Managing money on the Spiritual Journey.
Many monks regard money as something infernal and refuse to accept it, but I am not one of them. I consider it important to convey that money is basically a positive karmic reward for the benefits shown in countless past lives, if of course you have come by it honestly. At least that is what we in India believe. So, in my real spiritual journey here in the 21st century Europe and the Czech Republic, I accept money naturally without abusing it. It helps me live in relative abundance on my monastic path. The old way of living on alms in kind, for example by accepting food from the public, was only possible in the West in the Middle Ages, in the time of Francis of Assisi. So fear not to accept the money that Someone keeps forwarding to you in a balanced way. I have no idea why we, the disciples of Maheshwarananda and Mahaprabhuji, are always living in self-sufficient “prosperity”. We do have everything we need. Basically, it is an interesting “game” of having the funds necessary to live constantly flowing in and out of your bank account. I myself once lived as a street monk, a Franciscan. I played the flute for the people, earning alms for the daily meal. Even though I was hard at work, I was always paid handsomely for it. I know not how it works – such is the game of God. Money is certainly not evil and having enough of it makes life in this world much easier. You should cheerfully reward everyone for their every act of kindness and every kind of service towards you. This market economic society needs this healthy attitude and relationship with money in order to live relatively freely and well. I have nothing against money as long as it is not accumulated in a senseless and egoistic way. Stop hoarding money – invest it! Expect nothing from anyone for free. Make a habit of paying someone for every act of kindness. Be generous. At least that is how I do it and I am still satisfied. As generous as you are in the present, you will be rich one day in the future. This is especially true in relation to spiritual people as well as spiritual projects and goals.
© Swami Gyaneshwarpuri
E-mail: yoga@gyaneshwarpuri.cz
Web: www.hermityoga.cz
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SWAMI GYANESHWARPURI POUSTEVNÍK
