Giving and Receiving

[Guest guest]

Sat Nam,

 

To charge or not to charge, that is the question.

 

Giving and Receiving

 

Interesting that this topic would come up as I am preparing my New

Millennium Being Newsletter on Libra. How do we achieve balance in our

lives? Giving and receiving must always be balanced to achieve peace,

happiness and stability (to the extent that this is possible in an

ever-evolving universe) in our lives. The nature of the universe demands

balance and is in the process of creating it at every moment. In our own

personal lives, we need balance and are always trying to achieve it.

 

There are many ways to achieve a balance between giving and receiving. Some

are direct and some are indirect. Direct methods include monetary exchange

and barter. Indirect methods include seva where our services are offered

for free and tithing (offering a percentage of our income to worthy causes.)

Each method is appropriate in different circumstances and for different

people. Some people have plenty of money and offering their selfless

service is a way to give back. Some people need to charge for their

services to support themselves and make a righteous living. Neither is

better than the other.

 

There are many lessons that we humans come here to learn. We choose our

methods of giving and receiving in accordance with these lessons. Some need

to learn how to give more. Some need to learn how to receive more. Some

need to learn how to manifest on the physical plane. Some need to learn how

to value themselves and their gifts. Some need to love others. Some need

to learn to trust universal laws and develop a relationship with the

unknown. Tithing is a recommended method to achieve the later.

 

How do we know what is the best method or combination for ourselves? The

ultimate touchstone is what works for us, what gives us peace, what makes us

truly happy. We humans have a tendency to generalize our personal truth and

try to make it into collective truth. But sometimes what is true for us in

not true for others. Our goal is to align our personal truth with the

universal Truth that dictates that giving and receiving must and will be

balanced. As we achieve our own alignment, our example and internal

equilibrium serves as an energetic example that helps others align their

personal truth with universal Truth.

 

Life is complex, rich and elegant. There are as many paths as there are

people. Each individual must experiment, experience, sort out and choose

what works best for him/her. The good news is that we can discover, know

and live by our own unique formula. As we learn our lessons and learn to

live by universal laws, we begin to relax, to feel comfortable with

ourselves and our choices and to achieve greater levels of contentment.

 

There are many individual truths and a few universal truths. Maybe

everything is perfect from the perspective that we are all doing what we

need to do achieve our own alignment. There is no good and no bad, just

what works and what seems to create more pain, struggle and conflict.

Alignment will be achieved either through our own conscious acts or through

acts of nature and natural laws. The more conscious we become, the more

possible it is to consciously choose a path of alignment and balance.

 

Sat Nam,

 

Rattana

 

P.S. If you are interested in the rest of article on Libra, to my

newsletter New Millennium Being. Send a blank email to

nmbeing-

[Guest guest]

I sometimes teach a beginning Yoga class. When I do charge, the money goes

to my local vet in support of the strays she takes in, and in support of

neutering and spaying.

 

Other times I don't change anything --- I try to give people interested in

Yoga a basic routine to open the joints, and increase the range of motion in

the joints, with enough variations to keep them challenged and interested. I

also try to help them understand some of the basics of Yoga, such as going

to HIS/HER edge, etc. I hope to help them avoid damaging their bodies as

they first begin a Yoga practice.

 

I have found that when I give, I receive. My Yoga practice becomes deeper

as I practice and prepare for a class. My relationship with the other

participants becomes closer -- and we laugh a lot in my classes -- which is

always a gift.

 

I have found this to be true in most areas of my life -- why I give, I

receive -- not just good feelings because someone has been helped, or made

happy, but it seems that sometimes, when I need something, it just comes

along with no effort on my part except for expressing the need inside.

Actually, the more effort I put forth, the more difficult it would be for me

to find.

 

Now, here I go rambling -- when all I really wanted to say is giving is the

receiving itself. Does any of this make sense?

 

Pamela P

pamela

 

"It is only possible to live happily ever

after on a day to day basis."

-- Margaret Bonnano