Materialism vs. Spirituality

We are midway through our cleansing program and this is when we really start to get in touch with what we want out of life. We establish intentions and desires to manifest the things we want in life. I call it “Building your Foundation”. During this process, you can ask for anything you want. It doesn’t matter if it is a new Ferrari , a new home or a new lover. The sky is the limit.

The premise is that the Universe is a cornucopia and you are here to reap the rewards of unlimited creation and expansion. You are one with the Universe and therefore you are a creative force that is continuously expanding. You have desires that are good and appropriate and you deserve to have everything you want. Wow!

That’s truly how I pitch it. (think used car salesman here). Well, the other day, I had a concerned participant ask a very good question. Everything she knows about being Spiritual includes austerity. She has been taught that wanting less, giving more and walking a simple path is the road to enlightenment (use the work happiness here). I had to pause. You see, that’s what I have been taught too. That’s what the great Spiritual works profess.

A lot of what we have learned about walking a Spiritual path and living an enlightened life (think happy life here) is superficial. We have missed a a very important piece and that is the fact that you are born in this life to have a certain life. You are predisposed to wanting and desiring certain things to fulfill your purpose and to allow you to learn your lessons. We are not all here to run off to an Ashram and become a monk. Some are here to have a totally different experience that could include driving a red convertible Ferrari.

You create your life. You have certain boundaries and foundations that must be in place so that you feel safe and secure. When your boundaries and foundations are solid, you can let your guard down and relax. When you relax, you begin to get happy (think enlightened here). For example, I am a person who owns a home and has a mortgage. I must be able to pay my mortgage every month and this requires a certain income. If I am not making enough money to pay my mortgage, I have to worry. I begin to suffer. I cannot meditate and I cannot connect with the Spirit that leads me to enlightenment (think happiness here). A foundation for my happiness is the ability to pay my mortgage without fuss or fanfare. I just want it done. I don’t want to worry or stress over it.

I am a person who needs to look a certain way. I like to weigh between 125 and 130 pounds. I like to have good muscle tone, good skin and I want to be 5’5”. Go ahead and laugh. I used to be 5’6” and shrinking an inch over the course of my life caused me undue stress so that is part of my foundation for happiness. When I start to push beyond 130, I get muffin top…you know…when your love handles hang over your jeans. I hate this. I become very concerned with my clothing choices top and it takes me twice as long to get dressed in the morning. I don’t want people to see my muffin top and judge me. I need to look good to be happy.

As you grow spiritually, your desires do change. I find that I do want less volume. Know that I used to live in an 8,000 square foot home with marble floors and crystal chandeliers on a golf course. I had a convertible sports car, a mink coat and an AMEX with no limit. It didn’t make me happy. It didn’t make me happy because I was spiritually unfulfilled. I do want to live more simply now, but more simply to means that I want an eco-home on a big chunk of land with a pond and a meditation hut. I’d like part of the property to include a healing retreat center. I’m thinking this should be in the mountains somewhere. “More simply” is way “more expensive” than the house I lived in on the golf course. The difference is that my desire is now in line with my life’s purpose of teaching and healing. It facilitates my happiness and allows me to connect to Spirit. It allows me to do my work. It’s my dream, but is it a “foundation to happiness”?

It is not. It is not a foundation; it is a dream. It is still on my list. The McMansion on the golf course was a foundation. At the time, I really needed it to be who I was. I needed to prove something to others and to myself. Now that I have grown spiritually and know who I really am…Spirit…I know that I simply need to feel safe and secure which is simply paying my mortgage. I also know that I can have whatever I want and its fun to dream. I want the healing center…I’m detached from the healing center. I want it. I’ll get it. It doesn’t change who I am. I do not want the eco house because I need approval from other people. It isn’t a foundation because I know that I’m the only darn thing that can make me happy. Happiness is within me, not outside of me.

In a nutshell, you can see that this is a process. You must begin where you are and allow yourself to gradually accept that you have no foundation. This will happen organically as you unfold in your spiritual growth. You have no boundaries. You have no borders. It’s all an illusion. I’m assuming that for me there will come a day when I don’t have to look a certain way. I won’t care how others perceive me. I will be completely ego free. I’ll grab a hold of my muffin top and wonder in amazement at how soft skin can feel. We will all still have our mortgages though, because we all live in this world!

Meet yourself where you are. Accept that what you want is appropriate. Build your beautiful foundation based on your unique needs and desires. As you grow spiritually, they will change. They will simplify, but don’t be surprised if they become big beautiful dreams that allow you to serve humanity.