What does "money" mean?
goddesses and power of expression
This is part 1 of a mini-series on Living well with $
To start, I acknowledge that money is a charged topic and it is the cause of suffering for many. I write this essay as a means of exploring what it means to live a well-planned, intentional life, and my personal experiences, privilege, and worldview are reflected in my words. I hope something here will resonate with your practice of living with intention.
“A bird doesn't sing because it has an answer, it sings because it has a song.” - Joan Anglund, A Cup of Sun
What does money mean?
What a big question. I think it’s a healthy practice to take a bite out of big questions, without necessarily having any answers.
As a child, I’d look up the etymology of words to better grasp their meaning. While the definitions in spelling books came across as strict, the history of a word offered flexibility to better understand.
So I took a look into the history of the word “money” to find a thread to pull my thoughts forward. Here’s what I found:
“Money” comes from the Latin moneta, a “place for coining money; mint.”
Moneta has a fascinating history attached to it. It’s rooted in ancient mythology with the name being given to two separate goddesses: Juno Moneta (Roman) and Mnemosyne (Greek).
Juno Moneta is the Roman patron goddess of money and the minting of money, being the source of those words we use today. Early Roman mints were located in the temple of Juno Moneta within the city of Rome. As the story goes, in 390BC a flock of geese, kept in Juno’s sanctuary on Capitoline Hill, saved Rome by warning of an impending invasion by the Gauls. The Roman General built a temple on the hill in gratitude for the goddess’ warning. She has since been considered the protector of money and guardian of finances.
In Greek mythology, Mnemosyne (nem-oh-sign) is the goddess of memory and the mother (by Zeus) of the nine Muses who inspired all the creative endeavors ever produced by humanity. The term Mnemosyne is derived from the same source as the word mnemonic, that being the Greek word mnēmē, which means "remembrance, memory." It is said that praying to Mnemosyne would grant you memories of your past life.
Here emerge two threads to pull. From Juno Moneta, there is the warning and protection over that which is valuable and from Mnemosyne, there is the invitation to remember who we are.
I find Moneta’s dual representation to be useful for understanding what “money” means. Money is what I earn and protect in my bank accounts and IRAs so that I can eventually use it, and every time I use money it’s an opportunity to remember and express myself— what I believe in and the world I want to shape. This gives money value (along with the stock market, interest, rates, and all that… but this is the bit we have agency over).
In this way, the accumulation of money is a way of building up my power to express who I am through what I choose to invest in: mountain adventures, gardens, wholesome local food, art, books, causes I believe in... Funny how a spending list resembles a personal bio! And how I care for my funds is a part of how I take care of my ability to express myself. Money is not the only way to express oneself, yet it is a powerful one.
On the flip side, when there isn’t much money that power of expression is limited. In those moments, it can be difficult to remain connected to sense of self. When I can’t afford to do something, like travel to a friend’s wedding, rubbish stories of “I’m not a good friend” can emerge. In those moments, it’s helpful to write down and remember the other ways I express myself: I love catching up on the phone, gift giving is one of my love languages. When I remember who I am, I can hold the desire to do the thing that I can’t afford more lightly, while still putting energy into those other facets of myself. (This did happen, and I was able to pull myself out of despair by catching up on the phone with the bride-to-be and sending a meaningful gift.)
In more severe instances, when money is scarce and basic needs are hard to afford remembering who we are is still powerful. We are members of a community with neighbors, family, friends, and social support services that can be tapped for assistance when needed. Helping is another powerful way we express ourselves.
And so what does “money” mean? I think it boils down to an expression of our values. We earn money to invest in our needs, desires, and dreams, and when we spend it we express who we are and actively shape the world around us.
In part 2, I’ll share insights and tips I’ve learned about caring for any amount of money so that it may continue to be a mirror— reflecting what we truly need and value.
Look out for it next week! Check it out: Caring for Money
For now, I’ll leave you with a few money reframes inspired by Moneta:
“Checking Account” - Checking in on your self-expression
“Savings” - Stored energy for later expression
“Debt” - Future energy harvested for expression now
With Alofa,
Eva
Journal Juice
How do you use money to express who you are?
What are 3 other ways you express who you are to others?
And if you like, try making a mood board to reflect your answers. I had fun making this one in Canva using a free template:
