As we have gotten lost from our authentic story and knowing our inner world, we have also confused the meaning of success.
We have only to look at one of the more elegant offerings of late, mindfulness is being taken as a tool of productivity. Sacred human has been replaced with person as commodity and friends are seen as items—whether through the gig economy or other means of accumulation. This has arisen because of a mistake of disconnection. And money, a means of exchange, has become the goal or achievement.
We have chosen the external world as real, diminishing our rich inner conversation. In loosing the connection with our inner realm we measure success through material gain and setting people in competitive us-them stance. Our schools support this behavior by emphasizing production as foundation of society, naming gross national product along with things seen in the physical realms as measurably real, and all else as silly. There is one, small Buddhist nation that measures success as factor of happiness.
Moral life asks that we reconnect with our inner journey, beyond just the doors of religion, to a daily walk of honoring our whole selves. We are being asked to bring self awareness and inner dialogue into conversation with the external world. We are being asked to honor both (sometimes contradictory) places that together, support our walk on the earth and within. We have to fulfill physical needs and we need to listen to the place of quiet wisdom. And we are being asked to bring love into our daily activities.
Slow down, breathe, listen, before seeing many people as economic possibilities. When we hear each others stories, taking precious time to pay attention, maybe touching, our actions may shift. Money can be a sacred tool that brings each of us into fulfillment. It doesn’t need to feed ego. It can be for bringing together. Move to place of loving care. Money is the tool, not the goal. There is enough for all, open hearts and deep care.