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How to Successfully Balance Money and Spirituality for a Fulfilling Life

I never thought I’d write about money, especially as someone who’s immersed in spiritual practices and holistic living.

For a long time, it seemed like money didn’t fit into the picture of a calm, connected, and soulful life. It felt so… practical, almost too material for the deeper work we’re striving for.

Yet, I’ve come to realize that understanding how to balance money and spirituality for a fulfilling life can actually enhance our spiritual journey rather than distract from it.

If you’re over 50, like me, you may have spent decades focusing on family, careers, and self-care, often putting financial wellness on the back burner.

Today, let’s explore how we can bring spirituality and money together in a way that feels authentic, balanced, and aligned with who we are now. Taking control of your finances is not just about practicality, it’s a crucial form of self-care and an essential part of living a truly holistic life.

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The Spiritual Side of Money

For a long time, I struggled with seeing money as anything more than a necessary evil. It felt disconnected from the deeper work of self-healing, meditation, or spiritual practice.

But over the years, I’ve learned something important, money is simply energy. It’s a tool for exchange, and how we use it reflects our values, intentions, and even our Dharma, our life’s purpose.

In Vedic philosophy, Dharma is about living in alignment with your true path. Money, when used consciously, can support that path.

Maybe for you, that means creating more freedom to explore your passions or giving back to causes you care about.

Perhaps it means taking care of your body and mind through wellness investments like yoga classes, healthy food, or a much-needed retreat. Money itself isn’t good or bad, it’s how we approach it that matters.

When I shifted my mindset from seeing money as purely material to viewing it as a resource that could support my spiritual growth, everything changed.

Suddenly, the decisions I made around money felt more aligned with the life I wanted to lead. And I realized that being mindful of my finances wasn’t at odds with my spiritual practice. Rather, it was a key part of them.

Overcoming Guilt Around Money

Many of us carry a lot of guilt around money. Whether it’s from years of putting others’ needs first, or simply not feeling “good” at managing finances, there’s often this lingering discomfort.

I felt it myself, especially after going through a divorce and having to re-navigate my financial situation. It was hard to reconcile wanting financial security with feeling like I was somehow being “too focused” on money.

But here’s the thing: taking care of your finances is an act of self-love. It’s not greedy or selfish to want to feel financially secure.

In fact, when you’re stable and comfortable with your finances, you have more energy to focus on the things that matter most to you, whether that’s your health, your spiritual practice, or spending time with loved ones.

If you’ve ever felt guilty about focusing on money, I want you to try reframing it.

See your finances as a tool to support your deeper goals. It’s okay to want both financial stability and spiritual growth. They don’t have to be at odds.

The Wisdom of Artha and the Purusarthas

In Vedic wisdom, the concept of Artha, one of the four Purusarthas, offers deep insight into the balance between spirituality and material wealth.

The Purusarthas are the four aims of life: Dharma (righteousness), Artha (wealth or prosperity), Kama (desire or pleasure), and Moksha (liberation or spiritual freedom).

Artha represents the pursuit of material well-being, but it’s not simply about accumulating wealth for wealth’s sake. Instead, it emphasizes generating the resources we need to live a fulfilling life that supports our Dharma, or purpose.

Artha teaches us that wealth is a necessary part of life and, when approached with the right intentions, it serves as a foundation for spiritual growth.

I’ve found this wisdom to be incredibly freeing—it helped me release guilt around focusing on financial stability.

By honoring Artha, we can view money as a resource that supports not only our basic needs but also our greater purpose and contribution to the world.

It reminds us that wealth, when aligned with Dharma, can uplift both ourselves and others, creating a life that is both materially secure and spiritually rich.

RELATED: Discover 4 Paths To True Fulfillment

Practical Steps for a Balanced Approach

So how do we start to bring balance between our spiritual beliefs and our financial needs? Here are a few simple, practical tips that have helped me.

  1. Mindful Spending – One way to bring more spirituality into your financial life is by practicing mindful spending. Before making a purchase, ask yourself: Does this align with my values? For example, I started to focus more on supporting small businesses, buying ethically sourced products, and investing in wellness tools that actually enhance my life. This shift made spending feel less transactional and more intentional.
  2. Invest in Your Future Self – Many of us are thinking more about retirement or creating a nest egg for the future. I’ve found that setting aside a portion of my income for savings or low-risk investments (like dividend investing).is a way to show self-compassion. You’re taking care of your future self, and there’s something incredibly spiritual about that. If you’re unfamiliar with these financial tools, start small. Educate yourself, seek professional advice, and trust that investing in your future is also an investment in your spiritual peace.
  3. Create a Financial Plan that Honors Your Purpose – For those of us living a holistic lifestyle, financial planning doesn’t need to feel rigid. It can be as flexible and mindful as you want it to be. Focus on the things that matter to you: maybe it’s budgeting for travel, donating to a cause, or creating a legacy for your children or community. When you make financial decisions that align with your personal goals, it starts to feel less like “managing money” and more like living in harmony with your values.

RELATED: How Do I Save For Retirement After 50

Cultivating an Abundance Mindset

One of the biggest shifts I made in my relationship with money was learning to cultivate an abundance mindset.

For years, I operated from a place of scarcity, always worrying that there wouldn’t be “enough.” Whether it was fear of not having enough for retirement or not being able to give my kids what they needed, the scarcity mindset kept me stuck.

The shift to an abundance mindset didn’t happen overnight, but it began with one key practice: gratitude. I started incorporating gratitude into my daily routine, writing down three things I was grateful for—big or small.

Over time, I began to realize that I had more than enough, and that feeling of abundance started to translate into all areas of my life, including finances.

It’s not about pretending everything is perfect, but about recognizing and appreciating what you do have.

That shift in focus from lack to abundance opens up so much space, not just spiritually, but practically too. Suddenly, opportunities you hadn’t noticed before begin to show up, whether it’s a new work project, a side hustle, or an investment opportunity.

Money as Self-Love

This is the part that took me the longest to learn. Taking care of my finances is a form of self-love.

At this age, many of us are shifting our roles. Maybe your kids are grown, or you’re entering a new stage of life where you’re focusing more on you.

And that’s okay. In fact, it’s more than okay, it’s necessary.

One of the ways I’ve started showing myself love is by setting financial boundaries. It might mean saying no to things that don’t serve me financially, or setting aside money each month for something that brings me joy, like a yoga retreat or a weekend getaway.

Even small acts of financial care, like starting an emergency fund or paying off debt, can be incredibly satisfying,

The bottom line is this: taking care of your money is taking care of yourself.

And when you’re cared for, you’re in a much better position to show up fully for the people and things you love.

Final Thoughts

Spirituality and money don’t have to be separate. They can complement each other beautifully when approached with mindfulness and intention.

By healing our relationship with money, we create more space for joy, purpose, and growth in all areas of our lives.

Maybe it’s as simple as setting a financial intention or starting a gratitude practice.

Whatever it is, remember, money is just another tool to support your journey, not distract from it.

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6 Comments

  1. As a midlife woman, my perception of money has changed. I love that you point out how taking care of our finances is a form of self-love. It’s a time in my life when the focus on how money is spent is so different. Great post!