to Chris: Question for the group - Generosity

[Guest guest]

Chris,

 

thank you for posting this beautiful wisdom from Swami Rama.

i feel refreshed today!

 

think i'll give something away

 

~leela

 

 

 

, "Chris Kirner"

<chriskirner1956> wrote:

> Nanda,

>

> In my opinion, "true giving" or "generosity" is our natural expression

> of the love and grace of God. It should be as natural and unconscious

> as breathing.

>

> Like Sadhvi, when I think of giving I think of Shree Maa and Swamiji,

> who give constantly, never asking for anything in return, and, of

> course, I think of my gurudeva, who gave me life.

>

> Unfortunately, as others have intimated, our giving will never be

> perfect until we are, possessing purified egos, and free from desire

> and attachment. Until then, giving is sadhana.

>

> I have lately been reading Swami Rama's commentary on the Bhagavad

> Gita. He has some beautiful and interesting things to say about giving

> that i would like to share here.

>

> "When one gives up his desires, a new horizon of awareness opens to

> him. But those who hold on to their desires are not able to experience

> the higher dimensions of life. Fulfilling desires gives birth to many

> more desires, and there is no end to that cycle. When one learns to

> give up desires, however, he is elevated to the next step of

> experience. There is a mental law that if your give up what you have,

> you receive something new. That principle sustains life. If we do not

> give up the carbon dioxide and used up gases by exhaling, we cannot

> survive at all; we must exhale in order to inhale. In order to survive

> and to receive, we have to give up. Give up first; only then will you

> receive. This law continues to help one until the last breath of life.

> The student is always afraid and hesitant about giving up, for he is

> attached to all the things that he thinks belong to him. His false

> sense of possessiveness is a great enemy on the path of unfoldment.

> One must learn to have courage and give up what he has in order to

> receive that which is glorious and beautiful, limitless and infinite."

>

> "One thinks that if he sacrifices, he will not have enough for

> himself. He thinks that sacrifice is a loss because he is attached to

> and identified with that which would be given in sacrifice. Thus he is

> afraid of sacrifice. Actually what one loses in sacrifice is

> attachment and fear. If one is not attached to the object, there is no

> loss in sacrifice. The egocentric person believes that sacrifice means

> kbeing consumed or even dying, but in fact it is only one's egocentric

> perspective that dies in sacrifice. The ocean is not used up in giving

> off moisture through evaporation, and the resources of a human being

> are not used up in sacrificing. Actually the more one sacrifices, the

> more one has. In sacrificing one gives up that to which he has been

> holding on, and he is then open to receive. As long as one is holding

> on, he is closed off to receiving the sacrifice of the universe."

>

> "The giving human being sacrifices his best for his beloved, but the

> selfish person uses all his so-called loved ones for the sake of his

> selfish pleasures. Those who are not aware of the law of expansion do

> not experience the joy of sacrificing and giving. But those who have

> practiced to strengthen the quality of giving cannot stop giving, for

> giving fills one of the highest of joys, whereas expecting and taking

> only lead to momentary pleasure that later results in disgust,

> disappointment, and a sorrowful state of mind. Those who do not learn

> to give or sacrifice the fruits of their actions do not know the art

> of living and being.

>

> The essence of sacrifice is giving selflessly. It is a complete

> expression of love in the true sense. Those who learn to be content

> with only their essential needs fulfilled are truly happy, and they

> use all their resources in the love and service of others. The little

> bit that is left over is used for the sustenance of their existence in

> the world so that they can continue giving. Such individuals live for

> others. But the selfish are not aware of the law of giving and are

> doomed."

>

> That last paragraph sound like someone we know?

>

> Jai Nanda!

> Jai Maa!

>

> Chris

>

>

>

>

>

> , Nanda <chandimaakijai> wrote:

> > Dear All,

> > Here is another question that has been on my mind for a while...

> what is true giving ? What is generosity ?

> >

> > How do we donate our time/money/energy in an appropriate way ?

> >

> > I look forward to your responses.

> >

> > JAI GURU

> > Nanda

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >