Wealth and Esotericism

[esoteric777@...]

Dear List,

One of the list members stated that he was still in the university and very 
career motivated; he was wondering if his drive for achieving big success would 
be an impediment to his spiritual progress. 

In short, he asked "is there anything wrong with that (making 'BIG money')?"

Having had the opportunity to deal with people across the entire financial 
spectrum, from very poor to so wealthy they literally did not know what to do 
with it, I think there are several things anyone asking this question needs to 
consider.

The current belief in material poverty as being good and wealth as being bad 
has its roots in several areas, one of which a form of gnosticism which says, 
material life is essentially evil and needs to be escaped from, thus throw 
yourself into your spiritual activities.

The same is found in any schools of yoga, and is easily understood as a form 
of compensation in cultures and communities that suffer under crushing poverty 
or little avenues for material advancement.

Another influence is the Roman Church, that used similar language to comfort 
peasants (or keep them from rioting) for the last 1,000 years. With improved 
standards of living, courtesy the industrial and technological revolutions, 
this holds less power. 

The Protestant Work Ethic that equates material success and wealth as a for 
of godly blessing has also eroded it somewhat.

So where does that leave us?

Well, if we look at Wealth and Esoteric Wisdom, we see they both relate to 
the qabalistic sphere of Chesed. Wealth it the more material manifestation of 
this force, wisdom its more subtle form.

Chesed is in short, out inner blueprint or highest ideals in the realms of 
duality, or manifestation.

Projected through Yesod, or our subconscious, they take form.

Now, lets look at the idea of renunciation in Easter and Western though. We 
hear a lot about it, giving once again the idea that only a monastic life is 
the spiritual life. However, there is the warning that it is easier to be a 
sinner while a hermit than in the world.

In truth, renunciation is not an absence of material things, but in using 
them, not being used by them, and being firm in your commitment that the 
material 
life is a tool and not an end. 

>From this point of view, all things can be brought into the Path of Service.

If our highest ideal is to be enlightened for ourselves alone, that puts us 
at Tiphareth. If our ideal is to make wealth for ourselves alone that puts us 
in Malkooth. If our ideal is to serve and be of assistance to humanity, that 
puts us in Chesed, where all things are at our disposal.

There is also the reality that you will die.

Your time is limited, even if it is 100 or 150 years thanks to medical 
science.

As such it is not so much what you do, but why you do it. Time is limited, 
pick wisely.

If it is out of need for security and to own nice things, for status, and 
privilege, you are working from fear. If it is to enjoy life while making firm 
and definite assistance to others, then it is our of love and compassion - the 
domain of Chesed - and you will not even be asking the question you did.

I hope this makes your journey into the Magic Mirror a little more fruitful.

Sincerely,


Mark Stavish
Institute for Hermetic Studies
Advisor to the Louis Claude de St. Martin Fund
www.hermetic.com/stavish/
www.hermeticinstitute.org (under construction)


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]