Santa, Archetype of Prosperity

December 25th is the day hundreds of millions of Christians celebrate the birth of their Redeemer. It’s also the day hundreds of millions celebrate the generosity of their Rewarder. He’s the bearded jolly chap known as St. Nicholas or Santa Claus (Sint Klaas as the Dutch settlers called him in Holland). I like to think of him as the quintessential archetype for prosperity. In a tough economy where you may be losing sleep over losing your job, an abundant elf like Santa is vital to our national health and imagination.

Known as the patron saint of giving, Santa might more aptly be known as the patron saint of rapid transit. He’s a veritable master of bilocation. In December, you’ll spot him at the Town Center in Boca Raton, Florida, at the same moment your friends spot him on Broadway in New York City, while others insist he’s also on Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills. Bilocation, shmilocation… Superman may be fast, but Santa is downright omnipresent. He’s more than just a symbol of prosperity, he’s a veritable embodiment of all possibilities.

When I was a small boy, my Uncle Dave was vital to my sense of possibilities. A personification of prosperity, he’d give me the silver dollars he pulled out of my ears with his magic. Dave was a mortal man, so he had his limits, Santa is a myth so he has none. His huge sack full of wrapped goodies is a veritable storehouse of infinite generosity.

This red-suited jolly old guy gives unending presents from just one sack, sleds his way over the rooftops of the world, and shares his bounty with children, the most innocent beings on our planet.

Perhaps St. Nick’s miraculous feats of “sharing-do” are powered by the ever-present mantra he chants– “Ho-ho-ho.” Is this an ancient mantra from China or an esoteric meditation from the North Pole? That ringing bell of his sounds more at home in Tibet than at his snowy digs.

While the holiday season is about love and hope, the girth of St. Nicholas inspires abundance. In December’s endless flashing neon, long checkout lines, and out-of-control credit cards, this archetype of prosperity brings a much-needed smile to the harried shopping class. We shouldn’t even think of foregoing the wrappings and trappings of a saint like Nick, he’s our national symbol of prosperity. Our political leaders forever spout peace and prosperity; these are qualities embodied by Santa Claus.

As I once told students in a prosperity class I gave near the nation’s capital in Alexandria, “Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus.”

Forgiveness helps us to prosper

Anger costs you money. Forgiveness makes you money.  By not discussing the prospering power of forgiveness, The Wall Street Journal is derelict in its duties to its readers who wish to become richer.  Like Hebrew National, I answer to a higher authority.

Allow me a personal digression.  Many years ago, my then sister-in-law returned my letters to my nieces unopened.  I was deeply hurt, yet I took responsibility for our breakdown.  I was expecting her usual angry tirade.  Instead, she suggested we forget the past and create a whole new future.  You could have knocked me over with the proverbial feather.  Within three days I landed my largest client ever, and four days later signed two more.  It typically took about three months to sign three clients; this time it took only seven days!   I also lost 7 pounds in that week without changing what I ate or how I exercised.

Following is a prospering process to “complete” with anyone for whom you have strong unresolved emotions.

1: Write the person a letter you’ll never send. Say how you feel about the horrible things done or said to you, what a terrible low life s/he is.  Don’t hold back, and don’t censor your language.  Release the toxic feelings inside you; if not, they’ll damage you.  Blame this person for everything awful that’s happened.  By the time you finish, you’ll feel lighter.  You’ll have lifted a great weight from your shoulders, a heavy burden from your heart.

2: In this next letter (which you won’t send either), you’re no longer the victim doing the blaming.  The great German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche said that what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.  Find out how knowing this person had made you stronger.

3: Letter #3 is an integration of the two letters, and is intended to be sent. By now, you’ll have released the venom expressed in the first letter, and seen how you’ve grown in relationship with this person.  Describe the incident that caused the upset; then describe how you felt about what happened.  Avoid saying “you hurt me.”  The person did something—the hurt is how you reacted to what was done.  Then describe what you learned from what was done, and how you grew.  Finally, express your gratitude for their role in inspiring your growth.

The Course in Miracles talks about forgiveness and the creation of miracles. The Forgiveness Letter described above has brought miracles in communications, new clients, unexpected income and other wonderful new prosperity.  Be wise, and show it to a close friend, therapist or coach before sending so an objective pair of eyes can scour it and make sure that you are complete with the person you’ve written to, and forgiveness shows through.

The money follows

Last year, a friend, fed up with her job, had read Marsha Sinetar’s Do What You Love, the Money will Follow, http://www.marshasinetar.com/ and saw it as a sign to quit and pursue her bliss–painting.  After nine months, however, the money didn’t follow.  She’s been living off eroding savings.  She asked what to do.

I said if you do what you love the money will follow, but–the time it takes for each person’s money to follow differs.

Christ said if we had faith and asked the mountain to move, it would. Few have such faith; fewer still such bulldozing skills. So, if you do what you love so money will follow, take care of three things first.

1. Save at least six months of living expenses.

This provides a cushion if the money follows slowly.

2. Keep your heart pure.

Money miracles happen to pure hearts.  If you’re angry with others, forgive them.  Open room for unexpected income to flow.

3. Overhaul your mind.

Your consciousness must be prepared to receive the money that follows.  It’s one thing to consciously believe if you do what you love the money will follow; quite another if you believe when you do what you love, the bankruptcy will follow.  A study done among Canadian lottery winners  found that, within five years, the vast majority went broke. Governments dumped fortunes into their laps, but didn’t show them how to handle them.

Affirmations prepare consciousness so money can follow. Here’s one I recommend: “When I do the work I love, the world is enriched and so am I, as money flows to me quickly and easily.” At the left of the page, write the affirmation as 1A.  Below, write, as 1B, the response that arises that disagrees with it. Suppose it’s “If I do what I love nobody will care.”   Below, as 1C, create a new affirmation to treat that response.  A good one for the resistance above is “Spirit supports me when I do the work I love.”

This process releases your unconscious resistance. Write this affirmation 10 minutes a day until its truth manifests in your life.