Does Money Ease Pain?

Intro: I have the longest urge or desire to write about $ woes. Since past weekend, or the past few months, there were not just money woes, there were political undertones along with $ issues. There would be some crossover with some policies and money.
For complete entry: http://discoverfarther-w-humanity.gaia.com/blog/2009/6/does-money-ease-pain

Re: Does Money Ease Pain?

I don't think it does. I think money is a temporary fix to pain at times. To have a permanent fix, you must fix whatever it is within yourself that's broken. Something that goes much deeper than money ever could. With money one is never content to have enough. Everyone always wants more.

Look at how our society has indulged over the years. A typical house hold in the early 1800's used to be happy with a horse and and buggy, food, shelter, clothing, a few home made toys for each child, and antiques passed on from their ancestors. In 1970 the average house hold had one car, one working telephone, one working television, at least one toy box full of toys per child, and many collections of trinkets, dolls, model cars, or whatever a person wished to collect. Today in 2009, the average house hold has at least two cars, 3 televisions, ipods and cell phones for each person in the house hold, at least one computer, and every child is in some sport or club or taking lessons of some kind out side of school. When given money whether earned or as a gift…it's just never enough.

As a christian, I believe that if one puts their priorities in proper order that they will find happiness always always. Put God as number one in your life and every thing else will fall in place with time. God promises that if you follow him, all your true necessities will always be met. Of course what you think you need and what God knows you need might be two completely different things. You just have to trust and let him guide you as things fall into place on his time and not yours. Happiness come from your heart. You must give yourself to others (God first, then family, neighbors, etc.) In return you will find true happiness.

This doesn't mean happiness always. No one is ever truly happy all the time. We wouldn't learn the most important lessons in life without experiencing hardships.

Re: Does Money Ease Pain?

i dont think so i think it brings more because once money comes into your life u could go into debt and onece its all gone what r u left with nothing but priceless clothes or priceless items, that mean nothing

Re: Does Money Ease Pain?

“I don't think it does. I think money is a temporary fix to pain at times.”

You have it wrong.  First off all, there's nothing wrong with money at all.  It's people's attitude about money or the lack of it that can cause pain.  Money in and of itself is entirely neutral. 

Having money is by far better than not having money.  Because if you don't have money than you can't do the things you want to do and live the life you want for yourself.  To live costs money that's just a fact.  We can't go back to the past when people traded goods in exchange for services.  The only pain people have is when they can't figure out how to make enough money to do what they want to do with their lives and that's the problem.  People don't understand that they can be or do or have anything that the desire by connecting to source.  And religion screws it up even more because it disconnects you from source and makes you question your intuition.
 
“To have a permanent fix, you must fix whatever it is within yourself that's broken.”

There's nothing “broken” in oneself, in fact quit the opposite.  We are whole and complete and perfect when connected to source.

“Something that goes much deeper than money ever could. With money one is never content to have enough. Everyone always wants more.”
 
Are you really saying that you are content having no money?  I seriously doubt this.  You may have tried to convince yourself of this and pretended to not want anything you think that you can not afford but this is wrong thinking.  There is absolutely nothing wrong with always wanting to improve your life.  That's what makes life exciting.  It doesn't mean you shouldn't appreciate what you have, in fact, by being grateful you will create greater abundance in your life.

When given money whether earned or as a gift…it's just never enough.
 
Well you're right about this but not in the way that you mean.  “It's never enough…” Because we are expanding beings moving into the future.  All the greatest advancements in industry and technology, science, art , movies, literature, etc. are because we are expanding as a race and a consciousness.  This is necessary for the evolution of mankind.  If we were content to live in caves and hunt for food than we would have either died as a species or continued to do so until this day.

Life on earth is in linear time and it is about expansion.  Better food, better clothes, better cars, better technology, better homes, better medicine, better lifestyles.

If some people make a lot of money and consume things they can't afford and still aren't happy that's their own wrong thinking that is creating this.  It's not “money”.  Just like if some people don't have enough money, can't figure out how to make more money and are unhappy about that, then it's just as “painful”.

The key is to realize that life is about striving and reaching goals that are in your best intention.  Meaning in harmony with your higher self and that you feel good about not just the having of “things” but even okay with the not having of those things you desire because you realize that by being connected to source all those things and more will come to you by becoming a vibrational match to that which you desire. 

Re: Does Money Ease Pain?

I agree with you that money does not inherently ease pain or cause pain. However the mere fact that lack of money (or even overabundance) CAN bring pain to people seems to show that there is a flaw with the system, and that something needs to be changed.
I myself, have a severe lack of money, but I define my wealth beyond what I can afford to buy. I admit to occasionally wanting to spend and extravagant amount of money. I mean sure, who doesn't wish they could spend their money in trivial ways? It's just how we are taught to live.
Instead though, I would rather spend time increasing my skills, pursuing my profession, and continuing my education, rather than spend my money on objects that don't assist in those objectives. The only objects I own that have ever brought me happiness are my guitars.
Ultimately, money is a trivial possession that allows for our system (which is based on unending consumption, expansion and growth) to continue its destructive cycle. It is unsustainable. Eventually the system will run out room, and changes will need to be made. Until then, I firmly believe in the need for redefining wealth.

Re: Does Money Ease Pain?

All the pain that money can buy.
That's what popped into my vision.

Re: Does Money Ease Pain?

There's an old saying “Money doesn't buy you happiness* and of course that's right.
However many of the people who say such things have never really been short of money enough to understand the impact of not being ale to do basic things and having their choices in life continually resticted by finances.

So I tend to take the view that money may not buy me happiness, but goodness, it does improve the quality of misery significantly:-)
Liz

Re: Does Money Ease Pain?

Well, you have to buy the right things with it. I like the quote, “whoever said money doesn't buy happiness forgot about puppies!” But there are other [cheaper] ways to ease pain. Money can help you escape reality through the items you get, video games, books, dogs–but after everything, you come back to the same bleak existance you started out with. If you have enough, you can live in a separate reality all your life. But if you didn't start out with it, you can be haunted by what others are going through. In all, it depends on the priorities of the person. The id and the superego (freud's concepts) do have an endless battle.

Re: Does Money Ease Pain?

Yes, I do believe it eases pain.  Imagine having enough money (less than a thousand dollars) to set up a small irrigation system on your farm and grow enough crops to feed your family and sell some at a local market and perhaps buy a cow for milk. There is some pain that is eased by money.  Existential pain isn't cured by money. Money helps us hide from that kind of pain, but you can't buy your way out it.  I understand money can't buy happiness, I'm told it can be rented for short periods.

Re: Does Money Ease Pain?

Do you think it worked for Michael Jackson?

Re: Does Money Ease Pain?

Yes I believe it absolutley eases pain. Think of all the things you do with money that you would not be able to do without it. Duh. I would lose my house, be unable to feed myself and my cats, freak out, be terrified, etc. So it eases the pain of living on that level. However, once comfy at that level, along comes a whole new level of pain. SO I believe money is a conduit to feeling. You get one set of needs met, then you can finally feel your feelings and decide what you want now. Then you attract it or work for more money to get it. Now you are at another level and you will feel more pain. Avoiding pain is not the issue. Feeling your feelings without fear that you will die is the important thing. And yes the more money the better. You can always share it.

Re: Does Money Ease Pain?

Dunno.
I've never seen a Brinks truck follow a Hearse though.
:-D

Re: Does Money Ease Pain?

while money can aid in a distraction or two, the cause of the pain still remains, that is unless money was the cause of the pain. then get rid of the money

Re: Does Money Ease Pain?

No, money doesn't ease pain, it makes you forget about it temporaroly but, it never goes away.

Re: Does Money Ease Pain?

For example to end world hunger, many would go shopping and donate canned goods. However, the food is eaten and the next week, the same people are still hungry. If you give a couple of chickens instead which is much cheaper, and spend time with the family; teaching them how to raise chickens, they'll sell and eat fresh eggs always. I know it cost money to buy the chickens and feed, but it's the time spent teaching them that was most important to them. Without the time and effort, the chickens would die and they'd still be hungry. It's the time and hard work spent with the family helping them become self efficient that would ease their pain in the long run, but that's only one example.
I had to have back surgery one time. I was in excruciating pain for a long period of time before the surgery (years). I know money paid for pain medicines and doctor's salaries, but the free donated bone some person donated when passing away out of love for others is what really made me pain free and I the rest would not have helped without it. (I know because I tried everything the doctors could think of and spent a lot of money trying…the surgery was last resort). Pain free at last.
Every person is different and maybe some have had pain eased by money. Personally, I like to give it away when I can, but I know it takes money to be able to donate it. Kind of like a vicious circle, but as a christian I believe God is the center in the circle and how you spend it is more important than what you accumulate from it. Obviously your own needs must be met to have the ability and know how to help others to begin with. I do believe however that without God I wouldn't fortunate enough to have money to give to others. I have some favorite charities, but there are so many worthy charities out there I always wish I could give more.
When losing both my parents to cancer, one right after the other (ages 52 and 59) grief and pain were a big part of my everyday life. I gave my time to others who were dealing with the same or similar situations. I mailed cards, letters and small gifts to cancer patients who going through treatments or hospice care. Before I knew it my pain has eased and the grief was in the past although memories will never be forgotten. Many relatives I noticed although I was pain free and the grief in the past; still struggle with the grief on a daily basis and I watch them suffer daily. I can't convince them that there are healthier ways to grieve and ease the pain. Each person needs to work through things in their own way. I gave to the cancer patients for free of charge as a volunteer. It eased their pain because they wrote back and told me so when they never spent a penny. Also, I don't think any gift I could buy my grieving family members would ease  the pain of their grieving. I think it has more to do with attitude and how you use your resources.
When my Mom was dying of cancer, many people sent gifts, flowers, cards, and money. I don't believe it helped at all with her physical pain which continued to get worse each day. I do believe their thoughtfulness when sending these gifts cheered her up though and therefore eased her mental pain. It was eased though from the love she felt from the people who gave the gifts not the value of the gifts. I think money can comfort us to some extent, but to truly ease the core of the pain you need love and happiness.
We obviously don't agree on this topic, lol, but that's OK. I just personally feel that pain goes much deeper than money can go to ease it at times.

Re: Does Money Ease Pain?

To be in a state of want, whether it be money or anything else, is painful. to be in the present moment in, its completeness, is a state of mind that is absent of conceptual pain.
Living life conceptually, is to me, a life not worth living.

Re: Does Money Ease Pain?

I don't believe money eases pain -unless you are ill and money can buy
you the best treatment available-
but I do believe money eases stress -though it also cause the most stress
in the world today -ironic, don't you think ?

Re: Does Money Ease Pain?

I see a problem here. Pain is a physical and emotional experience. Money is a physical object. An object such as money can be put to use to pay for services such as medicine or services. If the pain is not from a physical malady, then the object such as money is merely something to mask or appease the underlying symptom.

Re: Does Money Ease Pain?

It depends on the pain.  If you are suffering from hunger, or need to get somewhere, or have a friend who is in that sort of condition and want to help, yes, money can 'heal' those pains.

If you are sick and need medical care or medication, yes, money can 'heal' that pain.

Will money solve the problems in the world?  No never.  Only people can solve the problems, and while money might help alleviate the problems in some ways in the short term, the only thing that will really help in the long run is for people to respect and care for each other, relishing the differences with respect for them rather than trying to be one-up on the 'other guy' or trying to remake everything into one's own image of perfection.

Re: Does Money Ease Pain?

There is nothing wrong with money. I think it only has negative consequences when you make money your god. false Idols can be very subtle. Cars, jewellery Houses, people, clothes  all things things are okay as long as you do not make idols of them (false gods) I think that money can be important for medical support but it does not bring contentment and peace. People have already said all the valuable treasures are within. Looking inside not outside and yet the inside does reflect the outside. People sometimes have everything but have nothing and sometimes people have nothing but have everything?  [ i do use a lot of buts]

Re: Does Money Ease Pain?

I too don't think money eases much woe except if the lack there of is what causes it. Otherwise you can put it as a surrogate for something less materialistic but that's not long lasting. Sure for the more shallow people it can help but people of a different more spiritual persuasion see it only as an empty gesture should it come from someone of less noble intentions. I think deep down money cannot truly buy happiness unless theirs is a material fixation. : |

Re: Does Money Ease Pain?

This is a bit of a trick question. The answer is obviously that it doesn't, but I do feel that money helps ease pain and can be used as a tool to ease pain and I don't feel it's being materialistic if you think that. I'm of the belief that people can use anything like a drug to dull pain – not just money, but spirituality as well – and that if you're using ANYTHING that way, you're not going to win. The only thing that can truly ease pain is dealing with the pain itself, not using things to escape the pain nor demonizing other things that didn't help you heal yours simply because you didn't know to use it as a tool.

I don't really get the whole If I have nothing, I'll be happy thing or If I put god first, I'll be happy thing and I never did. I don't feel that's the right way to go about living, though it probably helps when you go about dying and I sort of feel that, if anything, god would want you to put you and your needs first so that you can better do what you're here to do. I'm sure that it helps people, I just don't truly understand how. Isn't it just evading the issue alltogether? Is it truly better that way?

Re: Does Money Ease Pain?

Money only eases pain if someone believes it does.

However, I would offer that people focus less and less on easing pain from the outside in and more and more on easing pain – or other negative feeligns – from the inside out.

Pain is simply an indicator that our perspective – on whatever topic we're thinking about that''s causing the pain – is not in alignment with how our Higher Self/God/Love/All That Is sees the situation/topic/theme/focus.

Pain is our emotional guidance system working properly!

The solution? Find better feeling thoughts. Curiously and eagerly seek out how your higher self views money, or whatever the topic is, and then from their, align as closely with that view point as possible, then take actions that agree with that newly, freshly aligned view point. And all will unfold wonderfully.

If that new view point values money, but not selling your soul or enslaving yourself to debt, then you have choices to make and fine-tuning to do.

I've been homeless and incomeless for 6 months now. And I have been 100% perefectly taken care of. I have let go of everything, jumped ship from the credit industry game and learned the true nature of Abundance – which doesn't come from money and working, but from who we really are; money and our work in the world being merely reflections of that.

My journey hasn't been pretty and it's ruffled feathers of people who believe we must work hard to earn our Abundance. But I believe that paradigm is slowly transforming.

Money doesn't ease pain. Alignment eases pain. Money's just nice and fun to have, IF that's one of your values. :)

Re: Does Money Ease Pain?

Money is but a measure of the value of goods and services, supposedly determined by supply and demand in a free market society.  Money is the lubricant for the material trade machine.  Inasmuch as certain services also are accorded value, they also may have monetary value.
I would like to say that love eases pain, but that is not entirely accurate.
For example: one might think that heat relieves the pain of cold, but too much applied too quickly to frostbite may cause damage itself.  Likewise, emotionally damaged beings may not be able to handle too much love until they become “thawed out”.
Pain is an inevitability of a healthy nervous system, neither love nor money will eliminate pain entirely.  However, a proper application of the two may help to end some suffering, provided that there is not an addiction to suffering for its own sake. 
Even starter chickens and training require some resources and a willingness on the part of the trainees.

Re: Does Money Ease Pain?

I think it is sad that so many people judge others based on income , house car etc etc. I know at one time i was traped in that circle where i was only thinking of possessions and i was always unhappy.  Money is like candy it can only bring short term happiness , i think long term happiness is found within once you are at peace with yourself your goals  and your life you will be happy. For me happiness was finding running and art work  Honestly the most angry mean people seem to be one with huge hummers and house as they are scared to loose thier precious money. LOTR  philosphy here think of money as the ring and look at golum. look at froto and sams  friendship money cant buy that.

Re: Does Money Ease Pain?

i really dont think it dose, either because it may buy you what you want, with certain things, but it dos'nt make the pain go away.you may end up stuck up and greedy if you rely on money to fix your problems.i suggest seeing a therapist or a really close freind. i also reccomend praying.i remember when my friend went through this kind of trouble and judgement and God and i helped her through every bit of it.

Re: Does Money Ease Pain?

on the back of american currency it states “in god we trust” faith in this is the ability to bring health, wealth and freedom and so much more.

Re: Does Money Ease Pain?

Yes.

Re: Does Money Ease Pain?

It depends on the type of pain, but for psychic pain, not really.  It just provides the space and time to reflect on it without survival distractions. You have to actually deal with the causes, if the ultimate goal is to be free of the pain.

Re: Does Money Ease Pain?

unless pain is physical, no. absolutely NOT. money is the root of all evil. people turn corrupt to get it, people steal it, kill for it, die for it, worship it like a god.. none of those things are good.

Re: Does Money Ease Pain?

Money is not the root of all evil, it's the lack of it that is!!! Its WHO YOU ARE and WHAT YOU DO WITH IT that counts. I love money and what the abundance of it brings in so far as financial security. When someone purchases my artwork or photography I am thrilled they value it and me by the exchange. It's saying to me I recognize your dedication and love of what you do. I support this and want it because it is beautiful. Can it ease pain?  Absolutely so long as it is done for the correct reasons and genuine reasons. I feel wanted and needed, loved and respected when people treat me well and buy my work. I feel recognized and appreciated. It is the gesture and action behind it that matters.
I have never had issues with money. I myself see it as a means to be empowering in a positive way. I respect money and making it and how I make it matters to me.
So I have devoted myself to something beautiful and positive that somehow comes out of me:)
Please take a look!
http://www.lizalambertini.com
I hope you like it and can understand where I am coming from today.

Liza

Re: Does Money Ease Pain?

Has anyone here read about this recent study? It looks like money does ease pain, and measurably so. ;)