Simple, adj. 1: without embellishment; 2: clarity of form and thought; 3: fundamental Abundance, n. 1: an ample quantity, profusion; 2: wealth; 3: plentifulness Simple Abundance, 1: an inner journey; 2: a spiritual and practical course in creative living; 3: a tapestry of contentment.
Today, I want you to become aware that you already possess all the inner wisdom, strength, and creativity needed to make your dreams come true. This is hard for most of us to realize because the source of this unlimited personal power is buried so deeply beneath the bills, the car pool, the deadlines, the business trip, and the dirty laundry that we have difficulty accessing it in our daily lives. When we can't access our inner resources, we come to the flawed conclusion that happiness and fulfillment comes only from external events. That's because external events usually bring with them some sort of change. And so we've learned to rely on circumstances outside ourselves for forward or backward momentum as we hurtle through life. But we don't have to do that any longer. We can learn to be the catalysts for our own change.
At the heart of Simple Abundance is an authentic awakening, one that resonates within your soul: you already possess all you need to be genuinely happy. The way you reach that awareness is through an inner journey that brings about an emotional, psychological, and spiritual transformation. A deep inner shift in your reality occurs, aligning you with the creative energy of the Universe. Such change is possible when you invite Spirit to open up the eyes of your awareness to the abundance that is already yours.
There are six principles that will act as guides as we make our inner journey over the next year. These are the six threads of abundant living which, when woven together, produce a tapestry of contentment that wraps us in inner peace, well-being, happiness, and a sense of security. First there is gratitude. When we do a mental and spiritual inventory of all that we have, we realize that we are very rich indeed. Gratitude gives way to simplicity – the desire to clear out, pare down, and realize the essentials of what we need to live truly well. Simplicity brings with it order, both internally and externally. A sense of order in our life brings us harmony. Harmony provides us with the inner peace we need to appreciate the beauty that surrounds us each day, and beauty opens us up to joy. But just as with any beautiful needlepoint tapestry, it is difficult to see where one stitch ends and another begins. So it is with Simple Abundance.
Pick up the needle with me and make the first stitch on the canvas of your life. Invite Spirit to open up the eyes of your inner awareness. Be still and wait expectantly, knowing that in the warp and woof of your daily life as it exists today are the golden threads of a simply abundant tomorrow.
-Sarah Ban Breathnach, Simple Abundance - A Daybook of Comfort and Joy©1995
Friday's Inspiration has been missing over the last several weeks (again!). I have been out of the office and at a remote job site, and have not had access to my email. Some of you are new to the mailing list, and are included as a means of introduction to this "newsletter". Welcome!
This is the first of these that I am sending out for this year. While the tone of the "inspiration" last year dealt with ways to overcome some of the "issues" in our lives (mine, most particularly) – this year goes beyond the daily grind of dealing with problems and focuses on enjoying the goodness. Not so much the fending off of things, but embracing and appreciating them.
Over the last year, my life has become a tapestry that I have worked hard upon, and now – standing back – it begins to take shape as something most beautiful. I was browsing in a bookstore for a book to purchase for Christmas, something nice for Nancy. I came across this "Daybook" and, looking through it, I realized that many of the things she was writing about had taken place in my life over the last year. It was not on purpose that this had happened, but as a by-product of those many issues that have been resolved through hard work and lots of tears and prayer and so many numerous blessings. And at the same time, I realized that I had a long way to go, and I needed this book myself, because there were many things in it that I wanted to know. So I bought it for us, for our relationship – but mostly I bought it for me. I read it each day, and of those things I read, I select something that means the most to me during the week, and I share it with you.
My new bride and I have settled into our digs in Beaverton, and we can finally see some stability to where we are at, and what we are doing. I pray for the same for each of you, as I share these thoughts with you this year. May this be a year of abundance and simplicity for all of us: to appreciate what we have, and to accept the blessings that are waiting for us to need them, and above all – to realize that Source from which they come.
Peace and Light, Michael
email: Michael@N-Spire.com - or,
send your 
to me right now!
