The Ordinary Mystic

“One who is grounded in the practice of nonstealing experiences the jewel of abundance.”

Yoga Sutra

Is it possible to attract things to yourself by not seeking them? Can you be content with what you currently have, and end up with more?

A couple of years ago, I took an introductory class on living by the principles of Kriya yoga, and one section covered the practice of nonstealing. Key to the success of that practice is cultivating contentment with your present situation, and being comforted by the knowledge that, as a spiritual being, you have all that you need.

First, let me explain how that is possible. How can you feel that you have all that you need? Isn’t that just self-delusion? Well, what I am talking about is you as a spiritual being. This, of course, requires that you are able to be aware of yourself as a spiritual being, and that comes from other spiritual practices such as meditation and introspection. But really, the spiritual part of you, the ‘real you‘, lacks nothing. That ‘you’ doesn’t need material things, doesn’t need emotional releases, doesn’t need to solve anything. That ‘you’ isn’t sick, and doesn’t have problems.

Eckhart Tolle, in his book The Power of Now, explains it another way. He states:

“Narrow your life down to this moment. Your life situation may be full of problems - most life situations are - but find out if you have any problems at this moment. Not tomorrow or in ten minutes, but now.”

When I do this - narrow my life down to this moment - I have to honestly say that I do not have any problems. Likewise, my spiritual center has no problems. In fact, it is joyful in the mere awareness of its own - my own - existence.

Getting back to the class … The teacher then described a phenomenon that occurs once we go about our lives with this awareness that we lack nothing and, in fact, have everything we need. God then responds by saying “Oh, you have all that you need? Well, here’s some more!” And then He proceeds to provide you with more. Whoa. This was the first time I had heard God described in such a way - as a being that would automatically respond this way as if on command. Now the converse is also true. If we feel that we do not have all that we need, then God responds by saying “Oh, you don’t have much? Well, here’s even less”. And so the more we fret over a lack, be it a lack of resources or a lack of friendship, the more that lack increases.

This, of course, is echoed in the law of attraction. The key is that the happiness must come first, and it starts from within. Jesus made a statement (one of many) to that effect. In one passage he states that the kingdom of God is within you, then in another he states that we must “seek first the kingdom, and then all these other things (of a material nature) will be added to you”.

The trick is, once we experience some abundance, to not become attached to it and go back to becoming dependent on it for our happiness. Jesus actually said “Keep seeking first, the kingdom …”. Do not crave what others have, do not feel that we are wanting. Only then will we experience true abundance.