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Nov 18, 2004
Seva - the Lowdown : the how/why/when/where to do?
Seva - the Lowdown : the how/why/when/where to do?
Om Shri Sai Ram
Before one reads, one should take note that this is some heavy stuff
coming up and requires much study.
Seva (selfless service) can be done in many ways. We all generally
are exposed to the physical aspect such as Grama Seva (village
upliftment), hospital visits, medical camps, feeding schemes, etc.
One gets joy out of physically participating in these activities.
Notice that these activities are bound within a certain time limit.
Example : You with a group leave for Grama Seva in the morning and
return in the evening. This is the physical type of seva. This in
itself must be done with pur intentions without seeking of reward.
There is another aspect to selfless service and can be done all the
time wherever u are, in whatever situation regardless of time. This
is keeping GOOD THOUGHTS ! simple as might seem, but more complex to
implement than meets the eye. Does one simply say, i shall have good
thoughts and then it simply happens. we all know this simply does not
occur. Lets investigate further.
What generates thoughts ? An example. One a hot day one see an advert
on TV for a cool drink. Then one gets a thought maybe to go to the
fridge and drink something cool or go buy a cool drink. What has
happened in this instance is that a sensory input (sight) generated a
thought. Then followed action.
another example : One is walking through the streets of Puttaparthi.
One may notice the cars honking, poor kids begging, the buffalo doing
its thing merrily and then sudeenly you hear a catchy tune or bhajan.
You think of Swami during Darshan that morning and how graceful He
looked. Again here another sensory input (Ears) generated a thought
and what followed was maybe a good feeling or such.
The point here is that thoughts are generated by what we take in
through our senses. We have Five of them.
1.Eyes
2.Ears
3.Nose
4.Touch
5.Tongue
Out of these the tongue is paramount. TO control this is to control
the other senses. You see tongue can take in and give out too. Here,
diet plays a crucial role. Very bluntly put, if one is serious on
this spiritual path with the goal of merging with God, a satwic
(pure) diet is non-negotiable. Diet here refers to all sense also.
Tongue : Ofcourse vegetarianism for starters. But i'm sure you've
come across some vegetarians who can act like demons :-) So, what
plays critical role here? This area of diet is extensive and is
paramount for study, experimentation and implementation by every true
sadhaka (spiritual aspirant). This is described in detail at
www.srisathyasai.org.za - click on health & diet on the left. This is
not an attempt to promote this website. It simply contains the most
researched information (both from scriptures & medical science)
geared towards spirituality. Study this.
So what's all this got to do with SEVA ? Simple as this brother &
sister. The Seva activity by DEFINITION is to be SELFLESS. One's
thought process needs to be in pristine check if the Seva activity is
to be of benefit. Now this is not saying, "Oh i have some negative
thoughts, i can't do Seva." No, this is a defeatist attitude.
Refining this activity on an individual basis is a challenge for all
of us. I doubt if there is a single one among us all that does not
have negative thoughts at least some of the time. But we should
aspire to have none as Swami expects nothing but excellence from us.
The above was written in response to a question of how to do Seva at
1. home with chores or
2. if one does not have these opportunities one feels guilty/useless.
I am sure many have been in this quandry.
1. Well at home, always do the chores with excellence. If you are
washing the dishes, wash it as if Swami where going to physically eat
of it. When cleaning your toilet, wash it as if Swami where going to
use it. You see, if these home activities where done with such
THOUGHT processes, then automatically it becomes a service activity.
2. Having no seva opportunities ?? With due respect, this IS the Kali
Age after all. Suffering is abound. Go FIND the opportunities. A
small story i heard to illustrate.
Once at Kodai-Canal (a place in India Swami has often visited) Swami
was doing some distribution of food, clothing & blankets. So all
these poor people from around the area queued up near the ashram at
Kodai to receive the distribution. Students, Teachers & Officials
were very happy towards the end of the day having served so many
people. Swami however, did not seem entirely satisfied. He signalled
to one of His drivers and soon he disapeared around the back only to
come out in His car about to go out. Well!. Many thought," Ah Swami,
after a wonderful day of Seva, is going for a relaxing evening drive.
Splendid!"
After some time Swami returned. Many Students had gathered around but
dared not enquire how Swami's evening drive was. So, Bhagawan in His
Mercy revealed. He said " You have served many people here today. but
what about the people who are disabled, who are destitute, who are
sick and can't move, who are not able to travel here to receive these
items. I went to seek and find them and distribute these items to
them Myself."
wonderful story. Swami does not waste a single utterance or action
of His. He has come to teach us.
" My Life is My Message" - have you not heard ? We need to go find
these opportunities as Swami Himself has shown us. Swami has more
recently endeared us to say, "YOUR life is MY Message." What
responsibilty we have !
It all starts on individual level. One should understand how the
internal administration of man works. how your mind works. why we
react, respond in different ways at different times.
The book every Sai devotee should STUDY is Summer Showers 1990. In
fact all Summer Showers are intense and should be studied in general.
(Summer Showers is generally a two-week long "concentration camp"
where Spirituality & Culture is studied by Students with them
receiving lectures from many reknowned speakers from India & the
World as well as Swami giving Divine Discourses every day!!)
This together with the web link (above) to the health & diet stuff is
a powerful tool for transformation. And as Swami has stated, "Without
information, there can be no transformation."
Jai Sai Ram
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/saibabanews/message/4892
Posted at 07:32 am by saiavatar
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