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Subject(s): General Interest Add to My Group
A Course in Miracles refers to a process called "undoing the getting concept." Other spiritual paths describe something similar. Let me share a brief anecdote about this. Helen Schucman, the Columbia University professor who penned A Course in Miracles, often asked her Inner Guide, "Why aren’t you helping me more?" The answer she usually received was, "Help others – as you do that, I can help you." This wasn’t some sort of "divine bargain" – she didn’t have to "earn" her divine Help. Rather, the idea was that as she gave, so would she receive. In order to receive the gifts of God, Helen had to give them to others. Again, this wasn’t a bargain – it was simply how things worked. I remember how shocked I was when I first came across that idea. In order to fully receive the Love of God, I needed to give (or share) it with others? I couldn’t just get it for myself? What a different way of thinking! Again, many of us get caught between these two worlds. We become weary of the get-get-get approach to life, and become willing to ease off on it. But we don’t realize that we need to shift into a giving mode. We might sit around for a while, "waiting" for God to help us. We might wonder – or complain, as Helen did – about why God isn’t supporting us more. But the fact is that we’re simply between two worlds. And in order to make the shift, we need to move dynamically and fully into a giving approach. Q: I have given enormous amounts to others, and I’m exhausted. When I give, I often end up feeling like a doormat – people end up taking advantage of me. I agree that giving can feel good, but what about setting limits? How do you know when you’re giving too much? A: This is a very important question. Let me share a few thoughts in response, drawn from my own life and from the material in A Course in Miracles. First, the "giving" I’m talking about is a divine sort of giving. In this practice, we don’t give from our own energy, apart from God. Rather, we become conduits through which God’s Energy can pour forth. We give what we simultaneously receive. Exhaustion is usually a sign that a person is giving from his or her own efforts, apart from God. I always encourage people to take a "time out" when they feel that way, and to reconnect with God’s Help for themselves. Even if this means saying "no" to numerous requests from others, it is essential. There have been countless saints, healers, and helpers who drove themselves to exhaustion in their efforts to help others. This almost always turns out to be counter-productive. It is far better to keep yourself filled with divine inspiration – even if that means refusing the requests of others – than to exhaust yourself in an effort to be helpful. In the long run, you will be of far greater service that way. So in summary, the "giving" I’m describing is a divine sort of giving. We receive from God as we give, and thus open ourselves even more to the reception. As I mentioned in my book Inner Healing, God’s Love is like a river. It’s important to keep it unblocked both upstream (as we receive it) and downstream (as we extend it). Dan Joseph http://www.DanJoseph.com
www.DanJoseph.com Dan Joseph has been writing about the connection between spirituality and psychology for the past ten years. He is the author of two books: "Inspired by Miracles" and "Inner Healing."
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