An article from the book ‘Money Wealth Abundance’ by Manoj J Lekhi.

THE WHOLE WORLD IS RUNNING AFTER MONEY

Money plays such an important part in everyone’s life. People cheat each other for money, rob each other for money and, even, kill each other for money.

HOW DOES MONEY AFFECT OUR HEALTH?

Tension over money is a big contributor to health issues. Just note what happens to our blood pressure when we are cheated financially: tempers fray; anger, animosity and annoyance set in; blood pressure escalates, leading to heart attacks and suicides; and so on and so forth.

One wonders what our world is coming to, all because of money. It may be the smallest instance, like when you go to

buy vegetables and start bargaining. The vegetable vendor quotes ` 100 per kg and the buyer starts with ` 50 per kg. They go on haggling, and finally come to some agreement. Even with this small exchange, the blood pressure fluctuates, and there is tremendous energy loss, which occasionally leads to, even, anger and unwarranted anxiety.

You are travelling by taxi or auto rickshaw, and, all the time, you are suspecting that the driver is taking a wrong or unnecessarily long route. All the while, your mind is infested with tension and suspicion. Even if he takes you correctly, the suspicion lingers: ‘Is he cheating me?’ Our blood pressure again oscillates like a pendulum, all because of money.

You invest your money in some venture. If you make a loss, again your blood pressure goes up; some folks even contemplate suicide.

Where is our life headed? I have been looking at this ‘issue’ called ‘money’ for so many years, and I once received great insight into it. One solution is to examine the belief pattern which we have been carrying for ages. We have been brought up to be able to continuously take care of ourselves. We have grown up being self – centred and without a care for others. Our parents, society, all, seem oriented to take care of just themselves. Our belief patterns are formed around this arrangement and, naturally, our actions flow accordingly.

I found that, if people changed their beliefs about money, all the related problems, anxiety and tensions would be solved. The blood pressure comes back to normal, and everything is seen in a different light. It’s all about how you look at life. It’s all about how you view money. As a management trainer, I can share a statement that can change the core beliefs about money, and I affirm:

“All the money I spend is the best investment in my life.”

Make the shift from calling something an expense and consider it an investment! So, when you go by a rickshaw or a taxi, you do not worry because “It’s just an investment, and I will learn something from this investment.”

I do not say that one should not bargain. But one should take care not to let one’s blood pressure rise and fall due to the bargaining. If you have a certain rate in your mind, state it. If that person agrees, well and good, and if he doesn’t, move on with life, rather than allowing your health to be affected.

Suppose someone robbed you, cheated you. Well, that, too, was an investment of your money, time and energy. You learnt so many things from that lesson and became more alert in dealing with people. Instead of feeling miserable, cursing that person, cursing yourself, cursing the stars, cursing your fate (kismat), move on with life because “ALL the MONEY I spend is the best INVESTMENT in my life.”

You invested money and learnt a lesson. This one belief can change your life dramatically and have a direct positive effect on your health.

As a spiritual initiator, I constantly urge people to ‘share their wealth with others’, to give a minimum of 10% to society; keep increasing the percentage, and you undergo inner growth and your heart opens up.

People find it very difficult to share! I wonder why. They are unwilling to share with their team which continuously works day and night for them. So many workers give their lives for their bosses, but their bosses remain unwilling to share. I wondered why and then I realised what was missing: The boss thinks of everything as an expense.

Some understand this immediately and shift their focus. They consider expense as an investment in their team, in other words, in their family. Once you treat an expense as an investment, then the way you look at money changes, and your whole approach is transformed. Suddenly, you feel abundant, suddenly, you feel free and powerful, like a king. Suddenly, your whole energy shifts from negative to highly positive.

From then onwards, so many ideas are generated, so many new ideas evolve and you start growing boundlessly. This is a beautiful and effective way to shift from poverty to abundance. This is real wealth where you grow day by day and evolve because whatever you do is simply a great investment. Even if you lost something materially precious, that, too, was an investment. Your heart rate or blood pressure no longer swings because you gained or lost money.

Then the most important question arises: How do I make this shift, accept this belief – of treating an expense as an investment? By writing it down and reading, will it happen? The answer, definitely, is ‘NO.’

The way is from inside out. I always recommend spiritual growth as the basis for all change. It cannot happen just by writing and reading a vision statement daily. When you grow inside, when the shift occurs within, it happens. When you dwell in silence, and go deeper and deeper into your own silence, you grow in love. You realize that everyone is yours, and you begin to include everyone in your ‘family.’ You realize that everything is just a game, a play that we are part of.

By and by, we get more and more attuned to the truth, “Nothing is permanent.” We start accepting the transient nature of all things. Gradually, we detach ourselves from everything. The way out is the way in. Grow inwardly, find your own silence, grow in vairagya (detachment) and then work on your beliefs, if required. This is an effortless process. If you want to be wealthy, grow inwardly. You will be wealthy inside, which will be reflected outwardly.

This is my life story, my experience for 25 years. Today, I have all the possible wealth outwardly, but the most important fact is that I am as happy with it as I am without it. I am so happy for everything that whatever has been created is an expression of that Happiness.

I welcome you to a journey of Silence, Growth and Abundance.