Are You Acting Like Money Is Bad?

Being Spiritual And Wealthy

Is money bad? Is wealth bad? Can good people, spiritual people, be wealthy? Is it wrong to get paid for helping people?  

I recently responded to a person complaining about a well known spiritual teacher charging money for their offerings.

Most people are okay if doctors, engineers, bankers, psychologists, PhDs, soldiers, et cetera, make money, but take issue if someone makes money teaching about spiritual things. Some think spiritual people shouldn’t make “too much” money, whatever subjective measure they use (generally more than they make). 

I am no exception to these limiting beliefs. I have inherited views on making money from spiritual work. There’s thousands of years of passed down beliefs about the evils of money and righteousness of the poor. 

Ideas that “the less fortunate are more virtuous” tend to be a good way for those with money and power to keep control of the majority. When people believe that the poor are innately holier, they unwittingly keep themselves in lesser circumstances.

It’s tricky because there are good reasons for the underlying judgement that money is bad. There are so many examples where power and money amplified the owner’s inner corruption causing harm to others. Our passed down judgments on money are pervasive, subtle, and deeply engrained.

So what’s the way out?

The first step is to forgive your judgements and recognize your limiting beliefs.

Forgiveness is the key to letting go. You can say forgiveness statements such as: “I forgive myself for judging that being poor is more virtuous. I forgive myself for judging that money is evil, and those who have money are corrupt. I forgive myself for thinking I’m better than them.” And so on.

As you let go of judgements, you start to recognize that money is neither good nor bad, any more than a hammer is good or bad. It’s just a tool to use. An essential tool in modern life. A tool to be very grateful for.

As you let go of your negative judgements on money, power, and wealth, and also your positive judgements about the virtue of being poor or having less, you can start to relate to money from a clearer perspective. Your inner relationship towards money will shift naturally, and will be reflected in your outer experience of material wealth. That doesn’t mean you will be a millionaire, each person has a different karmic path to fulfill, but as your inner relationship to money changes, you will see changes in your life.

When you start to see that everything is just energy, and money is a representation of energy, then you can also start to account for your wealth in even more ways than just money. 

Part of my wealth is living in close proximity to warm, clear ocean waters with world class waves. The beautiful tropical sunsets I get to enjoy are part of my wealth. Living an active lifestyle, leading to greater health of my mind and body, is part of my wealth.

What’s the greatest wealth? Having an enlightened attitude no matter what your conditions are.

Looking from this view, is it wrong for a so called “spiritual teacher” charging money and being materially well off?

Let’s start by getting rid of the separation that somehow only “spritual teachers” are spiritual. We are all spiritual. There is no separation. One of the jobs of a true spiritual teacher is to reflect you back to you. So in that sense, when you judge a spiritual teacher (or anyone really), you are just seeing your own judgements reflected back to you.

If a devotee of a spiritual teacher decides that what they receive in value from their teacher is worth equal or greater than what they are paying, what business is that of yours?

And if that same teacher gives it for free to someone else, what business is it of yours?

Jesus even spoke to this point, that whatever his agreement was with someone was no one else’s business. It was between that person and him.

Just because you judge something, doesn’t make it any of your business.

Your business is choosing where you focus your own energy. That includes your money. When you find someone who shows you the way towards your own awakening, you get to decide if that is worth your energy, including your time, your service, and your money.

In giving to the source of your spiritual teachings, you are giving to that which, for you, represents in this world the Originator of all energy (including money).

Is that bad? I’ll let you decide. 

The wealth of riding a fun wave. Photo of Nat Sharratt by Dario Tani