Service March 11, 2009
Posted by bodhidude in : Community, Relationship, Spirituality, Transformation , trackback
I’ve been working more lately with what it means to offer service, well really with what service actually means for me in practice. Service is a major part of my spiritual practice not only as a means of expressing my connection with others but also to express my gratitude for the incredible gifts I’ve received in my life and to give some of that back while reducing self-centeredness. I really had a limited idea of service up until recently imagining that it had to be some clear fixed activity that was labeled service and offered as such, something like volunteering for a charity or spiritual organization.
Now however its more of a daily moment to moment practice and I’m starting to see it as a potential motivation for all activity. A way of giving to others and the universe in a continuous ever flowing way. Now that I don’t have a job and I’ve created some space in terms of what to do next there is a part of me that isn’t sure what to do with myself each day beyond hanging with friends and doing spiritual practice and things like that. It occurred to me that there really doesn’t need to be any attempt to find something to do because the possibility of offering service is always present.
Service in this new perspective can be any activity that comes from a state of presence. I’m learning to stop and be still and become present before engaging in activity so as to be truly aware of where that activity is emerging from. There is a vast difference between activity that emerges from stillness and that which emerges from chaotic mind or from fear or agitation. When activity emerges from stillness it takes on an almost sacred quality which originates from the presence shining through it. There is great clarity here. From that place of stillness service becomes whatever is needed in the moment. Maybe its fixing a meal or taking a shower, maybe its offering a smile or a kind word, maybe its being grateful for what I have or expressing love to someone or maybe its going and working on someones computer or raking their yard. The action doesn’t matter so much, its more that it comes from a deep place and is therefore very resonating with what is needed in the moment. From this place there is no hesitation or doubt and compassion permeates ones experience because our interconnection is felt in the moment and when one “feels” their interconnectedness with others there is no hesitation when something is needed. It becomes a natural response. I’m still a ways from that but its becoming more and more clear as I really practice it.
Service would seem to be an integral aspect of an enlightened society because if everyone was aware of their connection with each other and responded naturally to what was needed we would no longer have any poverty or lack of any kind. However this requires a shift in awareness or consciousness rather than some kind of practical solution. I realize now that the best way I can contribute to this is to practice it myself.
Comments»
Magnifioso! Funny how you seem to speak to where I’ m at in my own process with these articles. Synchronicity sure is beautiful…
nice channeling Coke.
LOve, Cake
This also relates to the precepts we are working on at the Zen center. In Zen there are whats called the three pure precepts…..
The first is “Cease from evil, release all self-attachment”, evil here means thoughts and actions that support separation and delusion. Cease these kinds of thoughts and release attachment to the self or separation or simply let go and become present.
The second is “Do only good, take selfless action”, From that state of presence and surrender, act, let action emerge from the place of stillness or the place of no-self or one-self. That is doing good.
The third is “Do good for others – embrace all things and conditions, this is true service, from a place of presence and acting out of stillness we see our interconnection with all and we naturally and simply do good for others, as naturally as our right hand would pull our left hand free if it was caught in barbed wire.