354. How to cure Poverty from our Spiritual Responsibility????

http://www.speakingtree.in/public/spiritual-blogs/seekers/self-improvement/how-to-cure-poverty-from-our-spiritual-responsibility

Spirituality and the desire for materialism never go hand in hand say some, while others feel that only when the belly pot is filled one can divert his attention towards Spirituality. These two sentences are in a way confusing to a seeker like me. These are two extremes and to strike an equal balance between those two is the requirement of the hour.  It is important to give reverence to money but not prominence. To live in society we need money as everything has got a price tag and hence it is obvious to earn money to sustain in society. How much to earn is the million dollar question?  

Making money through hard work will never be a taboo, but money making is like puffing up a balloon, there is no limit to it when overdone it will burst and there is no use of the air that was puffed. Money is required only for our need not for our greed. Money may bring us comforts when it is in our grasp and serving us as servant, but if it starts to riding on us and become our master it is definite to rob peace in us. To get back the lost peace we foolishly turn to Ashrams and Mutts and pour out money into their lap in the form of donations in an illusion that peace could be got back.    



Is it sense to lose the peace we had and search for it after it is gone? Why are we so?



Is it because here in this country we have been preached of philanthropy more than in any other countries? We know in ancient times when kings used to win war, their pontiff used to advise the king to build temples to get rid of the sin committed by killing many at the war. Actually in those times there were many craftsmen and artisans who had to make a living and those pontiffs might have suggested that a temple may be built so that it would help them. It was a situation of hitting two birds with one stone for them.



Such acts of the ancient pontiff have been misused in recent ages by some fake gurus and masters who are luring the peace seeking devotees to donate so that they could get back the lost peace. Neither the seeker nor the masters are concern about what Dharma says. There is no question of sharing it with destitute who could be in that situation by their past deeds. The two extremes of poverty and riches are here since long, but recently the difference is becoming all the more obvious. Awareness and aspiration have begun since empowerment and extensiveness have developed; these differences may give rise to unrest and even turmoil. It is time that we as society should individually stop and generally discourage others from these vulgar displays of riches but instead give a thought to sharing with the needy, who could be paying for the past karmas here now. 

Will sharing with the needy get back the lost peace or accumulate good virtues for us? No, not immediately though, at least it will give us solace. With solace and a positive way of living, may be in quite some time we may get back peace. Philanthropy which was two or three decade ago is not the same as we are seeing today, it seldom goes beyond helping own relatives, or donating to a temple or ashram or religious organization in the locality, or sponsoring for some cultural event which could get publicity and prominence. There is no use in preaching there has to be transformation in every individual. 


If looked deep into a person who is living in Monetary Poverty could be living a peaceful life with Spiritual Surplus when compared to a person who is in Spiritual Poverty. Monetary Poverty and Spiritual Surplus is better than Monetary Surplus and Spiritual Poverty as it is proved since ages that money cannot buy Love but with Love alone one can get by without money.



Money can get us a lovely dog, but it is only the love we show on him that make him wag his tail.