21 LAWS OF WEALTH and WISDOM, by Dr. Gary Arnold May 23, 2006
Here are 21 laws of wealth and wisdom. I did something different in this blog and lesson. I gathered together 21 laws on wealth from a variety of sources, not just the Course. These 21 laws are the result of furrowing through the writings and principles in A Course In Miracles, Dr. Phil, Suze Orman, Mark Victor Hansen, my own book The Road to Wealth and Wisdom ,and a few other sources. Most of the laws are taken almost word for word from the 'Wisards of Wealth' that wrote them. The laws of prosperity, money and wisdom tend to operate predictably, -- throughout time (over time), in every culture -- and apply to everyone. Remember that your life in every moment is infinitely creative and the universe is endlessly bountiful.
God picks you up as a reed-flute. He gives you breath and listens. You are the notes of passion that return to the ears of God. Remember who gives you original breath. Remember He hears your song playing. Listen to your song and each note as you create the music in your life. There is only one Breath, and my true will is in accord with that Will of Love. Be clear; tune up often. Be what you are with every thought, belief, and action. Let each moments note resonate with love. Quiet the chatter of your mind.
In Lesson 158 in the Course Jesus tells us, “Christ’s vision has one law. It does not look upon a body and mistake it for the Son whom God created. It beholds a light beyond the body; an idea beyond what can be touched, a purity undimmed by errors, pitiful mistakes, and fearful thoughts of guilt from dreams of sin. It sees no separation. And it looks on everyone, on every circumstance, all happenings and all events, without the slightest fading of the light it sees.” (W-158.7:1-5)
Law number one, Suze Orman said, "Truth creates money; lies destroy it. " Leo Tolstoy said, "There is no greatness where simplicity, goodness, and truth are absent." Be honest with yourself. Respect and value your time and your wealth, and the time and wealth of others. The Course tells us to learn to live with love and respect; and value and enjoy life and freedom NOW.
The Course says, "T-10.IV.4. God's laws will keep your mind at peace because peace is His Will, and His laws are established to uphold it. 2 His are the laws of freedom, but yours are the laws of bondage. 3 Since freedom and bondage are irreconcilable, their laws cannot be understood together. 4 The laws of God work only for your good, and there are no other laws beside His. 5 Everything else is merely lawless and therefore chaotic. 6 Yet God Himself has protected everything He created by His laws. 7 Everything that is not under them does not exist. 8 "Laws of chaos" is a meaningless term. 9 Creation is perfectly lawful, and the chaotic is without meaning because it is without God. 10 You have "given" your peace to the gods you made, but they are not there to take it from you, and you cannot give it to them. T-10.IV.5. You are not free to give up freedom, but only to deny it."
Law number two, "Be Present. Look at what you have, not at what you had. Money has no power of its own. Know the difference between assets and liabilities. Acquire assets. Possessions possess you. Don't buy things; buy freedom.
Law number three, "Do what is right for you –GET OUT OF DEBT. Do what is right for you BEFORE you do what is right for your money. Stupidity is a four-letter word: DEBT. One absolute truth: Debt is a stranglehold on a family's future. If you have it − other than mortgage debt − get it paid off as fast as you can. You owe it to no one more than yourself. Be honest with yourself. Face your fears and create your truths.
Lose debt; gain freedom. A personal cash-flow statement should help do the trick. How much do you have coming in every month? How much is going out, an where is it going? Are the minimum payments on your credit cards keeping you from saving? A good rule of thumb is that you should save 10 percent (including what you put into retirement accounts) of what you earn. Start with 3%, go to 5% and work your way up.
Law number four, " Invest in the Known BEFORE the unknown." Know thy self. Know what you believe and why. Know your tendencies. Know your goals. IF YOU DON'T know yourself, and examine your path, you will repeat your history instead of create it.
The Course says, " T-19.IV.B.17. It is not given to the ego's disciples to realize that they have dedicated themselves to death. 2 Freedom is offered them but they have not accepted it, and what is offered must also be received, to be truly given. 3 For the Holy Spirit, too, is a communication medium, receiving from the Father and offering His messages unto the Son. 4 Like the ego, the Holy Spirit is both the sender and the receiver. 5 For what is sent through Him returns to Him, seeking itself along the way, and finding what it seeks. 6 So does the ego find the death <it> seeks, returning it to you."
Law number five, "Live below your means." The most useful move you can make isn’t an investment move at all. It’s to save. Don’t overspend, don’t run up debt, set something aside every month. Your bills tell your past, but they also tell your future. Every debt, every monthly payment, every dollar you owe is a claim against your future. Debt affects what you can — and cannot — do about your future. And when you pay off the credit cards and IOUs, you open up new worlds of financial possibilities for yourself. You have more to spend, more to save, and a whole lot less to worry about.
Law number six, "Plan. Act. Listen. Modify." Your past holds the key to your financial future. Remember that EVERY action has a result. What's the problem, and why is it there? What are you doing wrong? Pay attention. Do some homework. Do some planning. Make some changes. Expenses will rise in proportion to income. But without a change in mindset and a strict financial discipline, the "more money" that occurs every so often via a raise in pay, or an inheritance windfall, or whatever, will always be accompanied by a proportionate rise in expenditures. Thus the saying: "All I want is to make ends meet − but someone keeps moving the other end." More money does not solve the problem; financial intelligence does.
Law number seven, "You create your own experience."
You are accountable for your life. Good or bad, successful or unsuccessful, happy or sad, fair or unfair, you own your life." Mother Teresa said, "Even if you cannot do great things, you can do small things with great love." Be responsible to those you love.
Law number eight, " People do what works." Self-defeating, self-sabotaging actions "works" for that respective individual. He or she is always getting some sort of payoff from it — subconscious or otherwise. Until that payoff is uncovered and dealt with, the behaviors will continue and the quality of life will further deteriorate.
Remember, thoughts are like boomerangs.
Law number nine, Dr. Phil says - and the Course would agree, " You cannot change what you do not acknowledge." The first step toward financial freedom is recognition − recognition of your current situation, obstacles, and capabilities. If you've been relying on others to get you where you want to go, then stop. No one will execute your personal interests better than you.
Take control of your life. Even the smallest, simplest problem in your life cannot be resolved until you acknowledge that it exists. You must be honest with yourself. You must accurately assess where your life is right now, and where it might be in the future. There is absolutely no place for any sort of denial in your life. If you're unwilling or unable to identify and consciously acknowledge your negative behaviors, characteristics, or life patterns then you will not change them.
Law number ten, "Life rewards action." People care not about what you meant, but about what you did. Insight and education are nice to have, but they don't produce results in the physical world. Begin to measure your life by real-world results, not intentions. When it comes down to reasons to do something versus excuses not to do it, there will always be more excuses. Live with the words, "I will do this because . . .." Write them down.
Law number eleven, " There is no reality; only perception." We all experience our respective lives through personal filters. How you interpret and respond to your senses is determined strictly by you.
The Course says, "T-21.VII.7. Forget not that the choice of sin or truth, helplessness or power, is the choice of whether to attack or heal. 2 For healing comes of power, and attack of helplessness. 3 Whom you attack you <cannot> want to heal. 4 And whom you would have healed must be the one you chose to be protected from attack. 5 And what is this decision but the choice whether to see him through the body's eyes, or let him be revealed to you through vision? 6 How this decision leads to its effects is not your problem. 7 But what you want to see must be your choice. 8 This is a course in cause and not effect."
This reminds me of the message I received while watching The Wizard of Oz recently. At the end of Dorothy’s journey, she came to recognize that she had always possessed the means within her to go home. When she finally made the choice to stop seeking outside of herself to find the way home, she was able to close her eyes, go within and proclaim, “There’s no place like home.” And so the same is true for me. I seem to be traveling on the yellow brick spiritual road. Sometimes I am distracted and sidetracked; sometimes I believe I will find what I need in a great spiritual wizard or guru. Instead, the pathway to the open door of Heaven is right there within me. It can be found within the place of quietness and peace within my mind.
Law number twelve, "Life is managed; it is not cured." As long as you're alive, there will never be a day when every single one of your problems has been vanquished. Work toward resolving, rather than enduring, your array of problems. Draft realistic expectations rather than naïve ones. Learn to regard success as an always-moving target.
Law number thirteen, " We teach people how to treat us." All human relationships are in a constant state of negotiation. Thus, they are always changing, with the participants repeatedly learning what is and is not acceptable in the relationship; i.e., they are learning and relearning the rules and boundaries of the relationship.
The Course tells us, "T-24.V.3. Where could your peace arise <but> from forgiveness? 2 The Christ in you looks only on the truth, and sees no condemnation that could need forgiveness. 3 He is at peace <because> He sees no sin. 4 Identify with Him, and what has He that you have not? 5 He is your eyes, your ears, your hands, your feet. 6 How gentle are the sights He sees, the sounds He hears. 7 How beautiful His hand that holds His brother's, and how lovingly He walks beside him, showing him what can be seen and heard, and where he will see nothing and there is no sound to hear."
Law number fourteen, " There is power in forgiveness." Feelings change who you are. They change your heart and mind. When the time comes to forgive and resolve the situation, you must act constructively, assertively, and from a position of control. You're not doing this as a gift to the other person; you're doing it as a gift to yourself. The travels of life are difficult enough without you shouldering unnecessary emotional baggage.
Throughout the Course Jesus reminds us over and over again of the importance of practicing forgiveness — forgiveness of our brothers, ourselves, and the illusion of the world that seems to be around us. He tells us that when we forget to forgive our brothers, it is ourselves we are actually crucifying. “Offer him thorns and you are crucified. Offer him lilies and it is yourself you free.” (T-20.II.3:8)
The Course says, " T-26.V.1. A little hindrance can seem large indeed to those who do not understand that miracles are all the same. 2 Yet teaching that is what this course is for. 3 This is its only purpose, for only that is all there is to learn. 4 And you can learn it in many different ways. 5 All learning is a help or hindrance to the gate of Heaven. 6 Nothing in between is possible. 7 There are two teachers only, who point in different ways. 8 And you will go along the way your chosen teacher leads. 9 There are but two directions you can take, while time remains and choice is meaningful. 10 For never will another road be made except the way to Heaven. 11 You but choose whether to go toward Heaven, or away to nowhere. Tp549 12 There is nothing else to choose.
Law number fifteen, " You have to name it before you can claim it." Ask and it is given you. Not knowing precisely what you want is not okay. Be specific. Focus on what you truly want, describe it, plan for it in writing, and then head in that direction. Be bold and strong, but also be realistic. Be honest. Be watchful. And always require more of yourself than others require of you. Doubt is expensive. History remembers the "doers," not the doubters. It is challenging to face the "dark side" of how you handle money — or the doubts, fears, worries, and thwarted hopes that may appear. Sometimes it's hard to see the hidden treasure, but when we tell the truth about what we see, even when we don't want to see it, we're given even more strength.
Law number sixteen. Mark Victor Hansen says, "The Rule of Holes is: If you're in one, stop digging. Hope is not a strategy. " Hope carries value. Hope is vital. Hope is your gasoline. Positive impact comes only from action. Behaviors must be precisely targeted, discarded, and/or developed. Big changes must be made, and you must initiate them. Watch for feedback. Act accordingly.
Law number seventeen. My mother used to say, "Life by the yard is hard. Life by the inch is a cinch." You cannot save $5000 until you save $1000. You cannot save $1000 until you save $500. You cannot save $500 until you save $10. Even the greatest accomplishments start out small. If you're looking ahead and getting frustrated because all you can see is how daunting your tasks/goals are, then break them down.
Divide your work into steps. Make them smaller, more manageable. But keep them big enough to still be tangible and fulfilling when they're accomplished. With each completed step, that sense of progress you'll feel is what will keep you going. Anything can be accomplished if it is done a little bit at a time.
Law number eighteen, "Power Attracts Money." When you feel safe, you feel powerful, and power, remember, attracts money. The safer you feel, the more powerful you are, and the more money will come your way. The key to harnessing the Power Law is to define appropriate incentives for others to affiliate with you rather than any other person or company and, in the process, enhance the value you can offer to them.
Law number nineteen. "Apply the 80/20 rule to your life. 80% of your wealth comes from 20% of your effort and acts." Pareto's Law, the 80/20 rule, is enormously helpful as a guide to value assessment, cost-cutting and near-term performance improvement. Identify the 20% of people, customers, products, facilities, business units and blocks of time that generate 80% of the profits in your life, home and work. These are precisely the activities that generate the most value today with the least effort and investment. Remember, 20% of the effort tends to account for 80% of the value.
Law number twenty, " Value what you can not see." Socrates once said that he went to the market and saw what he really didn't need and why. He actually talked himself out of things, mainly because he knew that he was happy and that they would not make him happy! Can you imagine man today doing that, going shopping and deciding why he doesn't need all that stuff?
Law number twenty-one, 'Look within.' " Ask and it is given. Seek and you will find. Knock and the door is opened." Understanding spiritual truth within the context of this world's illusion requires that we embrace a paradox, the combination of spirit and form. In the world of form, seeking and finding are directly linked by our thoughts and actions.
For instance, if I feel hunger and I seek out food to satisfy this hunger, my seeking will yield a surcease to my hunger. Temporarily, at least, I feel satisfied. I am no longer hungry. The paradox is that it is only when we stop seeking that we truly have the opportunity to find what it was all along evading our search. For the answer to the quandary that so mystified us for so many years, perhaps even lifetimes, is inside of us. It was always here, the one place we never looked.
The Course says we are to be Cause. "T-26.V.1. A little hindrance can seem large indeed to those who do not understand that miracles are all the same. 2 Yet teaching that is what this course is for. 3 This is its only purpose, for only that is all there is to learn. 4 And you can learn it in many different ways. 5 All learning is a help or hindrance to the gate of Heaven. 6 Nothing in between is possible. 7 There are two teachers only, who point in different ways. 8 And you will go along the way your chosen teacher leads. 9 There are but two directions you can take, while time remains and choice is meaningful. 10 For never will another road be made except the way to Heaven. 11 You but choose whether to go toward Heaven, or away to nowhere. Tp549 12 There is nothing else to choose."
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January was our 18th consecutive year (1988-2006) of Thursday evening Course In Miracles Classes in Metairie Louisiana by Dr. Gary Arnold.
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Yours in Peace,
Dr. Gary Arnold
