Giving or generosity (“Dana” in Pali) is the first Parami. I believe it is first because it is the very ground on which our practice is built. Without open heartedness that follows wanting to give in the presence of need, the energy of the initial impulse is blocked-the heart is closed and can neither give nor receive. Dana consists of the activity of giving that naturally springs from the feeling of wanting to give, of wanting to share what we have, based on the visceral experience of genuine care. Dana is giving, loving, compassionate energy that has been freed from the constraints of selfishness and self-centeredness, yet includes ourselves in that care.

When we feel the impulse to generosity and act on it, we allow the energy to move, and to expand into the world. We allow our awareness to stand firmly in the inexorably interconnected nature of reality. We know we are not separate. Dana is expansion of consciousness out from the belief in scarcity and impoverishment to the knowing of the abundant nature of the universe, and faith in it. It is the seed of compassion within us-the response of an open heart to the deep inner call of care for fellow beings.

How often do you experience the feeling of wanting to give? Do you give unhesitatingly when you experience that impulse? What do you need in order to experience the feeling of wanting to give more often and more thoroughly? What are the obstacles to giving for you?