Pandayji had been so engrossed that I was startled to hear him speak. ?I think I've had the same problem. Situations are much better now than in recent years. I was getting to the point of accepting mediocrity and settling for a life of financial hardship. Then I met one of the Holy Ones who explained it much as you did, Marla. From that time on, I understood that it wasn't that anything was wrong with me or my choice of career. It was more that ideas, which were blocked were seeking to express themselves through me. Now I let ideas flow freely and I listen in the quietness of my heart for the ?still, small voice? that always whispers which way to go.?

?It is the way to go, Pandayji. The Holy Ones know the secrets of the universe,? said Gideon. Then he turned to me and continued,?And we'll talk about the greatest secret as soon as the time's right. But that wasn't the whole story about lack and scarcity, John. Many people don't believe they deserve prosperity. They're full of guilt and fear and down in their hearts, the guilt says,?You don't deserve,you don't deserve. You messed up before. You're not worthy? and the fear says,?Seek after security. Worship at its temple and you'll be taken care of for the rest of your life.? What they fail to realize is that there is no security in material things. Security is a state of mind. Like the man once said,?Many times I've been broke, but never have I been poor.?Being broke is, generally, a temporary affair. Being poor is a state of mind, a condition of being, if you will. It all leads back to a concept of self.?

A waiter cleared the table while another, pushing a food trolley piled with an assortment of decadent pastries, inquired about dessert. Pandayji offered some suggestions to which we all agreed. As we enjoyed dessert, Gideon continued his explanation. ?Prosperity is an aspect of the spirit. It is having a consciousness from which all goodthings flow. There are certain laws that trigger aspects of prosperity. For example,the habit of giving thanks a number of times throughout the day for all the blessings in your life removes much of the debris that prevent free flow along the river of life. Did you know that one of the meanings of the word ?affluence? is free flow??

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