I get e-mails from all the top gurus on abundant living, but I am confused by so many different techniques. I have been trying to “manifest” for over two years, and nothing! I don’t know who or what to believe anymore. What’s the right path for me to take that will bring what I want from life? 

There is an old saying: “by their fruits you shall know them.” The problem that most of us face today is that we want to believe so badly that there is a way for us to “manifest” abundance that we can’t “taste” what we are being given to “consume” by so-called experts. 99% of these “spiritual teachers” spout incomplete principles at best… and, at worst, nothing but nonsense. They make themselves rich by selling the unwary positive pathways and promises that almost always lead to one form of poverty or another, be this physical or spiritual. 

The questions we must ask ourselves, assuming we see the truth of our situation, are as follows: What do we really want from this life? Do we want a nature that is fearless in the face of difficult conditions (because it understands, unfailingly, that God is good)? Or do we want to continue trying to create for ourselves, through acquisitions of one kind or another, what we hope will make us fearless? Do we want to know a love and kindness that cannot be crushed regardless of how others treat us, or do we want a generosity of heart that only extends as far as our present circumstances allow? 

If we want what is authentically good, then we must seek that goodness directly, which means we let go of our childish ideas that we come upon what is right, bright and true through things we can acquire. Now this isn’t to say that we mustn’t provide (properly) for ourselves, and those we love; this is a given. But when our priorities are in order, so is our life; and when our life is in order, there is more than enough energy and available opportunities to do what needs to be done for ourselves and those we love. 

Add to these last thoughts one final idea, and then choose the path seen as best: suffering in this life is inevitable; those who say otherwise, lie. What is our choice, with regards to suffering, is what we elect to suffer over. The wise have always taught that within us lives a nature that can turn lead into gold, and that to “find” this Self requires the suffering born of losing oneself; the foolish seek gold to make their leaden lives tolerable, and inevitably sink deeper and deeper into some form of despair.