The most important question you can ask yourself
The most important question we can ask ourself is….. “Is life working for me, or against me?”
The illusion of scarcity
Most people have a mindset of scarcity. Scarcity is the relationship to yourself and to life as though there is something missing, or that we have something ‘less than’.
We think that the world is not working for us, but rather, that its working against us. We think there we are not enough as we are, we think there is not enough to go around, and we live in a state of fear. As humans we have a primal collective perspective of scarcity, that is the absence of abundance.
The billionaires of the world still have this mindset. Even though their material world is saturated, energetically and emotionally they experience scarcity due to the way they view themselves. This is why they usually still want more and more.
The advertising industry thrives of this psychology of scarcity. Advertisements often say ‘but wait, there’s more’. This feeds our void, our lack of something deep within – that we are not enough as we are, so I’ll be happy when I get more. The idea that ‘more is better’ is just an idea, not an actual experience.
Ask yourself this question, in the absence of luxury, do you experience scarcity?
This gives insight to the fact that scarcity is an internalised experience. Scarcity or abundance are both mindsets. You can choose. If you choose to find inner freedom you will always have abundance. If you choose a world that needs to make you comfortable with possessions and status, you will always have scarcity.
“The most important question we can ask ourselves is, “is the universe friendly?” – Michael Beckwith in a Mindvalley Podcast with Vishen Lakhiani
We suffer from accumulation, not scarcity
In Ayurveda medicine, the accumulation of too much causes disease. In the same way, too much cholesterol, stuff in our garage, too much news and gossip, too much time on the phone keeps your mind busy and keeps you up at night. Accumulation - the wanting of more, is due to the mental perception of not enough-ness. This is what creates this mindset of scarcity, and our unhealthy behavioural responses.
Freedom is our birthright
As human beings we have these beliefs of inadequacy, insecurity and scarcity. This is a universal belief that holds us back from experiencing the true nature of life – which is freedom. We all want to experience more freedom, more love more joy and abundance but we stay small and trapped in the limitations of our mindset. We think that there’s ‘not enough’ in the world.
Freedom is an experience of what it truly means to be aware. Being aware, or awake beyond the primal constraints of our subconscious mind, is true freedom. This is our inherent nature. Its also why we are all here – to realise this freedom through a life journey of personal growth and self discovery. In essence, to wake up to who we truly are.
“You can’t change what happened, you can’t change what you did or what was done to you. But you can choose how you live now. You can choose to be free” - Edith Eger Survivor of the Holocaust and concentration camps
Learn more at the upcoming: One-Day Urban Yoga Retreat at Heart and Mind Yoga studio
Sunday 31st October 10am-4pm. Yoga, Yin relaxation, Wisdom Talks, Park walk, Meet like minded people
Or check out the other offerings at Heart and Mind Yoga
Jo Jarden is a certified personal trainer and yoga teacher in Christchurch New Zealand and the founder of Heart and Mind Yoga studio. She has 10 years experience in health promotion in New Zealand and Australia including management and promotion of national chronic disease prevention programs. She now helps people one on one with their wellbeing through yoga teaching, personal training, workplace yoga and wellbeing workshops.
Qualifications include: Certified Yoga Teacher Santosha Yoga Institute, Registered Australian Yoga Alliance 2017
Certificate in Advanced Personal Training, Fit College New Zealand, 2016
Bachelor of Science with Honours Public Health. University of Canterbury, New Zealand 2006
Bachelor of Arts Mass Communication and Psychology. University of Canterbury, New Zealand 2005