Today I was thinking about Mother Teresa and Gandhi and how they really didn't do much for the image of spirituality!
Before you scream 'blasphemy!' and start looking for my head on a stick, let me explain that they are both huge heroes of mine. They were kind and gentle people who brought about huge change using the power of love.
My gripe - if you could call it that - is that because neither of them had any material possessions, they fed the notion embedded in our collective consciousness that equates goodness with poverty.
In other words, somewhere deep in my psyche is the belief that spirituality and financial abundance are mutually exclusive.
Poor = good person. Rich = bad person.
On an intellectual level, I know this is nonsense. Belittling, diminishing or denying myself does not make you any better. If I have, it does not mean that you have not. The Universe is one of abundance - not lack - so theoretically, everybody can be rich.
This is my issue and one that I struggle with constantly, but I have discovered that it is quite a common struggle among those on a spiritual path. There are good and humanitarian rich people everywhere - Oprah, Richard Branson, Bono, Bob Geldof...- who enjoy abundant lifestyles as well as a deeper search for meaning.
Mother Teresa and Gandhi are taking the flak for my skewed perspective (for which I apologise!) but they are also helping to make me aware of the flaws in my thinking about abundance (for which I am grateful!).
And I very much doubt either one of them would have considered themselves poor!
Tags: Eileen Bennett Blog
