UPBUILDING THE SELF

Our Motivations for Charitable Giving

Do you donate money to charity so that you feel less guilty about your life, to receive praise, or to get a tax benefit? Should you try to get really rich and then give your money away in order to do the most good? Rasanath and Michael discuss the motivations behind our charitable giving and how to differentiate between egoic and pure motivations. They address what they do when they receive requests to donate to causes that they don’t feel strongly about, the power of thinking about charity as a state of mind rather than a specific act, and a definition of charity which is much broader than giving financial aid to those in need.

Podcast Hosts: Rasanath Das and Michael Sloyer

Highlights

  • [3:15] Charity as a state of mind

  • [6:30] The difference between pure and egoic motivations for giving

  • [10:50] How the ego can feel moral superiority when we donate anonymously

  • [12:50] How we can use money to make a big impact

  • [14:05] Why we might want to start giving now and not wait to have more money

  • [16:00] How giving uplifts our consciousness

  • [18:30] What we should consider when someone asks us to donate

  • [21:30] Understanding our true motivations for giving

  • [24:40] How charity benefits our own lives

  • [27:30] Reducing other peoples' suffering by giving and being charitable

Quotes

  • “Charity is not an act. It is a state of mind.” -Rasanath Das

  • “Charity should benefit both the giver and the receiver.” -Rasanath Das

  • “The basis of charity is love. [When you give to support someone who asked you to donate,] you are giving as an expression of love for that person. ” -Rasanath Das

  • “When you give, your heart is moved and nothing else needs to be said.” -Rasanath Das

  • “The ultimate act of selflessness is giving from the place of the true self.” -Rasanath Das

For first timers, welcome to Upbuilding the Self

About the podcast: Two former monks, a former startup founder and CEO, and a former equity derivatives trader dive into how to be our best selves, free from the ego. Our egos are the identities we create for ourselves and wish the world to validate, but when we are not seen as we want to be, we feel insecure. This podcast lives at the intersection of leadership and spirituality. It will help you understand your ego and shed light on your inner world so that you can act with greater clarity, compassion, and the freedom to be your best self.