On a recent Sunday morning, Edward Viljoen spoke about Seva, the
Sanskrit word for sacred service and the different ways in which Seva
differs from volunteering. Although both involve actually doing something,
volunteering simply means freely offering to do a task or set of tasks. The key
element in Seva, however, is the consciousness we hold while doing the task,
the recognition that we are offering our time, our energy, our skill in service
to God, or whatever term we may want to use to convey that sense of Oneness and
Connection.
Chopping
carrots, with love
He recounted the story of Dr James Golden, also a recent speaker
at our Center for Spiritual Living, who was given the task of chopping carrots
during a Buddhist meditation retreat. Chopping away with great efficiency, true
to his military KP training, he was shocked when the monks told him he was
doing it all wrong. They proceeded to demonstrate the exact quarter inch by
quarter inch size the carrots needed to be. Staring at the crates of carrots
waiting to be chopped for the monastery’s lunch, he expressed his concern that
he would not be able to chop all the carrots as instructed in time. The monks
reassured him that what was important was that he chop them with love, and that
no doubt the right amount of carrots would be ready by lunchtime. Huge break
through for him, as he realized that indeed the consciousness with which he
approached this Seva was what mattered, rather than his efficiency in
accomplishing the task.
What matters
most, consciousness or efficiency?
Reflecting on this story as I dashed home from the morning
service to wash the breakfast dishes I had left piled up in the sink in my mad
rush to bake cookies (Seva) in time for the morning bake sale, and proceeding
to buzz through the dirty dishes as fast as possible so I could get on to the
next thing on my list… (this being Sunday, no less!) I was struck by the
startling revelation that I too was totally focused on efficiency rather than
my connection to the One life. And not just while performing Seva. I started
wondering how many moments of my life am I so focused on getting the task done
and being efficient that I loose sight of my place in the grander scheme of
things, the wonder of Life, the magic of each moment, the sacred web of love
which unites all living things…
And so, I paused, took a deep breath, and surrendered to the
moment, to washing the dishes with love, to being truly present to each moment
in my life.
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