Perhaps the most disempowering thing I hear from earnest seekers on the spiritual path is that many Enlightened Beings were poor, and they often point to Jesus and Buddha. 

Yet Jesus and Buddha never told anyone that there was inherent virtue in being materially poor. (I explain more below).

Of course, having copious amounts of material wealth does not bestow any virtues to us either! It can be a mental prison, locking us into the warped idea that we are somehow better than all the other less materially abundant people around us.

So many people continually compare themselves to others – and judge others if they don’t measure up to certain standards – standards which are defined by a less-than-enlightened society.

Yet that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t have and enjoy material wealth, or seek to to have it!

When you you are materially abundant and aware of your inner riches also, then you understand that the ‘law of circulation’ can be used to materially and spiritually bless others.

You also will enjoy what you have, and stop the negative comparison to others. You may observe that others have less, or more, than you – but you will stop making judgments about them, and yourself!

There is no separation between the material and spiritual aspects of Creation except in our minds. We are split inside ourselves because of erroneous teachings which have been passed down to us.

If materialisation of our ‘spirit’ wasn’t meant to be, then we wouldn’t be here as incarnated souls. The choice isn’t being ‘material or spiritual’. We are here to embrace both material and spiritual. To live in matter, but not be overly attached to the illusion. It is a question of discernment.

When you have money, you can provide for yourself — you learn to manifest, and stop having ‘root chakra’ imbalances around money and security. You can also provide for your family (spouse and children), and if you truly recognise your abundant nature, you will demonstrate loving kindness by giving to those less fortunate as well as to organisations who are seeking to change many great imbalances in this world. You may even start your own business which employs others and gives them an opportunity to use their gifts in this world!

There are many good things you can do with money – and you can’t do certain things if you don’t have money. Our world presently relies upon the exchange of currency to move energy. If you don’t have enough money circulating in your life, then your personal energy will be stuck and it will most likely feel limiting and frustrating.

When you see others around you having money or enjoying money, does it trigger a perception of lack, and perhaps judgments that that life is unfair?

Do you have thoughts like ‘money doesn’t grow on trees’ and other imprisoning beliefs?

Do you lash out at others who appear to have lots of money – and worse, enjoys having it? Do you resent those who are enjoying life, whilst you are not?

Do you equate earning money with ‘hard work’, and ‘proving yourself’?

Take a moment to check in… what are your beliefs about money and material wealth? Now would be a good time to look at your belief structure around money, if life is not showing up as you would like it to, and if you are struggling to make ends meet all the time.

Enlightened Beings would never advocate poverty as a ‘way to heaven’ or ‘way to nirvana’. To say otherwise is to pervert their teachings.

Jesus, for example, said ‘blessed are the poor in spirit’. By poor, he meant meek, so he was talking about being humble. He asked people to turn away from material wealth because he clearly saw that it was their attachment to material goods which was blinding them to their true nature.

They made money their God, and lived a life of spiritual lack.

Today, we see the same issues at hand for those always chasing the money.

Buddha did not despise or condemn money but merely turned away from material wealth because it did not serve his Soul’s larger agenda. Yet, that did not mean he could not manifest wealth if he truly wanted to!

At that time, however, it was important for him to show the people that finding the Riches of the Inner Self was more important than simply having material pleasures.

Buddha never said you couldn’t have both, just that it was harder for those trapped in material desires to really know themselves.

In fact, all enlightened beings have said this.

Often a person who returns to their Inner Being will seek a more simplistic lifestyle. Yet, that doesn’t necessarily mean they can’t have wealth, or won’t have wealth.

When you choose to live your life on purpose, with integrity, you will surely come to know that you can have both material and spiritual comforts. However, usually putting your spiritual nature first is vital, else you run the risk of falling into the illusion that material comforts alone will bring you the happiness you seek.

Seek your Spiritual Self first, and everything else will be added.

If you are ‘spiritual’ you can have and enjoy money, so long as you are not attached to it, and so long as you are not seeking to find your sense of self through having more and more money.

It’s certainly not ‘spiritual materialism’ to accept money when following your inner calling and using your gifts to help others — especially if those gifts happen to be spiritual ones!

When people stop equating spirituality with poverty, then many more people in the world will stop rejecting their innate spirituality.  And the world will change for the better!