Money & Karma: Mindful Earning

Money is not just currency—it carries the weight of intention, action, and consequence. Every rupee, dollar, or pound we earn is intertwined with the choices we make and the 'values' we uphold. When we look at income through the lens of karma, the question is not simply how much we earn, but HOW and WHY.

“Earning with conscience” means aligning our livelihood with integrity, ensuring that our actions do not harm, and using the excess income to uplift, heal, and serve. In this way, money becomes more than material comfort—it becomes a tool for "spiritual growth" and "positive impact" to the world.

✶𝗔𝗱𝗺𝗶𝗻: 𝘐𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘩𝘦𝘭𝘱𝘧𝘶𝘭, 𝘱𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘦 𝙨𝙝𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘶𝘮 𝘱𝘰𝘴𝘵 𝘪𝘯 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘯𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 (𝘧𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘭𝘺/𝘧𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘴). 𝘏𝘦𝘭𝘱 𝘶𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘥𝘪𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘦 𝘵𝘢𝘴𝘬 𝘰𝘧 𝘶𝘱𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 & 𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘴𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘭𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘴. "𝙎𝙝𝙖𝙧𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙞𝙨 𝙎𝙚𝙧𝙫𝙞𝙣𝙜"

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The following was written in response to a query we received on our Samadhan WhatsApp group in September 2025. So please read the following in the same context.

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Title: "𝙈𝙤𝙣𝙚𝙮, 𝘾𝙤𝙣𝙨𝙘𝙞𝙚𝙣𝙘𝙚, 𝘿𝙝𝙖𝙧𝙢𝙖"

Question: I work for an international company who also participates and sponsor wars. I am against it, but the directors of the company make the decisions. Does this contribute to my karma, and is the money i earn be called blood-money?

The Response

This is a profound and difficult question, and it touches on karma, intention, and conscious participation.

Spiritual Guidance

When we earn in harmony with 'moral' and 'spiritual' values, our income carries peace, dignity, and blessings that nourish both body and soul. Honest earnings strengthen "trust" in the self and align us with dharma—making money a medium for GROWTH rather than guilt.

On the other hand, money gained through dishonesty or harmful means leaves subtle stains on the mind—it breeds restlessness, fear, and inner conflict, which obstruct (hinders) spiritual progress. True prosperity is not measured by wealth alone, but by the purity of the path through which it flows.

Therefore, the question is not whether the money you are earning is 'blood money' but whether you are earning it 'honestly' and that your 'intention' of using it it positive.

🍀There are 4 pillars of the spiritual perspective to your situation:

1. Intention Matters

In spiritual understanding, it is not only what you do, but WHY and HOW you do it. If you, as an employee, do not intend harm, and your role does not directly contribute to violence, your karma is "different" from those making decisions to support war. ((you are not making that decision for your company))

2. Your Responsibility

We live in a world where many systems are entangled with suffering—governments, banks, corporations. If we label every connection as “blood money,” we may find no place to stand. Instead, we must ask:

➙Am I contributing to harm knowingly?

➙ Is my role causing direct suffering?

➙Can I use what I earn for good, to offset what I cannot control?

3. Act with Awareness

Live life delberately, not just for the sake of surviving. Have a purpose. Keep asking yourself—Am i doing right? Is my intention right? How is my karma influencing the people around me (and the world)?—this will keep you walking on the path of Dharma (धर्म).

The discomfort are perhaps feeling is not a curse—it is 𝐚 𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 '𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐜𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞' 𝐢𝐬 𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐞. Ultimately, your own inner-conscience is your true judge and master. Reflect your choices based on your inner-conscience:

𝐀𝐬𝐤 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐒𝐞𝐥𝐟:

➙Is there a more ethical path for me?

➙Am I compromising my 'peace' for material comfort?

Tip: Read our post on 𝐒𝐨𝐮𝐥 & 𝐒𝐨𝐮𝐥-𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐜𝐢𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬

4. Purifying the Income

First, evaluate and decide based on the first 3 points... Then if you choose to stay, but "unsure" whether it is right for you>> then you can dedicate a portion of your salary to life-affirming, noble causes—𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐲, 𝐞𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧, 𝐬𝐨𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐬𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭, 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠. In many traditions, and especially in our Indian tradition, this is a way to spiritually "purify" our earnings.

Tip: See a list of 10 most trusted 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬 in India:

https://www.teameverest.ngo/blog/genuine-charity-organizations-in-india