Since many good projects make it or fail because of money, we want to share a few thoughts about this common problem that doesn’t necessarily have to be a problem.
In order to come together with people that share common interests, we have traveled around the U.S. for the last five months, hitchhiking with very little or no money and carrying only what we could stuff into our pockets. We shared with many people. Too often, it is easy to be isolated from others while traveling, especially if you have lots of money, but we wanted to feel the unity among people and the common bond of love that weaves us into brothers and sisters. We realized during this journey that our needs were simple and basic and when these needs — which are the needs of all (food, warmth, love) — are met one’s spirit is free to serve God in love.
We founded an institute to serve as a vehicle for our ideas. We are called the Family of Man Institute and have several projects at this time. We started off with $20 and had some stationery printed. We began simply by contacting people interested in coming together to do more for the common good. People are the greatest resource other people have. If you can only organize with your brothers and sisters you will have much more at the outset than money can ever buy.
One attitude we’ve found most helpful is to have faith that what we’re doing is right and that we will eventually find someone who shares our interest and will help us by contributing money, food, or a place for us to stay. As Swami Satchitananda says, “Though we cannot always see it at the time, if we look upon events with some perspective we see things always happen for our best interest. We are being guided in the way better than we know ourselves.”
The problem of money is a problem of mind. If you think you have a problem, you do and if you don’t have a problem you’ve found the solution. There are ways of getting what you need without money but first you must give away all you possess to learn this most basic truth.
