Lobh / Greed

The feeling of separateness brought about by taking birth creates a crav­ing for fulfillment. In order to function in the world, the player must first make certain his physical needs are met. In order to join the game the player must eat, have a place to rest, and have clothing to wear. Material survival is the primary concern in the first chakra.

Greed arises when the player confuses his sense of unfulfillment with the need for material survival. Having attained the basic necessities of life, he still feels empty. All he has learned is how to maintain his physi­cal existence. So he employs these basic survival skills to acquire more and more material belongings in the hope of fulfilling himself.

The more he acquires, the deeper his compulsion becomes. His sense of emptiness reaches the level of panic as his actions become increasingly desperate. The legend of King Midas and his touch of gold is a classic Western tale of the consequences of greed. This craving for material suc­cess is also the root cause of all military conquest.

Greed comes from insecurity, and insecurity from misidentification of Self. When a player does not believe in God, he does not believe in provi­dence. Greed is the rail-end of the snake of jealousy. Greed makes a player short-sighted. He does not realize that greed is ultimately pointless. In the end, all material possessions are left behind, whether willingly or by the intercession of death. But greed can prove an asset in spiritual growth if one becomes greedy for spiritual experiences, knowledge, and love.

The player who falls into greed also opens the gates to maya, anger, and all other first-chakra problems.

Four is symbolized as a square representing the four dimensions, the four directions. It symbolizes the earth element. As a member of the family of even numbers, 4 tends toward completion. The impetus for completion, carried to its extreme on the material plane, becomes greed. In numerology, the number 4 is ruled by rahu, the north node of the moon, also known as the Dragon’s Head. In western numerology, 4 is ruled by Uranus. In occultism, it is always written as 4-1 and as such is considered to be related to the sun as well.