Seva and Satsang with Other Sevakas Is Important

Working with others not only increases the power of what you're able to accomplish, but it also reinforces what the power of community is. That we uplift each other so we keep our consciousness high, and trains us in qualities such as harmony and communication.

Nayaswami Jyotish shares this beautiful inspiration from his upcoming book The Heart of Seva about this important principle of seva/service. Recorded during Ananda's Inner Renewal Retreat in February 2023.

Transcript

Importance of Studying and Practicing the Principles

Nayaswami Jyotish:

Now, just to reiterate, because we're going through these principles very quickly, what they're doing in Brindaban is that they're taking one of these principles each month and they study them and they talk about them and then they practice them. So, whatever they're doing, they try to work with that and then they consciously reinforce that.

We have a wonderful... we call it Karma Yoga program here, and I think most of you know about it, many of you have participated in it. But for every day, they get together, they meditate together briefly, they talk about one principle of service of Karma Yoga, and then they try to apply that while they're doing whatever they're doing. It's an absolutely wonderful, for many people life-changing, experience to be able to work that way.

But just because we're going through these quickly, don't kind of think that you don't need to think about them or apply them. They're very important principles.

Working Together Increases Efficiency and Community

So, the next principle is seva and satsang with other Sevakas—is important. So working not just in isolation but working with others. And working with others not only increases the power of what you're able to accomplish.

Imagine you have five people, and they're each trying to build a little cabin here, five carpenters, and so the first Carpenter gets so far and he thinks, "Well, I need some sheetrock nails," so he has to drive to town and get sheetrock nails and he comes back. Carpenter number two is over there and he says, "Well, I need some two by fours," so he drives to town to get the two by fours and he comes back, and so it goes on and on.

Isn't it better for the five of them to be working together, and they need sheetrock nails, and they need lumber, and they need this and they that need that, and one of them drives to town, gets it all while the others are still working? Efficiency, there's a point in here about working with efficiency. But we can accomplish a lot more when we serve with others.

Reinforcing Community and Learning Skills

But that's the least of it. Serving with others reinforces what the power of community is, that we reinforce and uplift each other. So we keep our Consciousness high, and it also trains us in qualities such as harmony and communication that are needed in order to be able to work together, and so it's important not just to work alone and to feel that that's your service. Some of that, of course, is important to do. Concentrated service of that nature is very important, but also to work with others is very helpful and very important.