Alchemy is all about transformation, and there is nothing in our practice more transformative than generosity - toward both ourselves and others. In this talk, Kevin Martin shares that what we do on the cushion is the most generous thing we can give to ourselves.  Our practice can help us disrupt personal karma by making us more curious about the deeply held beliefs and patterns that imprison us.  Sharing the dharma is also a great act of generosity toward others. Putting our knowledge into action is even more powerful. It takes courage to apply the dharma in order to disrupt the conditions in the world that give rise to suffering. Kevin goes on to explore cultivating a generous heart. This can include the courage to express our genuine self, which extends to others the freedom to be themselves. ______________ Kevin Martin, aka Thando, is a Vipassana meditation teacher with a decade of experience.  He learned metta practice from his teacher's insight and cherishes witnessing life's aspects others fear experiencing.  Thando's teaching philosophy is that life is our best teacher, and we should continually transform through cycles of death and life.  His teaching style is practical and adapts to the student's understanding.   Thando means Love in Xhosa, a South African culture and language. While studying abroad in South Africa as a college student in 2009, Thando received his name from a Xhosa elder who identified 'love' as a virtue that would be his lifelong call to action. Since the passing of his elder, Thando has taken this name as a lifelong commitment. Support the show______________ To participate live and be notified of upcoming speakers in advance, please Like us on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/gaybuddhistfellowship) or visit https://gaybuddhist.org/calendar/ To support our efforts to share these talks with LGBTQIA audiences worldwide, please visit www.GayBuddhist.org. There you can: Donate Learn how to participate live Find our schedule of upcoming speakers Join our mailing list or discussion forum Enjoy many hundreds of these recorded talks dating back to 1996 CREDITS Audio Engineer: George Hubbard Producer: Tom Bruein Music/Logo/Artwork: Derek Lassiter