What is the spiritual meaning of money?

A Statement by the Tibetan Master

published in Discipleship in the New Age, Volume I, by Alice A. Bailey, Pages 271 – 273

What is money?

“Money is the manifestation of energy. All energy can be applied in differing ways, being in itself an impersonal and blind force. It can be selfishly or unselfishly used. That, in itself, constitutes the main difference.”

The question of money

“This whole question of money is one of the greatest difficulty at this time and also one of the utmost simplicity. The difficulty is due to the wrong thought which, for generations, has been brought to bear upon the problem, leading to wrong attitudes, even among the most devoted disciples. The attitude of humanity to money has been coloured by greed, by grasping for the lower self, by jealousy, by material desire and by the heart-breaking need for it which—in its turn—is the result of these wrong attitudes. These wrong attitudes lead to the disastrous economic conditions which we find all around us. They are effects of causes which are initiated by man himself. In the re-generation of money and in the changing of man’s attitude to it will eventually come world release. If this cannot take place, then some dire condition will arise; money (as we know it) will vanish off the earth and the situation will have to be met in some other way. Let us hope that this will not be needed but that it will be possible to change the thought of humanity where money is concerned so that it will be regarded as a great spiritual asset, as a definite spiritual responsibility and as a means to real world work. The custodians of money will then shoulder their responsibility without fear and with due understanding. At present, they hold on to it through fear of the future and distrust of each other. The key to the right expenditure of money and to its correct use can be summed up in the following statement to which I would ask all of you to pay attention:

Attracting money

“As money has in the past ministered to personal and family need, so in the future it must minister to group and world need. Each unit has, in the past, attempted to act as a magnet and to attract to itself that which will meet what it regards as its need—using personal activity and labour, if of no influence or education, and financial manipulation where that was possible. Groups in the future must act as magnets; they must see to it that they are animated by a spirit of love. I give you a thought here which is capable of much expansion. Need, love and magnetic power are the three things which—consciously or unconsciously—attract money.  But they must all manifest at once. The need in the past has not always been real, though it has been felt (such is the world glamour and illusion). The love has been selfish or unreal; the demand for things material has been for that which is not necessary to health or happiness. The magnetic force utilised has been, therefore, wrongly motivated and this process—carried forward over so long a time—has led to the present dire financial situation in the world.

Redirecting money to uplift the world

“By the transmutation of these factors and the expression of their higher correspondences—through right love, right thought or meditation and right technique—the financial requirements of the new groups and of the New Group of World Servers will be found. I would suggest that an elaboration of these ideas should be disseminated among all whom you know who could help. I would ask you to ponder much on these ideas for, in the education of the intelligent world servers, this question of money and of right attitudes towards money and right meditation upon money must be boldly faced.  The emphasis laid by certain large groups on meditation for the raising of funds (usually for personal use or for the selfish ends of their own particular organisation or group) has been based upon this emerging concept of the group use of money. Being, however, selfishly and personally interested, the money was thought of in relation to the individual and not in relation to the group. This attitude must and will be changed.

Motive and creative thought

“One thing more I would ask of you, my brother, and of the group who read my words. Money is the manifestation of energy. All energy can be applied in differing ways, being in itself an impersonal and blind force. It can be selfishly or unselfishly used. That, in itself, constitutes the main difference.  Motive and creative thought determine the magnetic power of any individual, group or centre. Determine your motive; see that your group ideal and group love are dominant; use skill in action; this will involve right preliminary meditation, plus correct thinking; then you will find that that which you need will be forthcoming.”

~ Discipleship in the New Age, Volume I, by Alice A. Bailey, Pages 271 – 273