Since the movie ‘ The Secret ‘, presented as a shocking statement that we all can create the world into our liking, the word abundance has become part of the spiritual vocabulary. Thousands or better millions of people have been trying to turn their lives into a more pleasant one, including material benefits. And although the ‘secret ‘ message wasn’t so secret at all, and in fact not about ‘ how to get rich ‘ in the first place, it was a big aid to get a better understanding of abundance itself.
And there is still work to be done.
I have met quite a few people who are convinced that poverty or a lack of material goods is a favorable condition for the spiritual traveler. Just have enough to survive and further more give up all earthly comfort. Often refered to the story of the Buddha living in solitude a while, or Ramana Maharshi living and meditating in a cave. It is true that for some seekers a time of solitude in harsh condition can be a purification. In general I wouldn’t recommend it. We are not used to solitude and our body isn’t fit to cut heavily on nutrition.
Having a lot of earthly goods: money, estates, companies, VIP-status is often seen as a curse as a part of some deeper karmic pay-back, before even being ready to jump on a spiritual train of joy and happiness. The way of the enlightened one living in a barrel or the way of the billionaire living in one of his mansions. Your ‘choice ‘: it is one way or the other. Somehow there seems no path in between. And if you would start to think you are different and could be living a dream life in the middle of luxury earthly goods, and still be leading a spiritual congregation, some priest or new age teacher would try to get you back on a more ‘ realistic ‘ path.
Six of Coins from the Rider-Waite Tarot deck (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Where there is a lot, it finds itself a way to disperse
I was around the age of 18 when I started to study The Tarot and I Ching both. Till today I still consider them both, including a deeper knowledge of astrology, to be very convenient to get a better understanding of the momentum of daily Life.
In the Tarot the meaning of the suit of Pentacles is all about the way the world of objects build and destroys itself. You as in one of the objects takes part in this dance. For instance when you raise a lot of material wealth in your life you are invited to share it with people who are less fortunate than you. Where there is a lot, it finds itself a way to disperse. We can see this mechanism everywhere in nature. The same we see in the I Ching where the road of the nobleman is a major part through out the book. The one who has been given it all has the obligation to share it the rest of his people.
As in realising awareness it is a nearly extinct path.
I hope you carefully understand that this has nothing to do with being a ‘ better person ‘. I am not advertising to persuade millionaires to become philanthropists. I am just explaining why living a life of increasing material wealth, brings its own natural obligations. And therefore its own magical possibility to know thyself. So it is very important to realise your circumstances when the money-train hits your Life.
This is the way of the nobleman. The world seems to have forgotten about this road. It is a tough one. Just like the road of the hermit meditating in a cave it asks a lot of courage. Every moment of his life the rich man has to realise that he has this gift to make material profit just for the benefit of others. The evolution of man tought us how to help our own species survive. The one having or getting it all took a huge responsibility and was therefore able to learn the lesson of matter. As in realising awareness it is a nearly extinct path. Forgotten over the ages.
With so many people exploring the path of abundance, seen in the light of the current flaws of our monetary system, I am sure the principle of the nobleman will become bigger than ever. In the coming time I will go deeper into this.
Advaitaman 