The concept of living kindness is not some hypothetical idea. Although the term “living kindness” is my own, its meaning draws upon a set of ten timeless, transcendental principles that the Buddha himself understood as necessary for his own awakening. For me, these ancient principles represent a skillful means through which each of us can paint the world with our artful, daily expression of kindness, compassion, and deep respect for all beings regardless of differences in faith, belief, culture, gender, social status, and ethnicity. In short, living kindness is more than a path for relieving suffering and positively empowering others in this world. It is also proven path for personal spiritual awakening.

The Buddha Vamsa Pali Texts, or lineage of the Buddhas, tells the story of how the Buddha-to-be found ten conditions necessary for becoming a Buddha. These principles are astonishingly fresh and easily adapted to modern life. Some Buddhist teachings use these as their ideal, a means by which one becomes a Bodhisattva, or an "awakening being" seeking enlightenment. But do not assume that this makes them exclusively "Buddhist" principles or standards. Or that you have to be a Bodhisattva to experience them.

These ten principles — generosity, effort, patience, ethics, simplicity and meditation, wisdom, truthfulness, steadfastness, equanimity, and loving-kindness — represent an inclusive, tolerant, and interfaith approach to living that is not steeped in dogma or ideology. What’s more, they can also help us cope with the many challenges facing us today, both personally and as a community.

With living kindness you can learn to stop sleep-walking through life and to reconnect with your divine intelligence. None of us are put on this planet to be mindless. Your divine, conscious gifts can be utilized by seeing, hearing, thinking, breathing, and feeling with all your potential. This means that you need to use your living kindness intelligence in new and creative ways, instead of falling into the same old patterns of approaching work, family, and life. How do you break free of rigid, frozen thought? What do you gain when you sleep walk along with the latest trend or play the role that society gives you of boss, parent, or lover, all without recognizing even the most subtle of consequences?

Rather than being reduced to a "random acts of kindness" bumper sticker, living kindness is uniquely boundless, purposeful, and empowering. It is also more open and forgiving than the self-sacrificing kindness that I learned about in Sunday school. Living kindness is a vehicle by which your love, generosity, and other vital values make contact with the real world. This is kindness where it counts.

The ten living kindness principles are often referred to by the Sanskrit word as paramitas, or perfections. This doesn’t mean you need to be perfect in practicing these principles. Rather, it means that each individual principle illuminates and possesses all of the ten principles. This makes each principle entirely whole and inseparable from the others. Imagine a single, flawless diamond containing ten brilliant facets, or virtues. Whenever you express any of them, you are really expressing and practicing them all. In this way, you multiply your efforts at experiencing all these different virtues. As the

Buddha said in the Dhammapada:

The perfume of sandalwood,
Rosebay or jasmine
Cannot travel against the wind.
But the fragrance of virtue
Travels even against the wind,
As far as the ends of the world.
Like garlands woven from a heap of flowers,
Fashion from your life as many good deeds.

The first of the living kindness principles is generosity. Being first on the list is no accident, and Buddhist texts traditionally place it at the top of the list. At first glance, the ancient principle of generosity, known as dana paramita, is a simple one. Look more deeply, though, and you will likely discover that this most basic of acts connects us intimately with all physical, emotional, and spiritual elements. Even the Catholic Church, for example, does not choose saints by looking at a candidate’s visions or miracles. The gold standard for attaining sainthood is charity. This makes sense when you realize that charity and giving for the well-being of others spring from the seed of love.

This living kindness principle is also vital because generosity, altruism, letting go of attachments, and diminishing self-centeredness and greed are central to spiritual growth and awakening. It is also first on the list because generosity is one of the easier principles to practice. By gently and persistently letting go, we keep from focusing on ourselves—a true obstacle to awakening. Generosity is also a universal principle that can be found in Judaism’s tzedakah, or charity, Islam’s zakat, a purifying payment, and the Native American practice of the "giveaway."

As you approach this holiday season where "giving" is on everyone’s mind, it might be helpful to remember this: You have an empowering gift to share with others that is not measured in dollars and cents, but with compassion and sense. Generosity is not just for the Mother Teresas of the world. It is for real people who struggle with giving on a daily basis. Ultimately, your best kind of giving means bringing your awareness, open heart, unselfish mind, and generosity to each situation as called for. Of course, this does not mean you have to be generous all the time. You still have to take care of your own well-being so you can help others. Truly, this is the first step on the journey to living kindness.

Donald Altman, M.A., is a mental health therapist, former Buddhist monk, and author of several critically reviewed books on mindful living, including Living Kindness: The Buddha‚s Ten Guiding Principles for a Blessed Life, Art of the Inner Meal, and Meal by Meal: 365 Daily Meditations for Finding Balance Through Mindful Eating. You can contact Donald and learn more about his books, CDs, and workshops at his website: www.mindfulpractices.com.