Baba
Economic gain
Namaskar,
In this day and age, people waste a lot of time trying to earn more and more money - laboring anywhere from 8 - 10 hours daily, or even 18 hours in a single day. Plus most people are extremely worried about money - so they think about earning money even when they are not working. They eat, sleep, and dream about it. In this way their entire psyche and days are consumed.
The general psychology in materialism / capitalism is to earn more and spend more. That becomes their entire life - that is the unfortunate truth. The tragedy is that human life is about so much more than just collecting money. Human life is far larger than this.
To resolve this important issue, Lord Shrii Shrii Anandamurti ji has given a beautiful way of living that is very easy for everyone to do. And by following His guidelines, one is sure to save huge amounts of money. So if you are suffering from any sort of financial worry or fiscal need, then read this following letter.
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Ways of save: AM way of life - 1
Here is a brief list of other ways any sadhaka of the Marga will certainly save money. Again, anyone can follow this approach and get the financial benefits.
- Fasting: By fasting 2 or 4 times monthly, we Ananda Margiis save 1 - 2 months worth of food over the course of the entire year. Plus fasting purifies the body and keeps us disease-free, and away from expensive medical visits.
- Marriage: In some traditions huge money or dowries are paid to get one's children married. We do not subscribe to such dogmas. Our social ceremonies are free.
Ananda Marga Caryacarya guides us, “A marriage feast is completely optional and depends upon the financial capacity of the people concerned. Arranging the feast by taking a loan or incurring a debt is prohibited.” (1)
Ananda Marga Caryacarya guides us, “For the celebration of this ceremony the arrangement of a social feast depends entirely on the desire and the financial position of the guardians concerned. Taking a loan or incurring a debt for this purpose is forbidden.” (2)
- Tiirtha / Pilgrimage: Traveling to so-called holy lands like Mecca, Jerusalem or Varanasi each year is an expensive proposition. In Ananda Marga, we do not have such destinations - the only tiirtha in Ananda Marga is atma-tiirtha, i.e. inside you.
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Ways of save: AM way of life - 2
- Ritualistic Prayer: In the various religions, prayer can be expensive as one must spend money on those rituals and related paraphernalia to please their imposed deity. For example, to please the monkey god one must offer laddu - which is an expensive sweet. To do this everyday becomes quite costly. In stark contrast, in Ananda Marga there are no such rituals and there is also no middleman between you and Parama Purusa. There is a direct link, whereas in the religions there is always a middle man between the follower and God, going through that middle man can be quite costly. Acaryas are not a middle-man.
- Birth & Death: Here again these entail social ceremonies that do not cost any money in Ananda Marga, whereas in the dogmatic churches and temples, moderate to large sums of money need to be paid. Plus without a large payment, one will not even find a spot in the cemetery or get a good casket, whereas in Ananda Marga the body is burned at no expense to the deceased or their family.
- Hobbies: In Ananda Marga, our only hobby is social service and helping others by collecting donations, or by volunteering, whereas in the so-called first-world nations average citizens spend enormous amounts of money on hobbies and recreational activities. Thus we save a lot in this department as well.
- Yoga asanas: The daily practice of yoga asanas helps keep the glandular system balanced and the body vibrant. By this way, one can enjoy enduring health and save huge money by avoiding costly medical visits, medicines, and related expenses. It also enables one to maintain their livelihood.
- Psychic Disease: Ananda Marga sadhana keeps the mind balanced and without sadhana people encounter so many mental problems: frustration, depression, angst, phobias etc. In that case they have to spend big money on psychiatrists and psychologists.
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Ways of save: AM way of life - 3
- Inferiority Complex: Anyone with an inferiority is bound to be exploited. Sadhana will free the mind from such complexes.
- Religious 10% Taxes vs Ananda Marga 2% Donation: In most of the religions, the tax for the average member is 10% or so of their annual income. In Ananda Marga we donate 2% for social service projects and the welfare of society. By this way the overall status of society improves - there is less want and hence less crime. And all along we save 8% in comparison to those paying a religious tax where the money may be spent in all kinds of materialistic ways. Another benefit of the 2% donation is that Baba says the mind will become tamasik if one keeps all their money for oneself.
And there are a multitude of other ways in which we save money. And when there is less financial liability then there is far greater scope to devote more time for sadhana.
Best way
The guidelines in this letter are for everyone. If you are already an Ananda Margii or a sympathizer of the Marga, you will readily see how much you are saving by following Ananda Marga practices. Plus you may get some new tips as well.
And if you are not yet an Ananda Margii, then by reading the below you will get a clear-cut vision of how following our Ananda Marga way of life will benefit you financially. This letter is for absolutely anyone and everyone who wishes to save money and live a financially secure life.
No intoxicants: save money
In Ananda Marga, as we all know, or as new people will soon learn, the use of intoxicants is not allowed in Ananda Marga - none. This is the first great way of saving money by leading life as an Ananda Margii. Cigarettes, beer, wine, and hard alcohol are all getting taxed verily heavily by the city, state, provincial and federal governments. So the prices of these substances are skyrocketing.
Smoking a pack a day over the course of a year would add up to more than several thousand dollars - at a minimum. And this type of increase is happening everywhere. The same thing is going on with regards to alcohol.
In Ananda Marga, there is no scope to use cigarettes, or any of these other legal intoxicants like alcohol etc. They are now allowed. That transmits into huge savings. Just ask any ex-smoker or ex-drinker and they will most assuredly tell you about all the money they have saved by quitting their habit.
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No drugs, drinking alcohol: save money
Then of course there are the illegal drugs like hashish, cocaine, heroin etc. These all cost a huge amount of money - it is big business - but for Ananda Margiis this is a non-issue entirely. So here again a lot of money is saved. Included in this topic are other health costs and legal fees. If one is using intoxicants of any kind they will certainly have to spend more money on doctors fees, health concerns, insurance premiums, hospital care and other medications etc, since those intoxicants will ruin their health.
In addition, drinking and driving can kill you and it is illegal so if one gets caught by the police they will incur exorbitant legal fees in order to clear their name and stay out of jail, if possible. Same is the case if they are caught using illegal drugs. Not only are the drugs expensive and addicting, but one will have to spend huge money on attorney fees to clear their name in a court of law.
So from multiple angles, our clean way of living that is free of any and all intoxicants saves us a lot of money. That is the first great savings for being an Ananda Margii.
Plant-based diet = money-saver
Our style of eating, i.e. our vegetarian diet, is also a big money saver. In most places, fresh fruit and vegetables are far less costly than meat - both on our wallet and our health. Our daily or weekly shopping is less expensive plus we will not face all the health issues that hinders meat-eaters. So we will not have to pay those big medical bills either.
Studies show how the foods for eating home-prepared vegetarian meals is cheaper (and healthier) than a meat-based diet. Also always look into buying foods in bulk - one can save a lot of money this way. There is much more involved in this point of food, but I think most of us are aware about them. And already there is a lot of information out there about the extreme financial and health costs of a meat-based diet.
No restaurants / dining out: One other aspect of the point of food is that as Ananda Margiis we do not dine in restaurants or hotels. Of course the reason we do not do this is because those places are not sentient: The dishes are dirty, the ingredients are unknown, and the cooks are non-sadhakas. So that is why true margiis / wts do not dine in such establishments. And eating in these restaurants is an expensive habit. By not frequenting restaurants, we save a lot of money. What average people spend on a single meal in a restaurant is enough funds for wise, vegetarian shoppers to eat for 1 or 2 weeks at home.
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"Gambling house" always wins
Much of the world indulges in gambling - in some form or another - either in casinos, or on-line, or at sporting events, or in lotteries, etc. The tragedy with gambling is the the "house" always wins. People waste their time and hard-earned money and come home empty handed. Not only do they lose their money, but they lose their mental balance as well. Because as gambling is an addiction. People will even sell their most valued possessions in order to support their gambling habit. Indeed, even the great King Yudhisthira lost his entire wealth and property in a game of dice. Such are the ill effects of gaming and gambling.
Ananda Marga Caryacarya says, "The habit of making wagers is extremely undesirable. You must avoid lotteries and gambling." (3)
When there is no gambling allowed in AM way of life then there is no question of losing money or wasting one's time. This is an absolute money-saver.
In Ananda Marga, emphasis is placed on spiritual attainment, not material gain. According to Ananda Marga ideals, devotion is most important, not matter. In that case one need not earn a lot of money to purchase a fancy vehicle in order to gain prestige and respect in society. One need not compete with their neighbor in the material sphere. Rather, one should compete in good conduct and Sixteen Points. That is the most meaningful investment one can make - i.e. towards their spiritual life. By this outlook alone, one can save tremendous amounts of money and utilise their time in dharmic pursuits.
No financial and psychic loss
In our present era, to support the aforementioned race for material wealth, loans are a big, big point. Many people around the world, especially in the materialistic western nations, make it a hobby or even career in life to spend money which they do not have. People incur debt by taking big loans to pay for things that they cannot afford: clothes, fancy meals, i-Phones, sports cars, gadgets, etc. By this way they lose money in two ways: Firstly by purchasing a costly item which they do not really need; secondly by having to pay the interest on the loan for that item. It is a double loss.
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Yet all "modern economies" around the globe are based on this faulty precept. Not only do individuals and families indulge in this, but entire cities, counties, states and even whole nations embark on this defective manner of taking loans to pay for things they cannot afford. From beginning to end this is a costly and mentally taxing affair. People stay awake at night wondering and worrying about how they are going to pay back their loan. And countries even go 100% bankrupt. That is what we are witnessing today.
Baba's warnings on loan and debt
In Ananda Marga, Baba is entirely against the idea of taking a loan or incurring debt for superfluous items.
Ananda Marga philosophy says, "To purchase, by incurring debt, serge where tweed will do, or gaberdine where serge will do, is surely against the principle of aparigraha." (4)
Indeed the entire spirit of aparigraha is to live in a simple manner, within one's means. This is only possible if one can to cultivate the requisite santosa (mental ease), such that a person will not senselessly run after material goods. As Baba points out in many discourses, the practices of aparigraha and santosa are closely linked.
Ananda Marga philosophy says, "Human desire knows no end. Millionaires want to become multi-millionaires, because they are not satisfied with their million. Ask the millionaires if they are happy with their money. They will say, “Where is the money? I am somehow pulling on.” This answer indicates their ignorance of aparigraha. But such feelings have another adverse effect on body and mind." (5)
External allurements
Ananda Marga philosophy guides us, "Out of excessive fondness for physical or mental pleasures people become mad to earn money and amass wealth. As money becomes the be-all and end-all of life, the mind gets crudified. Constant hankering after money results in negligence of one’s health, and this makes the body unfit. Therefore, santos'a sa'dhana' lies in being contented with the earnings of normal labour, without any undue pressure on the body and mind. To remain contented, one has to make a special type of mental effort to keep aloof from external allurements." (6)
Hence by following yama and niyama and doing sadhana, one can easily become adept at the points of aparigraha and santosa. And this will lead to saving so much money - huge amounts. Because without aparigraha and santosa, one will become a prisoner to the consumer mentality of "buy this" & "buy that" which is so infested within capitalism.
This topic of loans is highly linked with one’s mental state and yama and niyama. When the mind is balanced one will steer clear of all kinds of unneeded purchases as well as unnecessary loans, thereby saving tremendous amounts of money.
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Conclusion: save lots of money
Baba has graciously given us the perfect system for living in this era of economic struggle and strife. By following His life principles we are bound to save large sums of money and feel relaxed about our financial picture.
So if anyone is suffering from economic turmoil, just become an Ananda Margii or redouble one's efforts in following 16 Pts. Then one will be worry-free and unencumbered by economic problems.
Let us remember that human life is short and it is meant for sadhana, not getting caught up in financial concerns.
Baba says, "One should not forget that human life is short. From the moment of birth one slowly and steadily advances towards death with every passing second. This short period of time from birth to death is human life. Human beings have come from the world of invisibility and at the end of this short span of time will return to the world of invisibility. Those people can be called intelligent who utilize every moment of their short life engaged in spiritual practice." (7)
Namaskar,
In Him,
Anandeshvara
~ In-depth study ~
Baba's special order about loans
Here furthermore is another of Baba's special guideline about taking loans.
Baba says, "I am also giving one more advice in regard to aparigraha. If any Margis have to spend on anything in addition to the fixed expenditure (for example, expensive clothing, ornaments, articles of furniture, marriage, building, etc.), they should, before incurring such expenditure, obtain a clear order from their a'ca'rya, unit secretary or district secretary, or any other person of responsible rank. Similarly, permission is to be obtained before taking loan from any businessman or money-lender." (8)
Because if you are drowning in loan AMPS unit margiis will help you to pay back.
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Good for one and all
In this materialistic era, the mass of people weigh most of their decisions on money. People want to know what is most economical. This plays into our favour as this entire letter aims to show the innumerable ways how living life as an Ananda Margii saves you money. So this is a good pracara strategy: Save money by becoming an Ananda Margii.
In addition, challenging or severe economic times are mounting, so as Ananda Margiis we need not worry so much since in a multitude of ways our way of life is the most economical. It is a better deal fiscally. By saving money, working less, and sincerely engaging in sadhana, one will reach up to the height of spiritual realisation as well.
By the above listing of points, it is easy to see how and why our Ananda Marga way of life is great in all realms of life, including financially.
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Ananda Marga ideology states, “You take much service from the world, by way of subsistence and maintenance, which you must return, or else you accrue a debt. If you are burdened with a big loan at the time of death, what will happen? You will have to be reborn in order to repay your debt with interest.” (9)
References
1. Caryacarya - 1, Marriage Ceremony
2. Caryacarya - 1, Infant's Játakarma: The Naming of and First Feeding of Solid Food to an Infant
3. Caryacarya - 2, Society, Point #38
4. Guide to Human Conduct
5. Guide to Human Conduct
6. Guide to Human Conduct
7. Ananda Marga Philosophy in a Nutshell - 4, Nitya Karma and Naemittik Karma
8. Guide to Human Conduct
9. Ananda Vacanamrtam - 30, Self-Realization and Service to Humanity
* * *
The below sections are entirely different topics, unrelated to the above material.
They stand on their own as points of interest.
* * *
== Section 2: Important Teaching ==
Moral duty in suicide
Ananda Marga philosophy states, “Those who commit suicide, do it when their mind is in a negative state. It is unnatural.” (1)
Note: Those in a balanced state of mind never commit suicide or opt for euthanasia (assisted suicide). The only people who commit suicide are those (a) in a poor emotional state, (b) affected by dogma, or (c) suffering from a severe mental ailment. If a person attempts or actually commits suicide it means their mind is not working properly. To prevent this social ill and personal tragedy, those with a balanced mind who are near the patient have the moral duty to intervene. They must save those mental patients who are planning or trying to commit suicide or euthanasia.
Reference
1. A Few Problems Solved - 6, The Three Causes of Sin
Ananda Marga philosophy states, “Those who commit suicide, do it when their mind is in a negative state. It is unnatural.” (1)
Note: Those in a balanced state of mind never commit suicide or opt for euthanasia (assisted suicide). The only people who commit suicide are those (a) in a poor emotional state, (b) affected by dogma, or (c) suffering from a severe mental ailment. If a person attempts or actually commits suicide it means their mind is not working properly. To prevent this social ill and personal tragedy, those with a balanced mind who are near the patient have the moral duty to intervene. They must save those mental patients who are planning or trying to commit suicide or euthanasia.
Reference
1. A Few Problems Solved - 6, The Three Causes of Sin
== Section: Important Teaching ==
Good Health: know these two mudras
These two mudras - uddayan mudra and utksepa mudra - are very important for all-round health as they serve as prevention and treatment for numerous diseases. In the Ananda Marga Yogic Treatments book, these two mudras are pervasively used. So all should know how to practice these mudras - i.e. when to inhale and when to exhale etc. Actually they are so basic, there is no need to ask any acarya etc. The instructions are printed in Caryacarya part 3 for all to see. Everyone has access to this knowledge. People should therefore take it upon themselves to acquire the foundational knowledge of basic Ananda Marga practices, like these two important mudras.
Ananda Marga Caryacarya states, “Ud́d́ayana mudrá: Standing, place the hands above the knees and bend forward a little. Gradually breathe out, to a state of complete exhalation. Keeping the breath out, draw the abdomen and lower abdomen inward as hard as possible, to touch the spine. Maintain this position for eight seconds. Then gradually inhale fully. Practise eight times.” (1)
Ananda Marga Caryacarya states, “Utkśepa Mudrá: This mudrá should be practised in bed immediately upon waking. While lying on the back, one should flex both the arms and legs, bringing them over the chest, and then return them immediately to the extended position. After doing this three or four times, sit up in bed and drink a glass of cold water without allowing the water to touch the teeth. After this you should expose the navel area to the air, and walk up and down in this way for some time in the open air.” (2)
References
1. Caryacarya - 3, Mudrás and Bandhas
2. Caryacarya - 3, Different Yoga Practices
