Honesty means abundance. The four kinds of stealing (physical and mental, taking and withholding) and why greed and miserliness also violate the principle of asteya.
*Asteya*, translated from Sanskrit, means not stealing. Following this principle gives material well-being a "green light." Violating it, that is, stealing in any form, is the cause of a lack of material means in life.
For material well-being only one thing is needed: to be honest
The principle of asteya speaks of four kinds of stealing that are not to be allowed, and also of the need to get rid of greed and miserliness.
Type 1: Stealing physically. For example, a person takes someone else's thing, depriving the other of a material value that belongs to them.
Type 2: Not giving what is due to another. For example, you ordered a taxi, it has already arrived, but you cancel the ride (the driver has spent time and gas to get to you). Or you used some service and did not pay for it. If you borrow something and do not give it back, you are also stealing.
Type 3: Stealing mentally. For example, a person wanted to steal but did not do it out of fear of punishment or condemnation. The wish to take what is not yours is already enough to violate the principle of asteya and lose inner balance.
Type 4: Mentally not giving what is due to another. Imagine that the thought came to you not to pay for a service or not to repay a debt. Afterward you did everything right, but on the mental level the theft was committed and the principle of asteya was violated.
Any of these kinds of stealing leads to an imbalance of energy in the body on the subtle level, and a person loses inner balance. You will reach harmony with the universe if you can get rid of all the kinds of stealing listed above.
We need to be worthy of absolute trust. We cannot build a healthy human society if walls of mistrust block the flow of love. Material objects will never be what brings true happiness. Real happiness comes only from the joy of oneness with the Supreme Consciousness. Happiness grows with selfless love, while greed and worldly desires put it out of reach. Help others to be moral by working to ensure that everyone has the necessary minimum for a normal life
A person will always receive what they need
Greed and miserliness also lead to violating the principle of asteya. The universe is arranged so that a person can always obtain the means to meet their essential needs. This means that they always have the possibility of physical survival and of carrying out progressive projects, and they have everything needed for spiritual, mental and physical development.
Sometimes people spend all the material means that come to them only on themselves or their family and do not help any other beings. The universe gives a person means not only for their own needs. The cosmos achieves certain aims through us, allotting resources for them, money included. If a person always invests these only in themselves, in satisfying their own desires, sooner or later the universe will limit the flow of means until this "greedy one" realizes the error of their thinking.
The principle of asteya nurtures healthy tendencies in the mind. It teaches that we must not only take something from the world but also give whatever help we can to beings who need it. Following this principle gives inner confidence and freedom, because it develops the ability to be glad of what you have.
Asteya: practice
- Watch the tendencies of your mind. Allow neither thoughts nor actions that violate the principle of asteya.
- Repay your debts if you can. If that is not possible right now, talk to your creditors and reach an agreement about repayment
- Be honest, strive for inner harmony, and the universe will support you!
This is called trust in Life!