Author
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Topic: The Danger of Service Without Spirituality
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goatgirl Knowflake Posts: 666 From: Anywhere Registered: Jul 2002
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posted September 04, 2007 03:22 PM
THis came in my inbox today and I wanted to share it with you all:Service, even when it is utterly selfless, ought to be guided by spiritual understanding; for selfless service, when unintelligently handled, often creates chaos and complications. It could even be the opposite of the desired effect. The real danger in service lies more in the possibility of your rendering it from a false motive than in making a mistake about the spiritual demands of the situation. If you render service in order to oblige a person and if you feel proud of doing it, you are not only doing spiritual harm to the recipient of your service but also to yourself. The consciousness that 'I am obliging someone' is the first to occur during the process of serving; but it can be annulled by the contrary thought, 'I am obliged by being given this opportunity of serving'. This latter thought facilitates the attitude of detachment and secures freedom from the bondage of good actions. Service based upon comprehensive understanding is not only selfless and adjusted to the spiritual demands of the recipient but is rendered with complete detachment. Such service takes the aspirant to the goal most rapidly. For most people the idea of service is inextricably bound with securing certain definite results in the objective world. For them service consists of removal of human suffering or illiteracy or other difficulties and handicaps that thwart the flourishing of individual or social life. This is the type of service rendered by aspirants, politicians, social reformers and other good people. Though this type of service is of immense spiritual importance, it is in its very nature unending. Therefore, as long as the idea of service is tied to the idea of results, it is inevitably fraught with a sense of incompleteness. There can be no realisation of Infinity through the pursuit of a never-ending series of consequences. On the other hand, service that comes after truth realisation is spontaneous expression of spiritual understanding of the true nature of the Self. And though it also brings about important results in the objective world, it is in no way complicated by any longing for them. --Meher Baba ------------------ The deeper we look into nature, the more we recognize that it is full of life, and the more profoundly we know that all life is a secret and that we are united with all life that is in nature. --Albert Schweitzer IP: Logged |
ListensToTrees Knowflake Posts: 1212 From: the capricious clouds, in the land formerly known as "Albion" Registered: Jul 2005
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posted September 04, 2007 04:47 PM
Something along those lines occurred to me when I used to be involved in one form of activism.There is a bigger picture, and I feel we need to get to the root causes of suffering and lack of empathy if we are to overcome it. IP: Logged |
Solane Star Knowflake Posts: 3417 From: Ontario, Canada Registered: Jun 2005
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posted September 04, 2007 05:13 PM
Goatgirl you found it!!!Thanks GoatGirl!!! Love & Hugs to You!!!!
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Mirandee Moderator Posts: 3431 From: South of the Thumb Taurus, Pisces, Cancer Registered: Sep 2004
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posted September 04, 2007 08:36 PM
Very nice, GG. I liked it very much. It contains a lot of wisdom and I feel, truth. quote: The consciousness that 'I am obliging someone' is the first to occur during the process of serving; but it can be annulled by the contrary thought, 'I am obliged by being given this opportunity of serving'.
Even moreso I think, " I am obliged and blessed by being given this opportunity of serving." Thanks so much. IP: Logged |
Mirandee Moderator Posts: 3431 From: South of the Thumb Taurus, Pisces, Cancer Registered: Sep 2004
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posted September 04, 2007 08:47 PM
double postHappy finger at work again IP: Logged |
goatgirl Knowflake Posts: 666 From: Anywhere Registered: Jul 2002
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posted September 04, 2007 11:48 PM
That really turns your mind around when you are blessed to be able to do things instead of being forced to do them.------------------ The deeper we look into nature, the more we recognize that it is full of life, and the more profoundly we know that all life is a secret and that we are united with all life that is in nature. --Albert Schweitzer IP: Logged |