31 Dec 2011 - QA 5

Dear Guruji, to what extent is money important? If you have the capacity to make more money and you do not make it, is it a mistake?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: It is up to you. Money is necessary but it should be in the pocket and not in the head. Otherwise any amount is insufficient. Today see America, whose currency rules the entire world, is in deep debt of trillions of dollars. What do you call America today, a rich country or a poor country?
What would you call them?
What I am saying is that you earn money but that is not the goal. Earn money but not at the cost of your health and not at the cost of your happiness because you spend your health to gain wealth and then you spend half the wealth to gain back health which doesn’t really happen.
That is why I say, keep life in balance. Earn money, but at the same time don’t be too feverish about it. Live life happily in service of society. That brings you so much more satisfaction than just a fat bank balance.