This chapter asks us to find abundance in two methods:
To trust that the great creator can give us an abundant amount. ie that we don’t have to starve or work by.
That we can treat ourselves to small and reasonable but meaningful pleasures, which will relax our scarcity mindset.
The first section is about the great creator:
We are introduced to the explicitly stated idea that returns at the very end of the chapter - which is that we have a self sabotaging deeply held belief that we should not have abundance/wealth.
We are told that we probably believe in a god which won’t and doesn’t want to bring us abundance. And instead we should every day in the morning pages write about a god that we wish did exist.
We are also told that we really deeply need to trust, and the trust and faith and change that AA members find is cited.
We are to treat ourselves to art - as a giving self care form of abundance. When we make art we give to ourselves - we treat ourselves (I add to truth, honesty, etc)
Luxury
We are told we must indulge in some luxuries. Responsible but real luxuries. We must be honest and selfish and indulgent. The restrictions we place on ourselves around our concepts of abundance are restrictions that and up preventing us from making art and moving out of shadow artistry.
We are given the instructions to treat ourselves to small and attainable but real luxuries.
She connects real luxury with the ability to have deep quality time with friends, and of course to make art. And they are connected.
We finally get a musician as an example!: a drummer, who starts by giving himself the luxury of purchasing a new recording every week - and he allows himself the freedom and pleasure of choosing any music and exploring many different kinds.
His harsh critic melts away, his spirit aligns with the music he enjoys and loves, and he eventually starts drumming again with a positive and encouraging self talk going on.
Luxury is called a ‘shift in consciousness’.
To be creative requires a luxury of time. This is a power powerful important statement and rule for us to learn.
Week project: every day wrote down everything we spend, calculate it at the end of the day, and just notice - don’t criticize. But We are told to notice what spending brings pleasure and what doesn’t and how much it was.
The tasks involve: exercises to find luxury in simple and cheap things:
a. collecting beautiful natural objects, simple baking, reaching out to friends
b. cleaning and purging things that aren't luxurious
c. reflecting on prosperity, the basic principles from this book
Check In:
I did the morning pages, and I made tons of time for practicing. I didn't do the tasks, I didn't add up my spending, and I didn't do my artist date.
The idea that I need to be kind of "selfish" for my art, is very effective for me to carve out the space and time to do it. I have had wonderful concentration - and have a deep feeling of trust and satisfaction with the method of practicing that I'm doing right now. I continue to try to counter my innner pessimism with the idea that I will "trust the universe" to bring me the good things I need.