In a climate of pessimism, spiritual mercenaries of the new age appeal to the hopes and dreams of the despairing. How do we judge capitalism in a spiritual context and the materialism often seen amongst a new breed of people wanting to “manifest” fast cars and luxury travel?

What kind of thinking is perpetuating the promotion of material that is at best misleading and egotistical, at worst fraudulent? How do we navigate through the “spiritual” world and make assessments on whether what is being offered has value for us or is “pseudo-spiritual?”

Firstly, many people are not fully in understanding of the concept “judgment” and hence use the word incorrectly. “Judgment” is the ability to make considered decisions or come to sensible conclusions. It is entering into a healthy evaluation of what is true and right—deciphering, not condemnation. If we were not able to judge what was up or down, left or right, or follow health and safety protocols to protect ourselves, we would not be able to survive in the world. From an early age, we learn how to “judge” what is safe and unsafe, right or wrong.

The ability to “discern” is extremely important—from what to buy, who to listen to, how to get from A to B, which life decisions to make and so on; passing judgment is how we navigate through life. If one doesn’t know what judgment is and believes what some “new age” person told one (that is, not to “judge”), it makes decision making murky.

When it comes to “discerning” what is authentic healing and who has integrity as a healer, we need to apply the same principles as we would making any other decision. Blind faith (or desperation) is not a great arbiter. There are just as many charlatans in the spiritual world (perhaps more) as in any sphere of commerce. Spiritual deception feeds on people’s fear and gullibility. There are those who walk in the same shadow as the darkness. What if wearing the mask of healing gave access to walk within the illusion of goodness? Do not fear the illusion—his intentions are clear. Fear more the hunter in wolf’s clothing than the wolf.

There are just as many charlatans in the spiritual world (perhaps more) as in any sphere of commerce.

Why is there so much greed, jealousy and dishonesty amongst so-called healers and spiritual folk? This is a symptom of our collective dysfunction. The systems created by self serving technocrats are inherently individualistic and materialistic. Our economic model perpetuates selfishness and feeds on falsehood. Pursuing individual freedoms whilst practising aggressive consumerism is the norm.

Society itself is flawed on a cultural level—how we see ourselves—and the institutions set up to manage and protect us. In an era of narcissism, everyone is tarnished by competition, need and greed. Financial independence is the big dream achieved by just a few.

Critic of corporate globalisation, David Korten writes, “Life, not money, is the true measure of value; money’s only legitimate use is in life’s service. An obsession with making money is a sign of psychological and social dysfunction.”

The spiritual ego says that my teaching will shift your consciousness and I deserve as much money as Donald Trump because I am selling “goodness.” Here’s a reality check for those who consider themselves more “conscious” or “awakened”: We’re all spiritual beings in terms of having a soul or at least a component of a soul. How we see ourselves is unique as reflected in the trajectory of the soul’s journey. Who is to say that a spiritual healer is “better” than an economic leader? Different pathways do not define our worth or worthiness. Nor do they require the labels we give them.

Many people in the past have experienced ills and evils in the name of money, and the overall energy of money on the planet is quite weak. It is not a neutral energy (as some claim) simply because many people are dying for it, hoarding it, stealing it and perverting it. Collectively, our consciousness creates our physical existence and is creating how we think and feel and use the currency of “money.”

Our current environment is shifting and changing as people become aware of the mind and its potential. The energy forms are dense here, although the frequencies are dynamic. Aspects of ourselves are dying as we let go of the old definitions.

Consciousness and thoughts are the vital cogs of creation. With awareness comes choice. Since consciousness creates matter, what is our consciousness around money? How would a spiritually advanced civilisation behave? What would their understandings and beliefs be about money?

Since consciousness creates matter, what is our consciousness around money?

In Buddhism, “metta” (loving-kindness) and “dana” (giving freely from the heart) are practised as a culture. The problem with the Eastern approach alone was that spiritual development was advanced, whilst economic development lagged behind the West and they ended up with a lot of poor people. It’s all very well being spiritual, but what happens when people are going hungry en masse?

The Western approach has lead to people being wealthy yet miserable, rich yet feeling empty inside. Significant proportions of the population are on antidepressants. Overall, people have catered for their material needs whilst ignoring their spiritual needs. A value system built on commerce has left a spiritual void.

Finding a Balance

A true balance is optimal—between materialism and development and spiritual values involving “doing” and “being”—technological advancement combined with love and compassion. It is not an ideal to escape the responsibility of involvement with others. A healthy community is what creates happiness, not isolation and separation. This is the domain of advanced cultures and civilisations, the way of the future.

Most of our current world can be mechanised, which means we don’t need human beings to produce goods and food. We just need a few to operate machines and robots. Thus, the theme of the economy has fundamentally changed. The Agricultural and Industrial Revolutions changed the landscape—now the computer/robot revolution means the old jobs have mostly fallen away.

The changing nature of the economy has seen the elite 1% of the populace take possession of over 90% (I’ve even read claims of 99%) of the wealth. The rich (corporations), in bed with political powerbrokers, are doing massive reclamation projects to destroy all of nature and develop every inch for their greedy, insatiable need for expansion and economic growth at the expense of upholding our responsibility to be custodians of nature. Our natural resources are being destroyed for the temporary energy needs of a privileged few.

Is the energy of money neutral?

How can money be neutral if people are starving to death for the lack of it?

Historically, many of us have had previous lives of pure sacrifice or living in service and giving up all material want or gain. Because the overall landscape in which we operate is of low frequency and money itself has been tainted, we have a tricky game to play. Money in itself has a neutral charge—and has the possibility to flow effortlessly when we are of a sharing and abundant psychology. There is healing required to shift money into something shared—to birth a financial system that emanates from the frequency of love, and to let go of outdated notions like economic “growth.” The playing field is one of limited resources that need to be managed intelligently and honorably. From a spiritual perspective, attachment and hoarding are not warranted.

It is more complex than simply to say that money is involved with a lot of darkness, from child trafficking to sex slavery, cocaine and heroin… The abuses are not motivated just by money, yet it does affect the whole energy of the system. On the other side, there is wonderful goodness that is being chartered via charities and individuals bringing light into the world. It’s important to acknowledge all aspects.

While an evolved system would have no need for money, we may need to just deal with what we have for now. Uprooting the whole system is the best way forward as a new infrastructure can be built on a solid foundation, but we’re not yet at the stage where it would be politically and socially viable. Utopian ideals have their place, but it may not be our current life path to make that into reality just yet. If we are open to discover, there are many people designing ways to operate outside the current economic “capitalism” model.

If we were to develop an evolved monetary system, how would it work? How would money be shared so it was able to move freely, abundantly and fairly amongst all people? The only system I can imagine is one where all of humanity shares one currency, and resources are shared. Each community is given access to a small and equal amount as a base. Tax is unnecessary and cumbersome, as is inflation.

The current system doesn’t work as it focuses on individual freedoms and excessive selfishness rather than collective advancement and resource sharing.

It moves the wealth into the hands of a few, instead of sharing the wealth that is all of humanity’s birthright.

Pioneers of the spirit are leading a new wave of communities and tribes being set up all over the world. Here is an invitation to co-create new ways of collaborating, creating and living together based on human dignity, sharing, respect and common goals.

What would it feel like to honour and send love to each other, to feel part of a community, instead of like individuals competing against each other?

Our true nature is loving, co-operative, creative and sharing. It’s not in claiming to be able to save people. Nor in the selling of impossible cures sent remotely for thousands of dollars. Our Mother Earth freely gives food, water and sunshine. Universal energy (qi, prana, Reiki) is available free as our inheritance as children of the sun. All healing is, in fact, self healing.

The new wave of love connecting humanity to our hearts is all about truly encapsulating the Sanskrit greeting, “Namaste”:

I honour the place within you wherein the entire universe dwells. I stand together with you in this sacred space of wisdom, integrity and peace. In this way your endless love breathes together with mine, and so we are One.

 

 

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Author: David Zenon Starlyte

Editor: Travis May

Images: Movie Still from One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest