One of my favorite topics of all time to do The Work on is Money. That stuff called Money that appears necessary for trading what you need to survive, or to take action, have adventures, learn, or to feel secure.
Such a huge, wide, broad general topic…money shows up in life, even if you live far away from civilization and grow your own food.
In which case, you may not be reading this Grace Note post, anyway.
Recently, I’ve gotten to look at Money again with new eyes as the teleclass on Money does their work together over 8 weeks.
The exercise for the third class is to write down what you think Money will give you, if you have it?
Are you kidding? What would it give me?? It would give me so much!!
Adventure, excitement, training, expertise, exploration, time, security, generosity, thrill, joy, happiness, courage, creativity.
Woah. That sure is a lot to expect from Money.
Am I sure I need that thing called Money, in order to have these things?
Am I absolutely sure that all these wonderful things are not present….unless I have Money?
When I believe Money is responsible for enhancing all these things I love, then I want it, but I feel frustrated with it.
I think of it as a problem.
I have it as an end goal in mind. I move fast. I plow forward without slowing down, I force myself to do things.
The present moment has to be efficient, or focused, or productive. No messing around dilly-dallying about, frittering away time.
When I believe that Money brings all these beautiful things in life, I believe that more would be better.
Now, here’s an interesting little subtle (for some people, not so subtle) reaction to seeing that having more Money offers me a better life.
In order to deal with Money, I decide that I won’t care about money at all.
I’ll cut it out of my life. I’ll STOP believing more is better. I’ll live without it!
I’ll push it away, and be satisfied with what is. I’ll stop dreaming of adventure, security, fun, giving, training, education. I’ll do it all myself.
I notice there is still a forcing in this approach, at least for me. There is a determination, an attack on believing that more money is good.
So who would I really be without the thought that more OR less would be better?
Who would I be if all my dreams about money were not “problems” to deal with, to change, to alter, to resolve?
This is one heckofa big question…..
….Money? Not a problem in any way?
Yes, that’s the question. What if you lived your amazing life, and money came and went and you wrote checks or paid for things or worked and there it was, but there was not stress.
Not something confusing about it, worrisome, difficult.
Who or what would you be without the thought that Money is complicated?
I’d notice that I love when money is here. I love buying all the tickets for the whole family for the movies, and the popcorn.
I notice I love paying for my daughter’s tuition.
Without the thought that I need to avoid or attract Money, without having to work on that project of Money, that it comes and goes and the flow of it all is quite stunning.
Constantly changing. In and out like the tides, like breathing.
Without the thought that there is a problem here around Money, I see that I get excited about working with someone who is paying me, and I sign up to work with others (like Stephan Bodian’s School for Awakening).
Without the thought that loving Money is a problem, that wanting it is “hard”, I notice that wanting it is EASY.
Wanting money comes and goes, feeling abundant or lacking comes and goes.
I notice feeling abundant and feeling secure, happy, gentle, curious…that studying money with joy is much more fun.
In fact studying Money as if it were a Great Friend, not a difficult problem child, is not stressful.
It is joyful, fun, adventurous, creative, thrilling, honest, courageous, spiritual, generous, happy, and secure.
I LOVE Money! I’m so excited that it is in my life, whether it’s $10 or $1,000!
I see that without the belief that money creates difficulties OR happiness, I notice that it’s my privilege to be in relationship with it, here in this lifetime, here in this body, on this planet, where it is a part of reality.
Just the way I used to want to cut out food from my life, when I was starving myself and full of angst about food….and yet it appeared to be something I deeply needed to engage in and love….
….I see money once had similar properties. Love/Hate.
“It only takes one clear person to have a good relationship.” ~ Byron Katie
I question my thinking about money, and the drama ends.
I am the one who needed to get clear.
And now, Money seems to show up a lot more often, ready to play, have a conversation, and be in my life.
You can make friends with Money, too. No matter how much or how little you have.
“Once you understand what your situation actually is–which is not what that voice in your head says it is–then, of course, you can stop struggling. The situation exists. You don’t have to worry about it or drink over it or cry or debate or ask others for advice. You can stop resisting it because what was making you sick was your own thinking about it–not it.” Eckhart Tolle
Who would you be without the thought that Money causes problems, reduces problems, or IS a problem?
Love, Grace