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February's THEME: Money & The spirit of love
Even though money is not thought of as a topic for polite conversation, our experiences with it and our attitudes about it, are deeply related to the quality of our spiritual life. At the same time we live in a time in our country’s history where many, many people are struggling financially in ways they never expected. This month at First Parish the Journey Groups will be focused on the meaning of money in our lives and how it relates to a worldview of abundance or scarcity. It may not have as much to do with how much we make or have as we think it does! Here are some ways you can explore your feelings and beliefs about money. The question is: What is your core story about money?
Resources:
• Make a list of how you might simplify your life so as to have more time and money to spend in ways that have more meaning to you. Begin to de-identify as a consumer. Ask yourself if you are emotionally hooked into an idea about what the “American Dream” is. Consider developing your own sense of dreams and how that relates to money.
• Educate yourself about the profound effect of advertising on our lives as well as the increasing power of corporations in our political process.
• Keep a detailed log of every penny you spend this month. Often we are not aware of the way we spend our money from day to day. Keep a log of how much time you spend managing money. Relate these expenditures with your values and feelings.
• Talk with your siblings about growing up in your family and the attitude about money. Was there a lot of anxiety about it? Was there a sense of shame? Secrecy? How did you learn to manage money? Was there a general feeling of abundance or scarcity? Was the feeling related to the reality?
• Does somebody else manage your money? Does this keep you from understanding who you are in relationship with money?
Activities with Children
• Consider beginning to educate your children about where the money that the family earns goes each month.
• Consider beginning a “family savings account” that helps everyone put money toward causes and social programs for others. Decide on something that the family will “give up” in order to give more generously.
• Invite children into the process (above) of paying attention to how they spend money.
• Try one month as a family of not being a consumer of anything but basic needs. Talk about how it feels and be in touch with how much you would have spent if you had not done this exercise.
Books
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The Soul of Money: Reclaiming The Wealth of Our Inner Resources by Lynne Twist
Amazon
Barnes & Noble
•
Money and the Meaning of Life by Jacob Needleman
Amazon Barnes &; Noble
•
It’s Not about the Money by Brent Kessel
Amazon
Barnes & Noble
•
When Corporations Rule the World by David Korten
Amazon
Barnes & Noble
Movies
•
Affluenza
free on-line
•
Escape From Affluenza (clip)
•
The Story of Stuff
free on-line
•
Why We Fight
(clip) A movie about the anatomy of the Military Industrial Complex.
Websites
•
The Story of Stuff Project
•
PBS Affluenza website
•
Escape From Affluenza
•
Soul of Money Institute
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