To those who understand selfless service, it is no surprise that tension and emotional problems are so prevalent in our me-first society. Selfless service is an antidote for anxiety, depression, loneliness, and other manifestions of being cut off from the universe that nourishes us.
Why is selfless service effective? Because most of our "self" is in others! When we pursue personal happiness without considering the needs of those around us, we become anxious and frustrated, anchorless and cut off from the parts of us that are in others. No matter how successful we may be in our profession and other material pursuits, contentment evades us. The fear of isolation, old age and death, haunt us, so we evade them by cluttering our lives with trivia and busy-ness.
Meditation, hypnosis, and relaxation techniques can give a temporary sense of relief, but to think that they will provide lasting contentment is like thinking a daily nap will make you rich, beautiful, and famous, and cook your dinner, too. The main reason the mind spins is because it is controlled by excess desires for personal gratification. Lust, anger, greed -- the whole litany of "sins" that religions have railed against for thousands of years -- distract us and either over-excite the mind (excess sexual appetite, greed, etc.) or dull it (gluttony, sloth, etc.). Choking off desires through self abnegation has never worked, and never will. Frustrated desires only kindle greater ones that eventually erupt in one form or another. No wonder every large religious and spiritual group in the world has been plagued by unethical behavior and unhappy lives among so many leaders and disciples. Moderate desires are necessary to life; it is only when they are untimely or out of balance that they are a problem.
Only a higher love can replace a lower love. Only by replacing a desire for personal gratification with a desire for elevating someone else can the spinning mind regain control. When a car skids and spins on sheet ice, the only way to regain control is to let it slow to a stop. However, unlike the car, which is slowed by friction, the mind only spins faster when it encounters resistance. Opposing forces control it through insatiable desire, like diabolical controls on your car that accelerate when you release the pedal. We can go to therapists and seminars ad infinitum, but the mind keeps spinning as long as we focus on our own problems. The minute we focus on helping another person out of his or her problem, our own problems begin to shrink, and our sense of self begins to grow. The wet, icy road starts to dry up.
Yes, there is friction. You may feel that you have been working so hard to solve your own problems that you have no time or energy for others. You may also fear that they won't appreciate you, no matter what you do for them. Friction, however, is exactly what you need to regain traction. Once you regain control, you discover that the well traveled highway of self-aggrandizement and egotism is slick and treacherous, and only runs in circles. In contrast, the little traveled road of selfless service is often bumpy, but it is safer, more scenic and ends in permanent contentment.
Selflessness cannot be rationed out. It cannot be restricted by giver or recipient. If we want to be free, we have to let it flow freely. Dedicating a few hours a day or week to helping others and focusing on personal needs the rest of the time is only the first step in the right direction. It does not give the sense of freedom that comes from total trust and surrender to your inner gyroscope which tells you how, when, and where to serve. True selfless service is 100%, all the time. It is not self-denial or self abnegation, although the sacrifices may be intense. Self-denial is blind and leads to repression and frustration. Selfless service, wisely applied, leads to fufillment of our highest aspirations. The whole universe supports us when we are loyal to the universe.
Our house supports people of all walks of life who want to practice selfless service with others of similar inclination. We have found it the most effective means of putting spirituality into practice. Service integrates all the major spiritual paths -- including knowledge, devotion, beauty, discipline, and physical and mental purification.
Religions have been preaching selfless service for thousands of years. Why have so few of their followers failed to find the deep contentment that comes from heartfelt service? Because it is impossible to prescribe standardized rules of right action. What is right for you at one time is wrong at another, and what is right for one person may be dead wrong for another. Right action is whatever it takes to complete your karma. Knowing exactly what your karma is at every moment, and how to complete it, are the secret to effective service and lasting contentment.
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