The Map of Money Consciousness®
Where we are at any moment is always a great launching point because it shows us the results of what we’ve thought and believed up until now. If we can see clearly where we are now, we can envision what we want to change. The Map of Money Consciousness® is a tool that assists us in seeing the next step.
Today’s spiritual teachers and coaches often discuss the emotional and spiritual processes for moving forward. Yet, as I’ve seen within my own spiritual community, people often get lost when trying to understand how money works and what actions must be taken to create financial security.
My map is a way for them to unravel the financial world within a spiritual framework that makes sense. With each step, each level, there are specific emotional needs, ego needs, and financial needs. This map is designed to help people where they are right now; for people who lack adequate income do not benefit from being told how the stock market works. They need to work on the very next level of accomplishment. It would be more beneficial to have them see that the next step in improving their situation really is possible.
As I stated in my book The 7 Laws of Raising Financially Independent Kids, “Financial success is the by-product of a well-lived and well-expressed life.” I am most interested in serving now, at this time in my life. I think the best use of my time and knowledge is guiding individuals into well-being, including financial health.
Just for taking the quiz, you will receive our occasional inspirational notes and the popular Prosperity and Wellbeing Newsletter free. These newsletters are filled with material to help you find total well-being. Just unsubscribe if it’s not your thing.
What follows is an introduction to The Map of Money Consciousness® and the 10 levels briefly described:
The Map of Money Consciousness®
The Map is a scale that is designed to explain levels of understanding about how money works, showing the experience of individuals at each consciousness level. What determines a position on the scale is a combination of habitual thinking, beliefs, raw intelligence, and emotional intelligence. When these traits are combined, you can see a developing financial maturity. For true fulfillment that includes life harmony (beliefs, desires, and purpose all blend) one needs to have a well-defined understanding of human behavior, intra- and inter-relationship competence, financial knowledge, confidence in self, and inspired action.
I have been intrigued by the theories of different scholars, great thinkers, and philosophers of our time on the subject of consciousness and the evolution of society.
I’ve read and applied those theories to raise my own awareness about human nature and life in general. My career since 1983 has been to create wealth for people. After a few years of reading and pondering the works of people like Dr. David Hawkins (Levels of Human Consciousness), Dr. Don Beck (Spiral Dynamics), and Ken Wilbur (Integral Psychology), it dawned on me one day, in a quantum leap of understanding, that money consciousness could be measured on a scale, just like any other evolutionary behavior or mode of thought. This scale would be helpful to people who want to increase their financial success because they could see where they are now and what their next step would be. Most people want to be successful and have more money but aren’t sure how to get there. I could develop a map for them. Anyone can find what level they are presently on; thus easily know what the next step is.
No matter where we find ourselves on the Map of Money Consciousness ® or what our life situation is, I believe we can raise ourselves up to where we want to be, where we dream of being. Every step on the map is important; the knowledge gained from each level transcended builds a foundation upon which to launch to the next level. So, where we are right now, at this very moment, is exactly perfect for us. This is where we are supposed to be—everything that has happened in the past, where we came from, and everything that we have ever thought—has landed us right here. It is from here we can begin.
We so often look way, way out on the horizon, and declare, “I want to be over there!” Eagerly, we motivate ourselves to action. It seems, after so much action, that the goal is still too far off, too unattainable. Our doubts begin to creep in, undermining our original enthusiasm and leaving us daunted and overwhelmed with the enormous gulf between where we are now and where we’d like to be. How do we get there? We hear how other people do it, but there are as many opinions on the hows as there are people telling us. And, if we really examine our goals, we don’t want just money; we want to be happy. We want to feel fulfilled, purposeful, secure, and free from despair.
This Map is designed from the knowledge and experience I’ve acquired from working with people from all different backgrounds; watching their successes and failures, coaching them into a new understanding of what a wealth consciousness is, and helping them see the roadblocks that they themselves place in their paths. Showing them that where they are now is OK; they can already see how far they have come, and they begin again with a new commitment that will carry them to financial peace of mind. Financial success is a consequence of a well-lived life. It is so interwoven with all other aspects of life that some ideas may seem removed from finance, yet it is integral and should be incorporated.
The Ten Levels:
Level One Blame/Despair/Apathy
You find yourself in poverty, unemployed, or underemployed, and you see yourself as a victim in this stage of life.
Level Two Fear/Anxiety
You are more aware of your situation and have an idea that you should be able to do better, yet you have a fear of the unknown, fear of taking chances and anxiety over change.
Level Three Desire/Craving
At this level, you are moving beyond apathy and debilitating fear, so desires naturally arise. Instead of sublimating the desires or withdrawing from them, you welcome desires into your awareness.
Level Four Anger/Aggression
At this level, there is a dramatic change, for you are becoming more aware of the part you play in your own life. At this level, anger is felt, and it is the anger that provides energy to change your situation. The apathy is gone.
Level Five Courage/Optimism
There is a feeling of relief here. You feel great hope and inspiration. Budgeting is mastered. Better employment, a retirement plan, and a healthy curiosity about how money works is now part of the fabric of your life.
Level Six Satisfaction/Trust
At this level, you are understandably satisfied. You are learning how to build financial security, maximize your earnings through saving and investing, and build good credit. You are careful with purchases and investments.
Level Seven Acceptance/Forgiveness/Giving
Now, you are beginning to move to the other side of the bell curve. The people who have risen to this level are discovering how the economy really works.
Level Eight Wisdom/Abstraction/Reason
Wisdom is the knowledge that has been internalized and has become a part of you. It is now innate. When this is achieved in regards to economics, you can successfully run scenarios of financial undertakings through your head, playing the “What will happen if…” game.
Level Nine Self-Actualization
You now understand the deeper meanings surrounding money and how emotions play such an integral role in your experience with it. A person at this level has mastered the emotional side of money.
Level Ten Illumination
Money becomes a natural means to support your purpose. As you go out into the world, money isn’t the focus at all. People flock to support you because of what you represent; hope, knowledge, and inspiration.
Of course, most who are motivated to take this course will fall somewhere in the middle of the spectrum. Having the Money Map® can show them where they might want to go.
© copyright 2009 Kasey J Claytor
In The Spiritual Guide for Financial Success course, based on the money map, there are quizzes and self-inquiry, and the reader/student finds their place on the map. Then, they are clearly guided in not only new approaches and ideas but also concrete actions, such as stepping out of a comfort zone and then going through a series of questions. This program encompasses more than financial matters alone. It carries the learner through knowledge of their spiritual, inner-being nature and then completes it with real life and necessary knowledge in the world of money. The course will show that financial competence is not a mystery. Please see the events page for the schedule.