Maslow's Pyramid treats very clearly part of the point that you touched today, because to reach the spiritual level you must first have satisfied the physical levels, food, shelter, security and so on until you reach the spiritual level. I also totally agree with you at the point that we must learn to be free financially. For that, as you say, the best thing is to learn from someone who has already walked the path before us. It is preferable to tread where the expert steps in the mine field and not to invent and blow up.