Sound paradoxical? Well, not really.
Because you see, actually there is something deceptive about giving.
On the face of it, it seems as if there is someone who has more, and is the benefactor of the one who has less – who is the receiving party.
At the same time, everyone who has ever taken part in the act of giving to another, has also experienced the happiness that comes with it.
It’s such a magic – the more generous I am in my giving, the happier I am.
If I do it regularly, we can already start talking about real happiness.
I would claim it as a startup, but it was already done a few thousand years ago.
So a refreshing perspective can be one that sees the whole act of giving as a kind of global conspiracy, in which people actually allow me to give to them, so that my level of happiness will increase!
Think about it!
Every time I am allowed to give something – my time, my knowledge, my resources, my attention, from the goodness of my heart – every time, that person allows me to experience the happiness of giving. Huge.
Actually I have to thank him for the opportunity.
From an act of giving to a vision
So we have already said in one of the previous posts that actually, in order to be really happy – to experience this true happiness, which is beyond the upheavals and bumps of life – a person searches for meaning.
And we also talked about the fact that true meaning is connected with working for something that is bigger than me. In fact, meaning is almost always associated with doing for the other.
And why is that so?
Because giving gives us a small taste of how it feels when we don’t just take care of ourselves.
This, in our view, is this magical reality, in which the ego that runs our lives has no hold.
The reality in which we are not really separate, but work together so that we can all be happy.
Master Shantideva, an Indian sage from the eighth century, demonstrates this simply – it is like the right hand caring for the injured left leg. Both are part of the same body, both want that body to function perfectly.
Let yourself imagine it a bit, it’s really fun.
A life in which I am not busy all day with what will do me good, but instead relax, and allow myself to simply do good – to myself, to my home, to everyone who is in front of me at any given moment.
And the more people who enjoy it, the better.
But here awareness has a very important role.
It is very easy to get confused with our motivation to do things.
Many times, we take part in projects of one kind or another, which, on the face of it, seem like they are meant to work for the welfare of others. But when we start working, the ego raises its head (without declaring, that’s how it is, cunning…) and then all kinds of unwanted elements enter – such as self-cherish, credit, material gains or others, and the giving is no longer as it was, and hence our experience.
And this is exactly the place to remember our conspiracy – in which the world was harnessed to allow us the happiness that comes from acting for the other.
When our vision of a life of meaning is motivated by the true desire to do good to the world, we look for the collaborations, the places where everyone is happy to participate because their needs are met by the participation.
There is no competition here over resources, prestige, profits, etc., but the opposite.
The question we ask ourselves is:
“How can my vision serve everyone who takes part in it?”.
And then the giving is one that can raise our happiness to completely different levels.
So is there anyone else who wants credit for that great project? Wonderful! Sharing credit, less ego – and therefore less suffering, but that’s another post.
Share profits? Even better, certainly when they are for wonderful purposes!
Every time you imagine this, experience the feeling of relief that comes with letting go of the grip in this pursuit of the things which (supposedly, but really only supposedly) will do me good.
And you don’t need to start dividing profits. You can start small, and slowly, as it feels good, and right and liberating, so you can continue.
So I’m nobody’s fool. Every time someone allows me an opportunity to act for them, I check what I am capable of, and then upgrade it a little.
And the day will come, soon in these days, amen, when giving to myself and/or to others, will simply feel the same.
Because you understand, for me today, a vision for a life of meaning is not only related to the number of people I touch, or the scope of my activities, but to how much I am able to blur that invisible line between myself and others, and treat everyone as part of my interest.
And also to know that I am not acting in competition with the world, but for the world.
And that is to learn how I collaborate, cooperate, and help the right hand to heal the injured left leg.
So don’t be fools! Be really generous with your giving!
Mindful Education 