Generosity

have used the words generosity compassion and wisdom a lot lately, maybe should clarify what this means and even revisit the pitfalls of language.

Generosity will mean something different to each of us. Because we each have so many differences in background, expectations, and constitution the language is a crutch to help us communicate, not communication itself.

We forget that in our educational system and forget that in our busy lives and sometimes forget that in our efforts to communicate. We often mean different things when we use the same words and ignore the dissonance or tolerate a little lee way.

When we really come to an understanding it is a place beyond words. We feel it rather than think it, there is a sense of connection and pleasure. This is facilitated by stillness, quietude, non judging. To achieve this we meditate and practice, laying the foundation for unobstructed experience.

Generosity is commonly thought of as giving and often associated with Dana in Buddhist circles but it is much more a practice to soften and expand the heart-mind, to enhance flexibility and gentle the energy around us. It begins at home with the self, and is tied to just being. Just being allows investigation into what is most beneficial. Without the interference of the inner critic, just being shines a light on what it might take to make us really happy. This is a gradual process of discovery for most and it requires persistence and encouragement from within. Everyone has to do this for themselves, can't do it for others and others can't do it for you. This is a very primary practice of generosity, just being. Just being means developing tolerance and when we can tolerate ourselves we can extend this to others. When we allow just being we are giving very generously by dropping the shoulds. All these "I should be doing this, I should be doing that," are greedy, harsh and unmindful. Letting go of that has a huge impact, a ripple effect that is helpful.

The definition given above is an example of non linear thinking. There are many ways to think of generosity, it can be about providing funds or goods, it can be about tolerance and forgiveness, it can be about gratitude and appreciation too.

Sensei gives several practice suggestions (see the workbook) for cultivating generosity and a lot of the practices overlap so the same practice can be used with different intentions. For instance wishing passersby freedom from suffering and living in happiness can be a practice of generosity as well as compassion

that's it from the soapbox today, be well, and if you read this leave a comment, thanks