Cattāri Brahmavihārā

I undertake the training rule to perform one act of material charity each

day.

Dana sila bhavana. In other words, generosity, morality and meditation. Such is one traditional distillation of the core components of the Path. In my own experience there is no better way to uplift the mind than by giving to others which is why I selfishly included the injunction to perform one act of material charity each day.

Over the years my experience with dana has gone through several changes with it being very easy for me to give at some times and, at others, it being incredibly difficult. The reasons for this are not unique in the least and completely reasonable: during times when my income is not as good as I would like fear of not having enough has prevented me fro. Giving. And yet it is precisely at these time when I most need to practice generosity. The fear of scarcity and the impulse to hoard need to be challenged at all costs if I hope to make any progress on the Path at all let alone if I want to be a kind and good person. Seeing just how often my hand has been stilled by fear and anxiety I have made the commitment to give at least once a day.

May we fight the negativity that would bid us to close our eyes and hearts to the suffering of the world and be ever generous.