Part 1. Giving

Here we go! Take your time (we suggest 1 hour) to process this module, and we recommend finding a partner to do this with. Send us any questions or feedback if you have them. 


~ Reflection ~
Let’s begin, no surprise, with ourselves. What is your history of giving? Trace where you have given money, time, other resources. What prompted you to give? Who did you give to? How did you feel as you gave? What dream are you creating with your giving?


~ Practice ~
Recalling your stories of giving may have also recalled a variety of emotions. What might it feel like to nurture curiosity and compassion to meet those emotions? How can mindfulness be a resource we can call on when things feel uncomfortable? Explore with this practice (9 min). 

~ Learn ~
Just as you have a history of giving, so do we as a society have a history of giving. In particular, the charitable nonprofit system where many of us give monetarily has a history. Some of what you hear may make you uncomfortable, or perhaps you’ll encounter disbelief. Can you bring the curiosity and compassion from practice to the moment, see where it leads? Listen to Michelle Muri and Christine Shimizu on the Racist Roots of Philanthropy (31 min).


~ Process ~

• What reflections do you have after listening to the episode?
• Does it make you think about your history of giving any differently?
• What do you want to learn more about?
• What emotions are you sitting with now?

As you sit with and process these emotions and prompts over the next two weeks, we offer an invitation to practice mindfulness. At Space Between, we share that mindfulness is the practice of being present with curiosity and compassion. For being present with joy and surprise, anger and defensiveness, and more. Read this (5 min), or watch this (10 min) about pain as a teacher, and try the practice again.

Bonus:
Stifled Generosity (10 min to read)
Generosity to Justice (1 min video)