From the Heart: The Book of Deservingness

As we proceed into 2012 we must be clear on our vision of who we are, the goals we hold most sacred, and what we deserve. In the Jewish religion, at the outset of the New Year adherents offer each other the blessing, “May you be inscribed in The Book of Life,” meaning, “May you live healthfully and joyfully during the coming year.”

The Book of Life contains a chapter called The Book of Deservingness. Its appropriate blessing might be, “May you know deep within your soul that you deserve to have all the good things your heart desires.” Abraham-Hicks explains that there are two key elements to achieve any manifestation: desire and deservingness. When you seek to attain any goal, Abraham suggests that you focus on two questions: “Why do I want this?” and “Why do I deserve this?” When you are clear on those two answers, all the good that is yours will come to you.

Here are three true stories from The Book of Deservingness:

(1) I occasionally visit a lovely retreat center, Harbin Hot Springs, near Calistoga, California, where some of the best massages on the planet are generously doled out. I used to go to Harbin for three or four days to renew myself before or after a lecture tour. During that period I would usually sign up for one massage. Soon after I arrived one day I went to the massage register to record my name in the blank for my massage appointment. Looking through the schedule of signups, I noticed that one fellow had signed up for a massage every day for three days. The idea of doing this struck me as a revelation — a person could have a massage three days in a row if he wanted! I had never even considered this possibility, since on some subconscious level I considered so much pleasure to be gluttonous or self-indulgent. But when I saw that this fellow had dove into the very heart of the pleasure machine, I realized that such an act was doable — and I really wanted to do it to. I gleefully registered for massages three days in a row, and went on to love every minute of them. I don’t remember that fellow’s name, but if I did I would thank him profusely for serving as a mind stretcher and helping me inscribe myself in The Book of Deservingness.

(2) I was presenting a seminar on prosperity when a woman raised her hand and posed this dilemma: “I am a Red Cross fundraiser. After a hurricane or flood I swing into action and raise millions of dollars in a short time to aid the victims. Meanwhile I’m struggling with my own finances and I have hard time paying my rent and other bills each month. Why is that?”

I thought about her situation and told her, “When you know that you deserve to have your rent and bills paid as confidently as you know that the disaster victims deserve to have their needs met, you will raise the funds for your own important needs.”

(3) My coaching client Ted has served as a firefighter for 25 years. Recently he told me that he is retiring and he would like to move with his wife from New Hampshire to Florida. The couple is tired of the cold New Hampshire winters and ready for some sunshine. “We’ve made an arrangement to rent a Florida home for a month this winter,” he told me. “We’d really like to stay for three months,” he admitted.

“Then why don’t you stay for three months?” I had to ask.

“That seems like a lot to ask,” he answered shyly.

I told Ted, “You have been saving people’s lives for 25 years. You’ve courageously burst into burning buildings and rescued adults, children, their pets, and possessions. Many people are more grateful to you than most other people in their lives. Don’t you think someone who has offered such service deserves to have three months in the sun — let alone the rest of your life?”

“When you put it like that, it makes sense,” Ted replied. “I’ll stretch the one month to three,” he added.

We all have a part of our mind that feels limited to a one massage only; other people deserve, but not me; one month but not three mentality. To step into our true deservingness, we must question that limit and find reasons for our greater deservingness, reinforced by models of those who are manifesting what we desire and demonstrating that the bigger vision is possible and doable.

Many predictions for 2012 are linked to the Apocalypse. While the word has many dark connotations, its literal meaning is “the lifting of the veil,” the drawing aside of the curtain of illusion and the revelation of the greater truth. One of the most formidable illusions under which we have suffered is the illusion of unworthiness. That illusion is written nowhere in the Book of Deservingness. Perhaps we would all do well to take that volume from the shelf, dust it off, and give it a good read. You might just find your name in it.

Alan Cohen is the author of many popular inspirational books, including his newly-released Enough Already: The Power of Radical Contentment. Join Alan for his life-transforming Mastery Training this summer, and on his weekly Hay House Radio show, Get Real. For more information about Alan’s books, programs, or his free daily inspirational quotes via email, visit www.alancohen.com  email info@alancohen.com , or phone 1-808-572-0001.