Hi Friend,
Before we begin: what follows is my playful almost poetic way of taking a look at the delicate difference between gratitude and magnanimity.
👉 In short:
Gratitude is a disposition of appreciation and thankfulness.
Magnanimity is kindness and generosity towards someone, especially after defeating them or being treated badly by them which in many ways is the essence of our Metta Meditation practice.
Gratitude and magnanimity often walk in the same fields, but they are not the same harvest.
Gratitude is the tender bow of the head, the quiet “thank you” for what has been given. It is receptive — a response to kindness, a recognition of goodness that has arrived at our door for whatever reason. Gratitude humbles us; it keeps us awake to the fact that so much of what sustains us comes not by our own hand, but by the teachings of others, by circumstance & grace.
Magnanimity, however, rises from a deeper soil. Its roots are of a noble spirit and expansive heart. It is a sign of emotional maturity — a largeness of soul that forgives, that gives freely, that shows generosity even toward those who may not seem to deserve it.
Magnanimity calls us into that larger life, to act not from the narrowness of injury or self-concern, but from the vastness of spirit that knows no scarcity.
This is why magnanimity often takes the shape of forgiveness.
To act with dignity in the face of offense, to resist becoming a mirror of harm — this is magnanimity in practice. It allows us to stand tall, not by overpowering others, but by refusing to let resentment diminish us.
And it is no accident that one of my earliest teachers Jack Kornfield would say,
‘Sit like a mountain. Sit with a sense of strength and dignity. Be steadfast, be majestic, be natural and at ease in awareness.’”
And perhaps magnanimity today is revealed less in wealth or accomplishments than in the rare act of giving undivided, caring attention with no strings attached.
To turn toward life in this way is a subtle expression of self-love, a recognition that our own being — and the world around us — are worthy of being fully seen.
Attention itself becomes generosity, not only toward one, but toward the life force that flows through all of us.
Carpe Diem, my friends. Remember, it’s a form of self love.
oxox-D
📖 Between the Covers
- Books & essays I’m reading, researching & sharing.
The Meaning In The Making by Sean Tucker
One of my go to weekly reads, but not just that, his videos are an absolutely phenomenal. Revealing in nature and educational.
I respect his journey. If you’re looking for an author that offers more than just a book, but an intellectual fascinating journey through his life this is the man. Enjoy
The video is here:
I read you the First Chapter of my New Book
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