Materialism is not simply the possession of material objects. It is the attitude that dictates whether one is a materialist or not. A poor man living in a village with an obsession of possessing a mansion is more of a materialist than the rich industrialist who could live with the austerity of a monk.

In modern times it seems to be one extreme or the other. People either become consumed with accumulation and spend their entire life planning, calculating and working towards this at all costs. Or they come to the conclusion that capitalism, wealth and possession are evil, and devote their lives to social equality. Or there are those that consider both extremes as futile, give up everything, and devote themselves to “spiritual” growth!In modern times it seems to be one extreme or the other. People either become consumed with accumulation and spend their entire life planning, calculating and working towards this at all costs. Or they come to the conclusion that capitalism, wealth and possession are evil, and devote their lives to social equality. Or there are those that consider both extremes as futile, give up everything, and devote themselves to “spiritual” growth!

Though these all appear to be very di!erent life trajectories, the materialist, capitalist, socialist and spiritualist all have one thing in common- they are unidirectional and lacking depth. Each has it’s own paradigm of thinking which ultimately makes a conclusion about the other ways of being. Each path lacks the depth of understanding of the whole picture.

An integrated individual can live all of these lives at the same time, realizing that there is utility in every outlook, and at the same time knowing there are pitfalls with rigid ways of being.

In yogic and spiritual circles, “name, fame and wealth” are considered traps or illusions that can bind the individual to compulsive and rigid ways of thinking and acting. However, they only become a real problem when they become the ruling force in one’s life. A yoga master from India, Sadhguru, once said, “Money is not a problem as long as it stays in your pocket. It is only a problem when it is in your head all the time!” This trinity of “name, fame and wealth” can actually be used for great good in society when the whole picture is kept in mind. In fact, it is a responsibility of those in society, who are considered famous, or celebrity “gurus”, or those with huge fortunes, to use their “powers” for the greater good.

Sporting icons such as Steve Waugh, Ricky Ponting and Glen McGrath have used their fame to reach out to those in society who are less fortunate. Having scaled the heights of greatness as sportsmen, they have come to appreciate that there is a certain responsibility that goes with the territory of being famous.

Unfortunately these days there are countless examples in modern society, where people in power have failed to uphold their responsibilities as role models. Our younger generations see the likes of Miley Cyrus, Heath Ledger, Buddy Franklin, or Matt Newton and come to the conclusion that these people are successful. The reality is that many highly talented individuals may achieve “success” in one particular aspect of life, but are absolutely dysfunctional in other parts of their life such as in relationships, or with personal issues such as depression, anxiety or substance abuse.

The goal posts of success need to change, so that a successful life is one in which an individual has fully expressed their potential whilst remaining balanced, happy and integrated at every level.

In Health and Wellness