Are Wealth And Spirituality Compatible Or Do They Orginate From Two Different Levels Of Consciousness?

[Flower]

I thought this could be an interesting discussion. I am not looking for any answer, it is just an interesting topic to get some opinions of what others think?

Can a person be rich, live affluently and indulge in lifes pleasures yet still be spiritual in the same sense?

Often with spirituality, associated notions are that it is non-materialistic, not egoistic (where desire comes in) and higher consciousness is not in the realm of physical hedonistic pleasures. So how can the two (richness and say seeking spiritual enlightenment) be reconciled.

My personal opinion is that they can be compatible, so long as the person sees his wealth, attachment and desires for what they are and is not a servant to them ( although this must be supremely difficult!)  Where a person posseses wealth, but wealth does not possess the person- so the person is not attached to it as such. 

Can a person persuing spiritual enlightenment also persue wealth and status? 

I believe @Leo Gura thinks so, and I also think it is possible but difficult not to let one contaminate the other.

what are your thoughts? 

Enjoy discussing!

Edited April 14, 2016 by Flower

[SkyPanther]

I think they can be compatible.

However after a while, and depending on the path, you won't actively or consciously pursue material gain because you might come to the realization that it is irrelevant.  There is "need" and "want", and people tend to confuse the two.  

You need food, water, shelter.  But the food can be a few cups of rice and protein a day, and shelter can be a foot of a tree or a shack. 

It is no coincidence that a lot of fully enlightened beings become ascetics and later take the vow of renunciation.  It is not so much a denial of things you want (though it might be for people that just start on the path) it is that you realize that you don't need the things you think you need to be happy. And, in fact, you are happier when you are not worrying about your stock portfolio, paying the mortgage on your house, and meeting deadlines at work. 

That's just my sense though.

Edited April 14, 2016 by SkyPanther

[Leo Gura]

Sure, take a look at Osho for example.

91 Rolls Royces, lol.

[Flower]

1 hour ago, Leo Gura said:

Sure, take a look at Osho for example.

91 Rolls Royces, lol.

Funny you say that Leo, because I read about that and that is what got me thinking about this question in the first place! 

[vizual]

You can, but I'd imagine that an enlightened person would be way less inclined to actually attract an obscene amount of money just for the sake of it. He realizes he can easily do so if he wants, but what is the point of attracting more money than you actually need? An enlightened person already has everything he ever needs, what's a bunch of useless money going to do? Sure, he can still make a living, buy a nice house, a nice car. But getting 'rich' for the sake of it is pure ego, not something an enlightened person would be bothered to indulge in.

 

Edited April 15, 2016 by vizual

[Henri]

.....thought the Rolls Royces were all gifts?

[Flower]

@Henri  They were, but aside from that he was a wealthy man. 

He did enjoy his material things and saw materialism and spirituality as not only compatible but also as requiring each other.

 

[Flower]

8 minutes ago, Dummy said:

As I understand it, all his wealth were gifts, and he didn't actually "own" anything to his name or account. He simply had a gazillion rich followers who took care of him like royalty.

I'm not too sure. I don't really know enough about his life to say anything very definitive. 

[Saarah]

They probably are compatible because a spritiual person would know not to attach a judgement to a substance like money, and that anything is whatever you make of it, all meaning is subjective

Some people see wealth as evil and greedy and others see it as a means to live a quality life because you have more freedom that way

And just like how spiritual people would not judge someone for being rich or poor they can't judge themselves for being rich or poor and so if they were rich they wouldn't feel guilty in any way because spirituality is all about the inner work regardless of the outer circumstances so they'd be happy to continue on being rich and spiritual 

This is something I've needed to clarify for myself too, I've recently been very focused on creating financial freedom as early as possible for myself for when I leave my family it feels like life or death but at the same time I felt like i was heading in the wrong direction if ultimately in my life I stayed stuck on that goal 

[Flower]

'A senior monk and a junior monk were traveling together. At one point, they came to a river with a strong current. As the monks were preparing to cross the river, they saw a very young and beautiful woman also attempting to cross.

The young woman asked if they could help her cross to the other side. The two monks glanced at one another because they had taken vows not to touch a woman. Then, without a word, the older monk picked up the woman, carried her across the river, placed her gently on the other side, and carried on his 
journey.

The younger monk couldn’t believe what had just happened. After rejoining his companion, he was speechless, and an hour passed without a word between them.

Two more hours passed, then three, finally the younger monk could contain himself any longer, and blurted out “As monks, we are not permitted a woman, how could you then carry that woman on your shoulders?” The older monk looked at him and replied, “Brother, I set her down on the other side of the river, why are you still carrying her?” 

I think if we take the women  in this story to represent worldly things or wealth then spirituality is compatible with wealth so long as the wealth does not enter our heart and we don't become attached to it- it does not occupy our mind. 

Just as a poor man can be worldly and greedy, A rich man can be spiritual because he owns the wealth- the wealth does not own him. He is not ruled by ego, and since desiring money and materialistic things are of the ego, he does not let his wealth rule him.

[Guest Kingkong123]

Think And Grow Rich...

[WelcometoReality]

In lower levels of consciousness wealth is considered synonymous with happiness. A rich person is happier than a poor one, because they can aquire everything that they desire. 

In higher levels this illusion is seen through. Wealth and status is just a tool that can be used just like any other tool. Wealth is no longer synonymous with happiness. Wealth is not pursued but if wealth is aquired it will be used as the tool it is.