subject: The Bliss of Giving [print this page] The Bliss of Giving The Bliss of Giving
The act of giving is directly linked to the act of loving. To love is to give of oneself to another. So when we reflect on what it means to give, we find ourselves contemplating the very nature of existence. Spiritual teachings from around the world suggest that the core of Reality is a supreme act of giving. In ancient times, Plato wrote of the "outpouring of the One" and this idea has been validated by the experience of every mystic from every tradition. The Holy Man from Nazareth reveals to humanity that the nature of that Uncreated One is unconditional Love, which might be also described as complete gift of Self.
When we observe the world around us and reflect on the mystery of our existence, we can clearly recognize that everything is an incarnation of giving. Life is indeed a pouring forth of energy forever transmuting into matter which cycles back into energy and returns to give of itself yet again. That min-bending idea of the "Trinity" which confuses and alienates so many in our time is nothing other than an expression of this phenomenon of self-giving from one manifestation to the other, generating a community of conscious love.
If then, the act of giving is weaved into the fabric of life and into our own identity, then we are "giving beings" by nature and purpose. To withhold, to deny, to keep for oneself, to refuse to share is a definition of death. Only dead things no longer give, although one might argue that they give unintentionally through the processes of fermentation and disintegration. One way or the other, all of us are swept up in the great act of giving which is the momentum of the universe. When we join in this action through conscious choice, we find our true purpose. When generosity of spirit brings us joy, we join in God's delight and that is nothing less than ultimate bliss.
What shocking ingratitude it is to refuse to give! Consider all that has been given to you, including those countless acts of random kindness from both friends and strangers. When the opportunity arises for each of us to give in turn, it should be with an eagerness that knows how much it owes to the generosity of others. To grab our toys and go play by ourselves is not an option, even if it is born of fear or some primal survival instinct. We are connected to all beings, indebted to life itself, and responsible for those who are placed in our path.
So don't give out of duty or guilt. Don't give because a religious text tells you to do so or because you think you might get something out of it for yourself. Don't give in resentment or with a laundry list of requirements attached to your giving because that will cancel out the blessing of your action. Give of yourself to the world because that is why you were born.
