The Reiki Cafe 

Namaste everyone I am having some trouble comprehending this issue. It seems to be coming up to my attention but I do not have any answers.... It has to do with wealth and attiude. I think I'm in a bit of culture shock. I wasn't really interested and involved in the "boom" of the 90s. I made a decent wage but watched house prices skyrocket. I watch and saw people spend $$ on lots of material stuff that I considered to be overvalued and then I watch some things crash with amazement in the response. Over the past month, I have become increasingly aware of people in my life who have been dramatically changed by the presence of wealth in their lives. I see people who are living well and enjoying their sucess without a radical change of person and then I see people who have changed. It frustrates me because I want to shake them back to the way they were but I know that I am not in the "loop" of modern materialism and I don't undestand their thinking anymore. What I really want is to find a place where people are less obseessed with material waelth and more focused on what really matters to me (love peace and kindness). I know that this board reaches around the globe and I have found guenine truth and light here. hoping to shed some wisdom on this. Blessings all around Beth

Dear Beth,
Please do not be offended by my response, I dont know how to answer this without giving you my true thoughts. Im sure someone wiser will amble along with a shorter more wise response, but hey, my coffee hasnt quite kicked in yet.
When we judge others we do so from our own perceptions, thinking that they SHOULD be a certain way. I'd venture to say that most of us do this at some point or another ( of course, I talk from personal experience..:)..LOL. From my perspective, the things that bother us are more about issues WE have than issues others have.
You say you dont understand their thinking any more..sounds like youre upset because they are not "where" you are & you would dearly love them to be there with you. But they have their own path to walk.
Part of change, especially major shifts in personal belief systems,is accepting that there may have to be a parting of the ways with others we have been close to ...if WE are no longer tolerant of their belief system. Of course, that is a personal decision & not always necessary.
Many people have sought out Shangrai-lai. It is easier to be who we want to be when we surround oureslves with people who think as we do. But, perhaps, growth comes in being IN the world but not OF the world?
You might consider working with Mother Teresa who shares all that she has, I can think of no better example of a modern lack of materialism.

Bright lights are needed in the darkened spaces, not where there is already light.

Have a great day & hope you will consider sending me your money if you win the lottery....HeHeHe
Namaste,
holobon

Dear Beth,

Excuse the faux pas, of course I meant Mother Teresa's sisters.....

Namaste,
holobon

Namaste Thank you for your thought filled response. I have been so twirled up into this frustration that I have not been able to weed thru what is really bothering me. I think you are right about me wanting thenm to be with me. I think I am truly bothered by the sense of superiority denoted by $$. I have witnessed such poor behavior and lack of concern becuase of the elevated state or were these behaviors there all along but I did
not feel any gap but now I do. Interesting
The more I have thought about this today, the more I realizre that yes I have trouble with the gaps of haves and have nots. It bothers me. It's the whole gamut of things assciated with access,status(perceived or otherwise).
It's so interesting that you should mention Mother Therese. I have been trying to figure which way to go in my career and the latest idea I have had was to work with poverty and literacy.
I think my desire is perhaps to find more llike minded peopleto replace the ones who have gone on their own path. I think shangrali is too cold for me. Now if you had said an island in the south sea. I took no offense. I wanted an answer to my question and I was willing to hear what you had to say. Blessings Beth Ps I'll send you a years supply of coffee if I win the lottery. haha ( pretty wise response for a lack of caffeinine )

Dear Beth,

I will glady take the coffee :)
Actually, Im strugling with money issues as well. It never makes me happy but lack of it sure is stressfull.
It is difficult in this society to seperate from the status associated with money..for me, recognizing how I do this, especially in subtle ways has been an eye opener. The influence of those around you does make a difference..it shouldnt but....thats one reason I come here every day to get my head cleared from the confusion of the world.
Thank you for your question, it gave me a nudge to clear up some issues of my own.
Namaste,
holobon

Namaste Beth,

Money....the root of all evil....or so they say :)

To my mind it is not the money that matters, but what we do with it that counts. I guess that word intent comes into it :)

My husband and I have been through times in our lives when we have been comfortable and other times when we struggle. Funnily enough the time we had most money, was a time in our lives of emotional hardship and desolation (infertility, depression and extended family problems) and we did used to buy 'things' to try and fill the 'gaps' in our lives, but they were always just 'things' and could never be a substitute for what really mattered :) Now we are blessed to have much less money, but we have two beautiful children and a third on the way, no depression and our whole family has reached a time of understanding and peace. My husband does yoga, I have Reiki and I am so glad to say that we don't need 'things' to fill any gaps anymore....which is a good job, because we couldn't afford them anyway :))

So maybe this is what the people around you are doing....filling the gaps.

Just a thought :)

Hugs and Blessings
Helen.

Dear Helen,

When I was the most financially secure it was also the most stressfull spiritually depleted time...so me thinks we are not alone..:)....Makes me think, which comes first, the chicken or the egg?

Namaste,
holobon