' Self-Giving as a Sacred Offering '...

Self-giving is the outflowing intention of the spiritual heart and the fundamental attitude of authentic spirituality. It is essential that one's basic spiritual orientation moves from being self-serving to self-giving, meaning that a heartfelt transition of intention is required that no longer aligns with the egocentric perspective and instead aligns with the fundamental values of the spiritual instinct.

In the conventional understanding of self-giving, you may think of letting go or relinquishing a part of yourself in heartful generosity. This is worth contemplating. And yet there is a deeper meaning of self-giving that is not meant to rush past the conventional understanding but doesn't follow the ways that most of us are oriented. Most of us are oriented around receiving and empowerment. These are important, and self-giving in a deeper sense does give a kind of empowerment, but only as a by-product.

Most people's meditations don't come from an attitude of self-giving but are about what they want to attain. What if your meditation and spirituality were an act of giving? Devotion is a kind of giving, not a means of getting, which is just transactional. Meditation orients us towards a kind of being that is synonymous with self-giving.

Self-giving isn't directing attention but rather is giving attention. You can feel the difference in your body and mind. The act of offering your attention shows what you actually value.

Giving and receiving is like breathing. You give yourself to the moment and it gives itself to you. Giving and receiving is one act -- giving is receiving and receiving is giving.

When you give attention to your breath, it's a kind of offering. It is like giving a gift. In the moment where you exchange a gift, you are exchanging an object and also that which the object represents -- maybe caring, love, appreciation, or gratitude. If the exchange is only an obligation, you are just exchanging an object. Offering something of value takes time and attention.

When you're receiving something from the giving of a gift, you're receiving the love that the gift represents.

Play with the notion of self-giving. Let it find root in the creative soil inside you. Devotion in its most essential form is devotedly giving all of your attention. Do it in moments of listening, looking, and ways of relating. Where do you hold back? Experiment with what it means to really show up.


-Adyashanti