This week I had coaching sessions with three different clients, from three different parts of North America.  All of them had experience in the healing arts, and were either working to, or wanted to, earn income using these skills. And each of them had challenges receiving money for their healing gifts.

My energy-work teachers told me there has to be some sort of energy exchange whenever I do healing.  Sometimes, the energy exchange can be as simple as a heartfelt thanks.  It could be something that is done in trade, for example, cooking a meal for me.  Or it could be money.  Because money is just another form of energy.

In several different courses I have taken, the teacher has had the room raise their hands if they are comfortable giving help to others.  Almost everyone in the room usuallt raises their hand.  Then the teacher asks how many of us are comfortable receiving help from others.  The number of people raising their hand is far less.

Our society teaches us that, “It is better to give than to receive.”  (I’ve been told that the original quote is, “It is better to be in a position to give, than be in a position where you need to receive.” I haven’t been able to verify that, but I like it!)

But if all of us are giving all the time, who is receiving?  And if I do not receive when someone else is giving, then I am robbing them of the pleasure of giving.

So how can we become more comfortable with receiving?

Practice.  Start with receiving compliments without diminishing them, or immediately giving one in return.  Let it land, and just say thank you! If you have to, give yourself compliments by saying them into the mirror. As you get better at receiving compliments, it will become easier to receive gifts, and money.

In conversation, be fully present with what the other person is saying.  Take your time before replying, and don’t plan your response in advance.  I know for myself this one can be challenging.  My mind likes to get ahead and think about what I’m going to say, or how I am going to answer. Don’t worry, the right words will always come, and the other person will appreciate having the opportunity to truly be heard.

Tell yourself you are worth it!  Many times I have found that a difficulty in receiving, especially money, comes from a feeling of unworthiness.  And if no one else has said it, I will tell you that you are absolutely, definitely, 100% deserving! (Just say thank you, and receive it!)

The bonus of practicing the art of receiving is that you will have more and more to give!

Where else in your life can you practice the art of receiving?

Blessings,

Mary

It’s tax time for many people, and so money is in our thoughts a lot right now.  Money has been a big issue for me, and one of the things that I have been working to retrain my mind about in the last year and a half is that money is just another form of energy.

There are lots of cliches about money.  Consciously or not, these cultural teaching affect how we interact with money.  I have been working on my abundance mindset, and being in the flow of money, having it flow to me and through me effortlessly and abundantly.

The other morning, I found myself slipping back into some old thought patterns: I need more money for ______; How am I going to pay for _______; I still owe ______; etc.

Then I gave myself a mental shake.  I recognized the old pathway my mind was travelling down, and I consciously stepped off of that old path.

“Wait a second!” I thought to myself.  “I have just had an abundance of energy and money flow through me in the past couple of weeks!”  Ok, it flowed through me, and went out just as fast as it came in, but I was in the flow.  My bills are paid, and the money I needed for a couple of unplanned things (car repairs!) was there for me when I needed.

In that moment, my whole energy shifted.  Instead of being worried and tense, I was relaxed and peaceful.  Instead of being anxious, I felt extremely grateful.  I am now aware that an experience I was looking for in my life is present, right here and right now, and it gives me the sustaining faith that I will continue to have this experience.  I AM in the flow, and I AM manifesting abundance in my life!

To what do I credit the shift in consciousness?  It started with the Millionaire Mind Intensive in October of 2008, which helped me to start changing my beliefs about money. This led to other courses and events with Peak Potentials, which helped me break through some of the fears that were holding me back and build a network of supportive, positive people who have goals and beliefs similar to mine.  Then my husband and I attended CEO Space in May of 2009, which expanded my vision of what I am here to do in the world and led me to The Peaceful Woman.  Most recently, I have been taking part in The Peaceful Woman’s Inspired Living Coaching Program, and that has helped me be aware of what I want to manifest, and become conscious of when I am manifesting those experiences into my life.

Here are a couple of the books I have read that have helped me create this positive change:

• Secrets of the Millionaire Mind by T. Harv Eker
• The Energy of Money by Maria Nemeth Ph.D.
• The Soul of Money by Lynne Twist (this one made a particularly large impact on me!)

I’d love to hear about your relationship with money, and any tips you have for making it a positive one!

Blessings,

Mary

Money is a form of energy.   It flows, just like water.  It is not good or bad…it is.

This may trigger some of your belief programming about money. I encourage you to look at those beliefs, and reflect on whether they are still valid or not.

This just came to my inbox today, and I really like it, so I would like to share with you.

From Humanity Healing:

Blessing Money

When you receive or give money, offer this simple blessing:

May this money be blessed.
It is a symbol of divine substance and energy.
May it be redeemed from every impure influence, from every attachment and craving.
I appreciate it and keep it as a divine gift.
I shall use it only for good, right, appropriate purposes.
In using it, I again bless it and give thanks for it.
© The Sundial House Group

In this way, you raise the vibration, and increase the flow!

Blessings,

Mary

This may not be headline news to some of you, and, superficially at least, it was not news to me. But it wasn’t until recently that I really understood and believed it.

I don’t remember ever hearing it outright, but somehow I learned that truly spiritual people did not need or want money. There are lots of clichés about money:

• Money is the root of all evil.
• It is better to give than to receive.
• Neither a borrower nor a lender be.
• Money doesn’t grow on trees.
• You can’t take it with you.
• Money isn’t everything.
• Money can’t buy happiness.

Some of these have truth in them, and some are, unfortunately, mis-quotes. For example, I have learned from a number of different sources that the first two quotes should really read, “The love of money is the root of all evil,” and, “It is better to be in a position to give than in a position where you need to receive.” Taken together, the message I got was that money, or wealth, is bad.

It probably didn’t help that my family didn’t have a lot of money. My dad was always talking about this plan or that opportunity, but he never “made it” with any of them. Even now as I have been learning about wealth and success, my father will tell me about how he could have made a lot of money with this or that, except for the thing that held him back. There is always an excuse.

All through 2008, I was attending courses and listening to audios and reading books about how to become successful or how to become wealthy.  I learned a lot, but following in my father’s footsteps, I have a number of excuses and I have not applied what I have learned in my life.  As easy as it might be to blame my parents, I don’t.

The courses I went to were great at motivating me while I was there in the room and surrounded by others who were just as hyped up as I was.  Unfortunately, they didn’t offer an action plan to get me going or keep me motivated once I got home.  They also did a very good job at appealing to my logic, but failed to engage my spirit.  Once again, it sounds like I am blaming the courses for my lack of action, but please believe that I do not.  I take full responsibility for my procrastination!

One course I went to at the end of October 2008 was different from the others.  Instead of trying to teach methods of becoming wealthy, the point was to work on discovering the negative beliefs and conditioning we all have around money, and replace them with positive and supportive beliefs.  I was amazed at the energy level of the room, and astounded at the depth of the work accomplished in a huge room of 450 people.  The presenters managed to created and hold safe space for us to work in.  I uncovered many of my own limiting beliefs and patterns.

I finally understand and believe deep in my core that I am a child of the Divine.  Since the Divine Spirit created everything in the Universe, and since I am a child of the Divine, everything in the Universe is my inheritance.  It is my birthright, and yours!  Each of us has come to this place and this time for a specific reason, and everything we need to accomplish our individual purposes has been provided for us.  All we need to do is ask and be open to receiving.