Wow! I received so many comments on last week’s post where I shared my surprise discovery. It came from all directions; directly on the blog, through email and in person. Many asked about tithing.

• What do you mean?
• Do you literally give 10 percent away?
• To the church?
• Who do you tithe to?

There was a big discussion on tithing amongst those of us who decided to explore the book and follow its practices.
Do you tithe before tax, after tax, whenever you get money in, once a month? Does it include gift money or gifting? Does charity count? All these questions and more were explored.

For years and years I have saved 10 percent of my net income – after tax and everything else that came off my salary before I was paid the rest. Some people consider this tithing. Personally, I don’t.

Make it Easy

I like to keep things simple and sensible. If it is onerous and complicated, I am unlikely to do it, let alone stick with it. In my book doing the basics is a good start. I suggest making up some simple rules that work for you.  For instance, I take a look at the end of each month to see what income I had and tithe 10 percent of that. That’s my rule. Make it simple, make it easy.  That way you are more likely to remember it, stick to it and stick with it. It is consistency that counts.

Saving 10 percent of your salary is easy. You open an account you don’t have easy access to; you set up a direct debit so it is preferably the first item paid out of your salary. Once set up, you can forget about it. The process is painless, happens unobtrusively and unconsciously; meaning you don’t have to think about it.

Much the same can be said about giving to charity. You can set up a direct debit and every month the money automatically goes where you have indicated and you can forget about it.

Make it Conscious

Tithing is different in that you do it consciously and with intent. Meaning that the process of tithing, whom to tithe to and how much, is a conscious process; a conscious act where you are actively engaged and involved with making the decisions and making it happen.

This means every time you tithe, you have to spend some time thinking who contributed to you spiritual growth and tithe to that person or organisation. By definition, this means that your list of where to tithe, grows over time.

Of course it is OK if it is a church, if you feel that church has contributed to your spiritual growth. Many people get great comfort and spiritual nourishment from church; all is well with their world and tithing to the church make sense for them.

For many others, including myself, this is not true, so it does not feel right and does not make sense to tithe to the church.

Where to Tithe

Take a moment to think who contributed to your spiritual growth; your understanding of how the universe works. Mind you, not how the world works; how the universe works.

It may be the friend with whom you first raised the question

• Who and what is God?
• Why are we here on earth?
• Who am I?

It may be someone like Marianne Williamson, Dr Wayne Dyer, Eckhart Tolle, The Most Reverend Desmond Tutu, Archbishop Emeritus of Cape Town or any of many other known spiritual teachers and leaders, people who have said or written something and suddenly you had that Aha!! moment when another piece of the puzzle fell into place.

Now you may be thinking ‘these people don’t need the money.’

The key here is to remember it is not about that; it is not about them.
You are not doing it for them; you are doing it for yourself. You are practising the Law of Giving and Receiving, a concept taught in many spiritual teachings.

The experts on tithing are the authors of the book I am Rich Beyond My Wildest Dreams, I am, I am, I am, by Tom and Penelope Pauley. Take a look at their response to this question where to tithe.

Intention is Everything

If 10 percent is too much when you first start out, start with a smaller percentage and work your way up to 10 percent. It’s all about intention.

Lastly, keep it light. Keep it fun. Give wholeheartedly. Give freely. Do it with a joyful heart.

May you give with much love and many blessings and receive back a thousand fold and more!
Photo Credit: Andy445