Generosity of Spirit, Generosity of Heart
As Mental Health Practice.
Philip S. Graffunder, LCSW
Being truly generous is about giving graciously and receiving graciously. These two sides of generosity practice are inclusive of, and dependant on, each other. Allowing others to ‘give’ to us… whether a genuine compliment, a thoughtful act, emotional support, or a material gift can be as much an act of generosity as giving these things to them, maybe on occasion, even more so.
Generosity can also be defined as being a giving person to ourselves; being gentle to oneself, being able to acknowledge what you need, to ask for it, and to receive from others gracefully and thankfully (a.k.a. healthy assertiveness). Paradoxically, this can be both very difficult and quite joyful to engage in.
But there is more. To think of generosity solely in terms of ‘giving to’, or ‘receiving from’, is limiting. The tradition of ‘serving’ is also evoked in this term, the essence of which envelopes the spirit of giving and receiving with a sense of grace. Are you are being served? Or, are you the server? At times they become divinely indistinguishable!
Generosity as a heart & soul spiritual practice often generates and walks hand-in-hand with charity and forgiveness, allowing these two other virtues to expand in a natural and balanced way.
If you would like to explore this further,
and perhaps discover other answers about yourself, feel free to contact me at 404-295-4852.
Philip S. Graffunder is the owner of
Positive Social Growth Counseling and Therapy Center.
He is a therapist, counselor, and clinical social worker with more than 20 years’ experience.
