Books, Articles, and other Resources on Gratitude and Generosity

“Clear, systematic, and relational-Clark offers what every congregation needs to know for successful fundraising.” -Terry Sweetser, UUA Vice President for Stewardship and Development

Moves beyond the myth of scarcity to the reality of abundance. (UUA) March 2007. 184 pp.

Conari Press ISBN: 1-57324-521-6 Gratitude and generosity go hand in hand—the more we appreciate our lives, the more we want to give to others. In A Grateful Heart, M. J. Ryan provided tools for expressing thanks. In the bestselling Attitudes of Gratitude, she taught us the inner work of realizing the many blessings we take for granted. Now, in The Giving Heart, she presents her latest examination of the virtues we need to cultivate for the twenty-first century and takes a look at generosity: what creates it, what blocks it, and what the practice of generosity can bring to our lives.

In a series of short, heart-felt essays, Ryan encourages us all to stop living from what she calls “the ledger sheet mentality” of obligatory gifting, and to begin giving from the overflow of a loving heart. She asks readers to consider where and how they are stingy as well as where they are meant to give, and to contemplate all the types of possible generosity, because the giving of time, energy, kind words, loving gestures, and forgiveness may ultimately matter more than any amount of money.

In her down-to-earth, accessible style, Ryan takes us to the heart of what it means to truly give, and what that giving can do not only for the recipient, but for ourselves, as well.

As the current economic boom brings attention to altruism and “giving back,” The Giving Heart shows us how to experience joy, peace, and fulfillment when we live from a place of generosity.

From the book: Generosity comes in all kinds of forms—material, of course, but also intellectual, emotional, and spiritual. It includes the giving of our knowledge, our awareness, our empathy, our silence. And because it’s all about giving away, it’s also about letting go of grudges, hurts, concepts of ourselves and the world that stand in the way of our connection to others.

A portion of the proceeds from The Giving Heart will be donated to the organization, My Shopping List for the World.

Conari Press ISBN: 1-57324-149-0 Gratitude creates a powerful state of happiness because it returns us to the natural place where we notice what’s right instead of what’s wrong. In Attitudes of Gratitude, M. J. Ryan teaches us how to unlock the fullness of life through the expression and exercise of a grateful heart. In a series of brief, evocative essays, she inspires us to discover and distill a sense of gratitude in every aspect of our lives and offers practical suggestions to help us focus on all that we have, rather than our perception of what may be lacking.

Conari Press ISBN: 0-943233-84-4“Gratitude is Heaven itself” — William Blake

No matter what our spiritual orientation, one of our most universal customs is pausing before the evening meal to acknowledge the small and large things that make life meaningful. A collection of 365 blessings both traditional and new, organized by seasons, A Grateful Heart expands and enriches this custom by emphasizing the universal spirit from a wide variety of traditions. It includes blessings by Martin Luther King Jr., Thich Nhat Hanh, Mother Teresa, Denise Levertov, Marcus Aurelius, Helen Keller, Walt Whitman, May Sarton and W.E.B. DuBois, among others, and from such diverse sources as the Tao Te Ching, the Bible, and Native American prayers.