Jackson Free Press

Nature abhors a vacuum. Start with a hole and sure enough, something comes along to fill it, whether that's water from a storm, leaves from the trees or an enterprising rodent looking for a safe hiding place from a cat.

Once filled, nothing else can occupy that space. Two things simply can't occupy the same place at the same time, a natural law you've probably proven many times over when looking for a parking space.

So what does that have to do with abundance? Simple. In order to create abundance, you have to make space for it to exist, and the way to do that is to give away what you already have. I'm not talking about giving away your home and car, but the opposite of giving it away—hoarding and holding on for dear life—will only produce more of the fear that generates that kind of thinking.

Have you ever been part of a brainstorming session? As people throw out their ideas—giving away what they have—others build on them and generate more ideas. That's creating abundance. No one "loses" because they've contributed their idea.

Now, I haven't talked about money, per se, but the principle doesn't exclude money. In these tough economic times, it's easy to develop a bunker mentality. We're all inclined to hunker down and try to hoard and protect what we have. Breaking out of that "I've got my nuts and I'm gonna keep 'em" squirrel-like mindset takes some courage, but only if you believe there isn't enough for everyone.

But lack just creates more lack. Look at the executives busted for fraud (e.g., WorldCom's Bernie Ebbers): If they had just found a place of "enough," they might not have lost it all.

There is enough in the universe for everyone to have what they need. Abundance creates abundance. That's how the universe works.

Of course, being unattached to the outcome of giving it away is part of the puzzle, too. But that's a subject for another day.

Read more about creating abundance on Zen Habits.

Previous Comments

ID

143491

Comment

I'm a believer in this. Thanks for posting, Ronni!

Author

golden eagle

Date

2009-02-11T11:15:21-06:00