Awakening, Money, and the Reality of the System

In a group recently, someone shared a perspective that really struck me. They said what always bugs them about retreats, fasting clinics, and healing centers is the price. To them, healing and awakening shouldn’t be luxuries reserved for the wealthy, but part of a supportive community that anyone can access. They shared how many people start out with pure intentions, but eventually the “matrix” pulls them back in—collaborating, creating expensive services, and turning awakening into another luxury product. For them, true freedom is needing nothing, being whole within yourself, and sharing energy freely without a price tag attached.

It’s a beautiful vision. And I agree with the heart of it. But here’s where my response differs:

The Reality of the System We Live In

This vision of money-free healing works in private communities and intentional cities, but you cannot build those places without resources. Land costs money. Infrastructure costs money. Even the most minimalist lifestyle still requires interaction with the system. If you live on a sailboat, you’ll still need to pay for repairs, parts, and visas to dock in different countries. If you live off-grid, you’ll still need tools, seeds, and materials. Refusing to engage with money altogether doesn’t actually bring freedom—it often brings limitation. I see it here in Los Angeles: people who declare sovereignty and reject the system entirely often end up homeless. Many are homeless by choice, but most are not living life to the fullest.

Wealth as a Force for Good

The truth is, the more you have, the more you can give back. Wealth doesn’t have to be about greed or status; it can be a tool for creating greater access and impact. You can use it to build spaces that are affordable or even free for others. You can use it to fund projects that dismantle the very systems that made money necessary in the first place. Passion work for humanity—purpose-driven work that goes beyond survival—is how we begin to break free from the modern slavery of the 9–5 grind.

History’s Teachers

Even great spiritual teachers who once renounced everything—Marcus Rothkranz, Stuart Wilde, Eckhart Tolle—eventually re-entered society. They rebuilt their wealth not from greed, but through purpose work aligned with higher consciousness. They modeled that you can let go of material attachment, touch deep truth, and then return to the world with wisdom and a way to sustain it.

A Transitional Path

Do I believe the system we’re in will collapse? Yes. With AI transforming the world, I believe money itself may one day become obsolete. But that shift won’t happen overnight. Until then, we’re all participants in the current system. The key is to move through it consciously: not rejecting money entirely, not worshiping it either, but using it wisely to build the bridges into a freer future.

The Balance Point

Healing and awakening shouldn’t be luxuries, but they also can’t be divorced from the reality of how our world functions right now. The balance point is living with one foot in both worlds: embodying inner wholeness while using resources to serve others. True awakening is not about escaping society but transforming how we participate in it—turning wealth into a tool for collective freedom and deeper connection.

---