The "Wealthy" in Politics... on this Super Tuesday
We have a fascinating display of opposites in the political arena at the moment. Without getting into THAT discussion, I am noticing how easy it can be to portray wealth in black and white terms.
In such a climate it is easy to to forget that it is the PEOPLE - their actions, their values - who define and choose what is done with it, not the wealth itself. Why does this distinction matter? Because it influences your personal relationship with money. Rather than being introspective, we are at risk of unconsciously making the decision to lump all millionaires & billionaires into a single bucket - a bucket that is portrayed (currently) as being filled with greed, lies, questionable actions, and hate.
You will not become what you despise - you may unconsciously reject money because it is guilty by association.
What we need to remember is this: when we choose to all rise by sharing in collective wealth and prosperity, we can achieve incredible things and experience the expansion of joy and fulfillment together. Clearly there is an imbalance in our country, one that desperately needs to be addressed. It is real and tangible and needs to be wrestled with at every level: within the government, within organizations, businesses, and most importantly within our individual selves.
The challenge we face is the attachment to the (false) myth: "if YOU have some there will be less (or none) for ME". That is the real enemy. There is a lot of fear based language, and it is seductive. We are wired to survive. We have an incredibly adaptive brain when it comes to making sure we get the last piece of the "pie", or hate the one who does. These adaptive techniques involve the subconscious, which by its very nature is out of our awareness.
I find it important to explore the the quieter stories, the stories of the helpers who are trying to create more balance. I want to collect them so that we counteract the images we see about wealth. It doesn't solve the bigger issues we face, but it is important to stretch our imaginations so that we can rise above the myth of scarcity (for more on this, I highly recommend reading The Soul of Money by, Lynne Twist).
Take a look at this man's generous gift....
We have important work to do, and money can be an ingredient in helping to make that work happen. Be mindful about your beliefs on wealth (the judgments that arise, all the little thoughts)... there are messages coming at us from a million directions at the moment. Find your center. Explore the character traits and the values that you most want to emulate. True wealth includes money, but is not exclusively defined by it.
