May/June 2008 Spirituality
Spiritual Compound Interest

by Rev. Patricia Roller

What if we invested in our spiritual endeavors as much as we invest in our financial interests?

Many people are familiar with compound interest and its formula:

A = P (1 r)n

In this formula P is the principal or the initial amount you borrow or deposit. The r is the annual rate of interest. The n stands for the number of years invested. The A is the final amount of money you accumulate after a certain number of years, including principal and interest.

Have you ever considered a new paradigm called spiritual compound interest?

Take the same formula, but consider the following: P is your purpose, the initial amount you deposit into your life. Next, r, the rate of interest, is not tied to an annual amount that is out of your control. When you deposit your purpose into a spiritual life, you are cocreating, which has no limit. The n is still the number of years, but now A stands for action.

When you consider the formula from the spiritual perspective, you begin to see that the action in your life is directly tied to your purpose. It's an intriguing formula because it's mathematically true. The more you put in, the more you get out, which determines the action in your life.

How can you put spiritual compound interest to work for you?

First, set your purpose. Take one thing you want to concentrate on, whether it's a new relationship, career or home, and put that vision before you. Once you become successful with this formula, you can add more things and enhance your portfolio.

The number one in the formula is you, plus your rate of interest or the amount of time you invest in your purpose. It is so easy to become discouraged because we tend to focus on the action and are impatient for the end result. Remember that the rate at which you become involved in your life will determine this action. Do one thing every day toward your goal rather than concentrating on the end result.

Diane Conway in her wonderful book, What Would You Do If You Had No Fear?, talks about the building of the pyramids: "The task seems daunting, and at moments like that, I like to think of the construction of the pyramids: even such magnificent structures could only go up one brick at a time."

The success of spiritual compound interest is to retrain the mind to think in a series of moments rather than concentrating on the final picture. Think about paintings. Artists have a vision of what they want to paint, but it is only achieved one brushstroke at a time. There is a faith in the process that one brushstroke building on another will create the final masterpiece. Artists also have something else. They are motivated by their desire or love for their work. This intensity keeps them always in motion.

So pick something you really want in your life, something you can get passionate about. This will create movement for you, the ability to do something everyday toward that goal. The spiritual life is not limited to the great teachers. They have shown us what is possible for everyone, provided there is the commitment. In the end, it's worth all the risk, pain and hard work. You have invested in you and that's priceless.

Rev. Patricia Roller is the director of The Center for Inner Awareness and a pastor at the H.O.M.E. Center in Salem. She is also a Reiki master and co-owner of Creative Commitments, which offers ministerial and photography services for weddings and commitment ceremonies. Visit www.centerforinnerawareness.org.