Dearest Readers,
This morning I had a sudden and last-minute opportunity to volunteer for a wee little jobbie in a business meeting. I did not particularly want to take on the responsibility but no one else was stepping up to do the work.
Last night I heard a guy talking about helping another person when he feels low. “It gets me out of myself,” he said. I wasn’t feeling particularly low this morning but I did have a head full of Celia. When the opportunity arose I new in an intuitive instant that I could help out. “I can do this,” I thought to myself.
Hearing the Inner Volunteer is one thing. Stepping up is quite another. How many times do we hear that voice and ignore it? It is only from previous experience that I knew that to take on the jobbie would effectively mean getting out of my self-centered thinking and finding my way to Peace.
I’ve so blogged about this before but when I was 16 I did an Outward Bound course where I learned the slogan, “To serve, to strive and not to yield.” This was probably the first time that the idea of doingĀ service really hit home.
Up until that point, most of my life was spent doing self-service. I wanted what I wanted when I wanted it and that was always NOW. Needless to say, I wasn’t a very satisfied individual. It wasn’t until I learned the art of self-less service that I began to experience that wonderful gift of Peace that comes from doing something for nothing.
At the end of this month I’m going to theĀ Sivananda Bahamas Yoga Retreat to leadĀ Cultivate Your Courage. Although the ashram is providing me with accommodation and meals, I am not taking a fee for the workshop. It is considered Karma Yoga, or selfless service.
Admittedly, it’s not a completely altruistic endeavour. I’m hoping to build other opportunities for Inspiring Leadership out of this one and hey, I get to live in paradise for a week. But when they asked me to do the workshop as a form of Karma Yoga I agreed. It is my way of giving back, giving thanks, offering the Gift in return.
So this morning when I had that moment of clarity that told me I could step up to the plate and take on the role that no one else wanted I knew that by doing so I’d not only be expressing my gratitude for all the gifts that are my life but I’d be opening myself up to continuing to receive that priceless gift of serenity. And guess what? I got it.
Ommmmmm…
Inspiring Message of the Day: Is there a way for me to give back today? Is there an opportunity to be of service? I will look for it and then step forward into action. I will open myself up to receive the Beauty of Humility that comes when I give without expectation of reward.
