There were those in times past who were able to gobble up most of the luxuries and necessities of life and then found it convenient to disseminate the doctrine that those who were deprived on Earth would find adequate compensation in heaven. And this orthodox religious notion gave rise to a rather widely accepted belief that there is a natural antagonism between material prosperity and spiritual welfare.
But it’s a wholly unsound belief.
Spirituality is not based upon deprivation and hardship. It’s based upon an enrichment of the mental and emotional life in general and in particular upon those mental and emotional experiences derived from the effort to benefit others.
Material prosperity can be used to gratify coarse desires. It can cause an individual to lose sympathy with those of meager possessions, but this is because they fail to take proper advantage of the opportunities their wealth brings.
It is possible to develop spirituality under trying circumstances, but it is easier to make contacts and do the thinking which expands and refines the mental and emotional life when the material circumstances are fortunate rather than when time and energy are totally consumed by hours of grinding struggle and heartbreaking toil.
Those who live in poverty and who struggle to eke out a subsistence living just to acquire the basic – food and shelter – necessities of daily life, do not have the opportunity to cultivate spirituality through those particular mental and emotional experiences which are derived from the effort to benefit others.
Whereas the individual who has some leisure and who possesses sufficient material means can devote time and financial assistance to help others and more easily cultivate the habit of mind and action which considers the welfare of others as a matter of spiritual importance.
Material prosperity is linked to spirituality because the platitude that life isn’t meant to be easy and hard times are good for you is fallacious and untrue.
Misfortune is good only in the sense that a stomachache is good when you have indulged unwisely in food. It indicates misguided behavior and if your discomfort encourages fortitude and resilience and has you avoiding the same foolish behavior in the future it serves a useful purpose.
The world today
Towards the end of the Stone Age the use of iron not only changed the methods of warfare it radically changed society. And gunpowder, at a much later date, again changed methods of warfare, political boundaries, and the economic situation of many countries. Now atomic fission, nuclear energy and fear have changed the way the world operates and performs.
Nations in their struggle to gain and maintain selfish advantage resemble squabbling pressure groups out to grab what they can for themselves.
They have scant regard for how their self-interest affects others or the planet yet, with globalization and the growing interdependence of the world’s economies and cultures, what affects one nation affects all nations and the world.
Politics has descended into a quagmire of division, self-interest and corruption that stifles real progress. Powerful newspaper chains and radio and television networks suppress facts and spread misinformation and false propaganda. And special privilege works 24/7 to maintain and protect its unjust advantages and entitlements.
The big powers brazenly compete for unfair economic advantage. The negotiators at the trade talks take years to hammer out agreements as they seek to get the best possible deal and protect national interests.
The diplomats seem to be actuated by only one motive: to get as much as possible and give as little as possible, with no concern given the hardship suffered by people other than their own.
And the basic cause of this political-social-economic calamity is the special type of unspirituality known as selfishness and greed.
The two Pluto’s
It’s a well established astrological fact that there are two Pluto’s.
Higher-Pluto transmits an elevated, noble impulse that coaxes cooperation, universal welfare and spiritual endeavor and Lower-Pluto transmits a toxic impulse that incites gangsterism, racketeering, coercion, threats and intimidation.
And since its discovery in 1930 Pluto’s gangster methods have permeated all sections of society, even on the international stage where leaders and negotiators exert pressure and threaten reprisals in a manner typical of the modern racketeer.
Politicians, business leaders, special privilege, trade unionists and special interest groups all pay tribute to the gangster within or without the law.
And this current world situation in which racketing is a dominant factor is primarily due to a very real spiritual depression, best recognized in the forms of selfishness and greed. The world is racked with economic injustice.
Poverty stricken nations or poverty stricken areas within rich, prosperous countries are signs of a spiritual depression.
Poverty stricken people cannot buy what rich people produce, and poverty stricken nations cannot buy, either with dollars or the things they produce, the things other nations produce.
Poverty anywhere restricts distribution. People must have products or services to turn into money before they can be exchanged for the products and services of others. And with sufficient variety, as they produce and exchange more, people lift themselves out of poverty and liberate themselves from want.
But we cannot expect permanently satisfactory economic conditions in a world that’s dominated by selfishness and greed.
For many individuals the current world situation is one of economic stress, poverty, struggle, chaos and spiritual stagnation.
Others, in spite of all the uncertainty and constant stream of bad news, remain hopeful and by contributing to the welfare of others in some way contribute to their own mental, emotional and spiritual wellbeing and development.
Since its discovery in 1930 Pluto has been severely afflicted so its influence on the world and global affairs has been relentless and destructive, but its higher influence is the antithesis of the racketeer and markedly spiritual.
Higher Pluto perceives that destructive competition prevents people from gaining abundance and that through cooperation and helpful assistance all nations may have prosperity.
Recurring economic recessions can only be avoided, and permanently better economic conditions can only attained, when there are enough people in the world who have acquired both the enlightenment and character to end the spiritual depression.
More Elbert Benjamine articles can be found here
Astrology for Aquarius – sharing our knowledge
