I am posting an article by T. Selva about what true service means to share with everyone here.
When an individual helps others unconditionally, the person will be showered with more energy in an unseen manner.
TRUE SERVICE
BESIDES relaxing and catching up with the family on a Sunday there are many people who spend their time doing charitable work for the needy and less fortunate and divine related activities selflessly.
I have great admiration for such people because they serve the poor, sick and downtrodden and they perform their service without any expectations.
Whether they are aware or not they are actually doing the purpose of life and that is to serve mankind compassionately to attain cosmic consciousness.
Our life is not meant to just eat, sleep, earn money or gossip, and people should realise that the secret of life is to serve people unselfishly.
And when we conduct the act of volunteerism it requires big sacrifices like being away from the family and spending a great amount of our energy, time and patience for the noble purpose.
When one performs a selfless service for an organisation or an individual, he or she should do it willingly without questioning what would be the end result or what would be the benefit and should not seek any special attention.
At a recent spiritual gathering in Kuala Lumpur, I was moved by the over 600 volunteers who worked in unity and who gave up their sleep to serve tirelessly for many hours.
Most of them assisted with commitment while some volunteers appeared and disappeared and a few just stood aimlessly and had the opinion that there was no “boss” watching them.
It is vital that one understands what is volunteerism when an individual undertakes such duties.
A volunteer is a person who is self-motivated and comes to help without being asked and he or she should remain faithful to the commitment.
The strength of a volunteer is judged on the challenges the person is ready to take and willing to face.
Often a dedicated volunteer will find that he is capable of doing so much more than he ever thought of doing because he does it with love.
And a true volunteer also does not expect any appreciation or gratitude. For such individuals, they derive joy from serving people.
The question often asked is what is selfless service?
Volunteerism comes in several forms and they are some who do a service not even knowing that they are doing it because it is their very nature.
Some become a volunteer because the situation required it and there is another form of volunteerism where it is done because it gives the individual joy and satisfaction.
There are also some people who become volunteers because they want some merits and recognition in the society.
Whatever type of community service an individual chooses to undertake, the ultimate purpose should be selfless.
According to renowned masters in art of living and happiness, when one serves kind-heartedly and with deep devotion, privileges will follow unasked sooner or later.
Although this is something that is intangible and difficult to digest, it is the truth.
The service should be done sincerely with love and compassion and without the purpose of self-glorification.
One also need not hold positions or be elected to serve the people because it should come willingly from within the individual. People should understand that when an individual performs duties to help others unconditionally, the person will be showered with more energy in an unseen manner.
This is why many people who undertake such task and serve long hours do not suffer from aches or pains or feel tired, but emerge stronger because they do it with compassion.
The benefits of selfless service are boundless and among them are it purifies your heart, allows you to look at life in a broader perspective and fills you with good virtues.
It also helps to remove your ego, hatred, anger, jealousy and the idea of superiority and replaces them with peace and joy.
One of the best services to mankind is to provide hope and throw light on the path of a seeker by using your intellect, strength and wisdom.
When doing so, do not expect perfection from them. Just do it for the betterment of others with total surrender.
T. Selva, The Star’s Sunday Metro Editor, believes that to love all, serve all and be kind to all should be a lifetime activity and it is one way to reach self-realisation.
Source: http://thestar.com.my/metro/story.asp?file=/2008/4/13/sundaymetro/20901180&sec=SundayMetro
To view a video of T. Selva giving a talk entitled "The Art of Living", please go to:
http://thestaronline.tv/default.aspx?vid=817
When an individual helps others unconditionally, the person will be showered with more energy in an unseen manner.
TRUE SERVICE
BESIDES relaxing and catching up with the family on a Sunday there are many people who spend their time doing charitable work for the needy and less fortunate and divine related activities selflessly.
I have great admiration for such people because they serve the poor, sick and downtrodden and they perform their service without any expectations.
Whether they are aware or not they are actually doing the purpose of life and that is to serve mankind compassionately to attain cosmic consciousness.
Our life is not meant to just eat, sleep, earn money or gossip, and people should realise that the secret of life is to serve people unselfishly.
And when we conduct the act of volunteerism it requires big sacrifices like being away from the family and spending a great amount of our energy, time and patience for the noble purpose.
When one performs a selfless service for an organisation or an individual, he or she should do it willingly without questioning what would be the end result or what would be the benefit and should not seek any special attention.
At a recent spiritual gathering in Kuala Lumpur, I was moved by the over 600 volunteers who worked in unity and who gave up their sleep to serve tirelessly for many hours.
Most of them assisted with commitment while some volunteers appeared and disappeared and a few just stood aimlessly and had the opinion that there was no “boss” watching them.
It is vital that one understands what is volunteerism when an individual undertakes such duties.
A volunteer is a person who is self-motivated and comes to help without being asked and he or she should remain faithful to the commitment.
The strength of a volunteer is judged on the challenges the person is ready to take and willing to face.
Often a dedicated volunteer will find that he is capable of doing so much more than he ever thought of doing because he does it with love.
And a true volunteer also does not expect any appreciation or gratitude. For such individuals, they derive joy from serving people.
The question often asked is what is selfless service?
Volunteerism comes in several forms and they are some who do a service not even knowing that they are doing it because it is their very nature.
Some become a volunteer because the situation required it and there is another form of volunteerism where it is done because it gives the individual joy and satisfaction.
There are also some people who become volunteers because they want some merits and recognition in the society.
Whatever type of community service an individual chooses to undertake, the ultimate purpose should be selfless.
According to renowned masters in art of living and happiness, when one serves kind-heartedly and with deep devotion, privileges will follow unasked sooner or later.
Although this is something that is intangible and difficult to digest, it is the truth.
The service should be done sincerely with love and compassion and without the purpose of self-glorification.
One also need not hold positions or be elected to serve the people because it should come willingly from within the individual. People should understand that when an individual performs duties to help others unconditionally, the person will be showered with more energy in an unseen manner.
This is why many people who undertake such task and serve long hours do not suffer from aches or pains or feel tired, but emerge stronger because they do it with compassion.
The benefits of selfless service are boundless and among them are it purifies your heart, allows you to look at life in a broader perspective and fills you with good virtues.
It also helps to remove your ego, hatred, anger, jealousy and the idea of superiority and replaces them with peace and joy.
One of the best services to mankind is to provide hope and throw light on the path of a seeker by using your intellect, strength and wisdom.
When doing so, do not expect perfection from them. Just do it for the betterment of others with total surrender.
T. Selva, The Star’s Sunday Metro Editor, believes that to love all, serve all and be kind to all should be a lifetime activity and it is one way to reach self-realisation.
Source: http://thestar.com.my/metro/story.asp?file=/2008/4/13/sundaymetro/20901180&sec=SundayMetro
To view a video of T. Selva giving a talk entitled "The Art of Living", please go to:
http://thestaronline.tv/default.aspx?vid=817
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