The Trance of Scarcity: Stop Holding Your Breath and Start Living Your Life

By Victoria Castle

Do you ever tell yourself that you're not enough? Not smart enough, not rich enough, not good enough, not fill-in-the-blanks enough? Or do you worry that there is not enough: not enough time, not enough money, not enough opportunity, not enough…whatever? Consciously and unconsciously, dozens of times a day, we tell ourselves that we are lacking, that our lives are lacking, that the universe is lacking. We lull ourselves into what Victoria Castle calls the “Trance of Scarcity”—a numbed state in which we're crippled by the pervasive assumption that lack, struggle, and separation are our unavoidable fate. But what if it is the very story we tell ourselves—both as individuals and as a society—that keeps us trapped in this limited state? Here Castle shows you how to embody a new story—one that is about abundance, inspiration, and your own innate ability to create your reality. Once you break free from the Trance of Scarcity, you'll be able to live a more meaningful and fulfilling life.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Berrett-Koehler Publishers, Inc.
• Release date: Jan 1, 2007
• ISBN: 9781605094311

Victoria Castle

Victoria Castle coaches Fortune 500 executives, business owners and social entrepreneurs. For over twenty years, leaders and organizations have sought her guidance for how to be purposeful and effective in the midst of chaos and pressure. As a Master Somatic Coach, Victoria teaches at several post-graduate and professional programs and speaks at national conferences for business, women, and social activism. For more information on Victoria’s speaking schedule and newsletter, visit www.tranceofscarcity.com.

Reviews for The Trance of Scarcity

[bkinetic_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

The main point of the book is that the experience of abundance in life depends on your psychological outlook. Castle explores the way in which personal narrative, generosity, and openness, among other concepts, influences either a sense of abundance or its opposite, scarcity and constriction. This is a useful perspective that psychologically complements the emerging literature of voluntary simplicity. The book would be improved by connecting the message to previous work in this area, such as Thoreau's Walden and the literature of Zen Buddhism. Seligman's work in learning optimism is mentioned only in passing, but as a research base for this line of thinking it deserves more coverage and integration. But overall this is a book that will help many people who are seeking alternatives to materialism and consumerism.