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Money & the Meaning of Life (Part 1)
Written by: Brad SwiftArticle Overview: "Render unto Caesar that which is Caesar's and unto God that which is God's." Jesus - (Matthew 22:21) For several months now I've known that what's next in my own personal journey along the Purposeful Path is to delve more deeply into my relationship with money and finance. I've said it several ways -- to have a breakthrough, a transformation, to create a new relationship with money -- one that is more empowering and that gives me access to greater freedom and power in this important part of the physical/material world.
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Money & the Meaning of Life (Part 1)
"Render unto Caesar that which is Caesar's and unto God that which is
God's." Jesus - (Matthew 22:21)
For several months now I've known that what's next in my own personal
journey along the Purposeful Path is to delve more deeply into my
relationship with money and finance. I've said it several ways -- to have a
breakthrough, a transformation, to create a new relationship with money --
one that is more empowering and that gives me access to greater freedom and
power in this important part of the physical/material world.
As is often the case with transformation, it's been a real roller coaster
ride that has included coaching sessions where I mostly sat in silence, or
wept uncontrollably as I've remembered scenes from my childhood when my
mother would lock herself in the bathroom and threaten to take her own life
because she was so tired of trying to raise her two sons alone and without
enough money to pay the bills.
Not long after that call with my coach I remembered a book I had read
several years ago -- Money and the Meaning of Life by Jacob Needleman. I
knew as soon as I found it again on the shelf that it was time to read it
again, though it's really felt like reading it for the first time. I must
have been asleep the first time through.
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We Live in Two World & Are of Two Natures
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This is a fundamental truth that Needleman builds upon throughout the book:
"The very essence of the idea of man that we find at the core of all great
teachings of all times and places is that we human beings are
two-natured.... One force alone can never bring meaning into human life.
Meaning appears only in the place between the worlds, in the relationship of
two worlds, two levels, two fundamental qualities of power and energy."
One of those worlds is the material or physical world; the other is the
spiritual or nonphysical world. Each world has its own "ruler," and in the
material world MONEY IS KING, while in the spiritual world God (or whichever
name you care to use) rules.
And humankind?
We have the daunting task to try to keep some balance, some stability while
teetering between the two worlds -- one foot in the material and one in the
spiritual. Thus:
"Render unto Caesar that which is Caesar's and unto God that which is
God's." Jesus - (Matthew 22:21)
To which Needleman writes: "In my opinion, the entire problem of life in
contemporary culture can be defined as the challenge to understand that
saying of Jesus. It is not so simple; in fact, it is immensely difficult."
I agree.
He continues: "It requires that we begin to understand what in ourselves
belongs to the transcendent realm and what to the material realm. And then
to give to each what is due to each -- no more and no less."
From this arises the question, "What is the relationship that we can develop
between these two worlds -- worlds that often feel so far apart as to cause
us to wince in pain from such a gigantic split -- that will ultimately
result in a satisfying, fulfilling and joyful life -- a life on purpose.
That's the question we'll explore in Part 2 of this article.
Article Tags: finance, freedom, god, life on purpose, life purpose, meaning of life, transformation, world money
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About the Author: Brad Swift RSS for Brad's articles - Visit Brad's website Dr. Brad Swift is one of the foremost experts on the subject of personal life purpose, having founded the Life On Purpose Institute (www.lifeonpurpose.com) in 1996. An avid student of the human development movement and New Thought, he specializes in life purpose coaching with individuals and groups. Through the Coaches Mentoring Program, he trains aspiring coaches to carry on the vision and mission of Life on Purpose Institute -- Creating a World On Purpose by deeply and profoundly touching and contributing to people's lives by assisting them to clarify their life purpose and live true to it. He is the author of: - Coaching to Win: Building Your Business by Building Your Team - Life On Purpose: Six Passages to an Inspired Life -- an award winning finalist in the Self-Help: Motivational division of the Best Books 2007 Awards sponsored by USA News - From Spark to Flame: Fanning Your Passion & Ideas into Moneymaking Magazine Articles that Make a Difference. Start on the Purposeful Path with the fun and engaging Self Test at: http://www.lifeonpurpose.com/selftest Click here to visit Brad's website Slow Down You Move Too Fast Arising from the Ashes of Professional Burnout The Vehicle Of Your Soul Spirituality The Hub of Our Daily Life Are You Suffering Unnecessarily |
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