Generosity Practice

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Although our yoga classes are offered for a fixed fee that includes payment for the teachers, our philosophy, psychology, and meditation classes are offered for a minimal fee that supports the expense of our physical facility.  We believe these teachings are too valuable to exclude those who could benefit but do not have financial resources. We hope participants who are able, will compensate our teachers and support our programs by offering dana (pronounced "daa-nuh" and translated as generosity) as part of their own spiritual practice.  None of the philosophy, psychology or meditation teachers are paid a salary and the support staff is exclusively volunteer.  We encourage you to offer your teachers whatever you can comfortably offer to allow us to continue to share these programs with our community.  Some of the teachers also donate generously to support the community.

Generosity and sharing of resources are central tenets of spiritual practice, dating back prior to the Buddha in the tradition of the wandering ascetic yogis walking ancient paths, through the tradition of the monastic practitioners who protected and offered the teachings to contemporary wisdom teachers.  These renunciates have always survived by relying on the support of the community around them.  The generosity of a community that supports teachers, scholars, monks, and nuns provides the infrastructure to allow them to continue teaching and developing their own spiritual life and to serve as inspiration for the rest of us.
 

The practice of supporting wisdom teachers has kept spiritual traditions alive for thousands of years.  Committed supporters give generously to establish networks of monasteries, retreat centers and educational institutions which in turn support millions of teachers and practitioners.  Join us in preserving the wisdom teachings of the past as well as exploring the wisdom teachings of the modern world.

"The Buddha said that no true spiritual life is possible without a generous heart. Generosity allies itself with an inner feeling of abundance—the feeling that we have enough to share." Sharon Salzberg

“Gentleness, self-sacrifice, and generosity are the exclusive possession of no one race or religion.” —Mahatma Gandhi

 “If beings knew, as I know, the results of giving and sharing, they would not eat without having given, nor would the stain of selfishness overcome their minds. Even if it were their last bite, their last mouthful, they would not eat without having shared, if there were someone to receive their gift.”  Buddha in Itivuttaka 26.