Newsletter #15, by Denise (9 Sep, 2012)

Hi everyone. My suggested topic for the week related to our meditation practice is ‘GIVING RATHER THAN RECEIVING’.

I chose this topic as this is something we have been discussing with meditators here in Peru recently. The question of spiritual growth came about, of how to progress in our meditation practice.

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Samarpan Online Group Meditation Newsletter

FOCUS FOR THE WEEK – Giving rather than receiving…

When one begins meditation, for whatever reasons it is one has started this practice, one begins to feel good in general. So one continues to attend a meditation group, meditates, leaves feeling good and wishes this sense of wellbeing accompanies them throughout the day, the night, and even the week. During the first stages of our mediation practice we are usually still very attached to everything related to the body – thoughts, problems, expectations, judgement, emotions, so we still believe we are separate from the Supreme Soul (where there are no thoughts, problems, expectations, judgement or emotions). At this stage we commonly ‘ask’ to feel better, to get rid of problems, and we wish to ‘obtain’ a sense of wellbeing. We attend meditation sessions to receive something that will keep us going throughout the week, to receive something that will help us to eliminate our problems, etc.

Once this feeling of wellbeing starts to grow in a person, it becomes a natural progression to want to share this newfound sense of wellbeing with others; we talk about what meditation does for us, we wish for those dear to us to start meditating, etc. So in this way we start to ‘give’. And we feel good about it, about sharing this amazing experience with others.

We have been told once and again that the key for spiritual progress, the key to access and activate the divine in us in the act of giving. Giving might not come easily at first if we’re submerged in problems, if we are too attached to our desires, our thoughts of this material world; but the first natural progression is that when we feel good we start talking about this. We might also fear that if we give our time, our money, our work etc.. we will fall short of time, money, work, as if we create a hole and we will be ‘missing’ something. At this stage one needs to take an important step in the right direction towards progress, and not remain complacent in ‘feeling good’ for oneself only.

The statement, that when we give we immediately receive, is true, and we need to practice it, believe in it, nurture it and act upon it. The law of divinity is that of giving, losing oneself in the collectivity of positive universal energy. When we give it is because we are not worried or preocupied about ourselves; when we give we reaffirm the fact that we are one with all souls, with the universal soul, with the supreme soul. Our existence is zero, our existence is that of the Supreme soul, where there are no worries or attachment to desires or thoughts of separation.

Let’s practice more giving, not only in sharing meditation, but in our daily lives, and we will slowly start losing ourselves in this ocean of love that is the Supreme Soul. We will grow in our path to discover who we really are, our egos will dissolve.

When we give, a space is created within us, and contrary to the belief that there will be lack, we need to reaffirm the belief we learn in our meditation practice – that our container will automatically be filled with goodness. And this will magnifiy the goodness within; we receive more than what we give. Are we ready to let go of the fear that is attached to receiving, and acknowledge our true divine nature within, where there is perfection, no sense of lack, but constant supply for our lives as souls on earth?

Let’s give some more and keep growing in this path.

The easiest way to nurture this giving in us is doing the work of spreading meditation; to one person, to a group of people, amongst those around us. The group/number will not define growth, but rather the feeling of satisfaction giving brings in us. As meditation is closest to us and we are given the strength for it, we are capable of giving more freely. Let’s take this feeling outside too and give in all sense.

And what I personally feel that giving wholly is, is remaining present for others. If we work on ourselves, keep present, acknowledge that we are not ego but are part of the Supreme Soul, remain unaffected by external circumstances, we will be giving the biggest gift to others – our presence (our full attention with Universal Consciousness in the present), and in this strong presence giving takes place in a different subtle manner; effortlessly and automatically. It is not giving as we normally know it, but it is a flow of love and presence that comes out of ourselves with no boundaries, limits, judgement or control. The biggest gift of giving is our love, attention in the present and our connection to the Supreme Soul.

I hope this serves as a reflection for our path, and our responsibility in the world to remain present and not identfiy ourselves with external circumstances. We have been given a great gift, a diamond of self-realization and we must nurture it.

In what ways are you giving, or do you feel you can give in the future to strengthen your soul and connection to the Supreme Soul?

With much love to all,

Denise

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