It’s released.Peace Talk Episode 113: The WORST that could happen if I lose all my money, have no money, lose my house and everything money pays for…..is….what?
Today I share with you my worse case scenario fear when my finances were drained, I was about to lose my house, bills were due, I was 80K in debt….and what happened when I did The Work.
Listen here.
Speaking of money.
I got the amazing privilege of volunteering for the Help Line for The Work this past month for about five hours. (I know my schedule has been erratic with the Help Line, I’ll be back though).
Guess what the most common stressful belief centered around, from all the amazing people I got to sit with in self-inquiry?
Money.
Here were some of the situations and very stressful beliefs I heard:
- my renter shouldn’t be late with the rent
- the person sub-letting for the summer just cancelled last minute
- he didn’t repay the loan fast enough
- I can’t afford to do the program I want to do
- my parents just said they can’t support me anymore
- I can’t pay my bills
I’ve had each and every one of these thoughts.
Something’s happening with money, and it means….
….I’m screwed.
My survival is threatened. My security is at risk. Change might be coming along, and it isn’t safe.
Let’s look, though. It’s so powerful to pause and see what’s really true.
Are you absolutely sure this money situation is a threat? Are you going to die? Are you positive you might not be safe….or you already aren’t safe?
Do you really need more money?
Are you sure you’d be happy if you suddenly won the lottery, or had a “windfall” on a project you’re working on?
(The word “windfall” refers to trees blowing down in the wind making the fruit available, or the wood available, to anyone walking by. Literally, it’s unexpectedly acquired resources, or money, blown in by nature.)
Do you need more money?
In my mind, I still can answer “yes”.
It seems like it would be super crazy fun to have more money. I could get started on fixing my house, I could pay off my mortgage, I could buy my daughter new clothes for college, I could support my husband who’s about to lose his current job in 2 weeks, I could save some money for my retirement.
There’s so much more. I could do ALL those things! I would be happier if I could do ALL those things!
Really?
Oh. Well, I’m not sure. Maybe not.
I have no idea if I’d actually be truly happy just because I could DO things, or accomplish things, or create physical things, or acquire things.
In fact, I’m pretty sure they are NOT tied together….doing these things, getting these things….and happiness.
How do you react when you think you need more money, or tons of money would make you happy?
I focus on it all the time and have no fun.
Relationships are the same way sometimes. If you have no partner, and you believe having one would make you happy….you focus on finding the “right soul mate person” all the time, and find single-ness no fun.
Or what about spiritual enlightenment and seeking the “Truth”? I grab and listen and read and consume spiritual teachings and retreats and workshops and knowledge….focusing on finding “it”, and finding my present state of mind not all that fun.
But who would you be without this story that having that thing (money, person, success, enlightenment, windfall, etc) would bring you happiness?
Haha!
It makes me laugh out loud suddenly.
Without the thought, I’d be noticing the room I’m in, the environment surrounding me. I’d sense the present moment more, feeling whatever’s here, and noticing….this is important….noticing I’m quite alright. I’m not starving, I’m not dying, I’m not cold, I have a place to sleep.
Turning it around: Nothing is threatening me. What if there are great things about losing it all, not having possessions, not striving to “get” stuff or “understand” stuff or “acquire” a partner or dollars or enlightenment?
Could it be my thinking is threatening me? I need more of me (not money). I need more peace, love, resting, enjoying my own company, enjoying this adventure.
Money needs more of me. Could this also be true? It’s waiting for me to come forward, to be intimate with it, to share myself and appreciate it and me, equally.
What I notice about Money is, it’s not attached to where it goes. It travels here, there, parting, uniting, leaving, staying, going, coming back. Nice to know my worth does not depend on its whereabouts.
That would be crazy.
“When you’re empty, there’s space for revelation, for spontaneity, for intuitiveness. Everything’s fresh. Get ready for that.” ~ Mooji
As I’ve heard Byron Katie ask others doing The Work with her….
….Your highest spiritual path, your greatest freedom, would be if you got what YOU think you want and need. Your greatest freedom would be if you got more money, or that person did it the way you want, or you achieved that status….
….can you absolutely know that’s true?
Much love, Grace