"Many people complain and endlessly commiserate with themselves because someone they know has not had to work for his or her living and has plenty of money. There is often a sense of envy with such people. There can also be suspicion of those with great wealth that somehow this money came at the cost of others. As the humorous axiom states, 'Behind every great fortune is a great theft!'
"Why is someone born into royalty or a family of millionaires or billionaires? Quite simply, that soul has karmically earned the right to such a privileged birth. Think of attaining great wealth as having a talent; it builds from lifetime to lifetime. If someone is born into extreme wealth, in most cases this soul has proven its ability to handle wealth through several lifetimes of good work.
"Great wealth is the accumulation of many lifetimes of hard work. And these are not lifetimes of merely accumulating wealth, but using money in a healthy and productive way. In past lives, such souls showed generosity and kindness when it came to money matters as well as showing great acumen when it came to the handling of finances. They come into their present life of wealth and abundance to build on past merits and climb to greater heights.
"Such souls are meant to take the great wealth they were born into and put it to even greater good use. This becomes their act of service as well as their greatest test: to prove by deeds done in this present life that they have truly overcome the lower self and learned the true brotherhood of man. When such a soul passes the test of wealth, good karma will continue to accumulate. They have learned how to remain of service to God no matter how much is put in their hands. These souls realize it is not really their money to begin with. They are the custodians of those funds and the money they have obtained is meant to be shared with others.
"As we know, not everyone who was born into great wealth uses it wisely. It is unfortunate that many who have reached this pinnacle fail in their test of wealth. Wealth ends up getting the better of them. Many become spoiled, selfish, snobbish, greedy, or outright evil in handling the wealth given to them. These souls become so hypnotized by the wealth they were born into that they forgot how hard they worked in past lives to earn such a privileged life.
"What happens to souls who spend their spiritual savings account and make no more good karma? Unfortunately, in their next life they will have to start all over again. Depending on the degree of their misuse, they may have to experience poverty, ill health, even starvation to wake the soul up again before they can earn enough credits to reclaim what they once had. Having money means being responsible for that money. The more you have, the more good is required of you.
"There are many variations on the theme of wealth. There are those who were born into a comfortable financial situation but at some point accumulated great wealth. Often these souls were at the tipping point. They proved in other lives that they were able to manage money well, and this was the life when those efforts came to fruition. So it was no accident or stroke of luck that these souls attained the wealth they did; again, they earned it.
"How about the rags-to-riches scenario? What is the karma of someone who was born poor but through hard work became wealthy? What often happens in these cases is the soul had wealth in a previous life, but misused it and was born into poverty to rekindle the soul to the value of money. Each case is unique, but perhaps in a previous life such a soul was spoiled and pampered and now has to learn to do without and to struggle. If such a soul passes its test in the poverty stage, it can sometimes rekindle its former wealth because such knowledge is still very much in the consciousness of the struggling soul.
"What about those who are completely corrupted by wealth — those who have earned great wealth through many lifetimes of good work, but then become seduced by the power that money brings and become callous and cruel? Such souls have a long trip back home. It will take several lifetimes to pay back the karma they have accumulated and be entrusted again with such wealth. And this is on top of paying back other karmas they will have inevitably accrued.
"It comes back to the motives that generated a particular action. The key with good money karma is to refuse to take money for granted and continue to handle it well. Learn how to take care of your needs and those who are entrusted in your care or those who cross your path who are in need. If you misuse it, you lose it. Be a good steward of your money and watch how it multiplies!"
