Money and Happiness

Money never made a man happy yet, nor will it. There is nothing in its nature to produce happiness. The more a man has, the more he wants. Instead of its filling a vacuum, it makes one. If it satisfies one want, it doubles and trebles that want another way. That was a true proverb of the wise man, rely upon it; “Better is little with the fear of the Lord, than great treasure, and trouble therewith.”

-Benjamin Franklin

Most people ask the question, can money make us happy? I think we can all agree that the answer has to be a resounding no. There is a more provocative question for us to ask ourselves. Can we be happy and have money? Or are these two things diametrically opposed?

The interesting thing about that question is that it is most clearly answered when it is broken up into two parts. First, we must ask ourselves, can we be happy? We can all be happy. Happiness tends to occur when we experience situations or circumstances that we perceive as beneficial. People with an optimistic orientation to the world have a tendency to be happy. But happiness has the tendency to be fleeting.

There is no doubt that some of the residual effects of money could possibly make us happy. We can be happy, if we have the money to take a vacation to spend time with our family. Or if we have enough money to help us feel financially stable or socially important. But it is not the money directly that makes us happy. It is always the things, tangible and intangible, that give us the emotional lift not the actual money. But the thing about this type of contentment is that it is always fleeting. People that have lots of things tend to never be content with what they have. Instead, they seem to develop desires for more and different things.

As spiritual seekers we know another word: joy. Both joy and happiness are emotions where we have feelings of contentment or satisfaction. But these feelings differ from one another other based on the reasons causing the feeling and the nature of the feeling. Joy, as opposed to happiness, is typically used to describe feelings of contentment that stem from our inner life.

Joy comes from deep within. It is a knowing that despite appearances the world is a place that is immersed in the Divine. God is with us, although we have to see it with “right eyes.” Joy is an orientation to the Divine that changes how we see God, ourselves and the world.

Money has little impact on joy.  We can have money and still feel content. From a place of joy, we can be in possession of money without money possessing us. It is a posture authentic authority from which we have the ability to do great works in the world. Because joy is in our being, every thing that we experience is enlivened by that feeling.

The fact is always obvious much too late, but the most singular difference between happiness and joy is that happiness is a solid and joy a liquid.

- J. D. Salinger

Read more: Happiness vs Joy - Difference and Comparison | Diffen http://www.diffen.com/difference/Happiness_vs_Joy#ixzz1GC2SBjkF

Related articles

• Data Says Money Might Buy Happiness, But Happiness Might Not Be What You Want (techdirt.com)
• "What's THE Key to Happiness?" "What's the Biggest Happiness Myth?" and Other Questions About Happiness. (happiness-project.com)

A Prosperity Treatment

Cover of Prosperity

Twenty-Third Psalm
(Revised)

The Lord is my banker; my credit is good.
He maketh me to lie down in the consciousness of omnipresent abundance;
He giveth me the key to His strongbox.
He restoreth my faith in His riches;
He guideth me in the paths of prosperity for His name’s sake.
Yea, though I walk in the very shadow of debt,
I shall fear no evil, for Thou art with me;
Thy silver and Thy gold, they secure me.
Thou preparest a way for me in the presence of the collector;
Thou fillest my wallet with plenty; my measure runneth over.
Surely goodness and plenty will follow me all the days of my life,
And I shall do business in the name of the Lord forever.

by Charles Fillmore, Prosperity, 1915.

Story Time

Are your stories facilitators of your dreams or heavy baggage that prevents you from moving forward and living life fully?

What are the stories you tell yourself about money, your life and God? We are creatures created for sole purpose transformation, and yet we have this inner need to find some stability to which we can cling. Unfortunately, for most of us this takes the form of holding on to narratives about our lives and ourselves that are no longer serving us well. Inevitably either for our benefit or detriment, our experiences are radically shaped by the stories we tell ourselves. These deep-seated beliefs that we carry with us in every moment are not necessarily the “truth” about us, but they become our reality.

Divine Ideas

Money never starts an idea; it is the idea that starts the money. W. J. Cameron

Have you noticed that when you get inspired by an idea, get a clear picture of the process and results, and pour your heart and soul into working toward that picture; that all sorts of people and resources suddenly appear to support you? From out of nowhere the right people, places and things are drawn to you. Somehow the money needed to move the idea forward seems to appear at exactly the right time? It is almost as if someone knows what your intentions are!

The Lack of Lack

How often do you take the time to listen closely and deeply in conversations? One of the things I love to do is listen behind and between the words and sentences and attempt to discern what underlying beliefs and assumptions are being relayed.

Intention Attention

Money is the visible sign of a universal force, and this force in its manifestation on earth works on the vital and physical planes and is indispensable to the fullness of the outer life. In its origin and its true action it belongs to the Divine.
-Sri Aurobindo

This statement certainly gives us the opportunity to pause and reflect. “Money is ... indispensable to the fullness of the outer life.” What exactly does this mean?

Finally I'm Blogging

After years of thinking about publishing a blog, I am finally here. A friend of mine inspired me to take this leap after consulting with me about her own idea for a blog. I said to her: "there is no risk." Strangely enough, after all the time I spent considering the idea, it boiled down to these simple words. So, I decided to take my own advice.

I have had the opportunity to share with a number of people recently, that I am more convinced than ever that our relationship to money is a window into our soul.