Question for the group - Guru Seva Vs Volunteer work

[Guest guest]

Jai Maa,

I beleive that by doing seva to the Guru you can be fulfilled

spirtually, and with their blessings you can go very far. However,

volunteer work you are among other devotees, who can bring lots of

joy and lots of tears. What is this world if we don't experience

both?

Jai Maa

Dolly

Nanda <chandimaakijai > wrote: Dear All,Here is something for

us to think over...What is the difference/similarity between doing

seva for a Guru and doing volunteer work in any other organization

?What are the pros/cons ?I look forward to your well thought out

responses.Jai

GuruNandaDo You

?

 

[Guest guest]

, "Nanda" <chandimaakijai> wrote:

>

>

> Dear All,

> Here is something for us to think over...

>

> What is the difference/similarity between doing seva for a Guru and

> doing volunteer work in any other organization ?

>

> What are the pros/cons ?

>

> I look forward to your well thought out responses.

>

> Jai Guru

> Nanda

There is often no difference. We should first make a selfless offering of our

services to god and to have the faith that our intentions our pure and sincere.

 

Surath

[Guest guest]

I took great joy in it in those years when it was available to me,

(nov '96 to june '99). As the wheels of time rotate options change,

yet the instinct to serve remains. Nowadays I an able to bring a

great deal to my local public library and also to the Goodwill.

Those are the avenues that are open to me now.

 

In years past I worked in concert with many others. It was joyous.

Now I work all alone. Hundreds of pounds of valuables come to me

continually. As it is beyond my capacity to absorb I take it to the

librarian's or the Goodwill charity.

 

 

, "Nanda" <chandimaakijai>

wrote:

>

>

> Dear All,

> Here is something for us to think over...

>

> What is the difference/similarity between doing seva for a Guru

and

> doing volunteer work in any other organization ?

>

> What are the pros/cons ?

>

> I look forward to your well thought out responses.

>

> Jai Guru

> Nanda

[Guest guest]

Dear Friends,

 

Om Namah Shivayah!

 

My wife, asked Swamiji this question: "In my work, I have to go

attend these meetings, which I dont want to attend (meaning she is

not filled with joy when she attends the meetings). What do I do?"

Our Beloved Swamiji, said, among other things, "Keep repeating the

Mantra, "Its a privilege to serve".

 

My prayers to our beloved Maa and Swamiji to maintain the bhava of

love as we live and work in this world!

 

Jai Maa! Jai Swamiji!

 

with love and prayers,

 

 

 

 

, "rudran2" <stechiekov>

wrote:

>

>

> I took great joy in it in those years when it was available to me,

> (nov '96 to june '99). As the wheels of time rotate options change,

> yet the instinct to serve remains. Nowadays I an able to bring a

> great deal to my local public library and also to the Goodwill.

> Those are the avenues that are open to me now.

>

> In years past I worked in concert with many others. It was joyous.

> Now I work all alone. Hundreds of pounds of valuables come to me

> continually. As it is beyond my capacity to absorb I take it to

the

> librarian's or the Goodwill charity.

>

>

> , "Nanda" <chandimaakijai>

> wrote:

> >

> >

> > Dear All,

> > Here is something for us to think over...

> >

> > What is the difference/similarity between doing seva for a Guru

> and

> > doing volunteer work in any other organization ?

> >

> > What are the pros/cons ?

> >

> > I look forward to your well thought out responses.

> >

> > Jai Guru

> > Nanda

[Guest guest]

Dear Nanda,

 

interesting question. I am still trying to understand the Guru

concept, but as far as I can see now, the Guru is everywhere, the

principle of Light in every thing, and can thus be served in all

imaginable ways. It is the attitude of surrender and giving that

counts, not the appearances or circumstances. That would, i.m.h.o. be

the ideal. As I am a beginner on the path, I think it would make it

easier to cultivate the attitude of surrender and giving if someone

through whom that Light shines without obstacles were around to remind

me of the ideal. But we do what we can and keep trying,

 

with love,

 

Henny

 

, "Nanda" <chandimaakijai>

wrote:

>

>

> Dear All,

> Here is something for us to think over...

>

> What is the difference/similarity between doing seva for a Guru and

> doing volunteer work in any other organization ?

>

> What are the pros/cons ?

>

> I look forward to your well thought out responses.

>

> Jai Guru

> Nanda

[Guest guest]

Thank you for your input on the question - what is the difference

between Guru Seva and volunteer work in any other organization.

 

I respect all your opinions, while mine align very closely to that of Stevie's and Henny's .

I believe the commonality in both kinds of work - whether it is Guru

Seva or volunteer work - is the deep satisfaction that comes with

selfless work. Just the very fact that we are not in it for ourselves

but "what can I do to say "thank you" for being here" - to use Maa's

words - is enough to expand our hearts and feel at peace with all

existence.

 

The difference in Guru Seva are sooo may - (and I list just a few)

1) it is an opportunity to maintain the connection with a higher soul

and learn by observation. How do they respond to questions /

situations /crises ? How do they interact in "everyday" life? . For

example , this may be a very simple thing, but if anyone looks at

Swamiji's office - you would see it spick and span and organized. His

"desktop" on the PC - he cleans out unwanted documents and files them

away. He is the MODEL for efficiency and organization. So by

polishing our actions - by watching, learning and doing we begin to

reflect their attitude and bhava. It starts rubbing off on us.

 

2)This is a chance to relieve some of the worldly tasks for the Gurus

so that they can do what they are best at - sadhana . This reminds me

of the story of the squirrel that rubbed itself with mud and ran

rubbed the mud back on the bridge that Lord Rama was building to go

to Lanka. We may be the squirrels ... but it is SUCH a blessing to

participate in somehow "helping" them focus on God instead of on some

trivial wordly tasks.

 

3) Doing Guru Seva really is an opportunity to learn how to do

sadhana. Swamiji says "Sadhana is a privilege" .It happens because of

all the seva we do - whether we live close by or long distance.

 

4) We find our niches. Maa and Swamiji KNOW what kind of tasks to

assign a person. And they say , so sweetly too,"Could you please do

this help for me ?" while all the time it is us that is being helped.

They know the caliber/taste of each person and assign tasks that would

suit the temperament of that person. It is not surprising that when

devotees that have sincerely followed any "requests for help" from

Maa or Swamiji have found their skills flowering.

 

5) someone mentioned (was it you dear Sadhvi) about the "protected

environments in the ashram". Well it works both ways. Sometimes it

can get to be a pressure cooker too - or a better analogy - a washing

machine. We start on some seva - EGO comes in the way. Then we have

two choices - we can give up the job and save our egos , and just

inform the Gurus that we are no longer interested OR we can give up

our egos to continue the job and come out clean. As we know, it is

difficult to surrender our egos - especially in volatile situations.

If this occurred in a volunteer org, chances are , we'd think that we

did our best and it never worked out , so lets move on. Under a Guru,

because of our love for the Guru we are willing to ride it out, and

surrender our egos JUST BECAUSE we want to be near the Guru.

 

The GURU watches us - we can fool ourselves and the world but not the

Guru. He/she knows and puts us in a position where we have to be

honest with our motives ...

 

These are a few reasons that I can think of why I feel Guru Seva gives abundant blessings.

 

Oh yes, I can look at the entire world and everyone I meet as the

Guru. But if I search deep in my heart, I am not that advanced to

look at every one I meet as the Supreme Divinity. It is easier for me

to "follow" when I can recognize the Supreme Divinity in a human

being.

 

Jai the PHYSICAL GURU !Nanda

 

 

 

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