Secrets About Giving
Here is the secret to get what one wants. It is just giving. The reasons for it are based on the well-known philosophical dictum “Which comes first, the chicken or the egg?” The egg, and the chicken that is born out of it, create the circle of life, and form the basis for a profound comparison for attaining and giving what one wants: the circle of joy. This brilliant concept is analyzed in the clear voice and lucid prose of Masami Sato, the author of the book named ONE.
As humans, many of us have longings for all kinds of things. And of course, theories of economics inform us that while requirements are unlimited, resources remain limited. This provokes us to think, the more the range of resources that we have, the more the longing that we will be able to fulfill. That is why we tend to defend our resources. We feel that dividing it between others or giving the resources away will reduce the amount we can retain to get what we ourselves want. This is the basic game of success and failure that is being acted out.
Could it be true, then?
What if the answer was “no”? What if it actually contradicts the secret of getting more? What if the secret to get more is simple – by giving more?
A person can get a thing by the simple act of giving. In the same way that he can get eggs by breeding chicks. In the most simple way. Naturally. Spontaneously. And it is a fully satisfying joyful sensation.
First of all, let us begin with some analogy to explain things.
Chicken and Egg: The Circle of Life
Philosophers have asked this question since the dawn of time, “Which comes first, the chicken or the egg?”
The answer to this endless discussion is simple: It actually doesn’t matter because both chickens and eggs are here now. But if we want to have more great outcomes, we can choose to start somewhere.
Giving and Receiving: the Cycle of Joy
What happens, if we pose a different question? “Which comes first, giving or receiving?”
Again, if we want a better outcome, we should choose to start somewhere. Giving off things to others is certainly easier than striving to get it first!
What is the outcome, when we try to get it first?
If we want to have something, naturally we try to get it. And we try to hold on to it after getting it. This is very natural to do-it makes sense intellectually.
But the real results of ‘trying to get’ are often not abundance and real long-term rewards.
For example, wanting to see others being happy is not about getting the joy from them or controlling them to become happy. It is about how much joy we can give them and share with them. Period.
So where do we start to get what we want?
By starting from the reverse end – by giving generously!
When we are ready to give away first before we have even got what we hope for – what we are dreaming of – we are sending a strong message to ourselves which says, ‘there is enough, and more will come.’ It lets us feel the joy today – the joy of sharing.
We only need to give out the love generously to others. It simply comes back to us. Giving love is the only way to be generously loved. When we acknowledge everyone for the great things they do and the great qualities they have, again it comes back to us. Others acknowledge us because we acknowledge them.
In much the same manner, if we want to have enough of everything in our lives physically, financially, and emotionally, we must share these things in ample measure with others.
Some people may choose to give materially by giving their time. Others would choose to give financially by giving their wealth. Those who give much more (like time, wealth, kindness, affection, principles etc.) have more of all these because it is the balance. And balance is the law of nature.
Just remember the rule of the game
One rule: never expect a return when we give.
When we have the anticipation that giving involves ‘getting’ something back, we become unhappy when we do not see the thing returning to us fast. We may even feel unhappy towards the one who gets the gift. And having a negative feeling for someone is definitely not a right state of affairs! So we can know the real pleasure of giving when we are doing it with the awareness that we are actually doing it for ourselves – we are doing it for our own pleasure!
Losing to win, giving to get..
In the beginning it may appear that we are the losers. Still, at some level we realize that receiving things without giving anything is not a realistic life pattern. We have always been aware of it. That is the reason why giving away a part of their income has been a pattern with many well known people. And they have not done it openly, so it was not done to make themselves popular. It was just the way they wanted it to be.
Take a look around. ‘Simpler’ living things do it naturally. The bumblebees pollinate the flowers as they receive the honey so more flowers bloom in abundance. Naturally. That’s the game. They do not do it for conscience or justice. That is why they create such sustainability without even trying.
Giving to another is just a role of who we are, it is the same as having; nothing more, nothing less. No confusion, no strings attached, just letting go easily.
The gist of getting more can be summarised into two steps: Give first, and do not hope to get anything in return.
When we let go and give open-handedly, what we require would come to us. On its own.
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