They say too much of a good thing can't possibly be bad right? Depends on what exactly it is we are speaking off...
It is true that while there are many good use cases for some things in this world that we have as an abundance. Take water as an example. Why is it that water is such an abundant resource in the world yet there are times that those living in impoverished nations can't get clean drinking water? The answer to that question ignites another debate - around money.
We have plenty of money in this world - yet we can't seem to find ways to help those most in need. Money is a funny thing...it doesn't even truly exist. It's man made. We created it and gave it "value" in order to conduct business needs. Had this never happened perhaps we wouldn't have many of the problems we face in the world today. Maybe society would simply "function" and fulfill the needs of the people without a monetary reward. Our Utopian lives we so often wish for might have been reality if "money" had never been created. Even precious metals really don't have an inherent monetary value. Man made it that way so that we could "acquire" what we felt was necessary in our lives. It's a funny thing and perhaps another topic for another day...
The purpose of this post however is to discuss something that I personally have had an overabundance of in my own life; and what that did to me. I am living in this current physical life with an overabundance of many things. My life is lived far above the poverty level and there are many things in my life I see that I truly don't need in order to "exist" and live a "good life." I'm VERY THANKFUL for all that I have and it is through an "awakened" perspective that I have been able to scale back and give more without the expectation for anything in return. It is truly a blessed place to be from a personal life perspective.
That said, my life wasn't always this way. I was born in an impoverished area in Western Pennsylvania, U.S. with very little to my name. My mother raised my little brother and I on her own; working 3 jobs at times to put clothes on our backs and food on the table. I didn't know what being "poor" meant until about the 6th grade when the figure pointing began when I would wear the same shirt to school sometimes 3 days a week. It was around my time in high school that I became determined that my life would "count." I was determined to "make it." At the time, I didn't know what "it" was but I knew it wasn't living a life paycheck to paycheck without a means to an end.
I dropped out of high school at age 18 (was always a good honor role student but that is a longer story that I'll get to one day perhaps), got my GED, and moved one thousand miles away (1,609 kilometers) with nothing to my name. It was truly me against the world. So at this point in my life; I had one thing and only one thing that I had an overabundance of ----- Stress!
Stress is a natural occurrence within the body that is supposed to arise from adrenaline. When a body is "in stress" it is within that existence for safety and to achieve a once again calm and at peace state. Adrenaline rushes through our body as a natural defense mechanism for when we need to attain safety. This dates back to in time when we were roaming the earth as hunters and gatherers. Without this given ability we may not have survived as a species. But in today's world there are very few, thankfully, reasons for "flight or fight." We don't have a lot of needs to use adrenaline in today's modern world, yet when we stress ourselves out constantly we are pumping that adrenaline through our bodies without finding enough time to be calm and at peace. This is actually a very poisoning type of process for the brain. It does not allow us to think as clearly and intuitively as we were designed to be able to do. It is harder to "tap into" our source or higher selves for perspective when we are in a stressed state of mind.
I spent the entirety of my 20's "chasing the dream." Attaining and proving to myself that I too - a high school drop out, could "make it." While this was great motivation and drive for me, it eventually put me into a state of depression and anxiety. Far too many days I didn't believe I had accomplished "enough." Even though I had attained my first home at the young age of 22 and was earning a good salary at that point in time with a new car - - - it wasn't enough. I saw what "success" looked like on TV and in the magazines and I hadn't achieved that level yet...or at least I hadn't "awakened" yet to realize I already had achieved much more than I really needed - even at that young age. I had food without needing to worry about hunger, I had shelter and a good living for a young man in his twenties, and I had obtained a good promising career - one to which today I am still within.
Yet because of my restrained viewpoints and desires to achieve more, I began to have heart problems. I was having anxiety attacks and heart palpitations - often so bad that I would rush myself to the hospital fearing I was having a heart attack. Eventually I insisted on getting an EKG to ensure my heart was in good shape. It came back in perfect condition with no abnormalities or dysfunctions. I was relieved to find out my heart was good, but baffled as to why I was having these issues. Little did I realize my overabundance of stress I was placing on myself to succeed was causing the problems.
As I worked through my 30's I began to realize a few things. I stumbled across some reading by Dr. Eben Alexander. I read his books "Proof of Heaven" and "The Map of Heaven." All through my life I've been an individual asking about life and why we exist. His books helped put me into a life long quest to find personal meaning of existence. I've since read hundreds of similar stories and books to help me find more meaning, learning, and perspective. In his two books mentioned above he speaks on "afterlife experiences" he encountered while in a life threatening coma, induced from a severe meningitis condition he was diagnosed with. While in this coma his consciousness continued onward and he experienced some incredible experiences that he was able to describe upon his recovery. Prior to this situation he had been a practical, analytical, left brained doctor with little to any view or belief on the afterlife.
At about the age of 33 I began to realize through my own spiritual awakening experiences that life does indeed continue beyond this physical life that we see around us. This "awakening" of sorts has given me the perspective I've needed to realize how successful my life is and how no matter what - - - it's all just simply "an experience." We all continue on after this physical life. Our consciousness will always be... Our soul is what matters and nothing that mankind says we should do to become successful really matters at all. We define our own success...
I am confident that had I not had this awakening and realization I would likely have had an actual heart attack or even worse I may not even still be living this current physical life. But I am still here and with a renewed sense of accomplishment and calm within me. There is little in this life that causes me to return to a level of overabundance in stress or anxiety. I've often been quoted as saying that I could wake up one day with every single materialistic thing in my life stripped away from me (money and all) and I'd still be happy. That is something that I am indeed VERY THANKFUL for as well...
It is my goal to help all those I encounter realize that they too can enjoy a great stress free life; a life of true enjoyment and bliss. Not matter what level of financial success you think you need, you truly do just need to have safety, a roof over your head, enough food and water supply and you can create your own heaven! It truly is all just a state of mind...
Be mindful and well everyone...
Book References:
http://ebenalexander.com/books/proof-of-heaven/
http://ebenalexander.com/books/the-map-of-heaven/
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wow, what an answer! I know what it is like to suffer with anxiety, breathing, heart palpitations.. feeling like we are going to die is a hard way to live ;-( you have come so far on this path i can see, Congratulations!
Thanks @eco-alex. Life is a funny thing. It gives you exactly what you need to grow. It’s perfect for each and everyone of us; individually. I’m thrilled to be on this journey - and I appreciate the kind words.
My best...
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Heart opening to greater abundance-love is something many people WON'T do-achieve-allow and yes, they end up with "heart attacks". So you had personal experience of LIFE flowing in and you chose to ALLOW and say YES instead of succumbing to "Congestive Heart Failure". Is it not amazing that even the medical term for 'heart attack' is about the congestion of energy? So glad you opted for flow and opening. And THRILLED to see you answering your first challenge!!! Nicely done!
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Thank you for the kind words and thoughts @artemislives I’m looking forward to posting on many more conversations and thoughts.
You are right in your comments about open flowing of energy. Our bodies are full of energy centers and the heart is one of the biggest. When we open it the love pours out and allows for balance. Keep it closed off and fear and hate creep in - and we know what happens after that...failure.
Failure, disease, depression, anger.... yup.... open heart is the only viable way forward when you understand this.
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Before the concept of money, food was the source of value and some cultures used it like money. Food is life and it's in our nature to value hoarding or protecting our territory for the sake of it. We might become protective of tools which help us to get food, so that hoarding extends to something outside of food. I believe money is just an extension of that need for for and water.
But, I digress, your post want really about that. :D
My husband started getting signs of heat attack when he was in a job where he was being bullied. It turned out that his heart was perfectly healthy, but it was a wake up call that no job is worth getting that het up about. I want to get us in a position where we don't have to worry so much about a certain income level and paying our mortgage off would put us in that position. Our debts are our shackles and that's why I don't want my daughter getting loans for uni.
An alternative, I guess, would be selling up and living in a mobile home, but then that fear creeps in, what if we can't get enough work along the way to support the lifestyle.
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There is a book titled “The Surrender Experiment” by Michael Singer. It’s all about allowing you’re life to “flow” where it needs to. The author decided to “say yes” to all the things in his life that felt right and where he ended up was nothing short of amazing. Life has a purpose for us all. Pay attention to the signs placed in front of you. There are reasons for why they happen. We all have free choice - but our lives give us many opportunities and options to lead us where we need to be.
Not always do the life events placed in front of us make sense - but eventually they will. ;-)
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Everything in life leads us to where we are today, even the things we could choose to regret. So I no longer regret what cannot be changed, but know that it was part of the path that lead me to where I am today.
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Agree completely - I seriously try to never have regrets. After all they are just choices I made that led me to my present. All free will is placed before us for learning. Hence, no regrets...only appreciation and love for having the holistic experience.
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Hey @steelborne. I liked your post. I'm going through my own personal evolution right now. Learning to let go of the "ideals" that my mind tells me I need to accomplish to feel good about myself and instead learning to allow my heart to guide my path.
Want to be my mentor?
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@metama sure! I’ll help in anyway I possibly can...I do believe we are all on our own unique life paths. We are all experiencing what we need to experience for our own unique spiritual evolutions. I could never pretend to have all the answers, especially for another soul, but I can always try to provide perspective and will happily do so if desired. I can tell you most of the answers we seek to lie within us. We just have to send out the intention to understand and then pay attention to what life places in front of us.
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Do you have telegram?
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I actually do not have telegram but can look into getting it for you. I’m in discord for a few different groups I follow. That could be one way for us to be in touch better if that were to be an option?
I use discord! Add me as a friend metama#4336
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Friend request incoming...I’m Steelctyboy on discord so have a look out for my invite ;-)
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