What is Wealth?

We live in a world where systemic oppression and the wealth inequality gap are growing blocks to living the American dream for people from socially disadvantaged demographics. The idea that anyone can pull themselves up by their bootstraps, or that you can become anything you want, falls flat on the ears of people who must work twice as hard as others because of their skin color, gender, or other identities. The internet has brought us into the lives of our fellow citizens in a personal way exposing the enormous efforts required to pay off student loans, buy a house, or gather the kind of wealth that our predecessors were able to accumulate. 

A Different Kind of Wealth

Today the word rich conjures up an image of ten percent of a population enjoying the majority of the resources and riches of a nation. Rich isn't a kind word anymore. It doesn't refer to shared access to abundance. Abundance relates to something more profound and more spiritual than hoarding wealth by a few to the detriment of the many. We mean a different kind of wealth; the wealth that is born in a mind that knows that the Divine is the only source, that knows giving is the mirror image of receiving, that knows generosity is essential to economic prosperity for all, that knows gratitude is the secret to unlocking the riches of life, and that knows that what we dwell upon grows.

We cannot avoid the importance of learning about the role consciousness may play in shifting trends for an individual or a nation. The message of the Science of Mind teaching is that growing your awareness of your spiritual heritage remains a viable option for everyone no matter what their status in life; that progress is possible; that we are not destined to stay where we are; that oppression is not a divine idea but a desperate plan in a mind that believes prosperity can come only at the expense of another.  The message of this teaching is also that freedom is the natural spiritual state of our being.

The Necessity of Inner Work

The stress of dealing with day-to-day survival—affording food and shelter—can displace doing inner work, which may seem like a luxury reserved for the few who can afford to sit serenely and contemplate peace and abundance. But working in consciousness is more than that; it is a necessity for anyone who wants to move from wherever they are toward a greater yet to be for their lives. Working in consciousness does not replace social justice; it augments it. Nor does it deny the very real inequities of society. It remains crucial in this age, as it was in every age, to be reminded to not let anyone tell us that there is an idea or a power that is greater than God’s truth about our lives. No matter your heritage, background, or education, you can start wherever you are to imagine a better future. You can—and perhaps must—expect the spiritual power of this creation to flow through your beautiful imagination to unleash an abundance of generosity, kindness, and wellbeing for all, if you are to make a meaningful difference to life on this planet and help yourself and others.

It may not be easy to rise above strong ideas in the group mind, but it is possible. And, should we not depend on each other to do so and prove the authority of love over hate?

For the Sake of Doing Good

Lastly, I take to heart the advice in 1 Timothy 6:17 to “Instruct those who are rich in this present world not to be conceited or to fix their hope on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly supplies us with all things to enjoy.” To focus on wealth for the sake of wealth is an unsatisfying use of the power that has been entrusted to us. To base our happiness solely on having more money is a risky gamble, because wealth is as changeable as the weather. Wealth for the sake of doing good, fulfilling dreams, and helping this world work a little better for everyone is one of the desired outcomes of spiritual study.  

Wealth, in the end, is not about possessions, but about love, connection, and meaning.

Photo by MI PHAM on Unsplash