. . . and the truth, shall set you free . . . MONEY: Not What You Think

Let me start off by giving you a truthful (well, what else do I do?) account of money by explaining what it is and what it is not.
Money is a currency, which means that it is supposed to be used in an exchange, for value.
Money is NOT energy.
I repeat, and I would like those with 'New Age' philosophies to repeat with me – MONEY IS NOT ENERGY.

A few questions to have in mind, as I explain.
How can the entire world be in debt to the tune of 52 trillion dollars?
Global Debt Clock
What is it in debt to? Who is responsible?

Money is flawed, from the initial concept, for many reasons.
The money is takes to MAKE the physical money has to come from somewhere. That somewhere is the earth, so it is a resource we are using up. Not necessarily good or bad, depending on the renewability of the resource.
Money is stamped with a 'value', but these values are different even on comparably made money (similar size coins or paper), so right off the bat we have an arbitrary system of exchange, wherein something very minimal can be exchanged for an almost endless variety of items: products and services. Imagine a piece of paper with a 1 stamped on it can buy 2 bananas or the same sized paper with 1000 on it can buy a used car.
When you spend money on a product, it is consumed somehow – it is used once then rendered useless, it is used for a time then recycled/repurposed,/discarded, it is used for quite a long time, it is used up or one of a few other possibilities I am sure.
When you spend money on services, you are getting someone's time in exchange for money. This also is very arbitrary as there is no set value for every service – the market or the individual sets or agrees to an amount. But, even with a service, there is consumption as usually delivery of the service requires some commodity (transport, tools) and the service person themselves requires energy, so require food consumption at some point before, during or after providing the service.
Don't you ever wonder why things cost a different amount in different stores, in different cities, in different nations? Don't you ever wonder why people make different wages for doing the exact same job or providing the same service? How can currencies change value relative to themselves day to day? (the insanity is just beginning!)
Do you know how the subjectiveness of money makes you look at yourself in a judgemental way?

Money has never been 'fair' because it was never meant to be about fair. (read about the first systems of accounting or trade for yourself, and you will see) It is arbitrary, divisive, judgemental, and is much more taking than giving - just like something else I point out every time I write about the human condition.
Money may well be the epitome of ego as expressed by the human life form. Politics and religion have their place in this discussion, but money is the ONE thing that the majority of the population has been conditioned into accepting, through many generations of use, and it is so conditioned that it has almost transcended the idea of being an idea. That is how insidious and dangerous it is, too. Believe me, my ego reaction to money went so deep that it made me question my existence – when in fact, it was my ego that needed the reality check!

Let's review and put money into perspective with regards to ego-consciousness. The ego, as I speak of it, is that part of the human mind that has created a 'false' self, a self through which we make a lot of our daily decisions, decisions that affect the physical world. This ego, however, is just thoughts in your head, and collectively is thoughts in societies mass consciousness AND actions deriving from our unconsciousness. (conditioning) So, the ego separates by placing identity on everything, starting with our very selves. It labels, judges, believes, values and takes.
Since money was created by humans, very likely from this consciousness (the concept of money would never even be a thought to the mind beyond ego), then it also is an expression of these traits. On top of that, we have humans that use their ego in a greedy way in life, in harmful ways and just plain ignorantly and so their use of money is no different. In fact, it is perhaps even exaggerated as the having and controlling of money leads to a reinforced ego through feelings of pride, success, importance and worth. To my mind, these are some of the worst traits a human being can express, because while you are filled with these feelings, where is the love, compassion and sharing?
While money is not inherently 'good' or 'bad', the very notion of it is egotistical, which I mean with no particular sleight on anyone. YOU didn't invent money, this isn't personal. This is me and our ego's battling it out. The world is full of nice people! Well intentioned people. Kind people. I love humanity.
But nice, well-intentioned, kind people ignorantly using systems and being unaware are all part of the same problem we are creating as a species: polluting the world by living irresponsibly, using resources by taking and not giving.

My 52 Trillion Dollar Proposition
If money is energy, or is benign, then it must be able to be explained. After all, we all know from the law of the conservation of energy (or, you are learning it now) that energy is neither created nor destroyed, so how does this factor into an 'exchange' of value involving money.
I like to start with the BIG picture, and we can think backwards from there. Just remember, the same money can be spent over and over again. Resources, including a person's 'time' are used once for that money, even though resources can sometimes be used again.
So, imagine that we could take all of the physical money that there is in the world, and all that there ever has been and make a BIG pile. Then, we take all of the resources that this money has accounted for over the course of history and make a comparable pile, including the resources needed for providing or fuelling the providing of services. What do you think it would look like? Equal? Now, think about everyone in the world wanting to 'cash out'. If money has paid for everything that there is, that has been made, then this should add up.
Everyone goes to the bank and withdraws all the money they have, they sell all of their possessions and they . . . but wait a minute. The banks do not have that money! And the things you own have changed in value since you bought them! (some increase, some decrease). Fact is, there isn't money to account for everything, and it is more true today than in the past. In the past,the idea of usury and money-lending began the process of lending money to people or nations on the promise of paying it back with interest, and so the lender began lending more money than it actually had based on the promise of collecting more money back, in time.
Now, on top of that, we live in an age where money is either printed at will by the state or is created digitally by the banks.
Please . . . tell me now that money is NOT arbitrary, divisive, judgemental, and taking, simply as the idea that it is.

We ARE a species born out of life itself, a benevolent force whose sole purpose is to experience itself, and if left to it's own devices, will do so enjoyably and using the path of least resistance.
We are the only life form that thinks as we do, that creates separation and the judges harshly.
We are the only species using currency.
People say we couldn't live without money, but they are 100% wrong. We can live any way we choose, and if you learn to know our true selves and true nature, that is when we will really experience life and be incapable of making choices that consciously harm others.

With money in the equation, it is brutally obvious that the earth is taking the brunt of the suffering in exchange for money – the resources of the planet, the plants and animals we use as resources. But, we also suffer individually and as a species. In exchange for the money spent, we are not even all living healthy, abundant and meaningful lives in every moment!!! So, what gives? Why do we keep doing it?
FEAR, as usual. The ego has created large systems of finance, government and religion that make it appear as though it is all too great or too much to escape from. Of course, this is false, just like the go itself.
I escaped . . . by letting go of the ego's thoughts on the matter, and now I can see how to live.
It may not always be easy, given the depth to which we all live in these systems, but it is possible and I feel completely peaceful, free and worthy of enjoying this life. Can't put a price on that.

But, you know also enjoys life authentically? Anything in nature unaffected by humanity – but there is getting to be less and less of that all the time, and this is the true crime of it all.
Through money, we have become a very disrespectful species, treating all life as commodities instead of as the beautiful lives they are, here to connect with and cooperate our way through life.

To have detached from nature so much, through this ego conditioning, is our great 'failure' as a species, for we cause so much unnecessary suffering.

This is why I type these words and why I live in awareness.
I see the world. I see humanity. I see the disconnect.
I see the way from here to there.
Let's work together to transition out of systems that are failed and flawed into a world of living abundance – and by that, I do not mean manifesting for the sake of it. The natural world can and does provide what we need and want.
If we all lived aware, the want list would be very, very short and would involved experiencing life together moment by moment over anything else.
The mind beyond ego could not even conceive of money or any other judgemental systems such as the one's that we allow to operate our life stories. WE ALLOW THAT by not knowing our selves.

If you are given reason to question currency at all, then try doing a few small things like: consuming less, trading more, recycling, doing without, growing a garden, go for a trail walk, sing some songs with friends, experience the sunrise, exercise and move your body more. You see?
For more information and to read about some people living without money, start with Mark Boyle as he has a great perspective and philosophy, offers his book for free (of course) and shows how less is more.
I am on that path myself, while not completely shunning the use of money in life only because my use of it can affect others. But, I aim to make and use as little as possible for the rest of my life, and will live without it somewhere, someday . . . hopefully with YOU!

Please – get a discussion going in your life, within your family or community and try to observe money for a while, objectively.
Ask me any questions – I have likely been through it in my mind and beyond mind, already.
I will never tire of imparting truth into this or any other matter that involves how ego is directly affecting our experiencing of life and the unnecessary suffering involved.

(I will be posting 'my' story about money some time – it is very interesting, humorous and poignant as ALL signs have pointed to me understanding this since I was very young.)