On the face of it, one could think that generosity is directly opposed to the survival instinct. Isn’t thinking “me, first” a major part of survival, and isn’t survival what every thought and action boils down to? This is pretty basic stuff. Why, then, bother being generous? Why give away one’s money, wisdom, and most precious of all, time, to anyone or anything else? Why does generosity, in its purest sense, feel so good?

“You don’t need to be big to be powerful. You just need to be infectious!” Learn a new way to think about generosity from Chris Anderson, the curator at TED, the nonprofit organization that provides idea-based TED Talks.

Our feelings of generosity toward others can be enhanced by cultivating Evolutionary Love. One way to develop evolutionary love is by sending blessings. Here is some helpful guidance.

It may not feel easy to be generous with yourself. Many of us feel that our energy should be directed toward giving generously to others. Yet, when we nurture ourselves, we can be more available for others. Generosity with self begins with self-love. Here are ten steps to self-love by Josephine Laing.

Each of us has a unique relationship with generosity with room to grow to reach our potential for generosity. Take a look at this Generosity Assessment and start making positive changes.

The Ebb and Flow Rowing practice found in the Kata is a wonderful opportunity to visualize generously extending your gifts out to the world and lovingly receiving back. The back-and-forth motion evokes a sense of balance and a purification practice for one’s entire being. Generosity in action as a generous gift to oneself!

Learn more about Rachel Hamilton and the ways that a "bad boyfriend" experience opened her life to an ITP practice that enhances her life. Read what generosity means to her. “Generosity is the impulse to share what I have with others. I particularly love to share my spaces and my energy to create sweet gatherings. Vitamin C(onnection) is something we all need, and I love being the person to create the space for us to be with one another and be alive with one another, whether it be to share joy or to process grief.”

With our minds, we think, we reason, we learn, we imagine, and we dream. We strategize, make decisions, and set intentions and goals. Through the capacity of self-reflection, the mind provides a sense of personal history and continuity to our lives, the sense of being ourselves… We discern truth from falsehood. We set our intentions for who we want to be in the world and what we want to accomplish in life.

An ITP practice can gift us with benefits in large and small ways. Sometimes we just need to stop and notice what has changed. Artist Rich Sigberman shares what he's noticed.

In many cultures the heart was, and still is, considered to be the seat of intelligence and intuition, a special window into the world and its divine nature. When we see with the eyes of heart we can perceive things as they are without judgment. Our perception is filtered through the lens of love.