BOWWBLOG #33 | The "Dāna" of Service: How Gratitude Begets Generosity – A Look Back at 10 Days of Service and 12 Months of Happy Returns
From November 19–30, I offered my time, energy, and attention to serving the needs of approximately 46 new and old students as well as servers in the 10-Day Vipassana Meditation Course in Tiaong, Quezon. It is the same fervor my TLC team and I bring to every program, consulting project, and personal interaction with you—our clients, partners, and community.
WHAT: The Practice of Selfless Giving
This was my second time offering my dāna (donation of service) at Dhamma Phala Center for Vipassana Meditation. As part of the kitchen crew under our young, energetic Chef Onang, I traded my “thinking job” as CEO for the tender, loving care of dishwashing, cleaning, and chopping vegetables for the students’ vegetarian meals. Up at 4 a.m. for a quick sit and a cold shower, I reported for duty by 5 ready for a busy day until retiring for rest at 10pm.
We were reminded daily of S.N. Goenka’s teaching: that giving dāna is deeply beneficial for the donor’s own spiritual growth and mental purification. It helps cultivate the pāramīs—the perfections that lead to liberation—when offered with pure intention and a heart full of mettā (loving-kindness).
Within the larger sangha (community) of the center, our small kitchen crew—Onang, Garry, Richard, Mac, Antoine, Anne Marie, Jessa, Joey, Kush, Christine, and myself—became its own little sangha. A diverse, mostly Gen Z + Millenial group, each seeking to “see reality as it is” and live with happiness, peace, and freedom from misery. The work was back-breaking at times, especially at 67, but the energy and commitment of my Dhamma brothers and sisters were utterly inspiring—and infectious.
SO WHAT: Gratitude is the Song of the Heart
“Ang pasasalamat ang awit ng puso.”
These lyrics from a song by the children of Bukid Kabataan have stayed with me: “Gratitude is the song of our heart.” That song reflects the state of my heart not only during those 10 days of service but in every opportunity I have to serve alongside our TLC community.
Working with that small kitchen crew mirrored the same focus, discipline, and shared commitment we bring to TLC’s marquee programs this year: the 28th cohort of Coaching Essentials (CoachE), the 7th year of the First Friday Forum, the 8th Off-the-Grid Flowcation, and a number of meaningful “firsts”—the 1st HR4HR, the launch of our Community Communiqué newsletter, and our official membership as Ambassadors and soon-to-be “hubs” for the global alliances of Wellbeing Economy Alliance (WEALL) and Individual Development Goals (IDG).
This year has reaffirmed that with a clear, shared purpose—to co-create one world, well and whole— a vision of people as the ultimate renewable resource, and a set of Values in Practice, we can embrace all change (anicca) with awareness and equanimity.
At the center of everything we do is meditation and mindfulness. And at the heart of mindfulness is gratitude: the conscious appreciation of the present moment, the non-judgmental recognition of life’s simple gifts—a breath, a patch of sky, a kind word, a shared intention.
NOW WHAT: Carrying the Spirit of Dāna Forward
As we look toward 2026, we remain open—heart and door—to those whom the winds of change will bring to us. We have plans and strategies, yes, but we also hold them lightly, remembering: anicca. Everything changes. What remains constant is our commitment to serve from a place of gratitude and generosity.
If this spirit of mindful service and heartfelt community resonates with you, I invite you to go one step deeper with us.
Become an official member of the TLC Community—a growing circle of consultants, coaches, capacity creators, and connectors who are committed to leading from wholeness. As a member, you’ll receive early access and discounts to our programs, exclusive resources, meaningful freebies and opportunities to connect with like-hearted leaders.
Or, take your next step through one of our pathways:
· Find your tribe at our First Friday Forum.
· Deepen your practice in nature with an Off-the-Grid Flowcation.
· Master the art of holding space in Coaching Essentials (CoachE).
· Transform your organizational culture with HR4HR.
Let’s enter the new year not just with resolutions, but with relationships—to ourselves, to each other, and to the work of healing our world, one mindful act at a time.
Together, let’s be one, well, and whole.
With heartfelt gratitude and mettā from the TLC Core Team: Myda Fernando, Juan Jacinto, Amico Rivera, Fida Robles, Liz Clarete, Ferdz Rivera, Joyce Cerenuela, Jessica Soriano and Wendy Clarete
-Susan
Founder & CEO, The TLC Solution
Posted on: Dec. 05, 2025
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