The Subversive Side of
Generosity
Posted: 05/21/2015
By Jane Kolleeny HUFFPOST
"Generosity is revolutionary, counter-instinctual. Our survival
instinct is to care only for ourselves and our loved ones. But we
can transform our relationship to that survival instinct by
constantly asking ourselves, 'How can I use my life's energy to
benefit all living beings?'" --Noah
Levine
Even for those of us who are spiritually inclined, it's hard not to
see the world through the lens of materialism and consumerism. Each
year, billions of dollars are spent on advertising telling us that
something is missing in our lives, that we don't have enough.
Everywhere we look--television, magazines, the Internet--we see
images of exceptionally attractive people leading extravagant
lives. We start to believe that these things are the norm and that
our happiness is based on how we look and what we have. We're left
feeling inadequate and wanting more.
Not only is this "not enough" attitude personally
destructive, but our consumerist lifestyles are destroying our
planet. Most of the environmental issues we face today can be
linked to consumerism.
Because this is the world we live in, acts of
gratitude and generosity are subversive. Gratitude is about feeling
satisfied with what you already have, generosity is about giving
what you have--materially and spiritually--to others. In order to
give to others, you have to feel like you have enough. Acts of
gratitude and generosity are revolutionary because they pull us out
of the rat race. They shift our attention from what is missing in
our lives to what we have in our lives.
So how can we practice generosity in a skillful
manner?
Most religious and spiritual traditions place
generosity at the heart of what it means to live a meaningful and
enlightened life. The Perfection
of Wisdom Sutras, central texts in classical Mahayana
Buddhism, divide the practice of giving into two types: at the most
basic level is the gift of material goods and at the higher level
is the gift of the dharma, the teachings, the very possibility of a
spiritual life. These second kinds of gifts--aimed at the elevation
of human potential--are often dependent on material
giving.
At the Garrison Institute, we both practice and
receive generosity. We aspire to give generously to our community
by offering ideas, trainings, programs, and practices that allow
people to experience contentment, joy, resilience, and a sense of
purpose in their daily lives. We are also on the receiving end of
generosity from our community,whose support allows us to offer
scholarships to those who might not
otherwise be able to attend our programs. There is a beautiful
reciprocity in this relationship.
One interesting aspect of the way that generosity is treated in
those early Mahayana texts is that they treat the act of giving as
if it is a practice of meditation. An act of generosity is thought
to be a process of mental training through which the spirit of
generosity is fostered. In other words, it's possible for us to
train in generosity.
We can gradually transform ourselves into the kinds
of people that give naturally, and, in that process, transform
ourselves into people who feel like we have enough.
When we do this, the whole world
benefits.