Brent Kessel, Money Guru, Interviewed on Frugaltopia

It’s Not About the Money

In May, I was excited to bring you news of Brent Kessel, a financial planner and yogi I encountered at the Yoga Journal conference in New York.His book, "It's Not About the Money," has opened my eyes to the ways we bring our "issues" to money--- in a similar way to how we bring our "issues" to the yoga mat. Only in yoga, there's a way to work them out. With money, secrecy and shame makes it hard to bring hidden habits to light.Brent was kind enough to agree to an interview for another blog I work on, Frugaltopia, (which, as you'd guess, is all about frugal living).I asked him a few pressing questions---about the 8 archetypes that profile the major habits/obsessions/hang ups people have around money, about what one thing we could all do to improve our relationship with money, and how we can avoid or work with our hang ups.Here's one question I asked him: Frugaltopia:Is there one archetype that seems to do better financially than others? Why is that, in your opinion?To see his answer, and read the rest of the fascinating interview, go here, to Frugaltopia. (And then buy his book. Seriously, I'm willing to proselytise: finding Brent and his book is like finding a great teacher.)Read the interview here. Previous posts:"It's Not About the Money," May 2009

"It's Not About the Money"

Lakshmi

One of the things I enjoyed at the Yoga Journal conference in New York, May 14 - 18, was coming across new, brilliant manifesters of yoga. One was Brent Kessel. After his presentation, I bought his book. I took it on vacation. I read it on the beach. I love him.True, possibly only I could read a book called It's Not About the Money while supposedly relaxing. But I did find his ideas exciting (and he's a good writer). I loved the notion that we live out unconscious stories about money---and we don't need to. As in yoga, we just need to wake up!As an experienced financial planner and a long time ashtanga yogi, Kessel is in a rare position to speak to yogis about money---and be heard. We yogis don't really seem to want to talk about brass tacks. Unless we're forced to, by, say, opening a studio, or trying to make a living as a yoga teacher. But the aversion to seeing---with eyes wide open---that our yoga exists in a money-driven world, is just a form of avoidance. In fact, in some images of Lakshmi, the Hindu goddess of abundance, she is surrounded by gold coins.Our (Westerners) discomfort putting money and yoga in the same thought seems to work us up into a knot. Do we understand why? Not really. So, I'm looking forward to Kessel's workshop tonight at East/West books in Manhattan, from 5:30-9:30. Now that I understand his system, I'm ready for the experience. What money type am I? What are my strengths and weaknesses? What stories do I tell myself about what I can and cannot have? How are they holding me back? To me, this seems as yogic a workshop as meditation or pranayama.I wish everyone abundance and prosperity---and freedom from whatever stories are driving you. Even if we don't care about being rich, we do want to get free, right?

East/West Books:212-243-5995, 78 Fifth Avenue @ 14th Street