Wise Livelihood with Noah LevineWise Livelihood with Noah Levine
Against The Stream
5th Factor
1:28:34•16 Apr 2026
Money, Karma and Work: Noah Levine on Choosing a Wise Livelihood
Episode Overview
- Right livelihood is defined less by status and more by whether a job creates harmful or wholesome karma.
- The Buddha discouraged making money from weapons, exploitation of beings, selling flesh, intoxicants and poisons.
- A huge amount of stress can stem from clinging to money, fear about the future and inherited family conditioning around finances.
- Meditation is framed as learning to meet both pleasure and pain with kindness and non-attachment, rather than chasing or resisting.
- Wealth is not rejected outright; the emphasis is on non-attachment and generosity rather than materialism or rigid renunciation.
“"How much of your suffering is tied to money—craving, fear, trying to secure the future?"”
What drives someone to seek a life where work and money actually support their peace of mind instead of wrecking it? This talk from *Against The Stream* brings Noah Levine face to face with one of the most loaded topics in recovery and spiritual life: how you earn your living.
Speaking to a room full of meditators (and plenty more online), Noah breaks down the Buddha’s teachings on "right livelihood" with a mix of humour, blunt honesty, and very practical questions: "How are you paying the bills?" and "Why did you choose this livelihood?" Rather than talking only about career fulfilment, he points straight at karma and craving, asking how much of each person’s suffering is tied to fear about money, clinging to security, or avoidance of responsibility.
Noah explains the traditional list of livelihoods that create harmful karma – such as dealing in weapons, flesh, intoxicants, or exploitation – and then applies it to modern jobs like restaurants, supermarkets, finance, and spiritual teaching itself. He laughs at his own judgy thoughts about wealthy spiritual celebrities, while admitting his own "Buddhist superego" around motorcycles and material stuff. You’ll also hear simple but grounded meditation guidance woven through the talk.
He stresses that the aim isn’t a perfect, calm mind, but honest awareness of whatever is happening – anxious thoughts, pain, joy, or craving – and using that awareness to relate more wisely to money and work. This episode is especially helpful for people in recovery, spiritual seekers, and anyone wondering if their job lines up with their values.
It doesn’t hand out easy answers, but it offers clear Buddhist criteria and invites you to ask, with curiosity rather than shame: is my livelihood supporting freedom, or quietly feeding suffering?
Do you want to link to this podcast?
Get the buttons here!
More From This Show
The latest episodes from the same podcast.
Related Episodes
Similar episodes from other shows in the catalogue.