Linda R. Harper is a clinical psychologist, a workshop leader, and the author of The Tao of Eating: Feeding Your Soul Through Everyday Experiences With Food. In this richly textured paperback, she presents an anatomy of the spiritual practice of generosity. Each chapter contains contemplative exercises, and the appendix includes suggestions for discussion groups.
Harper believes that authentic giving is an expression of soul. She organizes her explanations around qualities in each letter of G.U.I.D.E: Give wholly to yourself; Unconditionally choose to give; Integrate your unique gifts; Delight in the act of giving; Experience the expanding capacity to give. The ability to nurture yourself in healing and helpful ways is important to increasing your ability to reach out and serve others. Harper uses the illustration of a hummingbird who while taking care of herself gives back to the world at the same time.
Outcome-related giving is the bane of three character types: traders, martyrs, and controllers. The first give expecting something back, always keeping score. The second ignore personal needs in order to please others; they are often annoyed when their sacrifices go unheralded. The final group give to see certain results and often feel like failures when the world isn't changed at all by their efforts. Each of us, according to Harper, has a bit of the trader, the martyr, and the controller within.
Authentic generosity or giving is a no-strings attached way of operating. It can never be depleted because there is a boundless reservoir in each of us that can be channeled into the world for good. We like Harper's ideal of giving "recklessly," never holding back or waiting for the optimum conditions. This is a salutary way of being.
