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Anthem
1608 Posts |
 Posted - Oct 09 2005 : 11:48:01 AM
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"Somehow that does not fit into the equation for this work anymore. I feel that balancing of the financial equation has to come freely from the other side, or not at all. It is an energy thing related to receiving and giving. It should come naturally from within, like everything else we do here."
Hi Yogani,
You got me thinking with these words from your last post in the "AYP Helpers" forum http://www.aypsite.org/forum/topic....OPIC_ID=504. Can you elaborate more about your feelings of the energy dynamics of giving and receiving?
In my life, I have always felt I was receiving whenever I gave because of the good feelings I reaped from the idea of helping. Likewise, when I receive (I didn't use to be very good at this but am better now) I feel there is giving to the other person in the sense that they have the opportunity to give and need someone who will accept what they give.
Don't these two balance each other out straight away or is there debt incurred between two people if one takes more than they give or visa-versa? I would love to hear your thoughts on the subject.
Thanks,
Anthem11
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yogani
USA
5241 Posts |
Posted - Oct 10 2005 : 3:53:51 PM
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Hi Andrew:
A very interesting inquiry. What is giving? What is receiving?
This raises related questions: What is expecting? What is taking? What is resisting giving or receiving?
Can we be giving if we are expecting? Can we be receiving if we are taking? What does it mean if we do not want to give or receive?
And how does spiritual progress enter into all these considerations?
I don't think we can answer all this on the level of mind (the intellect) other than to observe and recognize known causes and effects. Beyond that, it is a matter of our heart and our conduct. With yoga practices in the picture, the role of spirit in these processes is increased greatly. I think that is the key. It is in this context that I said, "It (giving) should come naturally from within."
We all know people who give and give. We also know people who take and take. And we know people who find it difficult to give or receive. It seems we are born with certain inclinations. Wherever we start out, the anvil of life seeks to lead us to more. Perhaps that is the clue. There is a force of evolution involved, and we know that our practices are part of that.
Our choices about interacting are part of the process of evolution also. As we open from within, we have more options. Inner silence eventually lays it all out for us. We see things more and more as they really are -- a play of divine energy everywhere, forever flowing and growing on the blissful screen of our inner stillness.
I think the secret of giving and receiving is in that – developing our ability to be a conscious part of the never-ending flow of life toward more. Without giving and receiving, nature is thwarted -- constipated. Our own inner silence is the best stimulator of the natural processes of nature.
When we become an intimate part of the divine process by cultivating inner silence, we find that giving involves no bargaining. It is the opposite of much we have been taught about the "business" of life. Yet, giving depends on receivers, just as you point out. A receiver is part of the process. And like a true giver, a true receiver has no expectations.
In Rig Veda it says, "The physician longs for the sick." Just so, a giver longs for receivers. Not takers. There is a difference. The first is divine process. The second is dysfunction. But you know, a true giver will settle for a taker too. Because it does not matter. Every taker today will be a receiver tomorrow, and a giver the day after. That is how it works. Giving is contagious. Everyone should catch this divine bug.
With yoga practices, you will catch the bug. It will happen. That's because inner silence and ecstatic bliss are the source of it. The source of all giving and receiving. Giving is the outpouring of divine love. Receiving is the in-pouring of divine love. Outpouring becomes in-pouring and in-pouring becomes outpouring. Through our practices we gradually open to this. It is the natural flow of things.
"Expecting" is a blockage of divine energy within us. So is "taking." These are from a limited view of life -- a blocked view. Not feeling free to give or receive is another form of blockage. It all dissolves with our spiritual growth. And then the increasing flow of giving and receiving enhances our spiritual growth even more.
But it has to be spontaneous, you know. If I tell you, "Give!" it can make a lot of discomfort, because the energy isn't ready to flow. If I say, "Receive!" it is just the same. It has to come from within each of us. And it will if we have some bhakti (really want to grow) and are doing daily practices.
Giving and receiving are yoga practices, and they cannot be instantly manifested in the advanced stage from out of nowhere. As with all of AYP, we only can do what we are ready to do. If I tell you, "Do kechari!" what help is that if you are not ready? Not much. It can even be harmful. But we can talk about kechari -- the particulars to know for whenever they may come in handy, according to your own development and need.
We can talk about the particulars of giving and receiving like that too. Maybe it will provide a little inspiration.
I especially like the "Pay It Forward" model http://www.aypsite.org/166.html
It encourages us to become givers, inspired by what we have received, and request others to do the same with what they receive from us. It is a self-perpetuating and exponential process. It is just the kind of spiritual dynamic I hope we can create with the open resource knowledge in AYP. "Pay It Forward" is also in line with the "horizontal teaching model" we are creating in the AYP forums and in other ways around the world – “Candles lighting candles until all candles are lit.”
As for the part of your question about creating debts between people, I don't believe in that. Can we create or dissolve blockages in the divine flow with our conduct? Absolutely. But who is to say how those will be worked out? Since everything is connected, what we do here will have an effect everywhere else. It is not limited to this or that person. It is very liberating to let go of the "I owe you, you owe me" thing. If we give of ourselves freely, the entire universe will be enlivened. And if we can't, the entire universe will be that little bit more constipated. It should be obvious which is best for us, and for the universe.
It is impossible to express how transforming it has been for me these past few years doing the AYP work. Having all of you to write to has been the greatest blessing. So, while you may think I am the one to be thanked, it is to you I say, thank you.
I hope others will put in their two cents on this topic. It is an important one. C’mon, give a little. 
We can't have enlightenment until we learn to give it away.
See http://www.aypsite.org/120.html
The guru is in you.
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nearoanoke
USA
525 Posts |
Posted - Oct 12 2005 : 01:03:46 AM
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Not being able to give and expecting return for what we give are definitely impurities or blockages that exist in us.
Let us say somebody is in genuine need and 100$ from us would help him greatly. Despite knowing this it will be very difficult for us to let go of that money. We will think.
Let us take another situation. We hit somebody with our car, our car is not insured and it is our mistake and we had to pay 10,000$ for it. In the latter case we will simply not say anything and pay. It is the same we who thought about giving away 100$. We do it here because we are forced.
It is a fact that all the money that we have, that we take pride in can go away in the next moment. It is just because of god's grace that we have all that we are trying to claim ownership on. He can easily force us and take what he has given us. And the irony is that we all realize these facts but still we cling to these material things. That is why it is definitely a blockage (that needs to be cleared with spiritual practices) and no amount of mental speculations and suggestions will help.
This World is a great gymnasium where we have come to make ourselves strong - Vivekananda |
Edited by - nearoanoke on Oct 12 2005 09:43:55 AM |
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Giving & Receiving
