For many people who walk a spiritual path, the question arises at some point: is making money bad if I’m a spiritual person? It’s a question that lingers in meditation halls, in quiet conversations after yoga classes, or even within our own inner reflections. The unease comes from a common perception: that money, wealth, or even simply taking care of oneself financially, somehow contradicts spiritual authenticity.

In spiritual circles, there is often a tendency to equate purity with renunciation. The belief is that the less one desires or owns, the closer one is to truth or enlightenment. While there is wisdom in detachment, this belief sometimes becomes distorted. People begin to frown upon anything related to earning money, as if the very act of engaging with it taints one’s inner clarity. Rupert Spira, a contemporary spiritual teacher, points out that this attitude is not genuine spirituality at all. Rather, he calls it an inverted egoic attitude—the ego dressed up as spirituality.

The ego, in this case, masquerades as humility. It whispers that to want money or to live comfortably is somehow unworthy, when in reality this is just another subtle form of self-importance. It creates division between the so-called “spiritual” and the “worldly,” reinforcing the very duality that non-dual understanding seeks to dissolve.

Rupert offers a refreshing perspective: money is not the enemy of spirituality. In fact, he goes as far as to call money the currency of love. His suggestion is simple but profound: when you do what you love, you earn from it, and then spend on what you love, money becomes a medium of flow. It facilitates the giving and receiving of love in our culture.

This understanding shifts the narrative. Money is not inherently tainted. It is not spiritual or unspiritual. It is neutral, much like language or technology. What matters is how it is used. When money flows through the hands of ego, we see greed, exploitation, and hoarding. But when it flows through hands guided by love, awareness, and generosity, it becomes a force for care, connection, and joy.

Taking care of yourself financially, far from being selfish or materialistic, can actually be a deeply spiritual act. It is an acknowledgment that your well-being matters, that your presence in the world deserves to be supported. When you provide for yourself with ease and balance, you free your energy to live more authentically, to serve others, and to share your gifts without strain.

And if abundance extends beyond your needs, it opens an even greater possibility—to care for others. Financial health can become a channel of compassion, whether through supporting loved ones, contributing to community, or aiding causes that uplift humanity. In this sense, abundance is not something to feel guilty about; it is something to celebrate, provided it is rooted in awareness rather than attachment.

The non-dual perspective helps here. From this view, the material and the spiritual are not separate domains. There is no inherent contradiction between meditating on the truth of awareness and paying your rent, between sitting in silence and thriving in your profession. To imagine otherwise is to split reality into compartments that do not truly exist.

So perhaps the more honest question is not should I make money as a spiritual person? but rather how can I allow money to flow in harmony with love and awareness? When we approach it this way, money ceases to be a burden or a source of guilt. Instead, it becomes part of the fabric of life—another way in which love circulates, nourishes, and sustains.

For anyone who has felt torn between inner truth and outer responsibility, Rupert’s teaching is liberating. It reminds us that there is no need to reject abundance, nor to pursue it obsessively. The middle way is simple: recognize money for what it is—neutral energy—and let it be guided by love rather than fear.

In this light, taking care of yourself financially is not a betrayal of spiritual integrity. It is entirely consistent with the non-dual understanding. It allows you to honor your own life, and when possible, extend that honor outward into the lives of others.

In the end, money is not an obstacle to spirituality. It is an opportunity—an invitation to see whether we allow the ego or love to guide our hands.

Inspired by Rupert Spira’s reflections on money and spirituality: Watch here.