Once you learn to use money rightly, you will find gains on many levels. Your abundance in energy and joy will all expand. I had an interesting experience many years ago. I undertook what was, for me, an important project. I was doing it for others. As things turned out (don’t they always turn out that way?), it proved far more expensive than I anticipated. I had, at first, to earn almost all the money for this project on my own. This meant going out and giving classes in many cities, and working harder than I’d ever worked before. It meant money worries I’d never had before. And it meant worrying that I was getting enmeshed in materialism— a serious concern for me, as I’ve always tried to live life by higher, spiritual values.
It was only at the end of this long struggle that I discovered what my real gain had been. It was far more spiritual than material. True, I had earned lots of money. I had paid off the debts I’d incurred to finish the project. Beyond that, however, and inestimably more important to me personally, by doing what I had to do and not shirking the challenge, and by doing it for others, I found myself inwardly much stronger, more energetic, more confident of my ability to handle whatever challenge life chose to give me next. Above all, I felt closer to god.
During the process of earning the money to pay for that undertaking, it was a surprise to me, and a great reassurance, to come upon two statements by Paramhansa Yogananda on the spiritual aspects of moneymaking. The first of these was a promise he’d made to a student of his to the effect that, by helping his mission monetarily, the student would make more rapid spiritual advancement. The second statement was more general— ‘making money honestly and industriously to serve god’s work is the next greatest art after the art of realising god.’ I used to look upon moneymaking as a rather sordid necessity of life, but I’ve come to see the need for it as a great spiritual opportunity. Indeed, as I said earlier, my greatest gain from undertaking this project was the spiritual power, the faith, the will power and energy that this service gave me.
It is an interesting fact that many businessmen, once they decide to devote their lives and service to god, make rapid spiritual advancement. Earlier, even if they used their energy selfishly, at least they used it! In the process, they learned to focus powers which they could now apply toward meditation and higher development. Such people come out far ahead of many who feel that they are more spiritual simply because they scorn involvement in earning money.
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