Abundance is not so much a material position as a feeling. You could call it a state of mind. Living with an abundance mindset improves your general well-being and life satisfaction. It is closely linked with gratitude, and hundreds of studies now verify the potency of gratitude and appreciating what you already have, which when you look at it, tends to be a lot! You start to honour the abundance already existing in your life.
This feeling of abundance then resonates out, encouraging generosity and flow in your day-to-day life, which before may have been underpinned by scarcity. An abundance mindset attracts what you want from a place of trust and appreciation. A scarcity mindset can block flow and inhibit abundance from flourishing. It’s a feedback loop!
Here at Suryalila, something that helps us feel abundant daily is the yield we receive from the garden. It’s magic to see the baskets fill up every morning as the garden team reap what they sow and provide fresh organic ingredients for the kitchen. The veggies are so green, clean and radiant that it’s impossible not to feel the abundance brimming from the earth and pouring into our lives!
Many of you will be familiar with our non-profit land regeneration project onsite, Danyadara. In ten years the land has transformed from bare fields to a thriving oasis. Each day the garden team harvests fruits, vegetables, herbs and edible flowers for the kitchen. This is possibly the richest form of abundance, to nourish your body and the bodies of your friends, family and business from the earth.
GARDEN TIPS
For this reason, we want to share this potential of daily abundance with you! Here are some top tips if you are keen to start your own sustainable vegetable patch but are not sure where to begin:
1. Choose a spot that receives a minimum of 5 - 8 hours of sunlight per day
2. Implement methods to capture water - for example, use buckets in the shower, get a rainwater tank, build a swale.
3. Start with seeds that are hardy and suited to your climate - ie. chard, beans, squash, tomatoes, artichoke, peas, chillies.
4. Harvest your seeds to replant the following year.
5. Mulch your garden - mulch reduces erosion, retains moisture in the soil, mitigates scorching and allows water to soak in slowly.
How To Live In Abundance
The key to living in abundance is to notice the parts of your life that you may take for granted and appreciate how special they are: the security of a roof above your head and a warm, comfortable bed to climb into each night; the soothing comfort of that first sip of coffee as you yawn into a new day; the food on your table and how accessible that food is; the privilege of being able to spend time with your family and friends; to walk in nature; to feel safe in the world.
These are all things that we may naturally take for granted, if you're reading this blog it's likely you've grown up in a world where this is the norm. But it’s certainly not the norm for many people around the world. And remembering that makes you realise how lucky you are, even when times are hard.
It’s shifting your mindset from a victim mentality to an abundance mentality. Reframing the way you say things to yourself is an incredibly powerful tool to improve your enjoyment of life. Here’s an example of how words can impact the way you view your life, and how a minor change in how you say it can have a major impact on how you experience it.
Your Abundance Task
Carve out 15 minutes in your week, grab your journal and make yourself a cuppa. Write down the following two examples, continuing to fill them in with scenarios that apply to your life.
Carry this with you in your mind and when you wake up in the morning over the following week, notice your default language as you begin to think about your daily tasks, then see if you can start to consciously implement this shift from a victim mindset to an abundance mindset:
I have to = victim mindset
I have to get out of bed
I have to go to work
I have to plant the garden
I have to feed the kids
I have to walk the dog
I have to do some exercise
I have to improve my diet
I have to meditate more
I get to = abundance mindset
I get to get out of bed
I get to go to work
I get to plant the garden
I get to feed the kids
I get to walk the dog
I get to do some exercise
I get to improve my diet
I get to meditate more
Other Abundance Tips
Whatever it is that makes you feel alive and grateful to live, do that whenever you can. It’s helpful to keep a gratitude journal, regularly jotting down what you’re grateful for. This is most difficult when you’re going through a tough time, but it’s proven to help guide you through and bring you back to yourself more quickly. So even if you don’t feel like it, do it anyway.
It’s extremely helpful to think back on obstacles that you’ve overcome in your life to demonstrate how capable you are, and how you have pulled through in the past. Lastly, BUT NOT LEASTLY, practice self-care and harness self-love. Choose a daily self-love meditation, there are hundreds online, go to that yoga class, make time to curl up with a book, take a bath, go for a walk in nature, buy yourself a small gift, book a retreat. These small acts of kindness to yourself make a phenomenal difference when implemented over time. You will see yourself and your life in a whole new light.
An abundant light.
Sustainability And Ways To Contribute
If you are interested in sustainability and permaculture then check out our non-profit permaculture project, Danyadara. You can find them on Instagram @danyadara or check out their website www.danyadara.com. Danyadara aspires to build a resilient and regenerative oasis, abundant in food and rich in biodiversity, and to be an inspiring example of sustainability.
They work hard to be part of the solution to save the planet, by reversing desertification, and global warming through reforestation. Their mission is clear but it is not easy and requires extensive resources, time and money to implement. Many of you will have already seen the transformation the project has made on the grounds of Suryalila. An oasis really has sprung to life over the past 6 years, and it doesn’t stop here! But we need your help.
The project functions on donations from people like you. We are passionate to continue regenerating and reforesting the land, whilst reaping the bounty from the garden to feed staff and retreat guests with fresh organic ingredients. Every donation you make is incredibly powerful and goes a long way! If you’d like to donate, just head to https://danyadara.com/donate/ it only takes a couple of minutes to make a huge difference to our mission.
Thank you so much in advance.
Here are some upcoming retreats in case you're inspired to dig out that bikini and take yourself on a trip to the sun!
Wishing you abundance and fulfilment.
With much love, Team Suryalila x