Most folks, when it comes to dealing with money – begin with the wrong kind of clarity.

In a world where the idea of a ‘double dip recession’ is part of the world-voice, most folks are very clear that money is scarce. They end up confused about their relationship with money. I know of what I speak – I was caught in that confusion a couple of decades ago.

If you are going to conduct your affairs using spiritual common sense, then you must understand how the Law of Multiple Returns works. First, you cannot receive value unless you give value, and I notice the attitude of entitlement creeping into so many minds these days. Life just doesn’t work that way. Sowing and Reaping is an intricate part of this ever expanding cosmos in which we live. It is important to notice that the word ‘SOWING’ primes the pump. It’s not reaping and sowing … it is sowing and reaping.

Yes, there is plenty of money around even in a deep recession. No one has piled bills of money up in their back yard (like fall leaves) and burned it. Student: So what does it take to attract money? Teacher: It takes relating to money like you relate to air. It is as immediately available as the air you breathe. You are willing to exhale the air from your lungs so that you can allow fresh new air to rush in – aren’t you? You don’t hold your breath as long as you can, out of fear that your next breath will be void of oxygen.

Are you willing to trust that there is a Law of Multiple Returns that is omnipresent and always in action? How else can a farmer plant one tomato seed and receive a vine of twelve ripe tomatoes? He makes his claim on the earth (nature) expecting a multiple return. You must be willing to put your money out there with confidence that it will come back to you tenfold (fivefold – if tenfold intimidates you). If you put money out there fearing no return – guess what? You win. No return!

How do you work the Law of Multiple Returns? You must make your claim. Speak to yourself with a clear voice: “This money that I am investing (spending) will return to me in multiples.” Mean it. Feeeel it. Practice makes perfect. It really is all in the attitude.

Make friends with money so it doesn’t avoid you. Have a great feeling about money. Love money for all the good it can do for you, your loved ones, and the planet. I would not own homes on the East and West Coasts, and be able to share them with my family and friends, if I had not figured out this ‘money relationship matter’ for myself. Some day perhaps I can have you over for a visit?

I could go on but I think this is enough for now. Let’s see what you think about this conversation. Share your ideas about money. Do you think money is the root of all evil? Do you accept money as a glorious blessing that offers you opportunities to use it productively so that you may bring happiness to yourself and the world? What tips do you have on how to attract money?

Consider purchasing my book 180; it offers many tips on how to create a wonderful relationship with everything in your life (which includes money). Sow $20 for the book and reap $$$ (you decide the amount). If this suggestion offends you – pause and ask yourself, “Why am I getting so upset over rob’s suggestion that I sow $20 to purchase his book? Care to comment?

Money can be used as a spiritual measure to see how you are interacting with the four interactive forces of the universe (another topic to be discussed in a future blog).

Blessings, rob

I am often asked, “What does it take to take command of the mind?” This question fits in marvelously with our current topic of conversation – Life Mastery 101.

Life Mastery begins with self-mastery, and self-mastery begins with mind-mastery. Let’s take a peek at mind-mastery. You achieve mind-mastery when you learn how to handle the mind. Here is a great truth worthy of your attention: ‘either you are handling your mind or your mind is handling you’. One leads to self-mastery and the other leads to self-misery. Can you guess which leads to which?

It has been recognized (down through the ages), that the mind is teeming with thoughts and emotions. The mind is rarely still, and an agitated mind is not only constantly on the move, but frantically in motion. In the practice of Zen, the agitated mind has been likened to ‘a monkey that is drunk on alcohol and stung by a scorpion’. Imagine the screeching and jumping!

It is nearly impossible to stop the movement of an agitated mind. Only a very few can do it. However, everyone can learn to calm the mind by directing the flow of thoughts. When you direct the thought-flow, the mind begins moving in the direction that you want your life to go. Mmmm – sweet victory!

Here is the way that I gain control of my mind when it has taken on a jumping-monkey nature of its own:

First, I simply float up over myself and observe the frantic hither and yon flittering of my thoughts. I don’t try to stop the mad jumping about of my thinking process; instead, I make it a point to be an ‘objective observer’ … like being on the top floor of a building – watching a circus parade go by with all of the animals unchained and roaming freely about.

Second, It doesn’t take but a few minute before I experience the fact that I am not the mind… just as I am not part of that circus parade going by. My thoughts and emotions are separate from me. I am up here noticing them. They are restlessly jumping about, but I am not restlessly jumping about with them. When I get to this place of quiet-calm (in spite of my mind), I am able to take my power back.

Third, I now use my power-of-suggestion to apply the Law of Substitution. Nothing is more influential than repeated suggestion. That is how hypnosis works. I have learned that nature hates a vacuum, so if I am to empty my mind of the agitated thoughts, I must replace my thinking with thoughts that point my mind’s attention in the direction of my intentions. My intention is to redirect the mind to what is important to me. I calmly take control of my inward self-talk and remind my mind of an outcome that is important to me. I speak to my mind in a gentle manner, repeatedly talking about the outcome that is important to me. Soon my mind begins once again serving me.

Practice makes perfect – try it!

(1) Please share with me and the other members of this blog-community – what methods have you learned that have helped you regain command of your mind when it is jumping about.

(2) Please share an experience when your mind was jumping hither and yon – and the transformational change that occurred when you got it back under your command.

Thank you

May I take you a bit deeper into the conversation of life mastery? I believe, by now, that you are seeing the principle by which your creative power flows – ‘if you are to produce results, you must take action!’

We are living in a physical realm of existence, and there is a reason for that – we are here to experience our superlatively creative ability. How do we do that? By actualizing our abstractions (this is my opinion).

What I mean by an abstraction… is an ethereal ideal that we want to make real. If you are to climb an ‘ideal’ up the rungs of the Doing Ladder (so that you may experience it as real)… you must have clarity-of-vision. You must be able to vividly imagine the outcome you are seeking. When it is clear – the action-steps become apparent to you.

Without taking action steps (climbing that vision up the rungs of the Doing ladder), there are no results. Without a clear vision of the outcome you seek – your action is ineffective. It all ties in wonderfully.

You know when your vision is clear in your head because you can feel it in your heart… it’s a Felt-Vision! Without a Felt-Vision guiding the way the results will be unsatisfactory.

I imagined owning an exotic sports car. I researched exotic sports cars and found the perfect one for me. I cut the picture of the car out of a magazine and carried it with me. I looked at it at least 100 times each day. I took the necessary action-steps to actualize this abstraction only after I could feeeeel myself driving the car! The feeeeeling inspired me, and the right and perfect action-steps came to me. Walking this vision up the rungs of the Doing Ladder became a joyful adventure!

(1) What was once out of your reach… something that required a felt-vision to motivate you to take the action steps to achieve it?
(2) In what domain of your life are you failing to create the Felt-Vision that you need. In what domain of living are you failing to climb ‘the ideal that you want to make real’ up the rungs of the Doing Ladder?

The domains in which we live (if you missed this last time … here they are again): mental… emotional… physical… spiritual… family… financial/ material… and… social. Right now I am working on more peace of mind in my daily living experiences. I consider this a combination of the… mental… spiritual… and… emotional domains.

I hope this blog helps you probe deeper into your own lives… blessings!

And…

If you have not been by already, be sure to check out our new feature: ’180′ Day by Day.

Please Note: I will be out of town from Thursday 7/15 to Sunday 7/18 on a book signing event. I will answer your comments promptly upon my return Sunday evening. Thank you in advance for your participation. Your comments are greatly appreciated and enhance the blog for all of our readers. – rob

I consider the level of ‘mastery’ to be when we have risen above the complications of that which we are mastering.

An athlete – that masters his sport – rises above the complications that are required to play the sport with superb skill. (A golfer who is considered a master, has risen above the complication of proper posture, balance swing etc).

A musician – that masters an instrument – rises above the complications required to play the instrument with superb skill. (A world-class concert pianist – considered a master – has risen above the complications of learning to play scales, chords, and arpeggios on the keyboard).

Now, let’s look at ‘mastering life’ … that would be someone who has risen above the complications of ‘making a living’. This person is fully alive! This person fully participates in life with no holding back. This person looks at life from a consciousness of prosperity of every nature. This person experiences enriching experiences in all domains of life: spiritually, mentally, physically, family, financially, socially and emotionally.

I love aspiring for more mastery in the different domains of living.

• spiritually – I see to it that I do something to help the needy at least once a week …. I score myself an 8 out of 10
• mentally – I read a lot and meditate daily …. I score myself a 9 out of 10
• physically – I exercise daily and eat properly (most of the time) … I score myself an 8 our of 10
• family – I see to it that I give valuable family time daily (expressing love) … I score myself an 8 out of 10
• financially – I’ve gone from debt to financially independent … I feel I’ve reached 10
• socially – I have loads of friends and a busy social calendar (I see to it that I always supports my friends with setting the bar higher and making the leap) … I feel I’ve reached 10
• emotionally – I am much more at peace with myself and with life than I was several years ago … I score myself a 7.5 out of 10

 
Who do you feel has mastered life (someone from the past or alive right now)?
Who do you feel has mastered a specific domain of life?
What domains of your life have you mastered (or are closing in on mastering)?

I love your feedback …….. thanks.