If you’ve been reading my blog for awhile, you know I write about abundance often. It is a wonderful practice to shift a negative, lack-based mindset to one that is more positive and connected…if it’s done correctly. The mind is tricky. Our limited patterns of thinking can easily turn something positive into negative, specifically with the practice of abundance.

THE MIND IS OUR TOOL

Our mind is one of the main tools we use to interact with the world. The thing with the mind is that at its basic level of functioning, it has been wired to keep us alive and safe. Because of this, it tends to default to seeing the world through a lens of fear as it tries to do its job.

Going through life, if you desire to find more balance in living as a human being and a spiritual being, the mind must be refined to move past basic instincts of survival.  Indeed, a mind that is in survival mode can not be spiritual. There is no space for that because a mind that is in survival mode only focuses on lack. It wants to be prepared for the worst case scenario. If it can see where things are lacking, it feels better prepared.

The opposite of lack is abundance. For most of us, an abundance mindset takes time and effort in the form of conscious practice. You know you are in an abundance mindset when you feel connected to the world around you, expansive, light, and present.  This takes consistent awareness to catch the mind when it is slipping back into lack…even under the guise of abundance.

THE TRICKY MIND

Abundance, according to dictionary.com, means “a very large quantity of something, plentifulness in good things of life.”  From this definition, it is easy to see how a mind that is focused in the material world might take this meaning and work towards amassing a lot of anything that feels good – cars, homes, money, sex, alcohol, drugs, and lots of stuff.  But if we allow our mind to go with this definition, it doesn’t lead to feeling more connected, expansive, light, and present.

It leads to desiring more, feeling more stressed out, distrusting others, fear of losing what you’ve amassed.  Consequently, greed, reactions, and fear keep the mind stuck and suffering.  This is how the mind can take something positive and create more lack.

ABUNDANCE TOWARDS LOVE

On the other hand, if we look at abundance as a tool to lead us from fear to love and be clear this is how we want to use it, then another definition emerges. Coming back to those four words – connected, expansive, light, and present – if all of these were 100% true in my life I know that I would feel completely whole.  

In those moments where I’ve experienced wholeness, the need, desires, and wanting stops. I have everything I need and know I will be okay no matter what.  When we are whole, there’s no need to amass anything because you already have everything you need.

Amazing how that works!

True abundance means you are complete. If you’ve been working on living more as a spiritual being, you most likely have had little moments of dipping your toe into wholeness. Can you imagine what it would be like to live in that space for longer periods of time? Wow!

This is where it all comes back to practice. The more we practice anything, the better we get at it. The same is true for the practice of abundance.

PANCHA KOSHAS

In Yoga philosophy there is a model called the Pancha Koshas or 5 Sheaths/Layers. This model shows layers of ourselves from human beings to spiritual beings. These 5 layers go from the grossest form (physical layer or Annamaya Kosha) to the most subtle and closest to our True Self (bliss layer Anandamaya Kosha).

PRACTICE OF ABUNDANCE

One way to use this model is in regards to practice. We can take any practice and see how we might use it to refine each of the five layers. Let’s do this with the practice of abundance.

1. Annamaya Kosha (physical layer): This layer is anything on the material level of the world from our bodies, to other bodies, and the world around us. Here, the practice of abundance is moderation.  Experiencing and enjoying this world, though doing it in moderation. Instead of devouring a meal, slow down and savor it by taking your time with each bite. When you notice you are full, stop eating.

Practice moderation in work and play, what you put into your body, buying things, taking only what you need.

2. Pranamaya Kosha (breath and energy layer): Focusing on the breath is a great way to remember abundance.  When our mind is in lack, most likely the breath is short and shallow or maybe holding.  Instead of allowing the breath to remain here, consciously change the breath to a fuller, deeper breath. Take time throughout the day to pause and notice where the breath is at. 

Breath abundance is trusting that the next breath will come and simply enjoying it. Slow the breath down, lengthen the exhale so you have a complete breath, feel the sensation of the breath coming in and leaving. Marvel at this simple act that sustains us, always happening without effort on our part.

3. Manomaya Kosha (emotions and thought layer): The number of emotions and thoughts that happen each day is the world giving us ample opportunity to practice an abundance mindset. It’s quite simple but since we are using the mind to refine the mind here, it can feel complex and difficult.  

Start with awareness. In order to practice shifting emotions and thoughts from lack to abundance, you must be aware of them. Then, if they are in a state of lack, ask yourself what perception would help me shift my thoughts from lack to abundance. There are so many possibilities here. Use your senses (part of the physical sheath) to connect you to uplifting things. Any cognitive rethinking tool would help here. Generally, you can use any tool that helps your mind go from a narrow, limiting view to one of expanse and possibility.

4. Vijanamaya Kosha (Belief Sheath): Again, awareness is the first step. The more we notice our emotions and thoughts, the more we can start to get curious about where they are coming from. The more we do this, we uncover belief systems that are contributing to fear and lack. Once you realize a belief, you get to make a conscious choice: Do I want to continue living by this belief? Or do I want to cultivate one that helps me to connect more to an abundance mindset? 

Now, it becomes your choice and responsibility to keep doing the same thing or to do different behaviors that support the belief you’d like to cultivate instead.

5. Anandamaya Kosha (Bliss Sheath): This sheath is the closest to our True Self. The True Self is whole already so the more moments we can spend close to it, the more this truth will be revealed to us. The practice here is simply to spend more quiet time with yourself. You can call it meditation or you can use my teacher’s, Prasad Rangnekar, definition, “Sitting quietly with yourself.”  

Yes, some of the other sheaths will try to draw your awareness and attention back to them. The thought sheath is particularly persistent. But, you remind the mind you are sitting quietly with yourself for the next X minutes. Then, let those thoughts go and just be quiet with yourself again.

PRACTICE

So, there you have it – the practice of abundance. Yoga is a spiritual path and cultivating an abundance mindset is one way to live a more spiritual life. I don’t mean trying to force your mind into this mind state. I mean practice moving towards it. Practice, practice, practice. That is how to refine the mind.

Namaste.

P.S. If an abundance mindset resonates with you, yet you’re having a hard time with it because of changes happening in your life, I can help. Learn more about the 3 Step process that incorporates the Pancha Kosha model to move from lack to balance and purpose  in my free masterclass – The Find Calm Formula™.