On the Subject of Money

[anshinodharma]

H.W. Percival describes it like this: 

The subject of money and what has monetary value deserves special attention. The possession and the lack of money create today the thousand and one conditions through which the ways of destiny lead. Independence, servitude, fatigue, checks on development, choice of associates, power, opportunity, duty, most of the innumerable predetermined aspects of life in the world, are related to money.

Everybody needs money. It is proper that everybody should have some. Indeed one of the tests of a good government is that all people under it should have the opportunity to earn enough for food, clothes and shelter. Beyond these needs some wants are justifiable according to the position a man holds in the world. If one has no wife or children, less is needed. But the thoughts of man go beyond and demand not only what would be sufficient for their needs and reasonable wants. They want money for luxury and display, for power over others, and some want money for money’s sake. However much they may have, they still want more. Often money, after it has been acquired, has little value. It will not buy health, honor, self-respect; it cannot buy love nor life; nor independence, ease or knowledge.

True independence is what money should help to bring, and little money is enough for that. Though independence varies with one’s position and work in the world, little money is needed to establish it. Cares, troubles and intrigues surround those who desire more than enough. Money does not enlarge the range of independence. Happiness within and assurance without is what all men want, but life never gives them. The nearest approach is independence, however modest it be. Money is one of the smallest requirements. The less one needs and the less he wants from the money god, the more independent that one is.

The money god is a powerful earth spirit, created, kept alive and given his power, like other gods, by the worship of doer portions in human bodies. Under this great earth god are little money gods, special deities for each of the worshippers. Each little money god, in the heart and on the hearth, is nourished by the worshipper, and stands for the great god. The individual gods pass the worship on to the composite great god. This one, in turn, through the hierarchy, aids his worshippers in obtaining money and avoiding losses, in helping them into successful enterprises and lucrative positions, or in keeping them out of financial disasters. But this god cannot give health, comfort or esteem; nor love, cheer or hope; nor can it give protection in the end, when destiny cannot be held back. Often a worshipper having obtained the money worships other gods and uses the money to gratify other desires which his wealth permits. The money god is tolerant while he holds the first place in the heart, but if the new worship, such as that of voluptuousness, drunkenness, ambition interferes, he is a jealous god and revenges himself not only by the loss of money, but by the loss of the things that the money had bought.

He who is born in poverty, who feels at home in poverty and makes no effort to overcome his poverty, is a feeble, indolent and ignorant person, who has done little in the past and so has little in the present. He will be driven by hunger and want or be brought by love of those dependent upon him to work, as the only escape from the dull treadmill of poverty. He who is born in poverty with ideals, talents or high ambitions, may be one who has ignored physical conditions and spent his energies in dreaming and in castle building.

He who suddenly suffers reversals of fortune may be one who in the past has deprived others of their property, or who has neglected to protect his own. The present experience is a lesson necessary to make him feel the physical want and suffering which loss of prosperity brings, and to make him sympathize with others who experience it. Or the loss of fortune may be required by destiny as a check on developing tendencies, or as preparation for other work.

The possession of wealth is the result of work or worship in the present or in the past life. Physical labor, intense desire, worship of the money god, and continual thought, are the means by which money is obtained. Upon the predominance of any one factor will depend the amount.

The unskilled laborer in field, mine or shop, who uses little thought and does not carefully direct his desire, must work hard and long to earn enough for a scanty existence. With more intense desire and more thought, the laborer becomes skilled and is able to earn more. When money itself—not merely food, clothing and shelter—is the object of desire, thinking provides the means by which it may be obtained. Then wider fields are sought, where money is to be made and greater opportunities are seen and taken advantage of.

To obtain vast sums of money a man must have made money the chief object of his life and have sacrificed other interests to the worship of the money god. When he has paid the price in worship, the money god will put him in touch with other men having the same aims, whom he will be able to use in getting the money he craves, or the money god will put him into a position where he can levy directly or indirectly upon a multitude as in the case of tax-eaters, bondholders, army contractors, government builders or franchise owners. Sometimes the money does not come soon, but then it comes in another life in the shape of inheritance, good fortune, gifts, sinecures or pensions, without present work or worship. Yet such things do not happen except for the work and worship of the past.

According to the right or wrong use of money will one suffer or enjoy what money brings. When money is the chief object of one’s existence, he is unable to enjoy fully the physical things which its use can provide, and money makes him indifferent to the wrongs he does, deaf to the sorrows of others and careless of his own true needs. Money, again, is the Nemesis which is the close and constant companion of those who pursue it. So one who finds pleasure in the hunt for money continues the hunt until it becomes a mad chase. Frequently the long hours of thought and labor required to amass his riches have ruined his health and he dies a discontented man.

Money may open up other sources of misery to the money worshipper. He may use his money in ostentation or vice. He often neglects his children and leaves them to be cared for by others. It may be noticed that insanity and degeneracy are frequent among the idle and luxurious offspring of the rich. In their turn, these degenerate children are the money worshippers of other days. The love of money drew them into a rich family, but money is now a curse.

Different from the future of the mere miser or dollar-hunter is that of those who are unscrupulous and dishonest in the acquisition of money. The lot of successful usurers, engrossers of necessaries, sellers of adulterated food, schemers, promoters and floaters of financial bubbles, is in the future that of common thieves or robbers. Persons who individually or as members of privileged classes obtain through force or corruption special privileges to the injury of others, are legalized robbers. These characters, of thieves and oppressors, which they developed, will find their true expression later, when they are externalized.

Then without the cover of legality, money, station or influence, they are born as rogues, and complain of the injustice of their lot. The born thief who is hounded from birth and soon comes to grief is the successful thief of a past life who plundered or defrauded others without then suffering the consequences. He is now paying the debts which he then incurred, whether he was a pilfering servant, a pickpocket, a common spoiler, a robber baron, a tax-eater, a food engrosser, a bribe-taker or any other kind of a cheat or fraud; whether his acts were labelled as crime or not, they were dishonest, that was enough. If he has had the character of a thief, that character eventually becomes externalized physically, when he is the “born thief,” who “never had a chance.” He is marked, outlawed, convicted and caged as a rogue.

The physical suffering which one may have caused, the poverty which he may have brought to others by outwitting them or by depriving them of their property, must all in turn be suffered by him.

One who overvalues the pleasures and indulgences which money can buy, and uses his money to procure these, must be without money at some time, and feel the need of it. The misuse of money brings poverty; the right use of money brings independence and honest wealth.

Money properly procured gives physical conditions for comfort, enjoyment and work for self and others. One who is born of honorable and wealthy parents, or who inherits money, has earned it by his thought and actions; there is no accident of wealth or of inheritance by birth.



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Thoughts on money? Paul said "quick to come, quick to go". 

Why my personal interest in money? 

Freedom. I have a strong dislike for the 9 to 5 grind. 

I realized sitting in an office all day is not natural. It can't be true that this is my purpose for this incarnation - I don't see why sitting in an office all day long, even though I see patients, will foster proper relationship (to use Paul's phrasing). 

It seems to me much better having one's own private practice to spend the time necessary and with people that are strongly motivated to help themselves, too, and just seek expertise that that would build better relationships. Win win?

I would much prefer having the ability to work when I want and spending time with my family on my own terms. 

I would rather not be limited on location either. And to be able to travel somewhat frequently, to see this grand beautiful world.  

I love beauty, structure and peace in my surroundings. Money can help with that. 

Thoughts? 

[paul]

One of the alien accounts on exopolitics.org said that Earth humans are not counted as civilized for various reasons including use of money

My own view is that the Earth Mother knows what each human is worth to the planet

Once when I had not worked for money for 2 years I was a bit concerned. I was told in meditation "The amount of money you have is more precise than you can understand"

Three years later I was employed again and having bought a used car that had various synchronicities, I had $10 in the world until next pay day. And I remembered what I had been told

[stewartedwards]

I know that I tease a lot about money, but I also think that it is one of the most highly addictive substance on Earth. Diverting people and nations into sub optimal decisions. But equally it has many benefits: it enables trade growth, helps allocate resources, and encourages innovation, in addition to the more mundane means of exchange and being a store of value.

An overview of money in my life:

1. I was born into poverty. Money simply didn’t exist beyond paying the rent, and providing most meals.
2. I wanted a better life so I observed what middle class children did (study hard etc) and improved myself, but still broke. So I took part time jobs.
3. University was a bit easier due to grants and part time jobs (I worked the full time equivalent of two years employment during my four year degree). Still poor.
4. I got myself into the global professional and made good money.
5. Other things in my life were taking hold (my wife’s illness and disabilities appearing), and things then went south.
6. For the next quarter of a century until now, I have been poor.

Observations:

1. Money is irrelevant to growth. I think that I have proved that.
2. But money does enable, including enabling growth, which enables: not just lifestyle but importantly experiences that you can then grow further from. Wisely spent it can lift up communities.
3. When I have had money, others around me spent it even more wildly than me, causing debts and related problems.
4. Reflecting back I was gripped by money addiction, hence I understand it. I fully get why, on a bigger scale, new money can destroy families.
5. I also realise that my ego took over when I had money and I once thought that I was invincible. Yeh right. Been cured of that illusion. But again I now know how money can fuel egos and divert you.
6. For the past decade my government (British) has been trying to get ill and disabled people back into work through making welfare harder to get and loosing it over next to nothing. The result has been proven to be fear driven into society (I have lived with this first hand re my wife), increased ill health (putting more pressure on our national health service)and deaths (evidenced by coroners and a Parliamentary Committee). Just now they are planning to turn those screws ever tighter (to enable people!). But that’s politics and government choices.

In short:

1. You need a certain amount of money to lead a decent life.
2. It takes great responsibility to handle money.
3. Money can do as much harm than good, given its addictive properties.

In the history of Britain:

1. Post ww1 our Aristocracy lost a lot of money due to inheritance tax being enacted.
2. During ww2 income tax rates were I believe as much as 98% to help fund the war.
3. Post ww2 we used money to build a more caring nation with free health care at the point of need, and a safety net for the disadvantaged. Sadly since 2010 our government has eroded and destroyed these hard won gains. 12 years to destroy decades of work. Per the point you made above in your post Anshinodharma.

The real issue being: money needs to be used wisely to do good and not harm. It really is destroying people, families and nations. Yet we need it to enable.

Now where is my £16 trillion cash? 💰 (which yes I would have used to drive my country and our world forwards, but sadly I rather think that darkness has too tight a grip and the moment has passed as global war encroaches forwards and our planet fights back against our mismanagement). On the bright side another global war would probably again destroy the excess wealth of the rich, while forcing global powers that be to pause for thought. I do still hope however that spooks spooking, diplomats diploming and politicians acting wisely prevent ww3.

[tundrawolf]

Sept 6, 2023 20:30:16 GMT 9.5 paul said:

One of the alien accounts on exopolitics.org said that Earth humans are not counted as civilized for various reasons including use of money

My own view is that the Earth Mother knows what each human is worth to the planet

Once when I had not worked for money for 2 years I was a bit concerned. I was told in meditation "The amount of money you have is more precise than you can understand"

Three years later I was employed again and having bought a used car that had various synchronicities, I had $10 in the world until next pay day. And I remembered what I had been told

Once, while, working to feed the hungry, I had the same $20 in my wallet for 6 months. I neither made money nor spent it. Yet, I was never better fed, and was content. (Outside of some personal issues with someone who lived near me)

[tundrawolf]

Recently I was robbed of money I had spent years making. I was left, so poor, that I nearly lost the ability to insure my van, or for fuel, and without insurance (Illegal to drive it) or fuel, I then could not work to make more money.

My ads were not producing any work.

As I lay in my bed, consumed by existential dread, I began to realize a few things:

Our monetary system can be pure evil, and preys on the poor (There are more dynamics to it than just this. The god of money had me sacrifice something to sell my property to gain more money. I did, and it did, and I was grateful. Am I, going to remain poor, no, I am working on myself daily to generate money, to attract prosperity, and to work to make, and to keep it, I once had more money in my bank account than probably the top 3% of humans alive today.)

It is also escapable.

Money has a system, and a series of laws, that, you can be as poor or successful as you want, however, the discipline required to travel from poor to wealthy can be difficult, but the road from wealth to poverty is wide, and easy.

I am, working to build my businesses back up, while dealing with, deep spiritual issues, and dynamics and relationships with inner earth groups. So, for me, it is not, "easy". I am curious as to my future in this regard, what it will be. My goal is, to build myself back up, take out loans to grow my business, and eventually retire in a few years.

Realize, just a few months ago, I was realizing I may be homeless, and working a labor job just to afford food.

Money also teaches, the (reckless, thoughtless) love of money (can be, to many) the root of (much) all evil (seemingly, to those without it) but it is the undisciplined soul who often misuses it. I was raised to believe "money was evil", but I was courageous one day, and decided to ask the god of money, what they are like, and they are, just a guy, but very, very good at math, and very intelligent. He will give you what you want, but you have to be worthy/ready. I am trying to allow myself to be taught, so that I am worthy, and ready. Oftentimes a black and white view is easy to rest in, but keeps many vital truths hidden. Such as, do you want to admit money is not evil, and obey the principles to obtain it, or, do you want to remain poor, but feeling virtuous? I have been homeless once, stealing my food to survive, living in a wooden box in the Colorado winter, a straight blade to fend of other homeless people, and a candle to keep me warm. A sense of virtue, did me no good whatsoever. I would rather be wealthy. There is, security in money, and if not, there is danger in poverty.