Practical Applications from Spiritual Economics by Eric Butterworth

Think of some man-made laws and the consequences of breaking them.

Think of some laws of nature that, when broken, cause us physical discomfort.

Then there are universal laws. These are the laws that we govern with our mind. To understand and use these laws you must first understand the "Law of Consciousness." Consciousness is our habitual trend of thoughts and feelings that intentionally and/or unintentionally affect the world around us. Eric Butterworth tells us that we are magnetic forces drawing to us that which we think, whether positively or negatively.

How are you using the "Law of Consciousness" in your life?

Exercise

Think a positive thought about a situation. Set a time for 10 minutes. Check your conscious thinking. How far did you stray from that initial positive thought? Do this exercise several times in the next week and record what happened.

Think of a situation in your life that does not provide satisfaction. In a time of quiet contemplation step out of it and observe from above. How can you see it differently? Hold a vision of what you desire.

Butterworth speaks of our own self I-AMage. How do you see yourself? Can you see yourself as successful as you want to be?

Do your words and actions align with your thinking? Or are you a divided person?

Is it time to take control of your own destiny? What old thoughts and beliefs will you need to let go?

We limit our prosperity by the way we identify ourselves. This self identification can be subtle such as "I am only..." Be aware of what you tie your "I AM" to.

What are your self identifiers? Make a list. Can you see how they can limit your prosperity? How?

To change your self image and self identifiers, list three old identifiers and then re frame them in a way that brings you what it is you desire.

Do the exercise suggested in chapter 5. Close the book and your eyes and just feel grateful. Don't go outward looking for something to be grateful for. Just feel gratitude. Could you feel the energy stir within you? What did you notice in your body?

Now think of something that appears to be lacking in your life. It does not have to be a thing; it could be an idea or emotion. Now consciously bless it. Stay with it until you can feel grateful and can gladly bless it.

Take time to journal around the following questions, after having read Chapter Six.

   1. Why do you work?

   2. What are you getting out of work?

   3. How is your job as a part of your spiritual growth?

   4. Are there any ways in your current job situation that you can Earn Your Wings (as Butterworth talks about)?

   5. For what aspects of your current work are you grateful?

1. How much news do you listen to? Are you letting news or idle conversation about the economy define your finances?

2. Try going 24 hours without listening to or reading about the economy. What do you notice about how you feel?

3. If failure is a rehearsal for success, how can you turn a recent failure into a rehearsal for success?

1. Take some time to journal around Butterworth's comments on page 130 There are two basic drives within every person: human and divine. Humanly, we seek to settle down, to be safe, to build fences, and to be secure. Divinely, we are created to express, to grow, and to extend our horizons. How is this tension currently playing out in your life?

2. Take some time in quiet meditation with the Sermon on the Mount. Begin where Jesus is telling the crowd. "Do not be anxious..." (Matthew6:25) Afterwards spend time with your journal about how you can build a consciousness of security.

   1. What were you taught about money?

   2. What does Jesus teach about money?

   3. Does what you were taught, as a child, about money still rule your finances today?

   4. On page 152, Butterworth says, "If you think positively and creatively about your money, you actually multiply its effectiveness."What are some positive, creative thoughts and actions you can take in relation to your current financial situation?

   5. On page 160, Butterworth says, "Never allow money of any kind of amount to pass through your hands without blessing it, whether it is coming to you ro going from you." Think of ways to bless your money on an ongoing basis.

   1. from page 166 "Your life is God's gift to you. What you do with it is your gift to God." How can I become a more effective giver?

   2. page 169 "Emerson talks of the need for each person to have his or her own "first-hand and immediate experience of God." How does giving move you into this "immediate" experience of God?

   3. page 171 - "If all you get out of your work is a paycheck, you are short-changing yourself."  In your current work, what do you receive besides a paycheck?

   4. page 172 - "Meaning is something you release from within yourself. You put meaning into your work, into your experiences, and into every relationship with people." What meaning do you want to give to your life experience?

   5. Where and how can you give yourself away?

1. Reread page 190 about the whole tithe.  Think about ways you can step into the whole tithe or holistic tithing. Read the examples given at the bottom of page 190. How can you creatively step into the flow of greater giving?