An interesting concept related to this question of money can be offered in three Sanskrit (the ancient language of yoga) words:avidya, abhinivesa, and aparigraha.Avidya-not knowing, abhinivesa-fear of death, and aparigraha-non grasping.Avidya, not knowing, or ‘ignorance’ of who we really are tends to cause suffering and grasping onto everything, constricting our thinking, our movements, our emotions, our freedom.It is in this state we experience abhinivesa-fear of death.We cling tightly to desire and identity, and the amount of money we can get or use or flaunt, or hoard.We are never quite sure there is enough.We are afraid.Many of us in western culture have it great; can find the next meal, can care for our loved ones in some way when illness strikes, have a roof over our heads.However, the need for money and all the ‘luxury’ it can buy also separates us, isolates us, forces us to lock our doors, work at a job that is unfulfilling because it pays well, turn the other way when we see someone in need.Fear.Always fear.Not the way I would like to live.When we are deeply connected to our spiritual self, we know how magnificent we really are and how we came to be here and what our purpose is, the sharing of our gifts.When we are liberated from clinging to what happens next and begin to move through this life one mindful inhale after the other, we get to apply and live aparigraha-non grasping, non possessiveness.We let go of abhinivesa, our fear of death, little by little.We let go of our fear of not having enough.We let go of identity of status, and focus on relationships with others, our environment, and those beings we share this space with.This is what my relationship to money has become.I see possibilities at every turn on how to share it.I love the quote by St. Augustine; “Determine what God has given you, and take from it what you need; the remainder is needed by others.”
On Jun 5, 2011 Ricky wrote :
An interesting concept related to this question of money can be offered in three Sanskrit (the ancient language of yoga) words: avidya, abhinivesa, and aparigraha. Avidya-not knowing, abhinivesa-fear of death, and aparigraha-non grasping. Avidya, not knowing, or ‘ignorance’ of who we really are tends to cause suffering and grasping onto everything, constricting our thinking, our movements, our emotions, our freedom. It is in this state we experience abhinivesa-fear of death. We cling tightly to desire and identity, and the amount of money we can get or use or flaunt, or hoard. We are never quite sure there is enough. We are afraid. Many of us in western culture have it great; can find the next meal, can care for our loved ones in some way when illness strikes, have a roof over our heads. However, the need for money and all the ‘luxury’ it can buy also separates us, isolates us, forces us to lock our doors, work at a job that is unfulfilling because it pays well, turn the other way when we see someone in need. Fear. Always fear. Not the way I would like to live. When we are deeply connected to our spiritual self, we know how magnificent we really are and how we came to be here and what our purpose is, the sharing of our gifts. When we are liberated from clinging to what happens next and begin to move through this life one mindful inhale after the other, we get to apply and live aparigraha-non grasping, non possessiveness. We let go of abhinivesa, our fear of death, little by little. We let go of our fear of not having enough. We let go of identity of status, and focus on relationships with others, our environment, and those beings we share this space with. This is what my relationship to money has become. I see possibilities at every turn on how to share it. I love the quote by St. Augustine; “Determine what God has given you, and take from it what you need; the remainder is needed by others.”