Generosity

Poster reads - We make a living by what we get, but we make  a life by what we give.

The practice of generosity is the practice of freedom, and it carries with it all the joy and pleasure that are associated with liberation. Indeed, there may be no greater sense of fulfillment in life than the simultaneous feelings of human interconnection and pure freedom that arise from an authentic act of selfless generosity.

- Dale S. Wright, “The Bodhisattva’s Gift” 

 

It is hard to imagine in our world filled with so much abundance, that we collectively seem to have trouble with generosity.  The other part of generosity that puzzles me is that so many people want to tell you a) that you should be generous, and b) how much you need to give in order to be generous.

The conflict for me is the judgement and control that seems to be in our society around generosity.  If generosity must come from the heart, how can someone set standards of giving, or pass judgement on those that they perceive do not give?  

The passage above caught my attention because it says “generosity is the practice of freedom”.  The words resonated deep within me.

Generosity is taking time to do something kind for someone else, without acknowledgement from anyone other than the receiver, and if it is anonymous, then without acknowledgement at all.  How wonderful is this gift to self!

Blessings,

Judy

Be Authentic

“The most authentic thing about us is our capacity to create, to overcome, to endure, to transform, to love and to be greater than our suffering.” – Ben Okri

Sometimes I get messages or sound bites that I have a difficult time deciphering.  One of these sound bites was “stand in your authenticity”.  

My first thought was, “Could you be more obscure?”

I thought about it, and then just left the idea and went on to think about something else.  You know how it is though, the harder that you try NOT to think of something, the more you think about it.  

So, I went and looked up the word “authentic”.  The definitions are:

adjective 

1. Of undisputed origin; genuine 
   • - the letter is now accepted as an authentic document 
   • - authentic 14th-century furniture
2. Made or done in the traditional or original way, or in a way that faithfully resembles an original 
   • - the restaurant serves authentic Italian meals 
   • - every detail of the movie was totally authentic
3. Based on facts; accurate or reliable 
   • - an authentic depiction of the situation
4. (in existentialist philosophy) Relating to or denoting an emotionally appropriate, significant, purposive, and responsible mode of human life 
5. (of a church mode) Comprising the notes lying between the principal note or final and the note an octave higher

Well this cleared things up! Not!  Was I supposed to be looking at genuine or traditional?  Was I supposed to be accurate or reliable?  To me, these are two different states.  Was I supposed to change?  How can one be in healing mode and be in between what is real and what is not?  I had more questions.  

I sat in meditation.  I sat and thought the word authenticity.  I said a prayer.  I called on Creator/Great Spirit to help me understand how authenticity will help me be in service.  

Then I felt a shift around me.  I had this knowing that I was to be genuine in my beliefs because that way I had no need of ego.  Ego is only required when one is not sure of the ground around them.  I felt good!  And, this will be easy to do.

Many blessings,

Judy