r e f l e c t i o n : ON SEVA (VOLUNTEERISM)...

Seva is an expression of one's inner love.
In Seva there is no 'I'. Seva is your inner attitude - not the action.
Inside your body, in your heart, have this attitude -
'I am here, available.'

- His Holiness Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

Working alongside many selfless individuals on seva with the DKP Team and Art of Living in the past month has opened up for me a whole new dimension in the meaning of seva and the spirit of volunteerism. The social sector in Singapore often talks about instilling a sense of volunteerism in people and especially students. We talked about it in seminars and even instituted compulsory volunteer hours which students must chalk up to pass their grades. But like all virtues, volunteerism is caught rather than taught. We learn the deepest through being touched experientially and emotionally by another being.

The best teachers of volunteerism are the volunteers and their stories - motivation, experiences, social impacts and how these pieces fit into their bigger life puzzle. They bring to life the significance of why there is no higher honor than service to others. Seva means Selfless Service. Many of the sevaks (those who do seva) we met are not drawing any monetary benefits while some are receiving just very small amount of stipend. Some juggle full time jobs (for making a living) with their after-office seva (for making a difference in others). Some simply let go of everything (career or business) to embark on a life of seva with Guruji - many of these are among the brightest from IIT and high flying professionals. Some are so young (below 20s) but they are impressively mature in their sense of service! While the young sevaks have little qualification or experience to fall back on, they have a heart so committed to their mission to serve and help that they would bravely take on astronomical challenges, often without any idea of the ‘how’. Their sense of purpose basically propels them forward and often they learn and innovate naturally on the fly, trying and keep on trying different ways to get things done. Such strong faith and devotion keeps that smile hanging on their faces and that joy in their hearts, regardless how difficult or insurmountable a task seems to be at hand. Almost all the initiatives that they undertake are so huge to me. They are encouraging school dropouts in the slum areas to go back to school; they are helping illiterate women in the slum to learn livelihood skills like sewing, money management and starting small businesses. These sevaks are taking upon themselves to help the ultra poor to break out of the poverty cycle. Have they prior experience of how to do it? Have they the necessary qualifications to take on this feat? No. But with this spirit of seva in their heart, I know they can accomplish anything and more.

It strengthens my knowing that not knowing the ‘how’ is really not that important. Having a ‘why’ so strong and having faith in purpose is so key to accomplishing anything, big or small. Often, and more often than we would imagine, having a strong leader (like Guruji) to offer himself/herself for others to lean on till they are ready to fly on their own is critical. And such a leader is not one who is appointed or promoted, but one who emerges naturally through his/her own flowering from within. Such a leader can be anyone, young or old, professional or otherwise, but one who authentically knows at a deep level his/her own being, vision and destination. For such a person naturally shines a light, without shout or whistle, so attractive that others will be inspired to being more of themselves through the course that they set forth together in any platform (business or social). May your own light shine and light up the path for others through Seva.