Sometimes referred to as prosperity thinking, prosperity consciousness is an approach to developing a mindset that focuses on what can be accomplished rather than what cannot be achieved. This approach is utilized in a number of settings, including philosophical, religious, and business.
Many people attribute the origins of prosperity consciousness to the New Thought movement that developed in the latter part of the 19th century in the Midwestern United States or the 20th century New Age Movement that sprang into being in both North American and Europe. Of the two, the New Thought movement is usually credited with incorporating the concept in more tangible ways. Prosperity thinking permeates the structure and function of the function of the fellowships and churches that are associated with the Unity School of Christianity (also known simply as Unity), the largest of the New Thought groups.
Integral to the process of prosperity consciousness is being aware of the opportunities that abound in the world. Those opportunities may be involved with everything from love and spiritual enlightenment to success in a chosen career. It is only after acknowledging that the opportunities are present that the individual can move on to the next step in the process.
Once aware of the possibilities, the individual must seek to understand he or she is worthy of claiming the opportunities that are present. This is often done by recognizing the inherent worth of each person and determining that a Higher Power desires for each person to be fulfilled in this life. Recognizing that the opportunities are open then allows the individual to move on to the next phase, known as claiming.
With claiming, many traditions in prosperity consciousness teach that the individual should be as specific as possible when claiming any type of prosperous opportunity. For example, if the collection of financial resources that will help the family to live a decent standard of living is the goal, the individual would articulate that desire and claim the way to accomplish that. Along with financial opportunities, it is also possible to claim the opportunity to love and be loved by invoking the law of attraction and being open to the presence of new people in the social circle. When the desire is to attract wealth in other areas, such as in spiritual matters, the individual should also articulate the claim specifically in terms of the desire to learn something specific or to find an answer to a specific faith-based question.
While prosperity and wealth consciousness is generally seen as an approach tailored for the individual, businesses can also adopt this same mindset. By engaging in positive affirmation regarding what the business represents and what goals will move the company forward, it is possible to draw on prosperity consciousness to confidently engage in activities that will move the business closer to whatever goals are set by the owners.
