Cutting Through Spiritual Materialism

“"We could say that compassion is the ultimate attitude of wealth: an antipoverty attitude, a war on want...it implies larger-scale thinking, a freer, more expansive way of relating to yourself and the world. It is the attitude that one has been born fundamentally rich rather than that one must become rich. Without this kind of confidence, meditation cannot be transferred into action at all. Compassion automatically invites you to relate with people, because you no longer regard people as a drain on your energy. They recharge your energy, because in the process of relating with them you acknowledge your wealth, your richness. So, if you have difficult tasks to perform, such as dealing with people or life situations, you do not feel you are running out of resources. Each time you are faced with a difficult task it presents itself as a delightful opportunity to demonstrate your richness, your wealth." (115)”