Is Tithing The Road To Abundance Or New Age Nonsense?
Mark Silver

You may be familiar with the principle of tithing- giving a
certain percentage of your earnings to those in need. You may
have also heard that what you give, will come back to you
twice-over, three-times over, seven-fold, or ten-fold. Different
traditions have different formulas.
Some people swear by it. Others just end up swearing as their
financial obligations mount. Which begs the question: Does
tithing really work to increase abundance, or is it a bunch of
new-age nonsense? Do you give in order to succeed, or because
you've already had some success?

What if the loaves and fishes run out?

My spiritual teacher, who was visiting from Jerusalem to teach
here in the US, loves to cook, and had prepared some food. He
started handing out portions to folks, and my friend was one of
the first to get some. She had received a generous portion, but
she became increasingly anxious as the portions became smaller
and smaller with each additional serving.

It soon became clear that some people wouldn't get any at all.

Since he -IS- after all, her spiritual teacher, she began to ask
her heart what was going on. Why should she get so much when
others received so little? Her heart showed her, in a flash, that
we are all links in the chain of giving. Just because she got a
larger piece, doesn't mean that she should keep it all.

The teaching was about being awake, responsibility, and the true
nature of generosity. She had to participate in the giving, and
not just the receiving.

Tithing is not charity.

Charity is defined, by Merriam-Webster as 'generosity or
helpfulness... a gift... benevolent goodwill.'

A tithe, on the other hand, is 'a... part paid... as a tax.'
'obligation... small tax or levy.'

The Sufi teachings say this: to give generously in charity is a
great thing. But, before charity comes an obligation. If you
receive abundantly, you owe some of what you received to those
less fortunate. Why do you owe this? Why can't you just keep it?
After all, you worked hard to get it.

The tithe is a recognition that we are all interconnected, that
none of us is independent. It is impossible to amass any amount
of wealth solely on your own efforts. Tithing is recognizing the
contributions that others have made to your success. By paying
this obligation, you recognize that you aren't the source at the
beginning of wealth, and you aren't the stopping point at the
end of wealth. You are in the middle. Letting some of the wealth
you receive flow downstream is the best way to assure that you
stay in the flow.

So how do you tithe? How much? When? And, is it only about
giving- what about the receiving back ten-fold? How does that
work?


Keys to Playing the Middle

* There is no vending machine.

Wouldn't it be nice if life worked like a vending machine? Put
in a prayer, get out a candy bar? Put in a donation, get it back
doubled? Although some people would have you believe this is
true, it ain't.

Our relationship with the Divine, and the world around us, is
more complex- it IS a relationship. And, no relationship works
like a vending machine. It has more subtlety to it. This means
when you give, give whole-heartedly, from your natural
generosity, and not simply as a strategy to try and force an
outpouring of abundance.

And... just keep your eyes open... I wonder what you notice does
come back?

* Yes, you do have to do the dishes.

Tithing is a spiritual obligation that comes when you receive
abundance, to acknowledge your place in the middle of the flow.
No one can take 100% credit for what comes his or her way in
terms of wealth, and tithing is simply the inspired action that
grows out of acknowledging this healthy humility.

However, this obligation is not like your parents forcing you to
do the dishes or mow the lawn. If you've ever experienced the
joy and happiness that comes from giving a gift, then you already
know how enriching tithing is. Marshall Rosenberg, author of the
inspiring book Nonviolent Communication, says that human beings
are happiest when they are trying to make life more wonderful for
each other.

* If you ain't got it, you can't give it.

I've seen people make donations by borrowing on a credit card,
only to feel crushed under the weight of this debt later.
Remember that tithing is not you being the source of the giving-
it's merely acknowledging that you are in the middle. You can't
give what you don't have.

How much to give? Different traditions have different formulas.
The Sufis teach to annually tithe 2.25% of all you own free and
clear. This means that Sufis total up what they have, subtract
what they owe, and give 2.25% of what's left to help support
those who are poor. Many often give more than that, but that's
the minimum.

If your business is feeling stagnant and you don't have a
tithing plan in place, it might be time to add this part of the
flow to your giving and receiving.

Enjoy!




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Mark Silver is the author of Unveiling the Heart of Your
Business: How Money, Marketing and Sales can Deepen Your
Heart, Heal the World, and Still Add to Your Bottom Line.
He has helped hundreds of small business owners around
the globe succeed in business without losing their
hearts. Get three free chapters of the book online:
http://www.heartofbusiness.com