How to understand "Money is the root of all evil"

"Money is the root of all evil" ? This is a misquote.

The real quote, from the New Testament is "The love of money is a root of all kinds of evil." ~ from 1Timothy 6:10.

In other words: Greed causes a variety of problems! We can all agree on this.

There's a famous study by Boston College's Center on Wealth & Philanthropy, which has studied rich people for decades. In this study, they talked with people who have more than $25 Million in assets. They discovered that they felt anxious about money! These super rich people felt that they needed, on average, 25% more money in order to feel secure.

Amazing, isn't it? But guess what -- we too are vulnerable to that type of anxiety. We are human beings, just like them.

As long as you are a human being with the unexamined belief that "more money is better", you will be susceptible to fear and greed.

As long as you are in this body of flesh and blood, you are vulnerable to #greed, and its cousin, fear. Don't ever get so "spiritual" that you believe you're no longer corruptible... we are all vulnerable, and we all need to do the inner work of returning again, and again, to our higher values.

Here is the inner work I recommend to continually free ourselves from greed and fear:

1. Remind yourself frequently -- using rituals that are meaningful to you -- about the higher power in your life. That higher power will ensure that you always have enough, as long as you are meant to be alive. Therefore, you don't have to try so hard to "control" your security. Your future is always secure.

2. Frequently return to appreciating the things (and money) that you already have, however much or little it may be. Rather than always seeking novelty, notice and love the nuances of life, which are ever present and ever more deep.

When it comes to having enough money, I recommend this twin focus:

SERVICE -- what strengths can you offer (or can develop) that the market (i.e. other people) would love to buy?

STEWARDSHIP -- how can you more wisely spend the money you have, not on get-rich-quick ideas, or things you don't truly need, but on the things and services that will truly fulfill you, and that are good for the world?

#money #consciousliving

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