Between Love and Money

Valentine's Day. 
This manufactured love holiday always brings up a lot of ambivalence in me. On one hand, what could be nicer than a day celebrating love, romance and an opportunity to tell someone special that you love them..? On the other hand, isn't the whole affair as a huge marketing ploy designed to make people buy lots of stuff they don't need, out of fear that their sweetheart will give them hell if they don't...? Maybe growing up in a different country that doesn't partake in this elaborate ritual helps to see the manipulative quality of it all.

But the thing that is most apparent in this day is the deep psychological connection in the collective psyche between Love and Money. It's not just a day to express your feelings. No. It's about shopping for the expensive object that will represent those feelings. The chocolates, the diamonds, the fancy dinner. And this is the true tragedy. The way this culture revolves around the equation that they way to express love is through money. Money becomes a cheap substitute for love.

Parents shower their children with gifts, and money is the standard that represents how much value someone has. Your boss shows love and appreciation by giving a bonus. Couples fight endlessly about money and what to spend it on. And behind it all is the hidden question: "Do you love me...?" As many practitioners and self-employed people know, offering one's own services brings this emotional tension right to the forefront. Subconsciously we ask ourselves, "if someone doesn't want my services, does that mean I'm not lovable? That what I offer has no value..?". In fact, regardless of our profession, most of us are all living with this juxtaposition of money = value, money = love.

However, this doesn't always mean that for everyone having a lot of money = lots of value. For most of us that's the American Dream, but in fact, in each person's psyche this mixture will be unique. In my family, for example, wealthy people with lots of money did not have much value. They were the "Capitalist Exploiters" of the world, certainly not worthy of love. So I learned that the spiritually and morally valuable way was to be poor and struggling, but happy. In other words, I couldn't have money and love at the same time. I had to choose one over the other.

But in fact, this is just the same equation, just reversed. That's often what happens when we react to something by swinging to the other side of the polarity.

Love has no price tag

Over the years of working with this issue, I have come to know that personal value and love have nothing to do with money. These are two different dimensions of reality. In fact the best way to find this out is to have lots of money. When you're totally loaded, with more money than you know what to do with, then you realize that you are no more loved or precious than before. In fact, you have always been capable of giving and receiving love. You are no more, or less, precious inside than a hungry child in India. Our intrinsic value has no price tag. And no person, bank account or award can validate what is our birthright.

However, having access to money does give you a greater range of possibilities in the outer world. So once you are resting in the values that you care about, solid in your lovingness, then it's natural to use money in a way that supports the expression of your heart. In other words, Love is the master, Money is the servant. There are many examples of philanthropic endeavors where wealthy individuals use their capital to support more love, be in through ecological projects, orphanages or supporting the arts.

But regardless of how much money you have, when your heart and money work together, as separate energies but in deep collaboration, then you life comes into a sense of alignment. Then your work and your values are supporting each other. Money provides a connection to life, it opens opportunities and provides the foundation upon which your love can flower. Then money becomes a game to play and enjoy.

The more I experience this flow in my life, and see the openings in my relationships, my business and inner world, I want to share it with others. So I created a program to help people unravel the emotional knots that get in the way of true self expression. It's called the True Prosperity Foundation Program, and it's starting with a FREE tele-class this Thursday, Feb 16th. For me True Prosperity means not just having more money. It's about the prosperity of freedom, of love, and a generosity of spirit that makes us wealthy in all aspects of our life.
More details on my website: www.deeperintolife.com/prosperity.html

Enjoy the love...!