The Principles of Giving

by Leslie Temple-Thurston

Giving is a privilege. It is a privilege for both the giver and the receiver. Both are honored and ennobled by the action of giving. Giving is a rare and precious energy resource, the energy of connecting. When we show kindness and generosity towards one another, we connect deeply and are enriched by the connection. The giver and receiver are bonded together in a state of delight and unity.

It is said in the Scriptures that to be a perfect giver, we should give without thought of reward. This is extremely difficult for most people to do. Unselfish giving, if done in the right spirit, has been known to defy gravity and have us walking on air for days.

Why is giving so difficult sometimes? Because it threatens the ego with the fear of loss, scarcity, and deprivation. Logic tells us if we have two apples and give one away, we simply have one less apple. Whereas in fact, it is a spiritual law that to give is to create a flow. Because in giving, we open ourselves to receive as well. Giving and receiving are an act of faith in the limitless supply of divine generosity. They affirm divine support. And in that affirmation a flow is created within us, replenishing the supply. Changes take place in our awareness and our lives when we give and receive graciously.

When we are generous, we stretch ourselves beyond the ego, beyond our usual limits and attachments. This may feel scary and difficult, even impossible at first, but if we take the plunge and deny the impediment, something snaps, and we are freed eventually of the limiting beliefs of scarcity. This breaking of our boundaries leads to unparalleled joy.

There is nothing quite like going the extra mile whenever possible; it is the best therapy there is. It is a therapy that enlarges our spirit and ultimately our material world.

Should we happen to stumble upon these realizations at some point in our lives and resolve to live the art of giving and receiving, this artistry will immediately become far more sophisticated, designating us candidates for the realms of love.

As practitioners of the art of giving, we are on an ever-expanding, ascending spiral of spiritual power, which leads eventually to the realizations of the mysteries of the Universe, way beyond the boundaries of the past and into the Light of Faith.