Service

For reasons we cannot know
Happiness and inner peace
Depend on our relationship
To beauty
To gratitude
To love
And to the service of something greater
Than the self
--unknown

Service is an integral aspect of the mystical path, no matter the tradition. Service means freely offering one’s self, one’s energies, one’s talents to the greater community or simply to another person. There is no expectation of payment. Ultimately, when we serve something outside of ourselves, we are offering the generous heart of spirit to ourselves, and this creates lots of spiritual merit. When entering into service, the “mine and yours” mentality of money takes a back seat to “ours”, and feelings of competition change to feelings of cooperation.

“Service” has two terms we use at Lama Foundation: “Seva” is commonly defined as “selfless service”, or work that is done as an offering to God and performed without attachment; and “karma yoga” is the yoga of work or action, the path of God realization through dedicating the fruits of one’s action to the divine. The performance of karma yoga involves adherence to duty (dharma) while remaining detached from reward.

Normally, people work for money which in turn pays for their food, clothing , shelter, etc. Lama, however, does not operate in the “working” world, but operates in the “serving” world. The members of the Lama community serve Lama Foundation, and in turn receive food, clothing, (and if they are a year-around resident they receive shelter), but also Lama offers community experiences, inner-growth opportunities, pure water, clear air, lovingly prepared food and so much more. In other words, people serve Lama, and in return Lama provides a wealth of support. This forms an energetic circle where service and support flow back and forth between people and the Foundation.

Over the years, Lama Foundation has been built by service, is operated by service, and grows through service. Looking at the details of buildings, one can spot touches of the anonymous hands that lovingly served the building process. As one opens their heart to Lama after staying here for a little while, the desire to do something to benefit Lama Foundation naturally grows. The year-around residents often pour themselves into Lama around the clock, attempting to maximize their capacity to serve, and “returning Beans” (former residents) often jump right into service when they come back on the mountain. This generosity of one’s time and one’s energies is contagious; the joy from service that flowers in the garden of one’s heart is a perfume that fills the air at Lama, and helps to bring about the feeling of “magic” that people experience here.