Tricycle | Awake in the World

In today's Buddhist Holiday Survival Guide dharma talk, teacher Gil Fronsdal speaks about service as generosity. It's the perfect reminder for those of us who are feeling stressed and exhausted about shopping for gifts—as Gil reminds us, the result of generosity should be peace, not being burned out and in conflict. If we are feeling the latter instead of the former, we might want to examine whether we're giving in the spirit of selfless love or out of a sense of duty and obligation.

If you missed Gil's previous talks, you can find them here and here.

And remember, if you have a question about your practice, Zen monk Brad Warner is answering questions here until the new year. This week only, Zen teacher Ezra Bayda is leading a discussion about managing difficult relationships during the holiday season here.