I was not raised “religiously.” My family did not tithe. I first heard of tithing in my yoga community about five years ago. When presented to me then, I thought… Ya right, I don’t have the income to regularly throw 10% of it away. I did not feel prosperous enough to give that much and that often to someone else. Then this year I read a book called I’m Rich Beyond My Wildest Dreams – I am, I am, I am – How Get Everything You Want in Life, by Thomas L. Pauley and Penelope J. Pauley. Now with a title like that most people think cheesy, hogwash and scam! The reason I gave it a chance was the “I am” part of the title. I have been interested in the law of attraction, affirmations and the power of thought for several years now. This phrase “I am” stuck out at me as I saw the book in my trunk one day. It was given to me a couple years back and had not quite moved onto the bookshelf since my move a year ago.

I finished the book quickly and was pleased to finally understand tithing in a new way. What the book says and I believe is that the 10% of your income that you think you don’t have is actually going to go somewhere anyway. If you choose to tithe the money, it will go to where you want it rather than to a parking ticket.

There are some important things I have learned about tithing. Tithing is the acknowledgment that YOU are not responsible for all the good in your life. It physically gives back to the Universe, God, the Source of what we are all connected to. This payment is saying thank you for all the amazing things that come to me. Although we are attracting these things into our life, it is the Universe that is delivering. With my tithe I am tipping the delivery person/force!

Another thing I have learned is that tithing is not charity. Giving to charity is also discussed in the book but a totally separate experience. Tithing is a bit more specific. You give 10% of your income to the place/places from which you receive your spiritual fulfillment. For me right now that place is BodyMantra. It has become part of my practice and a place that I know I will receive my answers. So it was a no brainer for me to write my first tithing check to Kimberly. Another thing that made sense to me is that you do not have to give 10% right off the bat. This can be the goal but starting with 1 or 5% is still a powerful practice.

Although I am not Rich Beyond My Wildest Dreams… yet… I feel fed by my tithing. I feel that as I travel through my journey of life, more and more I am led. I am led by something more powerful than my human experience. I see the pieces coming together and for now tithing is one of those pieces.

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Tara’s tithing will be used directly in support of BodyMantra – whether it be the extra yoga mats that we need right now or sound equipment to keep delivering music in just-the-right-way. Thank you, Tara, for sharing this profound perspective of your experience, and for setting an example within our powerful, nurturing and Beloved community.