woman in the audience at one of his talks soon after the attack on the World Trade Center. She asked, "How can I deal with the enormous fear and anger that I feel about what happened?" Kobun replied, "Do one kind thing for someone every day." I realize that such advice might sound trite or over-simplistic. I also know that there are days when we can feel consumed by the items on our to-do lists, to the point where the volume of what needs our attention makes generosity feel beyond our reach. On other days, however, I think Kobun's advice could apply quite universally to all of us asking, "How, then, shall we live?" For me, it feels inspiring... posted on Nov 25 2014 (18,131 reads)

facial expression of compassion, characterized by oblique eyebrows and a concerned gaze. When someone shows this expression, they are then more likely to help others. My work has examined another nonverbal cue: touch. Previous research has already documented the important functions of touch. Primates such as great apes spend hours a day grooming each other, even when there are no lice in their physical environment. They use grooming to resolve conflicts, to reward each other’s generosity, and to form alliances. Human skin has special receptors that transform patterns of tactile stimulation—a mother’s caress or a friend’s pat on the back—into indelibl... posted on Nov 5 2014 (22,876 reads)

weeks ago, a few of us visited an elderly Gandhian couple in Baroda -- Arun Dada and Mira Ba. Now in their 80s, their entire life has been rooted in generosity. As students of Vinoba, they have never put a price tag on their labor. Their presence speaks to a life-long practice of equanimity, trust and compassion. And so do their stories. "Nine years ago, we were gifted this house," Arun Dada told us. The week they moved in, they discovered that their neighbor was a drunkard, prone to fits of violence. Just a couple days after their move, they noticed that their front-yard was filled with food items and alcohol. It turned out that the neighbor also ran a catering bus... posted on Nov 27 2014 (36,723 reads)

it made them feel they responded " It feels so good you just want it to keep on going. You wish you just had more and more things to offer." That is my experience as well. People are supporting my deepest happiness in allowing me into their lives This does not mean that you have to have money or anything tangible other than your human form. Each of us is endowed with our own unique qualities and each one of us, has something valuable to contribute. I have seen the greatest acts of generosity performed by folks who seemingly have little in the way of practical possessions. I have been profoundly touched by watching a homeless man gently offer to share his meal with a friend when... posted on Feb 13 2015 (36,702 reads)

lives that generate the feeling that we matter. And how do we do that? How, exactly do we pursue meaning rather than happiness? We establish our connection to something larger than ourselves; we give ourselves to others. Fortunately, happiness tends to follow meaning. Meaningful activities generate positive emotions and deepen social connections, both of which increase our satisfaction with life. Indeed, much research shows an undeniable connectionbetween happiness and generosity; the happiest people also tend to be the most altruistic. When we help others in a meaningful way, for example, we are likely to feel compassion and love. We also often feel gratitude fo... posted on Feb 5 2015 (37,002 reads)

- but carefully regulated to prevent both inflation and deflation. One can go on and on through all the interdependent systems of the body to show it is a genuine ecosophy and a clear corroboration of the Greeks’ belief that studying nature can bring wisdom to how we run our human affairs. The wisest, most ethical human ecosophy I know is Dr. A.T. Ariyaratne’s Sarvodaya movement in Sri Lanka. Founded over half a century ago on the Buddhist principles of inner peace and generosity, this equitable rural development project now involves 15,000 villages, with 5,000 of them running their own banking system and helping the others develop. Businesses, schools, orphanages, ... posted on Feb 26 2015 (22,719 reads)

feelings of gratitude and life satisfaction decreased. Further analysis revealed that materialists felt less satisfied with their lives mainly because they were experiencing less gratitude. Why are gratitude and materialism opposing forces in the mind? According to Robert Emmons, a pioneer in the study of gratitude and a psychology professor at the University of California, Davis, gratitude involves acknowledging the good things in our lives—from the beauty of autumn leaves to the generosity of friends to the taste of a good meal—and recognizing the other people or forces that made them possible. Gratitude helps us savor the good in our lives rather than taking it for gra... posted on Apr 9 2015 (34,883 reads)

in the world). I’m going to focus here on resources in your mind: what I call inner strengths. These include:    *  Capabilities like mindfulness, emotional intelligence, resilience;    *  Positive emotions, such as gratitude, love, self-compassion;    *  Attitudes like openness, confidence, determination;    *  Somatic inclinations like relaxation, grit, helpfulness); and    *  Virtues like, generosity, courage, wisdom. This is the good stuff we want to have inside ourselves. Rick Hanson talks in Berkeley The Greater Good Science Center is pleased to present a day-long presentati... posted on May 20 2015 (16,565 reads)

for privileged, healthy people. And so I tracked down Brice Royer for an interview. Brice is a young, now voluntarily unemployed entrepreneur from Vancouver with stomach cancer. He not only depends on gift exchange to survive, but helps other people survive through the gift and prosthelytizes gift culture with much conviction. He recently gave a speech alongside Mayor Robertson of Vancouver on how economic inequality is bad for our health and why sharing is better. His courageous acts of generosity have sparked many others to join the gift economy movement and gained international attention. His story resonates deeply with many people because he shows that not only can you live you... posted on May 25 2015 (23,405 reads)

interpreter Chanthy and Chanthy’s husband Narith. The duo showed Kay the depths of poverty experienced in their home village. So they started sewing classes here too and taught English. But Kay realised the problems went much deeper. Soon she was fundraising to install toilets, water filters and wells. Every time she went home she and her friends would conduct shed parties, movie nights, garage sales to raise money. The funds started rolling in. Kay is continually humbled by the generosity of donors. As momentum grew Kay registered Stitches of Hope as a charity and formed a board of directors. Together with Chanthy and Narith she founded the Stitches of Hope Sewing Centre ... posted on May 17 2015 (16,143 reads)

subjugated, instead of seeking revenge, were ready to speak about reconciliation, forgiveness. Of course, they were given a wonderful example by the magnanimity of a Nelson Mandela, who came out of prison not spitting blood and fire, but saying we need to understand the other person and we need to forgive. And our country was saved from devastation by this willingness to understand and to forgive. "No one is self-sufficient." And it’s not a one-way thing—the generosity of spirit from one side provokes a response in kind from the other side. People wondered when they saw the caterpillar that had been South Africa—repulsive—turning into a gorgeo... posted on Jun 21 2015 (13,519 reads)

new study maps what happens in our bodies and brains when we witness acts of kindness and compassion. I don’t know about you, but no matter how many times I watch It’s a Wonderful Life, I am moved to tears. Something about that moment when George Bailey, played by Jimmy Stewart, is rescued from financial and emotional ruin by the generosity of his friends gets to me, making me feel deeply moved and hopeful about our capacity for human goodness. Researchers have a name for that high we get from witnessing human goodness: “moral elevation.” And it has been shown to have many positive benefits. Past studies have found that moral elevation inspi... posted on Jun 11 2015 (15,702 reads)

we wear this badge of honor of productivity as this hallmark of purpose. But it's, in many ways, the opposite because Thoreau’s point was basically that the more we busy ourselves with just the drudgery of work, the more actual work we accomplish. MS. TIPPETT: Right. I do feel that there's a real quality in you as a human being which comes through in your work of — and this is how it came to me when I was trying to put it into words — intellectual confidence and generosity. MS. POPOVA: Oh, that’s such a lovely thing to say. Thank you. MS. TIPPETT: Well, and it's — you know… MS. POPOVA: I would like for it to be true one day. It... posted on Jul 15 2015 (11,943 reads)

of humanity. Every tradition speaks of the loss of something, whether in the western tradition’s faith and virtue or sometimes in the eastern traditions of understanding and wisdom. Preeta: I am curious, as we are talking about the money, I'm curious about your views about the gift economy. There’s movement from some groups and people to push away from a transaction based view of capitalism. Do you have a sense of how you foster, or whether it is even worth trying to foster generosity or gifitivism? Jerry: Yes. I think there are some ideas there that could be put into practice. I know all of you are doing it in ways that are really wonderful. Anybody can ask themselve... posted on Jul 4 2015 (8,836 reads)

With millions cheering on, many South Africans saw this as a symbolic opportunity to signal the end of Apartheid; they were eager to change the team name, colors and jersey in a sport that was widely considered a “white man’s game”. Mandela, on the other hand, saw a different opportunity. An opportunity for forgiveness. He went from sport clubs to town halls to rally his countrymen to take the higher road: “We have to surprise them with compassion, with restraint and generosity; I know, all of the things they denied us, but this is no time to celebrate petty revenge.” That was the thing about Mandela. He had the audacity to believe in each person's ca... posted on Jul 7 2015 (117,433 reads)

funny and valued. You often catch them looking after other people and as they do so their laugh is musical and their manner is infused with gratitude. They are not thinking about what wonderful work they are doing. They are not thinking about themselves at all.  When I meet such a person it brightens my whole day. But I confess I often have a sadder thought: It occurs to me that I’ve achieved a decent level of career success, but I have not achieved that. I have not achieved that generosity of spirit, or that depth of character.  A few years ago I realized that I wanted to be a bit more like those people. I realized that if I wanted to do that I was going to have to wo... posted on Jul 22 2015 (33,446 reads)

creating my own kind of bucket list. Not the usual listing of things I wish to do before I leave this earth, but an accounting of the gracious drops of kindness that have filled my pail to the brim. Whether the contribution was a single drip from an eyedropper or gallons upon gallons of generosity, all have buoyed my soul, washed away hours of pain, and carried me through turbulent trials. And so I have decided to make a conscious effort to recognize these not-so-random acts. Some were as temporary as the morning dew, but equaling as cooling. Others have been like IVs, injecting nourishment continually. A few were summer storms: electrifying, powerful, and brief. Whether thei... posted on Aug 27 2015 (23,422 reads)

a Food City grocery store chain executive; a local attorney; a business owner from neighboring Loudon County. In most cases, the board members are professionals who came to the Love Kitchen first as volunteers helping in the kitchen or on the delivery routes and were so impressed by the operation and its founders that they decided to dedicate their expertise to helping support it on the organizational level. The Love Kitchen isn’t the only recipient of Riggins’ remarkable generosity. He has also been volunteering 20 to 30 hours most weeks for the past few years with the Knoxville Police Department as a reserve officer, another unpaid duty he takes on. Riggins devoted n... posted on Sep 5 2015 (12,424 reads)

of my attention was on soothing and comforting myself. My mind became flooded with compassion, to the point that it dominated my experience—far more than my screaming child. Furthermore, as I’d already discovered, when I was in a more peaceful and loving frame of mind, Rowan also calmed down. As I soothed myself, he was soothed as well. When we care tenderly for ourselves in response to suffering, our heart opens. Compassion engages our capacity for love, wisdom, courage, and generosity. It’s a mental and emotional state that’s boundless and directionless, grounded in the great spiritual traditions of the world but available to every person simply by virtue of ... posted on Oct 19 2015 (29,583 reads)

reach’d the distance fancy yet desires. But Howard gives us with his clearer mind The gain of lessons new to all mankind; That which no hand can reach, no hand can clasp, He first has gain’d, first held with mental grasp. Defin’d the doubtful, fix’d its limit-line, And named it fitly. — Be the honour thine! As clouds ascend, are folded, scatter, fall, Let the world think of thee who taught it all. It was an astonishing gesture of intellectual generosity and remains among history’s most touching intersections of notable lives. So intensely interested was Goethe in the mind behind the cloud classification system that, with Hüttner... posted on Nov 5 2015 (16,463 reads)