Culitavting Abundance - guest post by author Brian Leaf

I'm happy to introduce you to Brian Leaf, author of the recently released "Misadventures of a Garden State Yogi." Here are his thoughts on cultivating abundance. Love the confidence/dating analogy! All the best from my creative oasis to yours,  Jill

Cultivating Abundance

We’ve all experienced it. In our most pathetic, clingy,desperate hour of need, the Universe delivers … absolutely nothing.

It seems a sick joke, but, in fact, whatever force or Godruns the show seems not to respond to disempowered displays of self-pity. Sheseems, instead, to respond generously to empowered non-attachment (whichreminds me quite a bit of dating in my twenties – I always seemed to do bestwhen I was already feeling attractive and confident.)

So why? Why does God (and dating) reward confidence? Why isit that when I am freaking out, feeling that I will just die if I don’t hearfrom my agent, that I hear only crickets? Butthat when I get to my cushion to meditate, and when I let go, releasing tofaith, that I return to my inbox with a fresh book deal awaiting me?

Here’s the answer. This place where we live is a gymnasiumwhere our souls do soul push-ups, and since self-pity does nothing to buildthese spiritual muscles, it is discouraged. It is our path to find our trueselves while here on Earth. To drop into our hearts and souls. To experiencethat we, ourselves, are each part of God. Claiming the opposite, that we arehelpless and alone, is incorrect and ineffective.

When we are lost in clinging and self-pity, we’re liketoddlers tantruming for chewing gum. And God, like a loving parent, won’t givein to something that isn’t healthy or safe for us.

Nice idea, right? But how do you get confident and becomegrounded in the seat of your true self? The answer: meditation, of course.Meditation is the practice, over time, of switching from indentifying with ourthoughts and transient emotional states, to identifying instead with our deeperselves. And when we are connected to our deeper selves, if even for onlymoments, we can see more clearly and choose the path that works out our Karmaand brings us toward freedom.

When we get grounded, resting in the true seat of ourselves, in our authentic nature, seeing clearly and choosing that path ofvitality and freedom, energy flows unbidden, the world falls at our feet, andGod unlocks the arc.

Brian Leaf, M.A.is the author of Misadventures of aGarden State Yogi. He draws upon twenty-one years of intensive study,practice, and teaching of yoga, meditation, and holistic health. Visit himonline at http://www.Misadventures-of-a-Yogi.com.

Based on the new book Misadventuresof a Garden State Yogi ©2012 by Brian Leaf.  Published with permission of New World Library http://www.newworldlibrary.com

Glad to see Brian made it to the great state of Texas!