Create Your Health with acts of kindness
I haven't posted as often this past month, as I have been working diligently on doing some big spring cleaning tasks around my home, office, yard, computer, (you name it), in an attempt to create more time and space and energy for pursuing my passions! It feels so good to be able to allow in fresh, new energy that is creative and envigorating. Today, I wanted to write a bit about Acts of Kindness and Generosity.
The other day, I found a box of cd's (I'd forgotten I had) , and listened to one of them on my drive into work. It had to do with the concept of "Generosity", and how this relates to the chakra's or the 7 energy centers in the body according to yogic traditions. (Forgive me, as I don't have the exact name, or author.)
The part of the cd that I listened to was where the First Chakra, or the Muladhara (root) chakra, was explained and identified. Next, the concept of generosity as it is initiated from the first chakra was identified. It's located at the base of the spine, and it governs your survival instincts, and the ability to ground yourself. It was said that one who acts in harmony with this energy, then you will use your energy wisely, being careful not to waste it and not to overindulge. It's about learning to regulate and modulate food, drink, sleep, etc...as these basic functions of living are necessary to feel grounded and centered in your physical body, i.e., secure. If one acts out, motivated by 1st chakra energy (insecurity), the result is often the blind, and senseless anger that results when someone is fearful and insecure, sort of like an animal that is cornered. There does seem to be a pervasive fear induced insecurity running rampant through our society right now. Regarding the root chakra: the Desire is for Survival; the color most associated with this chakra is Red; the Attributes are Patience and Greed; and the activities associated with the first chakra are: collecting and saving.
Ok, so how is this related to "Generosity"? Basically, Generosity initiated from the root chakra is the giving of food, and/or shelter. It's the "letting a struggling friend camp out on your sofa for a few nights" or "sharing your lunch with a co-worker who forgot his."
Generosity is revered in all cultures as one of the highest qualities of the human heart. Generosity literally means to generate, or to create generating life giving opportunities. Without generosity, one can become cynical, alienated, and despairing. Immediately, I recognized that the days I feel drained, and as if my spirit has been squashed, are usually when I've spent too long in that stingy, "tit for tat", "nothing in this world is free", energy. Sometimes it seems rare to see acts of generosity in our culture, where those who are giving don't want or demand something in return.
On the other hand, there are gratefully plenty of days when I see one unconditional act of kindness, or generosity after another. Whether it be, someone in a check out line offering to kick in change for someone running short, or someone picking something up for a person who didn't realize they'd dropped something. On these days, my spirit soars.
The cd went on to explain that when first chakra giving is combined with heart centered (4th chakra) feeling, the person feels gratitude, feels respected, and authentically seen by the other person, and not pitied, judged, or made to feel as if this act of generosity that they are receiving is conditional, and that they will have to find a way to pay this person back, not because they themselves are motivated from the heart chakra, but because they fear the consequences of not doing so.
So merely dropping off a basket of food to a church at Christmas time, while still unquestionably an act of service; can mean so much more depending on the motivation, and where the act is initiated from. If it is initiated out of sense of "This is just something we do, come on and get in the car, hurry up", and then you begrudingly complete the task using profanity at the inane drivers on the way to the church, then the act of giving is tainted. What if, for example, a family who was picking up a basket was in the church at the time you arrived, and you angrily dropped your "donation" down, asking for a receipt? The family who may have seen this, then had to pick up that basket would most definately feel belittled, and diminished.
Generosity requires us to see beyond ourselves. It diminishes our self-centered egoism, even when our ego tries to co-opt and take credit for our generosity, attempting to inflate itself . An example of this self-centered egoism that rears up was demonstrated in an old episode of "The Larry David Show", that I recently watched.
Here's the link:
Episode summary: Larry's having a wing named after him in honor of a large donation he made. When he and his wife arrive at the cermony, Larry sees that the other wing was donated by "Anonymous," he gets upset. Now it looks like he just did it for the credit. His distress escalates when Cheryl tells him Ted (Dansen) is Anonymous, and, in fact, everyone seems to know this, including Senator Boxer, who's giving the opening remarks. "It's faux anonymity", Larry insists. Later, Larry has a disagreement with a board member at the event. They argue and the man finally tells Larry he's taking his name off the wing. Larry couldn't be happier. "Put anonymous!" he shouts. At the end of the episode, Larry is shown being chased down the street by a gang of teens, he tried to go into the NRDC building fro safety but the doors are locked and the guard won't let him in. "I'm Larry David. That's my wing!" he begs. But the guard only sees "Anonymous" on the wall.
I remember reading that the first 3 chakras, or the lower chakras are ego driven, and the generosity that emerges from them does bring about a change. (i.e., a family will have food for a Christmas dinner). When generosity is initiated from the upper chakra's; the 4th (heart) chakra through the 7th, the result can bring change and true transformation.
When you open your heart, the giving is imbued with sincerity; all who witness the act feel respected, and seen fully, and the result is transformation in one form or another. You may not even be aware of how powerful a gesture one unconditional act of kindness could be for someone who has lost hope and faith.
Here is one example: Once, several years ago, I crossed paths with a woman who looked familiar although I couldn't remember her name, and she stopped me and said to me: "You might not remember me, but I remember you from a long time ago. I was in your dance therapy group. One day, during the group, you saw me, trying to disappear in the corner, and came over to ask if you could hold onto my resistance and shame for a little while so I could have a break and feel relieved enough to be able to move freely during the group. That was the first time, I had felt released from that burden, and I will never forget that. "You're the lady who took away my shame!" she said. "After that class", she continued, "I realized it was possible to create more moments like that for myself, and gradually, I began to heal. I just wanted to thank you for all you do". This warmed and touched my own heart in a deep way. Her act of generosity, i.e., sharing this story with me, was transformational for me. As it was, I had moved to this particular city for a job in my field only to be laid off 6 months later, and I was in a place of questioning my career path. This encounter stands out for me because her acknowledging the importance of that group that I led, re-confirmed my own commitment to my field. That night, I remember going home and beginning to look through my old notebooks, and photo albums and being able to slowly get back in touch with that underlying feeling of passion and purpose for dance therapy that I had felt cut off from during those few months.
Generosity decreases ego's hold on us. The more you practice being generous, the more selfless you become!
To Your Health,
~Chris
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