LIfe In The Shallows.

Is there is change in the air? Could there be a shift toward frugal thinking? Has the world finally "got it" or is it just that the economy isn't cooperating with our spending habits? Maybe it is something more. This New York Times article calls the economy "fitful" and talks about the changes that so many are having to make in their budgets due to the fact that they have been living far above their means Pulling out all their home equity and maxing out their credit cards has left many in a state of despair .

Patty at Morning Ramble wrote interesting post about peer pressure that addresses the reasons that many people slip onto this treadmill of debt. This is a subject that my friends and I have been discussing lately. Specifically how to help our children avoid the trap of thinking that they have to live a certain lifestyle to be successful and to understand clearly where real success in life lies.

Financial responsibility is helped by emotional maturity; but another factor that isn't often addressed as having a impact is our spiritual maturity or awareness, the ability to live life in a more meaningful way.

Martha Beck wrote an interesting article on Oprah.com about the book The Secret. I'll admit that I not too sure about the philosophy behind this book. I still haven't read it; but I thoroughly enjoyed Martha's article.

The article gives a description of different levels of existence, or awareness, of how we live our lives and how the laws of attraction work. The surface level is called "The Shallows" The way I understand it is that the Shallows is a place where we live our lives on the most superficial level. A place where we live life with a great deal of fear and surround ourselves with unnecessary things, relationship drama, food, or even drugs or alcohol in an effort to satisfy those desires or squelch the feelings we don't know how to handle.

On this level there is no peace to be found. We keep feeding these feelings what we think they need but the desires are never satisfied for along.

Martha goes on to describe the "Ring of Fire" we must go through to reach the place in life where we can live a life of gratitude, satisfaction and the laws of attraction.

The law of Attraction is where I have difficulty. Supposedly we can reach a place where the wants and "needs" of living in the Shallows disappear and we have enough. Then what we need and/or desire will come to us.

It reminds me of the bible verses where we are told not to worry about the basics of clothing and food but to consider the birds of the fields and how their needs are met. Instead we should focus on the things of importance in life and have faith that God will provide.

I'm interested in reading this book and seeing if it supports my idea of it. If anyone has read it or seen the video let me know what you think.