Spiritual practice and cash

Happy New Year, Samuel.

These seem like beautiful wise questions and points to me. As I read this, it seemed that the process of your looking and the way that you raised it were important. Yes, clear and effective answers would be nice and ways to get what you want would be nice, but the way in which you are wondering appear to me this morning most beautiful. There is a feeling of such balance as you wonder.

I don't have much time to answer with possible ideas of hows, whys and why nots and what I would have to say would be just looking around and speculating at it. It seems you have already done much of that and are doing that, though a frustration may still be there.

There is some of this that I can relate to. And yeah, this idea of "fair" - what's going on with that in our world? As a quick and lightweight answer, there's probably advantages to each direction of getting there - at this moment I feel so many good things about your way. Hope this is OK.

Good stuff! Thanks.

Though I am presently unemployed, I'll take a stab at some advice, Samuel :).

First, it will help immensely if you will start thinking more positively about yourself vis a vis your finances. Comments like, "I have never been very good with money" merely keep you poor. If you visualize yourself that way, you will remain that way. When you catch yourself having want-based thoughts, turn your mind into a more useful direction. Try using positive affirmations on a daily basis, and visualizing yourself as happy and prosperous instead. The 'Law of Attraction' really works - in both directions - so we have to learn how to draw positives into our life, rather than negatives.

Secondly, take a look at your underlying beliefs about the world in general. Life is not fair or unfair, it simply IS the way it is. If we don't like the way it is, then we have the power to change it... but no one else is going to do that for you, you have to do it yourself.

As for the rich getting into heaven, you seem to be a bit turned around, to me. Jesus once commented, "It is easier for a camel to enter in through a needle's eye, than for a rich man to enter into the Kingdom of God." {Luke 18:25}Wealth and riches have traditionally been held to be detrimental to a spiritual life, rather than a proof of it.

As individuals, each one of us knows full-well what we 'want' at any given point in time. The main reason people want to accumulate wealth is so they can have more 'things' - whether those things are books, or tapes, or a paid guru doesn't alter the underlying desire. The IAM is aware of what we each are wishing for, but also knows what we really need to get out of this life.

Knowledge comes from within, Samuel... ask for that, and you will receive it. (In ways you never even imagined.;) 

Carl A.

 Hi Samuel,

I realate to what you are saying buddy!

It makes me think of the line in the Red Hot Chili Peppers song "some of us get a little and some allot, we've got to do the best with what ever we got." I have also been wanting to sign up for some courses and purchase some CD's but my lack of funds leaves me wanting. My financial situation is such that I may very well go bankrupt in the next month. It seems to me that there are a number of questions here. For a while I asked myself,  have I missed the point some where? Am I not spiritual enough to receive these blessings?

Here is something that I learned by taking a course offered by Bill Harris, making money is about offering value. For example I have a BFA in ceramics, graduated at the top of my class and in the years since school I have not made allot of money cranking out coffee mugs. Why is that? Because it is not highly valued in my culture ( I wish someone had of had the subtile means to explain that to me at the time, I would have gone into graphic design). No harm done thought, except to my credit rating, it has opened a number of other interesting doors. The point is that if you want to make money you have to offer something that people want, the more people the better. Making money is not really an exercise in spirituality or self esteem, but it can be if you want to put that emphasis on it. There are allot of spiritual people who have become rich but there are many more rich people who could not give a rats ass for god or any of the other mumbo jumbo we are talking about.

So what's the deal then? Didn't somebody promise me 15 minutes of fame, checks in the mail and empty parking spaces? Who was that any how and did they even know what they were talking about?

I like to think of it like this, we are all just manifestations of Brahma, here to do our little thing so that he gets a break from being everything for a while. Some of us are going to be rich many more of us are going to be poor, some will get swept away in a tidal wave, others crushed in a earth quake, we all have to go some time. While we are here however we have the ability to make choices, we can say "alright this isn't working" let's change it up and see what happens, make choices and in the most rational manner possible be responsible for out lives. Some of us didn't have wealthy parents or dream opportunities fall into our laps, so we are going to have to be resourceful.

For example, you know that you are the Buddha don't you? Ken isn't going to be able to make you see that. You have to know it from the inside. All the wonderful teachers in the world with all of their insight aren't going to be able turn the lights on, it's just you. you are the one. Granted I love to learn new things and see what the other buddhas are up to, but it's solo journey. The Dharma that you are seeking is with in you, and even when you penetrate to the core there will still be room for more, it never stops.

So to sum up my thoughts on your question. When there is no money for new CD's, try second hand books and when there is no money for those, try first hand experience. You can try those in any order you like. When you are scratching you head wondering where the money is, take a cold hard look at things and see what you are offering of value. Maybe you should move, maybe you should try something new. We all have hidden potential, find yours.

I believe that you are on the right track.

Cheers Buddy! 

Sam