There is in reality no differentiation between the impulse for a gift, the process of giving, the giver, the gift or the one it is given to, the reaction of the recipient, or the action of the gift. It is all part of one process and each aspect contains elements, energy, and impressions of the others. All other associations or divisions are temporary short-sighted constructions and do not constitute the long range aspect of "non-giving". And even this falls short of the reality of that which is neither given nor received but which is beyond.
Thus there are many levels which can be considered when one discusses the functions of giving. And it should be recognized that all of these are nothing more than arbitrary constructs, levels or areas of function, and are transitory, both in terms of time and space (both of which are also relative - a matter not to be taken up in this paper).
There are some general statements that can be made, however, working within the framework of function:
1. When one gives, a vacancy exists.
2. That vacancy will be filled.
3. That vacancy can exist on many levels simultaneously or can
be limited to only one or a few levels.
4. What fills that vacancy will depend on the depth of the vacancy (which may be considered a "negative" pole or field) and the screen or filter through which the "filler" must
come.
5. One determines the degree of vacancy and the filters through
intention.
6. What fills is in proportion to what is given.
7. As soon as the vacancy is filled no more will come until
more is given.
8. Giving is the creation of a capacity.
9. Capacity or vacancy will be filled by the grossest field
first and then work toward the more rarified.
10. When one feels satisfied, that capacity or vacancy has been
filled.
ll. What one determines to be one's need determines what fills
that need and when it is that one is satisfied.
12. Intention is linked with this process. Thus if one desires
to impress, the act of impression will fill the capacity; if
one wishes to feel good, then feeling good will satisfy the
function of filling the vacancy. As this happens on all
levels, for one to get beyond the mundane "paybacks" for
giving, one must not desire lower level satisfactions.
13. Higher level gain comes from higher level capacity.
14. Higher level capacity comes through higher level intention.
15. Higher level intention is linked with need in an actual sense
rather than personal interpretations of what is needed. Thus
higher level intention and understanding of need must come
through intuition rather than thought.
16. What one desires is what determines one's filter of
receptivity.
17. The more one desires to receive what one really needs, the
more one will understand what and how to give.
18. The more one gives what is really needed, the more one will
get what is really needed.
19. The less one thinks about giving and simply gives, the more
one will get.
20. When one no longer thinks about giving, and no longer gets
any personal satisfaction from it, one can then truly begin
to receive.
21. There are levels of giving beyond this. One will only find
out about them when one has reached the starting point of
giving with no thought of receiving.