Generosity

With Namaste Yoga 325, we enter into a new phase of our Awakening Your True Self Series with the Six Perfections or the Six Paramitas. According to Mahayana Buddhism the six perfections are: generosity, morality, patience, energy, meditation and wisdom.

Dana Paramita or The Perfection of Generosity believes that everybody has enough according to their needs. The practice of dana paramita is to see that everybody receives that bounty of life in good and appropriate measure. There is a natural flow of abundance, but sometimes it gets obstructed. As mindful and aware yogis, our practice is to stop the blockage in the natural flow of abundance when we witness it in the world.

Perfect giving according to Mahayana Buddhism transcends traditional ideas of giving with the idea of a gift, giver and a receiver. This is giving beyond giving. There is a belief that one cannot give anything because everything is already given.

There are three things that you can give:

Material giving: such as money, food, clothing, housing
Goodness: kindness, a kind word, thought, prayer, spiritual teachings
Fearlessness: so that one is no longer afraid or constricted

Of these three gifts, the gift of material giving is held as least importance.

Dana Paramita gives us opportunity to recognize the beauty, wonder, power and value of our inner and spiritual lives. One may have tons of material wealth, but if you have a closed heart, you will not be happy.

All beings can express joy and love of life. When we chant a sutra, that generates spiritual goodness. At the end of every Namaste Yoga class we chant: Lokah Samastah Sukhino Bhavantu with a series of hand mudras. Through that practice we are taking the fruits of our yoga practice and offering them out into the world. We have taken the spiritual goodness we have generated through our yoga practice and given it to those in need. This is a highly valued and incredibly important and generous practice.

Thich Nhat Hanh says we can offer our joy, our happiness, and our love. Your own happiness is an act of generosity. Share your joy with others through a smile. We are not asking you to do this indiscriminately, but with discernment.

Resources: Upaya Zen Center The Six Perfections Dharma Podcast Series with Norman and Kathie Fischer

Props Needed: yoga block

Yoga Postures/Asanas: Bridge Pose or Setu Bandhasana, Modified Spinal Energy Series, Thich Nhat Hanh Smiling Meditation, Side Plank or Vasisthasana, Breath of Joy. Downward Facing Dog or Adho Mukha Svanasana, Wild Thing Pose, Matsyendrasana, Janu Sirsasana or Head Beyond Knee Pose, Savasana or Corpse Pose

Lokah Samastah Sukhino Bhavantu

Through that practice we are taking the fruits of our yoga practice and offering them out into the world. We have taken the spiritual goodness we have generated through our yoga practice and given it to those in need. This is a highly valued and incredibly important and generous practice.

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Thank you for your donations: Hilary, Eva, Rowena, Diane, and Donna

Today’s question to answer in the comments is: How are you going to practice offering the generosity of kindness this week?

If you would like to know 4 benefits of Thich Nhat Han’s smiling meditation and one bonus tip, sign up below in the opt in box and I will send you that special bonus.

If you would like more support in building generosity then I would recommend our Intention or Sankalpa Series in our membership community. This will help you form an intention for your yoga practice, your day, discover your strengths and values, look at your purpose in your life and answer your questions about setting intentions.