This article will help you tell the difference between where your supply comes from and symbols of supply. If you don't have clarity on this point, it's easy to get confused and believe that symbols of supply are actually your supply.

In his book The Infinite Way, Joel Goldsmith tells the story of the orange tree and distinguishes between supply and symbols of supply. When we look at an orange tree laden with fruit it may appear the oranges are our supply, but are they? When the oranges have been eaten, or sold, or given away has our supply disappeared? No, a new crop starts at once to grow. He talks about how in the tree there is a law in operation. He writes, "Call it a law of God or a law of nature -- the name of the law is not too important, but the recognition of the presence of a law operating in, through, or as, the tree is important.

The orange is the result or effect of the operation of this law. As long as this law is present we will have oranges. The orange itself cannot produce another orange. Thus we understand that the law is the supply and oranges are the fruits, the results or the effect of the law." Even when the manifestations (the oranges) are not visible the supply is still there. The supply is the tree's ability to constantly reproduce more oranges because it is connected to an invisible endless resource center.

The orange tree knows exactly what it is here to do and if it is given the right "receptive" conditions to prosper, the manifestation of its supply will continue on and on, year after year. How does this apply to our life? Can we really have faith that things will work out and that we will always have supply? Can our mind take a break from anxiety and stress? It can when we realize that the same law that is operating in the orange tree operates in us.

Once we realize that this law is present within us at all times, we have an infinite supply, but without this recognition we'll always be looking to the world for our supply. This process works the same way with money. Money is the fruit of the tree or a symbol of supply. Even if the tree is bare or our bank account is empty, we still have our supply; the law is always working within us. We may be successful in gathering symbols of supply, but that doesn't mean we have supply.

Once we know our supply lives within us we feel safe to act on the inspiration, ideas, intuitions, and guidance we receive. If we put our faith in the symbols of supply, our attention moves toward accumulating and hoarding more and more symbols while living in fear that what we have can be taken away. It is easy to get confused and think our money is our supply or that our boss, client, or spouse is our source. It may appear that way for awhile until we get fired or run out of money.

Like the orange tree, our supply comes from our connection to source, our awareness of source. It is not located out in the world. When we realize that our prosperity lives within us and cannot be taken away, our fear subsides. Even if we're having a difficult time moving beyond fear, the good news is spirit never gives up on us. Rather it waits patiently for us to say yes and then comes rushing in.

Spirit speaks to us individually. The inspiration we're receiving is different from the inspiration someone else is receiving. Looking outside ourselves to figure out how to live our life, never really works. We have to quiet our minds and listen to receive what it is spirit wants to express through us. Once we receive the guidance our connection is secure and the most direct route for manifesting our symbols of supply will be revealed.