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Getting the money and magnanimity balance right

The author healed her relationship with money, ushering in abundance, which inspired magnanimity that nourishes both her soul and the world around her.

by Megha Bajaj
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Getting the money-magnanimity balance right

From the time we wake up to the time we sleep, so much of our life is governed by money. Someone once said, money cannot buy you sleep. But the quandary is, it can buy you a mattress, a pillow, a blanket, and ensure you get better sleep. 

Money cannot buy you happiness – and yet, from the time I wake up – from the water I drink to the paste to brush my teeth, to the food I eat, everything comes only through money. How am I expected to be happy without my basic needs being fulfilled? So, I must pause and re-examine this sentence.

Breaking old patterns

Somehow, many of us have created strange, mixed associations with money. We all want it, but we don’t want to admit it. It runs everything, but it makes us cringe to talk about it. We cannot live without it, but we’d rather not admit that to anyone. For once, I want to straighten my head about money, and along the way, if it offers you some insights too, great.

I have not always had the best relationship with money. Growing up with an overly philanthropic and idealist father – I would often hear him say, “Just do it for them, why ask for money?” or “Do it out of love, who cares what you get paid!” This led me to believe that one needs to keep doing things for people and never ask them for money in return. It sure made me feel like a good human being.

Financial freedom as a moral responsibility

It also made me into an extremely frustrated human being. As a writer, I found myself swamped with people who wanted me to write for them (or read what they had written) without any remuneration. Even for simple things like my clothes or entertainment as a youngster, I had to ask my parents. And I did not like it. Okay, truth be told, I hated it. I felt so… dependent. Caged. Limited.

I somehow felt this design was flawed. I also did not feel valued or respected for all I was doing. I knew I had to change the narrative, and fortunately, a teacher came into my life who nailed this sentence into my being, “If you are a good human being – you have the moral responsibility of being rich. The world is where the world is because there is too much money in the hands of people who use it for wrong means. Become rich, and along with you – you will pull the world up.”

If you are a good human being – you have the moral responsibility of being rich.

“My guru told me, ‘If you are a good human being – you have the moral responsibility of being rich. The world is where the world is because there is too much money in the hands of people who use it for wrong means. Become rich, and along with you – you will pull the world up’.”

The power of financial independence

This made so much logical sense to my twenty-something being – but patterns are not always easy to break. For several years, I felt guilty asking for money for the value I added to people and felt extremely uncomfortable talking about money. I remember fidgeting for hours before penning an email even asking for anything that was due to me.

However, I have come a long way now. Being financially independent as a woman (because I happen to be one, it is equally important for a man too! Ha!) has made me feel freedom that I cannot even begin to express. From being able to do projects I love, to live the lifestyle I wish to – to help people I want to, everything has been made possible because of money.

My relationship with money currently is very beautiful, happy, and eased one where I feel I deserve the best in life and I will more than give my best to life. From bringing up a baby to nurturing a hobby; from medical needs to travels; everything is defined by money, and here I stand, telling you with zero guilt or shame, “I love money, and money loves me right back…” Ah, good space to be in.

Magnanimity – the untouchable richness

And that brings me to my next M – magnanimity. I realized, with a feeling of immense love and humility, in a world that runs on money, for money, and because of money – there is still so much that money cannot touch.

My mother’s love… what price would I ever put on it? She lived her whole life for us. My father’s care – always wanting to do things for me — beyond his means. My husband’s support, I have no way to equate it and the role it has been playing in my becoming. My baby simply coming along and filling my entire being with bliss, peace, and completeness… how will I ever equate the experience to any amount of currency?

The absolute love of my guru, who has bestowed me with more love, more magnanimity, and more wisdom than I could ever repay in a lifetime, all of this remains untouched by money.

Balance between the material and the spiritual.

“Trust me, more than what magnanimity does for another, what it does for your own soul is deeply enriching and purifying. Life is so beautiful when we learn to strike a balance between the material and the spiritual.”

Recognizing and celebrating magnanimity

That feeling of watching someone blossom in love, a sunrise or a moonrise, a walk in the grass barefoot, rains… none of these can be bought. And yet, what they gift to your soul, they alone can. It is purity redefined and sometimes these simple moments make the whole life worth living.

In fact, I have come to realize the definition of magnanimity is when someone is ready to do something for you with no expectations of any monetary returns. When they simply do it out of their unimaginable love for you.

Think about it and you will notice so much magnanimity in your life. For me, from the Sunday satsang with my guru to my best friend simply being there for me; from the love I experience from so many in my inner circle to the grace of God, it is all absolute magnanimity in my life. Of course, I do what I can to add this magnanimity to the lives of others too – and trust me, more than what magnanimity does for another, what it does for your own soul is deeply enriching. Purifying.

Harmonizing money and spirituality

The way magnanimity grows is by recognizing it, by deeply celebrating it, by valuing the magnanimity of people around us – and in our own way by paying that magnanimity forward.

Life is so beautiful when we learn to strike a balance between the material and the spiritual. Between our aspirations, and those little moments of innocent bliss. Between what money can buy and that which it can never buy. Both are so integral to us and in no way at war… if only we can harmonize them internally, aha what a life of abundance it would be!

Abundance of money.

Abundance of magnanimity.

Abundance of that proverbial more… which will keep adding a tinge of surprise, looking forward to each day.

Illustrations: Navni Chawla

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