Spiritual Musings: There's Nothing "Noble" About Forsaking Money and Wealth!
A large number of so-called "Gurus" will lecture and talk at length about the ostensible "evils" of money and materialism, and people's attachments to same. There's also a lot of spiritual mumbo-jumbo out there about how "one" should forsake material interests (aka "money") in order to gain "freedom" and live a truly spiritual life.
Without meaning to offend anyone... from where I am sitting, it all pretty much comes across as a giant pile of bullshit.
Yes, I just said that.
Hypocrisy Abounds
Let's just begin with the fact that aforesaid gurus typically will pester you at length to buy a $2,500 subscription to their "Mystery School Program" in which they teach you how to not to care about money. Supposedly, you'll see the wisdom of this, and then go on to teach other people to not care about money.
Of course, that makes sense from their perspective, because you'd definitely need to "not care about money" because your pocketbook is going to be drained by the tuition fees!
Cynical? Who... moi?
Meanwhile, it's highly likely that your esteemed teacher is staying in a 5-star hotel and flying first class. I actually know some of this, from contacting potential speakers for some of my wife's workshop events.
"Yes, and I'll need accommodations with an olympic sized swimming pool, and organic meals cooked and brought to our quarters for 8 people, 3 times a day, and two white limousines to and from the airport."
And that's not even much of a joke...
Newsflash!
Forsaking wealth and things material does not make you "more spiritual."
Choosing to deliberately feel like you are always suffering does not make you "more spiritual."
Living in a tin shack in the ghetto does not make you "more spiritual."
Living in some Ashram where you sleep on the floor and eat three bean sprouts and a single lettuce leaf daily does not make you "more spiritual."
What's my point, here?
Well, like most things in life, it's not about pursuing the trimmings and appearances that go with something, it's about finding the "something," itself. And that comes from inside you... not from externals like money, or rejecting money.
If we really need to have money and materialism be part of the spirituality discussion, I'd submit that what (perhaps!) makes you "more spiritual" is giving up being driven by the need to make money and accumulating wealth.
Just take the money out of the "driver's seat" and put it in the back seat instead. But don't kick it out of a moving vehicle, into traffic. That's just stupid, and counterproductive.
Besides, most people just function better when they have a bed, indoor plumbing and regular meals. It makes you a lot less grumpy... the "The Spirituality of Grumpy" is pretty insufferable to be around!
Just something to think about.
So How Did I End up Here?
Well, I was looking over some half-written posts in the "drafts" area of an old blog I used to keep, back when @cosmictriage had a weekly radio show about all things spiritual.
I was the production assistant and occasional "straight man," and we actually had a lot of fun, interviewing a range of people, from ESPN sportscasters to psychics and some of abovementioned Gurus.
In looking at those drafts, I realized that my views on spirituality and life have remained fairly constant. Including my views about "Vows of Poverty" and Spirituality.
Thanks for reading, and enjoy the rest of your week!
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Created at 2023-03-31 00:30 PST
0784/2039
I can see someone becoming more spiritual first, and then forsaking material trappings as a consequence. However, if poverty were the path to sanctification, why are we bothering with charity or foreign aid? People should be thanking warlords and corporate fat cats for promoting spiritual growth!
Precisely! Spiritual awareness comes from within.
I am reminded of a rather cutting remark someone once passed: "If you think you need a CAR to express your personality, what you need is a PERSONALITY, not a CAR!"
Here’s an excerpt from Atlas Shrugged that I require the students in one of my entrepreneurship courses to read and comment on.
https://www.capitalismmagazine.com/2002/08/franciscos-money-speech/
I do make a big distinction between being wealthy and have a decent life. For the average person a decent life is mostly equated to wealth--having a lot of money (which in a wealthy individual's purview isn't a lot), which is not always the case. And I see this grow into something horrible,the obssession with the symbols of wealth: a flashy car; a luxurious home, all to portray an imagine that is not consistent with who they are or how they feel about themselves.
Now in terms of spirituality in relation to money, there is little to no correlation. As you said one doean't need less to be more spiritual. In fact having money can free up time so one can pursue their spiritual journey with little distractions. At the end of the day people who truly want to have a deep emotional and spiritual connection need introspect and connect with the thing that gives their life meaning. It doesn't have to be something grand. For me I need deep meaning communing with myself and putting out my thoughts into the world. It doesn't take much to do that.
Promoting poverty as a moral good seems a very clever manipulation by those who already have (or seek to have through exploitation) a measure of wealth. When a single country has two or three individuals who between them have more wealth than 50% of the lowest wealth owning individuals put together, I start wanting a definition of wealth.