Today is the uposatha and I’m glad to be able to observe in whatever small way I can. I have taken up a practice again which I came up with some time ago but dropped due to financial fears to make a concerted effort to give to a charity every uposatha day. I don’t know why but somehow the idea is refreshing and the act of giving is energizing. Sure, it usually happens that I’m only able to give online but I have taken the opportunity in the past to do so in person…too bad I find the time so infrequently.
Another dana practice that I used to cultivate was that of carrying around a change purse specifically so that I could give at least something to every person who asked. I know it’s not much but there are so many people out there begging and in such dire straits that it just feels horrible to simply ignore them. I think I will make the aditthana tday to take up this practice as well as a way of helping where I can.
I sincerely hope that by committing to donate more generously on uposatha days and small bits to whomever may ask on a daily basis I will start to chip away at this fear of not having enough. It’s no secret that the world’s getting less of an easy pace to live in each day and I feel it would be criminal to continue to squander the abundance I currently enjoy without sharing. Then too, there is the fact that this privileged position is tenuous and subject to change without notice so I must undertake not to waste the ability to benefit myself and others while I still can.
Aniccā vata saṅkhārā
Uppāda-vaya-dhammino
Uppajjitvā nirujjhanti
Tesaṃ vūpasamo sukho
Inconstant are compounded things. Their nature: to arise & pass away.
They disband as they are arising. Their total stilling is bliss.
Cattāri Brahmavihārā 
Leave a Reply