment is just fine by me.

I may be cutting coupons and making choices based on finding value but the reality is, I have one heck of a rich life, for which I am most grateful. Now if we could only send some of our rain to Australia where I hear they can use it…