Some definitions

The I Ching speaks of the natural tendency of all things to seek equilibrium, mentioning the ongoing wearing down of mountains and filling up of valleys, of the excesses of the very rich giving rise to care for the very poor.

Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary published in 1925 defines charity as a noun meaning: Love, good will; an act or feeling of affection or benevolence; liberality in judging men or actions; good will to the poor or suffering; generosity; whatever is given the needy.

The Concise Oxford Dictionary published in 1934 describes charity as Kindness, natural affection, (beginning at home, due first to kith and kin); freedom from censoriousness, imputing of good motives when possible, leniency; beneficence, liberality to the poor, institutions for helping the helpless.

Some words change connotation over time. For example over the years some subtle changes have occurred in the meaning of the word “justice”. A reading of old dictionaries indicates in the early 1900th's the word carried an understanding of “fairness” which over time has shifted somewhat toward a connotation of “punishment”. “We want justice!” at times now can mean we want something bad to happen to those with whom we disagree or whom we believe have harmed us in some way.

But “charity” remains remarkably stable. Echoing, “the charity begins at home” of the 1930’s dictionary mentioned above, a current television star talks about the importance of “giving first to ourselves and then to others from our overflow.”

Widening our perspective

From the perspective of the understanding that we are all interconnected and that each is but a piece of the greater whole; we understand the poor, the suffering and the helpless to be parts of ourselves, whose presence indicates that some other parts of ourselves have become unbalanced, perhaps having acquired more than we need.

To our mind this points to the importance of not only taking and being grateful for what we have, a currently popular idea, but also the importance of giving back to the greater whole in some way, possibly as an active expression of that gratitude. To echo the words of Bert Hellinger, an immensely popular figure in Europe in the field of contemporary family therapy, “In all our various relationships, fundamental needs interact in a complex way:” He writes of one of these fundamental human needs being “the need to maintain a balance of giving and taking, that is, for equilibrium…”

So as some of us are moved by charitable thoughts and feelings toward others, perhaps we are responding to a basic human need for balance. Perhaps the importance of this seeking of equilibrium is in part why the meaning of the word charity has remained so stable over time. Beyond that, perhaps our charitable behavior is informed by something even more fundamental. Perhaps what we are feeling and doing is our response to the flow of the Tao itself.

As inevitably as the mountains wear down and the valleys fill up, some of us respond in a charitable way to the needs of others. That response extends beyond human needs to the welfare of other species, even to concern and caring for the health of whole ecosystems, and ultimately for the planet itself. However, and here we come full circle, since we and everything else are a part of the greater whole, to care and act this way is ultimately (and sometimes in a very distant way) to care for ourselves!

Getting specific

Some of the cycles of giving and taking are vast, complex, and at this stage in human understanding, quite literally beyond comprehension. Although we may have some theories, who really knows what the intricacies of this looks like on a galactic scale?

Some cycles are more readily accessible. Moving closer to home, we can think of our own vegetable gardens as good simple examples of what can happen when loving care is extended.

First the earth

In the beginning, we have the soil. Commonly, past excessive use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides may have rendered the earth unfit for earthworms or other beneficial organisms. Lead may have leached from old paint into the ground. Excessive use may have depleted the soil of nutrients. Although not necessarily done with ill intent, too much unbalanced taking may have been going on.

Before we plant, we can address the health of our soil, analyzing samples to determine what is needed to restore it to proper condition. Or if that is not a possibility, we can determine many things by observing what is and is not currently growing. Certain plants grow in depleted soils, both those excessively acid and excessively alkaline. We can look at the physical structure of the soil. This usually breaks down into categories of sand, clay, muck or hardpan; soil having sufficient organic material or needing organic material. We want to develop a healthy loam, with a good balance of natural chemical components and trace minerals, neither too acidic nor too alkaline. We also want a healthy percentage of organic material in the soil.

As we take steps to address these needs and work to restore health to our plots of earth, we can be mindful of where our materials come from. Where does all the peat used for improving soil texture actually come from? By using it, are we creating imbalances in someone else’ s back yard? (Probably we are.) Is there other, more local organic material we could use to do the same job? How is our product harvested or mined? Is this done in an ecologically sustainable way? (Obviously mining is not indefinitely sustainable, but some extraction is done in a more ecologically responsible way than other extractions.) Is the item approved for organic growers? How about the working conditions and the wages of the people who produce or harvest this product? Are they safe and fair or are they exploitative?

These are a lot of questions for what might be one small purchase. Often sales people do not know the answers, but by asking and not allowing ourselves to be put off or diminished for our concern, we start a chain of inquiry that can have big results. The influence of our little backyard purchase stretches out into the greater world. We demonstrate our feelings for our gardens, for other people, and for the welfare of the world in general with each dollar we do or do not spend. Truly, nothing stands alone.

Moving along

At this point, we have mindfully amended our soil. We plant and tend and ultimately harvest. Because our soil is healthy, our plants have grown well. Perhaps in the first few years, because of previous conditions, we encounter unreasonable amounts of insects. If we can restrain any murderous instincts, we will not reach for the nearest deadly poison. Instead, we will continue in an organic vein, learning about companion planting, crop rotation, good garden clean-up habits, and if necessary benign organically approved insect repellents, plus we can engage in the somewhat odious process of removing unwanted insects by hand.

Giving and receiving

As we care for these gardens, they return our attentions many fold. There is a good chance birds will be attracted to our area and will do more bug removal for us, as will the occasional toad or frog. All these creatures will be surviving in our mini-environments in part due to the absence of chemical herbicides and pesticides.

As we think about optimum growing conditions, we begin to be more aware of our weather patterns, when the plants need rain, when they are too wet. We move into closer connection with the natural cycles of our individual parts of the world.

Then there is the produce itself. What flavor! There is nothing quite like fresh corn, rushed from the plant to the pot, or that first sun ripened tomato, with perhaps a bit of fresh basil, or even those fresh veggies taken straight from the garden and canned or frozen. Because we have taken the time to build up healthy soil, our plants produce healthy vegetables with a good balance of the vitamins and minerals expected from each variety, contributing to our own good health. And round it goes.

As we write this it is August and our garden is giving back at an almost alarming rate! Fall however is an excellent time to begin planning for the following spring. Snow is not yet on the ground and it is easy to determine where new gardens can be placed. It is also possible to start turning over the ground, leaving each shovelful of earth and sod in place to weather over the winter so the soil will be more easily workable in the spring. Established plots can be cleaned up now and lovingly put to rest for the winter. Each step of the way, the mindful loving care we extend is returned to us, creating a loop or hoop of balanced giving and taking.

Resources:

MOFGA the Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association,
www.mofga.org Common Ground Country Fair, Sept. 21st-23rd, a MOFGA annual event held the 3rd weekend in September, called by the New York Times the best small fair in the country.

Food First, www.foodfirst.org,

Love’s Hidden Symmetry, Bert Hellinger with Gunthard Weber & Hunter Beaumont,
ISBN 1-891944-00-2

Why Good Things Happen to Good People, Stephen Post, PhD & Jill Neimark
ISBN 978-0-7679-2017-9

Picture courtesy of Rich & Jill Cole

Pat Foley attempts to live a green life just outside of Cornish, Maine. She is a professional writer, artist, shamanic practitioner and the owner of Earthrest, a retreat center offering space for groups and individuals. You may contact Pat at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it or (207) 625-4179.

© Pat Foley 2007