It’s the Season of Giving. Dana or generosity is the foundation of the Buddhist path and its cultivation is the beginning of spiritual awakening. We like the idea of transformative & transcendental meditative states, and often we are willing to put our effort into that. However, the springboard for genuine meditative states is the cultivation of generosity and integrity. These qualities of heart allow insight to occur most gracefully and easily.

Generosity has tremendous force because it arises from an inner quality of letting go. Being able to let go, to renounce, and to give generously all spring from the same source, and when we practice dana, we open up these qualities within ourselves. Letting go gives us profound freedom and many loving ways to express that freedom.

The Buddha said that a true spiritual life is not possible without a generous heart. Generosity is the very first parami, or quality of an awakened mind. The path begins there because of the joy and openness that arise from the generous heart. Pure unhindered delight flows freely when we practice generosity. We experience joy in forming the intention to give, in the actual act of giving, and in recollecting the fact that we’ve given. I invite you to practice giving joyously this season.