This week’s FBA Podcast is a delightful talk by Danapriya titled: “Let your Inner Riches Shine.” Exploring the themes of generosity and abundance, we are led into the heart of Buddhist practice.
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Let your Inner Riches Shine
(upbeat music) This podcast is brought to you by Free Buddhist Audio, the Dharma for Your Life. Our work is funded entirely by donations from our generous listeners. If you would like to help us keep this free, make a contribution at freebuddhistaudio.com/donate. Thank you and happy listening. - So, when I was thinking of the title for this, when I came up with two titles, let your energies shine and absolute abundance. So it doesn't matter which one, but they're both points of the same thing. But basically, this talk is about one of the sort of central values of Buddhism. It's about generosity, generosity, and how this affects our life, our life's experience. Now, I just want to have some of you come in. (indistinct chatter) - Okay, but in Buddhism, there's lots of lists of different values or teachings. And one of the, this is called the Six Perfections. And actually, the first perfection is generosity. And then there's, I don't know quite which author is, but there's then wisdom, ethics, patience, meditation, and merit, which is energy. And then we have five precepts. And well, the first precept is love and non-harm. Okay, so the negative, that's obviously killing and harm. And then the second precept is generosity. It's actually, we say, with open-handed generosity, I purify my body. And the opposite of that, obviously, is stealing or taking, we call taking, not giving, because it's not as simple as stealing. And then we have, well, we'll call three poisons. The three poisons of being human. And the three poisons are greed, hatred, and delusion, or unawareness. And the opposites, though, this is a slow opposite of greed, is generosity, and the obstetric is love, and the opposite to unawareness or delusion, is clarity, wisdom. So in a way, it's a Buddhist. We're sort of trying to move in allies from one to the other. The idea is, obviously, generosity, love, or wisdom. And so ideally, we're trying to act in ways in that direction. So that's a little bit about, you know, where generosity is placed in Buddhism. It's very highly, highly regarded. I'm going to read a little bit from a book called "Buddhism Tools for Living Your Life" by another salamat who's ordained into the same movement time that we've ordained into in Fattripita. And, like, if I'm into what I'm reading. So... One day, the beggar comes up to me in the high street and asks me for some money. From over the road I've seen him approaching me. I've immediately started to feel uncomfortable and started to look the other way. I'm pretending to be fascinated by those ladies' handbags in the shot window, but why is this? Putting aside for a moment all the arguments about whether you should give money to a beggar, if he might spend it on drink. Why do I feel such a resistance? If I did give him a coin from my pocket, I suspect that when I got my change out an hour later, I wouldn't even notice the missing cash. Why do I feel such a resistance to giving away something I'm not even going to miss? The resistance occurs because we feel that we can't spare anything. We have a sense of inner poverty, inner lack. We think the world owes us, but we cannot give anything. So, let's think about the brain, the opposite. It sort of comes from emptiness. So not being in contact with our inner riches, our self-worth, our inner abundance. We think that whatever the thing we desire will feel the inner void, but it doesn't. We just go on to crave something else, you know, the material world we live in, how it is. We think if we get a new something rather or that actually we'll feel, we'll make it all right. And well, I'm enough, you know, not long after we want another something rather or whatever it is, it's so often the way. And so with trying to look something, whether it's things or relationships or something outside of ourselves to make us feel all right. Whereas actually we've always been all right, which is what I'm going to try and show you. The second thing I'm just going to read from here, three bits, you know what I'm reading here. When we are generous, there is a sense that inner richness and abundance. We're able to relate to the world in a different way more in terms of what I can give, rather than an attitude of what can I give. We can perhaps reflect on this ourselves, but what times and situations do we find it easy to give? When on the other hand, do we find it more difficult? It's just that when we do give, generosity feels the sort of emptiness with riches and it sort of fills the riches that shine. In fact, it sort of resonates with our inner abundance that is there, has always been there. And actions of generous human reminds us of our worth, of our inner riches. It's normally so often we dwell on our inner poverty. It's not like we're our own worst enemy. We're often knocking ourselves, you know, so like this chat box going on in one's mind, I mean, it might resonate with you or not. You know, but actually it's sort of often run it out like we've done better than that, you know. Or, you know, sort of, we don't have to do that because it just gives us a not such a good quality of life. And that this is happening so unconsciously normally and habitually. We have a Buddha figure in Buddhism called Vandrasapra, which is the diamond being. And he's someone who helps remind us that we've never not been purer, never not been abundant, never not been through riches. It's not that anyway, we need anything out there to make us feel all right. We've always been all right. We know when we see acts of kindness out there or we feel we've been resonates in our guts. We know when we behave well. We know when we act. It's like, it's there, the body knows. We don't have to do anything or change ourselves in any way. It's just getting back, it's getting back to our basic, you know, in abundance, our inner riches, our purity. And so the riches are always there and have never not been. We just don't choose to notice them and not aware of them. And so we get covered up by our own past conditioning. Our work is to remind ourselves that they are there. Returning to the pure state of abundance, feeling us, our self-worth and what a wonder we are as human beings and living from that. And then we're able to be so open. We don't have to be so fearful and protective because we're actually, we're feeling good. You know, when you get near out there in the world and you're feeling good, you can be open to people. You can smile, you can, you know, just be there other times when you feel a bit down and lacking. You sort of, your body posture when you're in and looking at the ground and you think the world's against you, but it's just your perception of what you're doing. It's nothing to do with what's going on around you. So giving generosity, dharma, which is the word in Sanskrit that would have used dharma, actually dharma Priya. So dharma, generous to Priya, love. My name, why he loves generosity. So giving generosity and dharma helps us reconnect with our abundance. So it clears the dust and fog away. Then we shine in all our interactions, creating positivity in the air and so that we, you know, just, we move through our lives just with abundance and joy and happiness. We don't have to stress ourselves to, you know, trying to find it somewhere else in somebody else or in something or a be alright then. Well, actually, you're alright now. We just look. So. So giving me 12 points now. I've got 12 short sections that I want to cover. And the first title is called Not About Material Wealth. Okay, so generous, it's not about material wealth. I'm going to read the third bit from Buddhism who was going to be your life. Make a book, anybody wants to know more? Buddhism. You with me? Okay, I just, I mean as I'm getting older, my eyes, when I've been talking to you before, I've always been able to read through my glasses and look at all you and see you through my glasses. I can't. Under for this, or sorry, you know, but my eyes aren't coming off the phone. Anyway, so where are we, yes. People are very generous much of the time. In a way, generosity is innate and natural. You may have had an experience which meant a lot to you and that was really enjoyable. You will often be, you get to tell someone about it. You naturally want to share it with your friends. We want to be connected to others. In this community, we want to give and share with them. We enjoy giving gifts and watching the pleasure of the recipient. There are plenty of other examples of people really giving of themselves to help another. A friend of mine once went travelling in India with his girlfriend. When they became very ill, he tried to buy a train ticket to get her to the hospital in a city, but was told no tickets were available for many days. They were both anxious and frightened in a strange country where they didn't know who to trust. A young Muslim man befriended them and offered to help, could they trust him? They decided to take the risk and he spent many hours at the train station queuing for tickets and insisting they'd be allowed to travel soon. He eventually got tickets, but wouldn't accept anything by way of thanks. He just saw two people in need and decided to give his time and help. So, you don't need to be rich to be generous. You could have a generous heart, generous spirit, a generous mind, yet on a material level have very little. You could be mean-hearted, mean-spirited, mean-minded, yet have on a material level absolutely everything. Who is happy? Often the person with more has more to lose, more to hold on to, more stress, more anxiety. It actually does not matter what you have. It's to do with your inner world, your inner sense of self, the degree in which you acknowledge and live from your inner riches. It's some... (knocking) It's an attitude, it's a perception. And it's like, also I'm not saying that you can't have, you can have everything you want. It's to do your relationship to it. It's not like I'm saying you've got to go and get rid of everything to be happy because you haven't. It's all to do with, if it went, how would you feel? You know, so like feeling real value of just yourself just because you're you, you know? And that you don't need all these things to show us up. And the more we connect with those delights that are in us, and we know them, which we do experience them, and it's just noticing more self-commence our mind will go into the run with negative thinking or positive thinking. So generosity makes us feel abundant of half-mind and spirit. So the next section is called "Give Appropriately." Okay, now the Buddha, he talks about this and says, he was able to give with the eye of wisdom and awareness 'cause in a way, the Buddha's the ideal figure in Buddhism who he is Buddhist, I look as a Buddhist, I look towards. He's sort of really worked on himself and he woke up to how things really were. He could see without so clarity how things really were in this life. If you're greedy, you get one sort of life. If you're generous, you get another sort of life. If you love, you get one sort of life and you hate, you get another, you know, it's very clear. And just, although often in one's daily activity, one knows that on a mental level, maybe, but then in our actions in a daily activity, it's not so easy to lift them out on going. But anyway, the Buddha was awake. He had the eye of wisdom. He had great awareness and clarity. So he would be very aware of the people around him and because he knows himself well, he could be very aware of others around and therefore, you know, he'd be able to give what was appropriate to them. So the more and more we to become clearer and wiser and we know how, we have clarity on our views and our thinking, the more able we're able to give appropriate to other people. But it's like, don't wait till your motives appear. Just give because it just works. We become more aware as we do that actually. But there's so many things that we can give that nothing to do with material. So that we can listen and give listening. Now we have a friend who's listening to us and we really want to be heard. We don't want advice necessarily. Just listening is a real gift. An energy, we can give our energy. Courage, we can give encouragement. Encourage people, encourage friends, encourage whoever. We can give time, patience, empathy, kindly words. Kindly words go a long way. We only have a kind of thoughts about people but how can we be able to give them to them? It's a gift, it's a gift. And that really nourishes us and them and that other person's in a riches. They then sort of hopefully resonate. It is true, it'll resonate with them. It will touch them and it will remind, "Hey, you know, I do have that." "Oh, I can't do that." Touch. Yeah, just a touch on the shoulder at the right moment. Actually, it's important with these little things. We have practical things we can give. Education, we all have knowledge about different things. We can share it. Our example, just our example is a gift. If you're accepting a positive example. And silence, just sitting silently with somebody can be gifted at certain times. Our company, a smile, a meal. You need to share a meal. Often we, well, we shouldn't be very good in these days, should we? No, sorry, we don't. Kindness, interest, it's being interested in another. And of course, material and things, material and thought. There's a wealth of things I have nothing to do with that. So it's like, isn't it like wanting our lives create an atmosphere that I've just given? Because it creates abundance out there. It goes to the more way to give the more we feel abundant. And actually, you just get back tenfold. You know, it's not that you're doing it to get back, but it's fine if you do. It doesn't matter. It's just the way the world works. I go out there and I give in these different ways. It comes back in those other ways. It's simple. It's just giving spontaneously. If you're aware, and in the moment, you just give spontaneously. So often we miss the moment. And it's like, as I said, for don't get hung up on your motives. It doesn't matter. You know, make a argument, and I'm nice, but the president, I'll get one back, even. And that's fine, you know, that's fine. 'Cause good intentions can easily get squashed. We can often think of how you don't work with them. But how quickly, because self and we can talk ourselves out of it. I don't know if you know that you sort of recognize that and yourself, you sort of think, oh yeah, oh yeah. Honestly, I'll do that for so and so. And then over a bit of time, the energy's grown out of it. It's like resonating with people. And so, sort of, give quickly. Or as you're good intentions, you're squashing yourself actually. And then, you know, you just seem to have more with you like a self-worth, and you're not feeling right about it. So, it gives us, it increases our connection, our interconnection with others. And in a worth, in a return. It says nothing to do with how wealthy we are on one level. It's how wealthy you are as a human. How you feel in your inner world. Another point I want to make. That feeling, the need of another. To be more aware of other people. So, putting ourselves, putting yourself in other shoes. Step out of yourself. So, like, how would I feel in that situation? You know, I think, I've heard this, you know, from lots of different religions, lots of different places. But, you know, just act as you, you know, to others, as you like to be acted towards. It's a very simple thing. But do what you're always doing. Yeah, giving is simply a matter of feeling that leads to another. As vividly as one feels, one's own needs. Okay, let's go to read another little thing. It's by Shanti Dehbo, which is an Indian Buddhist monk. He lived between 685 and 763. But what he wrote was amazing and very relevant to us today. Okay, I'm sure I'll go right there. So, first, he will diligently foster the thought that his fellow creatures are the same as himself. All have the same sorrows, the same joys as I, and a man I must guard them like myself. The body manifold of his powers in its divisions of members must be preserved as a whole. And so likewise, this manifold universe has its sorrows and its joy in common. Although my pain may bring no hurt to other bodies, nevertheless, it is a pain to me, which I cannot bear because of the love of self. And though I cannot, in myself, feel the pain of another, it is a pain to him, which he cannot bear because of the love of self. I must destroy the pain of another, as though it were my own, because it is a pain. I must show kindness to others for they are creatures as I am myself. Then, as I would guard myself from evil repute, so will I, so will I, so I will frame spirit of helpless, tenderness to most others. Feel the need of another. Feel the need of another. Receiving generosity. It is really important receiving generosity. Because if no one receives, generosity is halted. But so often, you know, you get a compliment and say, "Oh, no, that is not me." You know, or you know, you say, "Try it." When you receive something and say something kind to you, how do you feel, do you say, "Oh, yeah, thank you." Right, that is lovely. Yes, you are right, you know. Watch our next time, that happens. They say, "We need to receive, trust the person delivering." And it is looking at our inner response. You know, obviously people just try and battle us up and say something that is not true. Well, you know that, you know. But actually, if somebody, you know, does have to say, actually, you know, "I really appreciate it when it's designed." You know, it made a difference in my life. Thank you. You know, so normally it resonates here. Nothing to do with what you think. Okay, thank you. It's really fun. It's like receiving wealth. Because if we don't receive, it just stops. It stops the flow more. So they've got to keep the flow from the necessity going. And they're not going to have a material level. If we have giving gifts, we don't need to receive it well. Okay, give it to somebody else. It does need it. Okay, I've got a box at home that, you know, I get giving things, birthdays, Christmas and other times. And, you know, it's basically these days. I mean, I have most things to do. And a lot of it just goes in the box. And as you ask, thank you very much. Yeah, it's great. You know, make them feel, you know, good about having given me something. Because actually, they've made the effort. They've thought of me, you know. And so I just put it in the box and then, you know, birthdays and things and whatever come around. And then I think, "Oh, if I've got something, I think so." And so I'm like, "What's that?" And it's fine because it's mine to give. It's not bad. You're just keeping it with me. You're just giving more pleasure. I've got pleasure getting it. And now something else is going to get pleasure from it. You know, so anyway, that's one thing I got. [laughter] You're ready to talk about the rest. Save wealth with gratitude with thanks. Just appreciate the other person's efforts. So, an attitude of generosity. A generous attitude is from a generous mind. A mind that is thought for others and acts. A mind that is able to share. Sharing is really interesting one. So much we can share. It's a little story that's happened to me. I used to live in a Buddhist community in between London, about the London Bridge Centre for about nine years. I lived there with 13, 14 others. It's changed. It's a time went on. And it's not one of my days off and I'd been out shopping from all the way back. I bought myself a cake. And it's about, you know, mid-afternoon. So I've got back into the community. I've got beats, a kitchen lounge area. I've got a kettle on and a cake and a plate and a bowl. You have lovely. So I've sat down at the counter. I'm just about to start to eat my cake. One of my friends came in. You know, chatting around and listening to this cake. And I've got a choice. You know, I can either just get stuck in or I can disappear after my room. It gives me one experience. You can call it two actually. But similar experience. Or I said, how would you have half my cake and put, you know, making cup of tea? Just two different experiences. And, you know, I did share the cake. Not two of the crutching. But I didn't recognise my resistance. Well, but actually, I was so glad I did. Because had I not, you know, I would just lay me more into my, my, you know, poverty. I couldn't possibly give up the cake right, you know. I wouldn't be happy, you know, but it's not true. Truth is I was happier actually giving it. Okay, so it's sort of like, you know, when I'm in a negative mental state, it's hard to give. But anyway, if I'm in a negative mental state, say a will towards someone. If I reach out and give something to them. Kind communication. Cup of tea. Positive thought. We have a, I teach two meditation practices. And one is called the metavartaner, which is called the cultivation of loving kindness. And the fourth stage in putting somebody we're having difficulty with at the moment. And it's very good to sort of try and see a broader perspective of this person. But they're not just doing something I don't like. And that's them, you know. They're actually getting a broader picture. They too, I love my people. I'm just opening it up. And actually I upset people at times. You know, I don't know. Me too. But it's like, we do all get in that fourth stage. It's like when, if there is somebody I'm finding difficult with, it's like try and find something to give. Even if it's just a positive thought to them. Because what happens is, who is holding on to the negativity and negative thoughts? Who is suffering? Who is getting stressed? Shoulders, headaches and dis-ease? If you are, you know, I am. It's the one holding on to the negativity, holding on to the irritation, holding on to the anger. They could be fine off doing what they're doing. You know, if they are suffering, well, they're doing that to them. It's not their fault that I'm suffering. I'm doing it. I'm choosing. I'm choosing to go down that spiral of negativity and tightness in a positive way, actually. Whereas I can just really connect with that. You know, I'm looking at them now. I could be kind to this person. You know, they must be having a hard time or something. You know, it's just bringing the positivity out. And you will feel better. And it doesn't matter what the other person is getting out to. But normally what happens is, if you change it within yourself, it changes with the other. Your connection with the other changes. So it's always a giving, which actually often hard is a bit of an area, but actually when we do it, it really brings riches. It really sees that I am able to change that situation. I was able to give to myself, actually, that kind of thing. And I was able to give to the other to actually forgive him. You know, it's just a moment in time. Things move on. Yet my God, we can all graduate for years, can't we? Anyway, this creates a radical change in my mind. I stop suffering so much. And the atmosphere changes with one of the pain and negativity to one more of peace, calm, and positivity. It's about how do you want your inner landscape to be? Be humble at times. We're still awake. It's quite warm, isn't it? We struggle between having the windows open or not, because there's no traffic, so noisy. But if you have to pass that, I wouldn't mind it. Okay, next one. Awareness, stroke mindfulness, is essential. Awareness, stroke mindfulness, is essential. We have the second meditation practice that teaches about creating more awareness, more mindfulness in our lives, and more awake to how things are. And awareness is essential to be able to give well. If you're not in your life, not in the moment, you miss the many opportunities to give. Naturally, generosity done. It's a natural spontaneous and creative state, but we need to be there. We'll assume you sit, you know. The moments happen, you know. Instead of being irritated about the person who's sort of just darted out in front of you, you know, when you're driving along, you could have just sat there and allowed them to go. It's just a flip of the mind, yeah? But having my way, you know, you could just decide to sit there and I'm going to let them go. And sort of being in the innervondance and the moment, and the awareness, and then you don't have to sort of see down the road, you know, she's hoping this is too long to call. And I hope this all makes this resonates with us, aren't we? Right. Maybe just me. Okay, where am I? Oh, we're doing that. Okay, yeah, so, you know, darn it, generosity is natural spontaneous and creative. It can only be this if you're there. And what happens in my experience is we miss the opportunity through panel awareness. Later we think we could have acted, we could have acted generously in that moment, but it's too late. You miss the moment. You could have opened the door for that person, run some bars through and then you knock them over. And I was going to have this later, but it's just come to my mouth. I was thinking about this this morning. How time, times a really interesting thing, give a whole talk or three on time. But why was it such a rush? You know, why's the sand on that back, you know? So, there's a moment just to, you know, open that door for the person or let someone go. What we all can appear like, that's a lot of the time. I mean, it might not be like this in your life, but so often it appears that people put this hand on their back, put you in a tire, you know? So, like, if there's a rush on, you know, a life's going to be as long as it is, where we can live it stressed with a hand on our back, or we can, you know, give it more space, you see, a bit more slowly, but be present, be in it. Feel the riches of not missing. And I think it's all I must say about giving quickly, or else, as I said earlier, all the reasons come in as to why not to give. You know, awareness is essential to be able to give. It's about our mind, our clarity, our mind, our thinking in the moment. So often, we're not in the moment, we're on to the next thing, we're in the future, we're in the past, and actually we miss our whole experience. We miss our life. I mean, I've said this a few times in the future, because it's set again, because it's so important. I mean, I realised probably only 30s had missed most of my life at that point, but missed it. You know, I decided looking forward to holiday, you know? So, it's over there. And then, you know, when I'm on holiday, I'm looking forward to going home, and I'm thinking about the next holiday, because this one isn't quite meeting my attention. Well, you know, I'm looking forward to retirement, you know? Or whatever it is, you know, it's looking forward or looking back, and just missing the moment. And I'm sure if I know you've all had moments where you've been totally present, totally absorbed. It's normally nature, watching the sunset sunrise, small child, totally absorbed. Just really content in the face. It's wonderful. You know, anybody know how to do it? Anybody know how to do it? Yeah, but in a way where I'm just encouraging is, well, we've had that more ongoing. More, you know, just have that calm without the hand on that back, pushing us through time, missing us all. Okay, so, yeah, when this is essential to be able to give, try this out, and see how it feels. Now, the next bit, I called it "Dama Parta vs. 1 & 2". "Dama Partas", "Dama Partas", it's quite a few, you know, is, it's like a little Buddhist, it's got all the Buddhist teaching in it. I don't actually say Bible, but it's not a Bible, you know? So, I just got paid the teaching. You know, actually, you always need for this, to be read nothing else. And really, so what this would say, it's all you need. If you want to be Buddhist, say so. Okay, so let me read "Stead of that Lingon". So, experiences are preceded by mind, led by mind, and produced by mind. If one speaks or acts with an impure mind, suffering follows demons, the car will follows the hoof of the ox drawing a car. Experiences are preceded by mind, led by mind, and produced by mind. If one speaks or acts with a pure mind, happiness follows like a shadow that never departs. So what we turn our mind to makes the difference. Our views, our emotions, our drives. Our actions, they all come from our mind, our own mind. It makes the difference to our lives and those around us. For some courage to know your mind, do you know your mind? So often, we are behaving habitually. And we wonder why we make the same mistake again. And again, and so what we have not looked at our mind, no our mind. And the more we know our mind, the more we can act with a pure mind. And the consequence that comes from that will be different than an impure mind. So mind is so important to know our own mind. So we need to look at ourselves, our minds, know ourselves, change ourselves in accordance with what we know, in what we find out. And without values, you are our own values. We are sometimes so blind to ourselves. That's why I believe that's why we meditate. We meditate to know ourselves. To see more clearly who I am, what's going on. And I'm all cubs as a negativity, as a positivity. But until I know what is going on there, I don't know how to change or where to move. And the more I just sit and look, I know. I'm in a driving seat, a positive position to move. How do I want to be in this life? I mean, I want to have a positive influence in this life. But I'm going to make sure I'm able to do that myself, to be that myself, to be sure I can do that with anybody else. So it's like we are blind ourselves. But the meditation definitely helps. That's only one tool that's helped me enormously. It's to look at my mind and at my heart. It's not selfish. And it's not self-centered to look at yourself. If we know ourselves, accept ourselves in all our colors. We can give from our inner abundance, rather than believing that we are poverty-stricken. Because actually you see how rich you are. And actually, when we come from the poverty-stricken mentality, we've all got nothing to give, we've all got no word. Certainly, my promise comes from our sense that we feel we're not worthy in a certain way. We may not think that on a day-to-day level, but one one starts to look at itself, and that's what gives us no problems. But so many, we've seen that that's not the truth, but it's something below that, that, you know, just because you know the teacher told you to go, "You couldn't sing." Well, you go to your life, "I can't sing." Look at everybody can sing if you go to the meditation. That's all right. It's just the mind, you need to change the belief. It's very strong, the mind. And if we don't know it, it will lead us into some funny places, but if we know it, take the joy to see that it leads us into some abundance, in one place. Hey. Yeah, and sadly, you can witness that the material world we currently live in leads to separation isolation, so many more people are living on their own, you know, able to, you know, not need support of others in a sense, which is a shame because it stops sharing, sharing stops and lots of sort of generosity isn't necessarily as needed. Like it is when things are a little harder times to revive. You know, often when those tragedies are difficult, as you see so much more, just spontaneous giving, actually. And it's such a shame we wait for that moment because it's always there to give. But we need to take care of ourselves, know oneself. If we do that, we're able to take care of others and know others, too. So being in connection with people, with our values, with a generous heart and mind, OK, enhances lives, not assured. So a happy, healthy human being. This is a major part that is feeling connected to others, feeling connected to ourselves. Generosity connects. OK, I really like this one, it's called little things go a long way. Little things go a long way. It's another little verse I've got here by Shanti Deva, the Buddhist Monoches. It says, "One's own nature mastered. One should always have a smile on the face. One should give up frowning and grinsing. Be the first to speak. A friend to the universe." I really love that little verse, it says so much. "One's own nature mastered." That's what I was talking about before, knowing oneself. I want you to always have a smiling face. If you're feeling rich, you know what it's like walking down the street and somebody smiles and you don't know them. It's just like your day, doesn't it? You know, and if I am unable to do that to somebody else, it's a gift. And actually, I never, you know, brightens up mind. It just makes the connection, it can be so small. But a smile, you know, is so simple, free, but it just depends on what you do in your mind and how you're feeling by yourself when you're able to just change the shape of your face. I love that, because I think it has so much, so much effect. And once you give up frowning and grinsing more, we frown grimace when we're feeling in ourselves, aren't we? It's so simple, isn't it? What we're choosing to hold on to suffer. But we can't see we're doing it, because we create all our own suffering. Maybe else does it to us. Okay, nice friend to you. Really? Why not? I can touch you. In love even though we were just able to see, we don't mind that they could be a friend there, but you know, it's totally possible. And be the first to speak. You're so often afraid to be the first to speak to these other humans. You know, good morning. You know, it's lovely to begin. You know, it's a stranger. You get the morning, you know. Or you see somebody, you sort of, you know, acquaintance, and sort of, you know, they won't buy, they won't buy. Well, they didn't speak to me. [laughter] I can't do it. But actually, you can just sit down there, you know, because we all know what that's about. They know why it's just a bit frightened. They won't speak to me, or something. You know, there's something quite a lot goes on in that matter. But you can't just, because if they don't respond, well, that's fine. You don't say what it's meant to me. You know what I mean? So just be able to feel rich enough to give, whether you get back or not. Anyway, little things go a long way. A smile. The first to speak. Hand on someone's shoulder. We don't, you know, somebody just touches you like that in the right moment. You know, when you've had that done, you feel it. It feels really nice, isn't it? It's so little. And you don't know the one giving it. How nice it feels. Is that resonating? Me too. And I'm giving it all. You know, somebody, I thought. If a flower, you know, is picking a garden, a flowery garden. It's so little. But actually, it's light, it lightens and gives a bundle to its hearts and lives. It's so little. A kindly word, a compliment. We notice a lot of things about people. You know, and those good things have been like me, just to give them real. It sort of perfumes your world. A warm welcome. You know, when it arrives to the house and when you see it, just a warm welcome. It's lovely, isn't it? You know, if you're welcome in a song which is here, we're not going to be wanting to do, you know, you pop around, spontaneously at something, you know, "What do you want me to?" [laughter] But hey, we're all learning. Okay, then, give something in every day. Give something in every day. Little things go a long way. Next section, giving, is enjoyable. I'm not trying to encourage anything that's actually unpleasant. You know, it's really enjoyable. It's expansive, it's connecting. Creates friendship, creates good feeling, creates positive emotion. It works against the wealth of negativity that sadly is us humans have to work against. Receiving is pleasurable. Seeing someone give is pleasurable. You know, when you see people giving to others, in other ways, isn't it? It's nice, isn't it? Even if you really see it and feel it, it's lovely. Seeing someone receive is pleasurable. It creates a magic field of delight and positivity wherever generosity arises. Two-star generates men giving. You become an example. Giving is enjoyable. Seeing someone being selfish is distasteful. Seeing someone being mean is greater. Seeing someone being greedy is unpleasant. But seeing displays generously in many forms perfumes the air, hooms hearts and inspires. Your example shines and makes a difference. Three more. OK. Generosity builds friendship. What would you give friendship? Friendship is a wonderful realm. The wonderful realm. In friendship there's so many opportunities to give and be given two that this is a great value. You know, so many things again. You know, as I've said before, but giving, listening, availability, understanding. You know, your friends often, you know, they understand you because they know you, support you, encourage you. You could be interested, patient, help when they're not well. They have to be well in it for your friend. And help their friends in family too. And so, well at some point, you know, one of your friends will die or have died. But you can still give them. You can give to their family. You know, you can just give it in other ways. Your thoughts. You can share with your friends. You can lend. You can rejoice in. And really, just minding your friends. You can speak well of them in their absence. I think, you know, somebody's told me to do, and they're running a friend down. It's actually a lot of pleasantness in their kids. So, you know, speak well of your friend in their absence. I think also give honest feedback to your friend with kindness. You know, things that, you know, actually be good that they would be pleased to be mirrored back. That's something that actually they're doing that actually isn't helping them in their life. And often these, the delicate areas that we see in our friends, actually, but we're often so frightened of giving that gift of mirroring. And actually, if we just find the right words, the right moment, it's such a gift. I know I've been told many times by many friends over time that I've been living in the Buddhist community with 13, 14 hours to nine years. You've got to be shown yourself, which is great. They're like, you know, I'll say how they're doing. You know, my friends in everyday life. And they've told me some things that, you know, because I really like that. But I really say it like that, you know. But thank you. Thank you to seeing because of yourself, and we don't see ourselves clearly. We need people to mirror us back. And what happens is, if a friend has the courage to sort of say, how'd she do it for you? You know, when you did that, actually, it wasn't really, it felt really unkind, you know. They're so like, I know they love me. I know they want the best for me. Because they have the courage to point it out to me. Because if what they tell me is true, I feel it. I know it, you know. But if they're just trying to be unkind and it's not true, I know that too. We know if we trust ourselves. I think that part of French is really bad at all. That needs to be given the world with kindness in the right moment. We also give practical help to our friends. And we do things the way they like them. Not the way we think that they would have them. [laughter] With awareness, we can see, what would my friends like? Not what, you know, I want to change them. It would be like that. No, I don't know. I don't know how to give you space, give you random, send cards, write. And these days, the email and text are going all around. Keep them in mind. Keep giving, even during disagreement. We fall out with our friends here in there, assuming things, be good. So just through difficult times, whatever their response, keep giving in some way. The Buddha says, "However, you are spoken to, train yourself in loving kindness." So like, being unkind back, get your unkinds back. You know, if anyone learned this in this world by now, maybe we wouldn't keep fighting everybody, killing each other, you know, and we go to the place. If only we learned that I think the most courageous thing to do, the most human thing to do is just keep being kind, keep giving kindness. Okay? So don't be touchy. It's not pleasant. Again, keep giving to your friend, even during disagreement. So generosity builds friendship. Give to the wider society. Give to the wider society. Buy your example. Be an exemplar. Give ideas. Share your knowledge. And you can give money if you got it. You can raise it. There is always a positive project in need. Generosity helps build connection and community. And dispels loneliness and disconnection. Give it yourself. Okay. It's warm up here because it's probably warm down there. So the last point. Um. Gratitude. How much can we take the granted? Okay. So feel grateful of all that's been given to you. All through your life. We've been given so much in so many ways. And it's really heartening and nourishes our inner worth. We just notice what we've been given. On what we've given to continually. This all connects us to our abundance, to our inner riches. We lead such rich lives in this country. Many of you have heard me say this before. But we do lead such rich lives in this country. And it's only because, well I suggest, hundreds of thousands, millions of other people. We don't know. We've never met the doing things to enable us to live the lives we need. You know what I have for dinner tonight? So I had rice which was grown somewhere in Italy. I think when I go to Italy. So it's grown. It's ended. You do rice picket or something anyway. Dry, I don't know. But you do lots of things with it. And you bag it and imagine it's flown over. So the aircraft was built by people designed. There was fuel. You'd go on and on and on. Just with my rice. The loam I had red split lentils and bouillon and green beans. Well actually those were grown in my neighbours allotments. So they didn't have too much. But I'm grateful to try and know for growing them. But you know, just standing in my shirt, you know, it's cotton growing somewhere. With everything you look at, you can just see numerous people enabled, well that's with the choice. You know, it doesn't seem to choose. And it just goes on and on. So it's like connecting with the gratitude. You know if people built this hotel and made the chase, sitting on now, it goes on and on and on and moving glasses or whatever. It's like really connecting how we're able to live such rich lives. And it's because there's millions of people we don't know. But thank you. Thank you for doing it. Of course, we do know. You know, just living in whatever town you live in. A lot of people are doing things there which help alive. You know, I've served in hotels or, you know, driving the train or whatever. But we don't know them. Thank you. It's like just connecting. It just connects you. And it feels there's an abundance out there. And what you're doing has effects in whatever way, however, whatever one's doing or one's life has an effect on what sort of effect you want to have. Okay, so gratitude. It's a natural human response. I think we have to look very hard for. Connect with this feeling. It enables you to feel abundant. You then feel you have something to give. If you're connected, others are rather separate. Connected to inner riches, you're absolutely abundant. That is almost there. It's always happening. You're not looking at something that's not there. Let your inner riches shine. We hope you enjoyed this week's podcast. Please help us keep this free. Make a contribution at freeputus.io.com/donate. And thank you. [MUSIC PLAYING] [MUSIC PLAYING] [MUSIC PLAYING] [MUSIC PLAYING] [BLANK_AUDIO]