Many years ago I went to the 5th Annual Bhakti Immersion Weekend upstate. The weather was hot, there was no A/C, the creek was cool (as a city girl I sat on a chair in the water to avoid crawfish), the mood was pure bliss.
The intention of this retreat was to gather yogis to learn from each other and share our hearts. Here is a picture of us dancing from our hearts and being silly at the same time!
Have you heard of the word “seva”? Seva means ‘selfless service’. Service done with joy out of love, not for a reward. I truly love when I engage myself in acts of service to others, especially when it helps and pleases others. Sometimes its the small things – I absolutely love helping people figure out where they are or where they need to go in the NYC Subways. Sometimes its bigger, like spending multiple days in a hospital sitting with a loved one post-surgery.
At this retreat, every meal ends with a few retreat goers helping to collect and wash dishes, and clean the kitchen. Somehow, perhaps becuase I was a presenter at the retreat, my name was not called for over five years. I have sat in my chair as the mealtime is ending listening to Caroline, the woman in charge, calling out the names of who is on meal seva. I have sat there hoping, for so many reasons, that my name isn’t called.
Reasons:
1) Im not done eating
2) I need to run back to my room to change before the next program
3) I am in a great conversation that I do not want to end
4) I’m not good at cleaning
Again this year she did not call my name.
At the last meal she said she was desperate for one more volunteer for because somebody had to leave early. I raised my hand out of guilt for never being called. I now had to (or got to) dry 100’s of scalding hot dishes coming out of the dishwasher. Within seconds sweat was dripping down my shirt and legs, my face was getting a steam treatment, my hands kept burning on the hot plates. But you know what, I was also sort of in bliss!
People kept coming up and chatting with me, people that I didn’t have a chance to connect with during the weekend, people were helping me, people were laughing with me about how hot it was. We were connecting through service! It was actually pure bliss.
The weekend had blissful chanting, blissful yoga, profound morning meditations, great body work, wonderful, hilarious, and deep talks, ridiculous and fun antics in the creek, but the dish drying seva topped it all!
Go do something you do not have to do today! Doors will open. Maybe even doors to your heart.
xoxo
Bryn
PS. This is a (pre-coffee) 6am Meditation Class!