Shundo David Haye – Zen Priest

‘Eating well, getting exercise and sleep, knowing when enough is enough or too much—these are necessary practices of the perfection of generosity. Maybe you feel guilty taking care of yourself when the world and all your friends are in such pain. But think about it: if you don’t take care of your health, state of mind, and general well-being, what good will you be to others? When people give you gifts in an exhausted and semiresentful manner, it doesn’t make you feel joy. You wish they’d take care of themselves, not you. The same is true for you.

Practice the perfection of generosity with a spirit of abundance and happiness, not resentment and exhaustion. Taking excellent and loving care of yourself is skillful means in the practice of the perfection of generosity.’ (The World Could Be Otherwise)

I have been thinking a lot along these lines this year.