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Reflections on giving and receiving
by Stephanie Finamore

www.TM.org/blog Translate This Article
17 January 2013

The Excellence in Action page of Global Good News is featuring this article with photos.

Please click on the following link to read more about 'Giving and receiving'.

'It's wonderful to have a season dedicated to giving,' writes Stephanie Finamore apropos of the recent holiday season. 'But of course the whole of our lives needs to have the spirit of giving as a permanent feature. Here's an inspiring excerpt from the newly published book, Transcendental Meditation: The Essential Teachings of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi,* which is dedicated to that important part of life.

' ''The purpose of social behavior,'' Maharishi wrote in Science of Being and Art of Living, ''is to give and receive for mutual benefit. The first fundamental in the art of behavior is: meet with warmth, and meet to give. If all people in society behaved on this level of giving, social behavior could only result in the advancement and glorification of everyone's life.''

'This may sound idealistic,' Ms Finamore continues, 'but it is practical to the highest degree. When individuals meet with the intention of giving the best of themselves, based on what we might call the ''principle of giving,'' relationships become more positive and mutually supportive. . . .

'At the height of human development, in higher states of consciousness, a life of giving is entirely spontaneous, for a fulfilled person needs nothing from others and is free to give continually from an overflowing heart. ''A sincere sense of giving can only arise on a level of contentment,'' Maharishi said. ''Only contented hearts and minds can think in terms of giving.''

'A high school teacher who practises Transcendental Meditation discovered this in her own life. ''How can a person give love if she doesn't first have love within herself? How can a person bring peace and harmony to her environment if she isn't first peaceful and harmonious?

' ''It makes all the sense in the world to take the mind to an awareness of its own essential nature in bliss consciousness.** Having gained that awareness, that joy, and that lightness of heart, one very naturally spreads love and enthusiasm to their surroundings.'' '

Enjoy the full article on the Excellence in Action page.

* The excerpt featured in the article is from Transcendental Meditation: The Essential Teachings of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, by Jack Forem, pp. 137-138; the book was recently published by Hay House.

** An experience that occurs spontaneously during Transcendental Meditation.

Copyright © 2013 Maharishi Foundation USA

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