January 26 – Generosity to yourself

Dear Friends,

Mark Coleman has said that generosity often radial – it’s often easier to be generous with others but stingy with ourselves.

He asks us to reflect:
What would it be to practice more generosity to ourselves?
What would you give yourself to be generous?

For some, it might be more space, or more time.
Maybe doing less.
Maybe resting more.

When Susie Harrington was in Saskatoon to lead a retreat last November, she told us how her upbringing led her to be very frugal, and she would often find herself ordering something off a menu that she didn’t like because it was a dollar cheaper than something she liked better.

In another talk, Mark Coleman mentioned that when he first moved to San Francisco, he would often buy groceries that were cheaper and scrimp on the nutrition to save money.

For both teachers, it became a practice to for them to notice these habit patterns, and to begin to question if these habits were skillful. They could begin to practice being generous to themselves.

I came across a Buddha Doodle that fits this theme.

I’m going to be very generous to myself over the next few days… I’m going to a residential retreat here in Saskatoon. All my tech toys will be set aside as I dedicate my time and attention to my mindfulness practice. I won’t be able to respond to your emails or comments until I get back online on Tuesday afternoon – so your patience and understanding is appreciated. But fear not! I’ve queued up several emails to keep you inspired these last few days in January.

With best wishes,
Andrea