‘Money in your pocket is fine, just don’t let it rule your mind’

Money is in many ways the world’s ruling obsession. What is remarkable is how early the preoccupation begins.

Is there anything wrong with money? Not at all. There is a pervasive idea that spirituality and money do not go together. This is a misconception. There is nothing inherently dirty about money. Money in the pocket, like sex in the body, is not a problem. It is only a problem when it enters the mind.

But once you decide whether your life is a failure or success based on the size of your bank balance, it is a tragedy. Money is something that we created. It has no value other than that which we attribute to it. If we allow it to become bigger than us and rule our lives, we have only ourselves to blame.

Examine this closely. It is not money that we are really seeking, but access — access to joy and well-being. As a facilitator, money is fine. But as an end, it will only produce frustration, because it has no innate value. Some people take a whole lifetime to discover that. Their lives seem hollow and empty at the close, because they made the mistake of seeing wealth as an acquisition rather than an instrument, as the destination rather than the journey.

Above all, if money is seen as a tool to enhance yourself, you will be deeply disappointed, because there will always be someone who has more than you. Money is a currency, not a commodity. As a thing, it cannot give joy because it was always intended to be only a means, not an end.

As an adolescent, I never understood what the big fuss over money was about. I always knew how to earn enough to buy fuel to fund my motorcycle expeditions. And having survived for weeks in the jungle, I knew that money definitely does not rule the world!

My suggestion to young people would be simply this: Do not cripple yourself with an obsessive or competitive attitude towards money. Ask yourself what you really want. Do not get caught up in the process. You will find that you always have enough to do what you really want. This is not so difficult for a person of reasonable intelligence. A savings account is of great use for the things you want in your life. But be clear why you are accumulating wealth. You will find that you can have a wonderfully fulfilling life without making money your sole pursuit.

Essentially, what everyone is seeking is a beautiful and joyful life. How can you live ecstatically? This is the only question you are really debating. How much knowledge, love or money do you think you need to get there? Don’t handicap yourself by thinking only money will do it. There are a thousand ways to lead a life of joy and fulfilment.