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Whilst it is true that meditation creates the mental and spiritual environment for a more balanced and whole person, this does not have any direct correlation to our world’s judgement of success.

In fact to be really ‘successful’ or authentically ‘prosperous’ has very little to do with our old paradigms which may be more about being rich or famous.

Authentic prosperity is more holistic. It looks at the complete picture and the balance of us as a whole. To be really authentically prosperous, we need to look at many aspects of ourselves.

For example; are we time prosperous? Do we have enough time? Or are we constantly feeling time poor or in poverty as far as time is concerned? If we are time prosperous, we would always feel like there is enough time, that we are not fighting to get the things done we want to do. We would feel that time is our friend and not something we have to constantly fight against. We might even be aware that it is in the present moment that our power lies and that we should not be imprisoned by our past or future.

Are we prosperous in joy? Do we feel that our life is fully of joy and laughter or are we living in scarcity as far as joy is concerned? Perhaps we are lost in the past thinking that as a child there were really joyful moments in our life but now as an adult that joy has gone. Have you tied all sorts of adult conditions, such as "I'll be happy when or if". Can you reflect on the child-like qualities of you, and ponder that real simple, innocent joy of a child in the present moment.

What about peace? Are we prosperous in peace? Do we feel so calm and at peace with ourselves that we can offer peace to others without conditions or expectations? Or are we restless, stressed, anxious or uneasy, do we lack peace? Remember that peace in the world is founded in the peace inside of ourselves. All the wars and polarisation can only be solved by us, with our peace.

Are we prosperous in wisdom? If we are rich in wisdom we would feel that there is not a problem in the world that we could not have the answer or find the answer within. When wisdom is scarce we might feel that the world is a frightening place that we could never completely understand and therefore we have to make prejudiced or uninformed decisions, perhaps even lurching into religious or political fundamentalism.

Are we prosperous at work? Do we feel as though work is endlessly fascinating, something we love or is our work a chore, something of poor quality, little challenge and imprisoning rather than freeing?

What about the big one? What about love? Are we prosperous in love? Do we really feel loved? In hundreds or thousands or millions of ways – do we feel loved? Or is love so lacking in our life that we feel that no-one cares or understands or that we are unlovable? Do we have only one or two avenues to love and therefore feel fragile and needy? Are we truly able to feel love for our own heart, our own self?

Even comfort in our lives. Are we prosperous in comfort? Do we have a nice comfortable house, a dry and comfortable bed? Are we comfortable in our living space? Or is it dirty and unkempt? Or perhaps fashionable but not functional?

Lastly are you prosperous financially? This does not mean that you are rich, it just means that whatever you need; arrives. There are many people that are not rich but are financially prosperous because everything they could ever want is available to them, whilst others that are very, very rich live in a state of lack and can never have enough. They live in poverty whilst outwardly being multi-billionaires.

So authentic prosperity has nothing to do with luxury or lots of money but everything to do with being here now. Being present in the fullness of our hearts in this moment.

The ego is constantly in a state of lack always looking for more so is in poverty in all its dimensions, whilst our hearts, the point of connection with meditation, are completely in touch with our fullness, our prosperity in all things.

The ego says ‘I need more, there is never enough, therefore I have to fight against everyone and everything to take what I lack’ whilst the heart says ‘I am all, complete and whole, there is nothing to fear and all is well’.