So many revelations occurred to me while I was at my then guru's ashram in up state New York in 2001.
When I stayed in the ashram I volunteered (seva) to help in the kitchen for dinner and in the early morning as cashier in the snack store. We were not required to volunteer, but it always helped me overcome my shyness and advance my spiritual practice.
With each volunteer position I learn something I needed to learn..that was the way the guru's energy worked on us. And each day I always looked forward to a great revelation for me. I desperately needed something that was missing from me, and hoped these spiritual retreats would offer a better way for me to live in my upside world at the time.
I especially loved drinking the Indian chai in the morning at 5:30 before the chant with the guru. Alter chanting about an hour, I would go to my volunteer position as cashier in the snack store. Others would volunteer in hospitality, grounds keeping, maintenance, housekeeping, book store or meditate,
read, or peacefully walk around the scenic grounds observing nature.
As cashier in the snack store I learned to be focused in what I did and be careful with my money. I never used to. I'd leave the money to my husband and not be involved with what I spent. And I do admit my spending was a little crazy especially giving so many materialist things to my children, except giving them more of me.
After working as cashier, counting the money, making it reconcile each morning, I became a better steward to my money and spending. I also realized the key to anything I want to do is my Attention. I needed to be more attentive to what my children were doing, saying or not saying to me. I,as a struggling single mom to 3, had not done so well in that department.
Each day volunteers prepared three great vegetarian meals for hundreds so effortlessly and so good.
In the early afternoon about ten of us were there to help in the kitchen with the vegetables...preparing them for over 300 people to eat that night. We did the prep work and the guru's chefs would cook the yummy Indian recipes.
We would wash the large pots and pans, clear dishes, prepare vegetables. Cleaning huge pots and pans were an incredible way to release anger, frustration and help purify yourself, and a lot of us volunteered for that job!
One day in the kitchen doing seva, I was carefully working on sorting and cleaning tons of spinach. As I was throwing away the wilted or bad spinach leaves, it dawned on me as it happens so frequently when I was doing spiritual service, I was learning a good lesson on Discernment.
I carefully went through the spinach leaves discarding the wilted or bad leaves. I realized that I too had to "discard" some people in my life who were "toxic" to me, my health. It's like a bad apple scenario. But it was true to me. I realized I can be compassionate, helpful to these people, but they weren't kind and were totally takers...like parasites. I'm a giver and tend to attract takers, and people who want to control me. Some people were experts on taking advantage of me..especially men.
From that discernment lesson with the spinach leaves, I feel I have authentic friends and I am more discerning with choosing my close friends. I realize it's not the quantity of friends, it's the quality of my friends.
After so many years away from the ashram or not following this guru, I still remember to be of service to as many people as I can. In fact that is the business I'm in, a service business at the spa, which I love.
I try to treat my home, place of work , etc. as a spiritual place and
learn a spiritual revelation from each relationship or situation. It's helping me to be better, feel better about myself. I do fall back but I try and pick myself up and try again with a better viewpoint and with more resolve.
Love this quote: "We may not have ended up where we intended to go, but we ended up where we needed to go" by Douglas Adams
I lovenly bow to God's essence (soul) that dwells within you,
Beegee
beegeestivers@hotmail.com
www.beegee3.com
Sent from my iPad
