Money comes but does not stay, 

Being round, it rolls away.

My domestic help had loaned Rs. 2500/= to someone who had been putting off returning it, causing her much angst. Sharing this occurrence with Swamiji who was visiting us at the time, I asked:

“What if everyone had enough money to take care of their basic comforts? Would they not be happier?”

This random question set off an interesting, wholesome discussion with Swamiji who took me on an exhilarating money management journey.

Money & Prana

Money is a form of energy. In Yoga, we refer to energy as Prana or vital life force that we cannot survive without.

Money is a powerful energy, a lot of energy! It is not simply a piece of paper or gold. No one crushes it and throws it somewhere. This piece of paper carries with it tremendous power as something that is alive and can do things!

1. A person’s money prana and ability to attract, retain and increase money can be linked to his/ her karma (action, work or deed.) This probably explains why some people are rich without seeming to deserve it.

2. Money also finds a place on an individual’s horoscope, which has distinct houses for relationships, health, progeny, wealth and fortune, among other key planetary aspects that govern human lives.

As most of us might have experienced, we can increase or decrease our personal energy just by our attitude towards it.
Our attitude also makes our energy positive or negative. Similarly, if we treat money with respect and gratitude, loving it without being greedy and believing in an abundance of it to be able to share it with others for the wider good, the money-prana we create is positive.
This will attract more money as positive prana attracts more positive energy into our lives!

On the other hand, when we think or worry that we don’t have money, we create a reality or energy of poverty! Phrases such as:

• Money is flowing out of our house.

• Money is slipping through my hands.

• Money comes but does not stay.

• I never seem to have enough!

Will more often than not, lead to exactly the same outcomes.

As you think, so will you manifest.

Swamiji further illustrated how certain families that were traditionally wealthy and inherited a lot of money or property lost it due to taking it for granted. Their offspring overspent and wasted money showing lack of respect for it, thereby leaving their future generations penniless.
Other families that started off being poor, became wealthy by working hard, respecting and treasuring their earnings. They would have done more with less, investing it wisely among other things, leaving a fortune for their future generations. Look around you and you will see many examples of leaders and common citizens embodying a ‘rags to riches’ story or vice versa.

So what would you like to say? And what would you like to think about your money position?

Keys to building money prana

• Among the basic tenets of all religions is to share what you have even if it is a piece of bread or the last coin that you have! When you share with someone who needs it, what she gains from it is much more than what you supposedly are losing from it. It is like a smile that you give to another and get more back. You don’t lose anything as the act of sharing or giving directly builds positive money-karma!

One of the key ways to build positive money-prana is through the tradition of charity or donating. Sharing is a form of gratitude and surrender to the cosmic forces, for if you are not open and thankful, you cannot share! Money-prana gets blocked when you don’t keep your wealth rolling. By sharing, you keep the money moving and greatly reduce the chances of blocking your money–prana. So go ahead with your planned or random acts of kindness as what goes around comes around.

• Lakshmi is the Goddess of fortune, wealth, power and loveliness. Wealth means not only money, but also the higher values and qualities of life. In India, we also call her chanchala, which means fickle or never in one place for long. This signifies that fortune often does not stay with anyone for extended lengths of time.

Only with the greatest of respect for Lakshmi will she keep coming to your household. This means not only offering her worship (respect, gratitude and acknowledging her value in our lives,) but also taking care by letting her go to good activities so that she wants to come back for more. Coupled with wealth, we also must inculcate good values (Lakshmi is the consort of Lord Vishnu who embodies values,) as Lakshmi will not stay in a house that does not have good values.

Swamiji also recounted how most people say that they want a lot of money. When asked, what that can do for them, they say money will make them happy. Does money really give you happiness? If you look around you, the richest people are often very anxious. They are worried about how to safeguard their money, whom to trust with their wealth, how to continually protect their investments from diminishing, the stress often impacting their physical and mental health.

• Your ‘Let me be happy’ sankalpa or resolution need not be dependent on money. Of course, some amount of money can make our lives more comfortable. You can be grateful and happy for whatever you have, even if you do not have much. Awareness is the first step, know what you’re thinking, train your mind to be more positive in respect of money management.

To know more about The Women Financial Advisers Network and how it can enable you to lead a ‘rich and balanced life,’ please visit our website www.wfan.in

Credit

• Swami Yogaratna Saraswati is a sanyasi disciple of the Bihar School of Yoga (BSY,) founded by Swami Satyananda Saraswati, direct disciple of Swami Sivananda of Rishikesh. Swami Yogaratna runs the Shankar Prasad Foundation, an ashram near Gokarna, Karnataka on the West coast of India (150 km south of Goa.) To learn more about her work in the teaching of yoga, meditation and spirituality, the promotion of children’s education and organic farming, please click here.

• Goddess Lakshmi: http://www.stephen-knapp.com/lakshmi_goddess_of_fortune.htm

• Man holding money photo by Roman Synkevych on Unsplash