July 17, 2014
Rich or Wealthy – What are you helping your clients become?
Deepali Sen
Partner
It is the responsibility of the good hearted people to aspire and nurture wealth and use it for the larger good of the society so that the balance of power in the universe stays in their favour. Our ancient scripture says ‘Good souls should acquire wealth and use it for the benefit of society. If they do not acquire wealth, others will acquire it and use it for the destruction of society.’
On a philosophical note, what is money? Is it a boon or a bane? Does it catalyze development or is it like a festering wound, creating more strife and conflicts than can be handled? Is it an end in itself or just the means to an end? The philosophical essence of money can be a hotbed of some contentious debate. Swami Vivekananda talks about this resource aptly- “If money can help a man to do good to others, it is of some value; but if not, it is simply a mass of evil, and the sooner it is got rid of, the better.”
Though money may not (always) be able to buy happiness, it does not mean that money and happiness cannot co-exist.
On a deeper, spiritual level, money is a blessing- it is part of God’s energy. It is like a glory, a gift which needs to be respected and revered by nurturing it, by using it for productive purposes. It is a sacred bond between the owner and God meant to be used prudently for both, oneself and for the good of all. It is one of the most effective mediums which can be used for transforming lives of have-nots both, on an immediate basis and towards triggering long-term positive change for them.
Money is one of the highest forms of energies. It is the most spiritual asset in existence. It is concretized energy or what the ‘ageless wisdom’ calls prana or life force. It can be seen both as a thing (coin or note) and as a wave of energy. As matter, it either gives birth to desire and one can achieve fulfilment through it or, the lack of it could lead to dread. Seen as a wave, money is a stream of flowing energy, undergoing wide circulation. When it is freely distributed more can be received from the abundant supply of universe. It can set a karmic cycle of giving and gaining in motion.
Aspiring for money as a by-product to a certain purpose or mission in life is a boon but, the greed for money in itself is a dangerous road to tread. More often than not, greed for money is agnostic to the ways taken to acquire it, and since the wrong path is easier to walk on, the road leading to the money so acquired is unlawful, illegal and may even be immoral. Also, over a period of time this money gets indifferent to the output it creates. This greed for money at times spurs people to make hasty and illogical decisions. Whether it is in the form of an unsound investment idea or it is about placing misplaced trust on the so called experts.
In Hindu mythology, money is attributed to Goddess Lakshmi. The word Lakshmi is derived from the Sanskrit word ‘Lakshya’ meaning aim or goal. Lakshmi is the Goddess of wealth and prosperity, both material and spiritual. Her image denotes that ceaseless effort, in accordance with one’s dharma (principles, religion and call of duty) and governed by wisdom and integrity lead to both material as well as spiritual prosperity.
Money in itself is not evil or otherwise. It is a mere tool. How we acquire this mercurial Goddess or how we deploy it, is where the crux lies. While money is a medium of exchange for various material things, its inherent value depends on very immaterial or spiritual things like confidence, trust, faith and credibility of an individual, an organization or a nation.
Money is power, in the most quantifiable way. Therefore, like all power forces it runs the risk of corrupting its owner. A wise owner is one who lets money be on his mind not in his heart. The founder of Ford Motor Company, Henry Ford says this about money making more money- “A business that makes nothing but money is a poor business.”
Practically speaking, money is the most commonly used and understood language. It is an unifying force that cuts across caste, creed, religion, nationalities, age groups, color, sex, etc.,. It is a common denominator, the great leveler. It is one size that fills all.
Does being rich or being wealthy mean the same? Well, there’s a nuanced difference between the two.
Being rich is about having lots of money. Being wealthy is having loads of money and living a great life, by having the freedom to pursue one’s choices. Wealthy people are truly independent both financially and otherwise.
Rich people are driven by money. They are puppets in the hands of money, even when they have more than enough of it. On the other hand, a wealthy guy uses money like a puppet. He drives money around on the path chosen by him. His actual wealth lies in ideas. He puts his money to productive use by generating more money out of it and by creating employment thus providing a multiplier to the overall economy. He has the luxury of time to pursue and give shape to his ideas.
Simply put, a wealthy guy is a rich man who has the money AND possesses those things which money can’t buy, like- health, time to pursue one’s interests, love, respect, companionship, etc.,.
And are we financial planners helping our clients become rich or wealthy ?
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Fantastic Narration & very Matter of Fact narration of Money. Very good Read. Thanks for the effort & share.