There are many quotes by which the ideas of the famous Greek philosopher Socrates are expressed. The one that I like in particular is a short one, but its effects stretch far and wide.
"Contentment is natural wealth, luxury is artificial poverty."
This quote means that the one who doesn't need more than the basics (food, shelter, community) to feel content lives in inner abundance, whereas the one who aims for luxury and excess creates perpetuating desires that spin out of control and cannot be fulfilled, and therefore lives in artificial (perceived) poverty.
When I was in my thirties, I had a similar expression: "A person who always wants more (money, stuff, etc.) will never have enough. A person who never has enough lives poor."
Please note that I only share here my personal story and subjective observations. I do not mean to harm or offend anyone. I just like to give a wider perspective, without claiming it to be a universal truth. Not all things are useful to all people.
Manifestation
Some years ago, I lived at a shamanic retreat center. Beautiful things happened there, as well as things I did not understand, like manifestation. I saw many people getting themselves involved with manifestation, all kinds of rituals and practices. Do not get me wrong: I wish every person at minimum what I wish for myself. So there is no judgment, only the observation that the people who engage in this often do not perceive themselves as fortunate as they actually are. They desire something that is not in their current experience yet.
Observing people bringing offerings to the wishing tree was always kind of cute, like the tooth fairy. I would be more interested in a tree of wisdom, but that is just personal preference. However, living closely together with people who practice willful manifestation piqued my curiosity to understand how instant manifestation works.
Instant abundance
To understand instant manifestation, I decided to do an OBE on that particular question. So one evening, I felt the call to go on a journey and find an answer. I had a clear intention, but that did not prevent me from getting the most valuable answer, at least for me. Others can decide for themselves.
So I expanded my awareness into the direct connection with my Total Self (a term coined by Bob Monroe, which refers to Higher Self). To me that feels like turning a page, like a gentle shift, from being focused here to “there”. As I felt the shift, I noticed that my question had changed from understanding instant manifestation to understanding instant abundance. This felt like a minor shift, but it turned out to be a crucial one.
The information that was clearly conveyed to me was the following: "In order to achieve instant abundance, you have to take down the walls of your homemade prison. You have to let go and transform the following: expectations, desires, egoic needs, fears, and traumas (this may include karmic trauma). Once these are dissolved, or they have lost their power completely, instant abundance arises. This type of abundance does not exclude monetary wealth. It may very well be a side effect, but it is not something aimed at."
I know it is not an easy task to take down the walls of our homemade prison; it took me quite some years of hard work. But rest assured: it is well worth the effort.
From doing to being
What the information taught me was that when we engage in willful manifestation, we are in the flow of "doing" and then "getting." Whereas, when we have achieved instant abundance, we are in the flow of "being" and "having." Take a wild guess which flow provides more peace and inner contentment.
When we are in a state of being, it does not mean we are doing nothing. Absolutely not! We still do, but the inspirational source of our actions is not from a mental state that perceives lack or acts on fears. The things we do come more from our intuition. It just starts flowing naturally, and worries become an artifact of the past.
This does not mean you have to give up realism or daily responsibilities. It is purely about letting go of fears, expectations, and inner blockages. What then arises is unique to each person. The abundance itself is always there, in every circumstance and in everything that presents itself. We only become aware of it with a smile on our face.
The simple rich life, natural wealth
Over the past seven years, my life has simplified. Not as a goal that had to be reached, but as a side effect from this shift to being. I enjoy a deep sense of peace, contentment, and being complete, regardless of the situation. I feel rich without needing excess money or excess belongings.
Some time ago, there was this interesting evening. I could not fall asleep, so I played with expanding awareness and floating on certain thoughts related to the above. During this in-between phase, the following poem came about that I love to share with you.
Life is eternally beautiful
Care for all,
Yet don't get bothered by any
Love everyone,
But don't be attached to any love
Ask for what you want,
Yet stay free from expectations
All you need is already here,
But don't yearn for it before necessity calls
There's always abundance,
Yet take only what you require
Embrace your desires with passion,
Yet find contentment whether fulfilled or not
Whether conscious or unaware,
Life is eternally beautiful
Some last words
I wish you everything you dream of, because everything you dream of already exists. There is always a path of experiences that leads towards it. Whether the path is yours to walk is not up to someone else to decide. That is up to you and the compatibility of it with your life purpose. And if you choose to use willful manifestation to reach your goals, go for it with all your heart. I wish you good fortune!
Karmic trauma can play a big role in a person's life. Not too long ago, I spoke with a young man who had recently developed a fear of dying, which gave him several daily panic attacks. He was curious if an OBE would be something for him to consider. As we talked, I felt that it was related to a sudden past-life death. I suggested that he connect with that past-life individual on a daily basis, just before falling asleep, and tell him that he is forgiven and that there is deep gratitude for him, because his life and death made way for this current life. Within three weeks, the panic attacks disappeared and the fear faded into the background.
OBE and astral projection have helped me and others a lot. If you would like to know if OBE is something for you, or you have other questions, feel free to reach out. Whether you're new to OBEs or a seasoned traveler, I'm happy to explore these topics with you.