What is the place of money in our lives? Of what importance is it in the overall scheme of things? Why do some consider money (talking about it, asking for it, accumulating it) as "bad" compared to the "good" of spiritual pursuits?
Like many people raised in a Christian household, I learned that money was a delicate subject. The Bible says "For the love of money is the root of all evil,” which became foreshortened in my young mind to “Money is the root of all evil.” I, like many others, believed there was something bad about desiring an abundance of money, because if you had too much, then you were "erring from the faith and would be met with many sorrows." Yikes!
In my family, we valued saving money and believed in working for a living. I earned a modest allowance, had my first job at age 14 (with Mr. Robert Monroe as my first boss!) and felt great joy when I had money of my own. I think about all this, especially at this time of year, when requests for donations for various causes and nonprofits are pouring in, and when TMI is running our own annual fund campaign.
Have my ideas about money changed since my early days? Absolutely!
What I have learned over the years is that money is not "evil." It is a means of energetic exchange.
What I have learned over the years is that money is not "evil." It is a means of energetic exchange. It is potential energy that can amplify whatever it is associated with, and if that is positive, money takes on that energy.
To give you an example, in my role as a nonprofit leader, I have to be concerned with how we pay for programs and research. At TMI we engage the best possible trainers to give individuals the highest probability of having a transformative experience. We provide the most comfortable accommodations in a tranquil, sacred space in the mountains in a relaxed environment of freedom, safety, and guidance that encourages exploration of expanded states of consciousness.
It all costs money. Simply put, money enables TMI to provide the best possible opportunities for those seeking meaning, personal freedom, and happiness. I wish we could do the work we do for nothing, giving it to everyone for free. But if we did not charge for our programs, we could not conduct research, create new programs, or even "pay the rent."
Every day I am awe-inspired by the people we attract to our programs, people in search of expanded consciousness, who invested their time and money in having experiences that will enhance their understanding of self, of life, and of reality as a whole. Thousands of people tell us they feel more connected and full of deep trust and peace after they take a Monroe Institute program, whether it is online, or in person. I am humbled to know that for almost half a century we have been providing the tools for positive life-changing experiences.
... money is an investment in deepening our understanding and uses of consciousness, in nurturing an awakening planet.
So, what does all of this mean? In my opinion, if we consider the “money energy exchange” premise, if we perceive money as a tool, as neither good nor bad, but as a means to exchange value for value. We use money but money will not use us! This is all very much about heart. We are talking about an energetic exchange of money for the numinous experience, which is why I am committed to discovering the heart of money. I believe that if we think about—feel about—money in a new light, we can learn to love what it can do for us.
From that perspective, money is an investment in deepening our understanding and uses of consciousness, in nurturing an awakening planet.
What’s not to love?
Stay tuned to my blog for more discussion about money energy. In the meantime, I wish you a warm and wonderful holiday!
Nancy H. McMoneagle
Executive Director and President