I remember back when I first “found” Unity I used to think that there wasn’t a better deal on earth. One hour a week of inspiration, healing and peace for only a few bucks! At the time I was paying my therapist 75 bucks for 50 minutes, and I wasn’t getting nearly as much from it as I was from an hour with Chad and Lyte. And, to top it all off, Unity was a lot more fun than therapy! I started feeling kind of guilty – I was getting so much and I was giving so little. Each week I faithfully dropped a few bucks in the basket as it came around, but with each passing week of healing, of peace, of joy, I realized that I was not giving my fair share. At the time, I was out of work and starting my own business. I was painfully aware of my financial limitations. “I’ll give more money when I start making some money,” was my mantra. 

If you’re a regular reader of this column, you know that I had a life-changing event happen to me. I enrolled in the 4T Prosperity Program and that’s when everything started to change. I started to explore and consider the Spiritual Laws on another plane. The one that hit the closest to home at the time was the Law of Giving – which basically means we get what we give. On a theoretical level I could buy into that Law. However, on the reality level, I was having a hard time parting with the precious few dollars I had. It was time to put the Law to a test! 

I had come to realize that the only way my faith and my belief in the Truth were ever going to expand was to start putting some of this stuff to a test. So, I did. I started tithing 10% of my income – whatever it was — $100, $25. I won’t kid you – it was very scary! There was a part of me that kept screaming, “What the @#%* are you doing! You’re broke! You’re barely making ends meet! Beware of religions asking for money!” However, I did it anyway – I did it as a test – testing the Universal Laws for myself.

Good things started to happen. First of all, I started feeling much better about being in church. I felt that I was finally giving something back to the source of my spiritual nourishment. Each week I would cheerfully, lovingly, and joyfully give — not worrying about the rent, the car payment, the bills. I simply trusted the Law of Giving (and Receiving).

 Now here’s the truly amazing part — somehow money started rolling in; money that I had not counted on, nor expected. Go figure – a month ago I would sit and decide which bills would be paid and which would have to wait. Now, I’m “giving” money away and I’ve got more than enough to pay the bills and even splurge a little! Go figure! 

I put the Law of Giving and Receiving to a test and I liked the results! Since that time I have gone through periods of time when I forgot, or ignored, this basic Universal Law and I have paid the consequences for it. Whenever I stop giving (lovingly, cheerfully, joyfully), it is only a matter of time before my fears of lack and limitation come home to roost. However, all I need to do to change my prosperity, my abundance, is to start cheerfully, lovingly and joyfully giving again. In Deepak Chopra’s book The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success, he defines the Law of Giving as follows: “The universe operates through dynamic exchange … giving and receiving different aspects of the flow of energy in the universe. And in our willingness to give that which we seek, we keep the abundance of the universe circulating in our lives.” Regarding money, Chopra goes on to say:

“Because your body and your mind and the universe are in constant and dynamic exchange, stopping the circulation of energy is like stopping the flow of blood. Whenever blood stops flowing, it begins to clot, to coagulate, to stagnate. That is why you must give and receive in order to keep wealth and affluence – or anything you want in your life – circulating in your life. 

“The word affluence means to “flow in abundance.” Money is really a symbol of the life energy we exchange and the life energy we use as a result of the service we provide to the universe. Another work for money is “currency,” which also reflects the flowing nature of energy. The word currency comes from the Latin word “currere” which means “to run” or to flow. “Therefore, if we stop the circulation of money – if our only intention is to hold on to our money and hoard it – since it is life energy, we will stop its circulation back into our lives as well. Like a river, money must keep flowing, otherwise it begins to stagnate, to clog, to suffocate and strangle its very own life force. Circulation keeps it alive and vital. 

“Giving engenders receiving, and receiving engenders giving. In reality, receiving is the same thing as giving, because giving and receiving are different aspects of the flow of energy in the universe.“

• Today I will give something to everyone I come in contact with. I will give them each a gift. The gift may be a compliment, a flower, a prayer, a smile. At the end of the day I will reflect on how I feel about the gifts I gave. 
• Today, I will gratefully receive all gifts that the universe has to offer me. I will say Thank You, God for the gifts of sunlight, of mountain breezes, of a child’s smile. At the end of the day I will reflect on how I feel about the gifts I received.