Generosity of Spirit

Generosity of Spirit

By Moriah Marston

Are you truly generous? Or, do you give yourself and others "just enough"-not a scrap more? Do attempts to be frugal make you tightfisted?

Where do you stand on the polarity of generosity vs.stinginess???

Fear of scarcity makes us stingy. So we scrimp through life, not only pinching pennies but also weighing how much love, enjoyment, reward, free time, pleasure, relaxation, personal space and attention to give ourselves, as if these were extras in life and not the main meal. We believe: "I couldn't possibly give that to myself-or I'd have to really earn it by depriving myself in other ways."

Must our self-generosity be balanced by deprivation? We're so afraid of getting carried away. Strictness with ourselves, which also affects others, reflects fear of losing control of our wants/hungers. Convinced that generosity is dangerous, we dole out life in a measured fashion that eventually becomes iron fisted. We assume that generosity might drain our resources. Actually, it's enlivening.

A lifetime of stinginess shrinks our world, tightens the heart and fills the belly with fear-limiting all possibilities.

The generous YES that is our Divinity hardens into a constipated cement block in the soul as Source's bounty atrophies into crumbs.

Spirit is generous. There's no end to growth opportunities- the chance to start over again and again-to regenerate - to profoundly open up and overflow with love -- to fill with a passion to serve others - to learn to treasure ourselves with a commitment to have everything that life has to offer. Spirit is infinite. It demonstrates that Source is Generosity in Action and Being.

How did the human race become so stingy? Stinginess is learned, based on fear of not-enoughness. We assume that life is made of sacrifices that purify us enough to be worthy of our Source-as if there's something fundamentally wrong with us that needs to be absolved by withholding from ourselves.

Generosity is natural to our spirit and consequently can't be repressed. It will simply leak out, but in unhealthy ways that spoil us and starve the soul. Natural generosity becomes convoluted.

Ironically, the best way that we can measure appropriate giving to ourselves and others is to accept our innate generosity and allow spirit, in its infinite wisdom, to open the throttle of Divine Flow that guide us to become Vessels of Outpouring.

Could you spare it? We try to talk people down rather than meet their price (financially, emotionally, mentally) much less leave a big tip. Stinginess is contagious. When others are stingy with us, we match them. Then everyone is cheap. We become shabby representatives of spirit and pull in the reins-not letting ourselves be the "bigger" person. Not wanting to be taken advantage of, if others don't appreciate our generosity we contract into ungiving. But generosity can't hurt us when it flows from our spirit. It only expands our being.

Stinginess crimps energy, narrows experience, shrinks vision, blocks potential and closes the doors of life. Spirit is boundless. So why curb ourselves? We haven't begun to tap its limitlessness. The magnitude of possibility peaks in to get our attention when we least expect it. Our first response is to shrink it--constraining the generosity of optimism, excitement, positivity.

Sometimes we're generous with ourselves in pointless or unhealthy ways but are stingy with our soul. Acquiring too many clothes or eating extra desserts is only surface generosity and doesn't take the place of leaving a repressive job or marriage, taking risks to follow a vision, allocating precious time for creativity.

Then on our death bed we lament about the lack of generosity toward ourselves. After all, we can't take it with us-not just money-but time well spent, people well loved, self well expressed, a life lived in the spirit of Source's exuberant bounty.

I expect to be given what is owed me, but nothing more, and am often startled to receive generosity from others. I forget to think outside the box of our economic orientation which blinds me to the huge ocean of "extra" available to everyone. What would it be like to represent our Divinity by living in the Zone of Extra?

Generous people must be more advanced than the rest of us scrooges! To be around them makes me feel bathed in bounty and reassured that there is nothing wrong with my needs/desires.

Fearlessly openhanded, they aren't afraid to fully give because they know there's a lot more where that came from. They tap into and unsparingly share the true nature of spirit. They don't hesitate to show how much love they feel and flood recognition for all gifts received from loved ones. They're affectionate- not stingy with touch. They gush gobs of enthusiasm and encouragement to embolden others to take risks. They don't pop bubbles. They shower people with attention-sincere interest. They leave big tips, delighted to give back to all who serve them. They think big because to be magnanimous is to embody magnitude.

An open heart is the wellspring of all generosity. If Source was as miserly with us as we are with ourselves, our world would be barren. There would be only meager scraps of opportunity to evolve, not enough time to progress, no turning points, no serendipity, grace, inspiration, insight, guidance or support-absolutely no way to manifest our dreams.
Generosity of spirit keeps the heart soft and healthy and buoyantly elevates us as we throw away our tit-for-tat measuring tools and become giving fools-wildly bestowing unstinted plenty to ourselves and others. We remember that Source spoils. It's creation with Divine Indulgence-a crowning generosity that parts the seas.

When in channel I bathe in the profound generosity of the Tibetan. His exquisite spirit never measures love but rather just lets it cascade, glowing like liquid gold. He teaches:Humankind is challenged to respond to every situation with uncommon love-to go the extra mile in their outpouring. Unqualified generosity to self fosters a new life that demonstrates there's always enough-never scarcity, diminishment or negation on any level. Then, fully honored, self is never invisible or placed second.

But humankind is not used to generosity. Students have experienced countless lifetimes of austerity, learned to do without, to not dare ask for too much and to expect minimal benevolence. But, Source never decreed this constriction. The earth plane was created to demonstrate Generosity of Spirit in form-so physically magnificent and abundant in its profound beauty that humanity, awed by this lavish gift, would automatically embody generosity.

Attachment to the illusion of separation neutralizes generosity and fosters the belief that Source is narrow hearted. Therefore, humankind perceives no greater model for generosity.
Stinginess with self attracts selfish people and fuels fears of not-enoughness. This illusion causes people to only give so much, squirreling away their own private supply of energy. Then generosity from others is threatening because it implies that more will be asked of self. It's painful to hoard one's soul.

Lack of generosity with self makes it impossible to be ungrudging toward others. To give to others while being tightfisted with self is only a martyrdom that retards the soul's growth -- just as giving from a sense of obligation is not true generosity. The soul evolves from full communion with Source's 100% attitude of altruism. Rather than be generous in only a few ways, embody an overflowing great heartedness in ALL ways, always starting with self.

Give in spades-offering oceans of helpful thoughts, feelings and energy. Don't worry about giving too much to self or others. Many struggle with the false belief, "It's spiritually correct to be humble and only take a little piece of life for myself.

I don't dare give myself everything-It' s too much-I don't deserve it." This measured allotment modulates the flow of energy in the chakras into a controlled format that the ego assumes is just enough. The chakras constrict. Reception is blocked and the soul starves.

Indulge in generosity to the point of intoxication. Mirror Source's mighty giving. Dare to give that extra piece. Self-generosity insures a bountiful flow to others, free from embarrassment. The emerging consciousness is a generous expression of Source's love-a natural state of delight, bounty and profuseness. Get used to being showered with gifts from all beings.