A Labor of Love for the Divine

We are in the midst of the holy month of Ramadan as I write this letter, and I am surrounded by the rigor and faith of my Muslim friends and colleagues who are fasting, praying and practicing. I am drawing from my own spiritual traditions as I join in contemplation and spiritual study at this time. I was raised in Hinduism and came into the practice of satsang via the Sikh tradition by connecting with a Guru. I honor all faiths, and believe in the divinity of all life. One particular concept from Sikhism that has been on my mind & heart recently is sewa.  

Sewa literally means service, and in Sikhism it specifically means selfless service for the sake of justice, grounded in love because everyone is equal and divine. I highly recommend reading this beautiful article on the tradition of sewa as justice, that connects this concept to solidarity in practice in the social justice realm. I see this concept in action in Indianapolis where 8 local Gurdwaras (Sikh houses of worship) are raising collective funds for the victims of the FedEx facility shooting recently. You can read their joint statement here. 

This spiritual grounding adds an inexhaustible fuel to my work for social justice. The tenets for me here are - 

  • We are grateful for having received the opportunity to do sewa, we do it joyfully.

  • We do our best: sincerely, quickly, whole-heartedly, generously, and humbly.

  • It’s a collaborative effort, never competitive. We simply do our part of the whole.

  • We never judge another’s effort/action, we don’t know their intentions or limitations.

  • We inevitably make mistakes, so we ask forgiveness. We practice humility in this way.

  • We surrender the fruits of our labor, detaching from control over outcomes.

  • We pass on the teachings we have been given, to continue the discipline of the practice.

This monthly letter is part of my sewa. I share this today with the hope that something here resonates, or catalyzes a reflection for you. Here are some guiding questions - 

  1. Where do you practice offering your energy most generously and sincerely?

  2. What would it take to act that way in all situations, no matter the conditions?

  3. Who are the people/what are the environments that bring out your best self?

  4. How do you bring out the best in others?

  5. What brings out the worst in you? How do you manage your self/actions then?

  6. How do you ask for forgiveness / move towards repair?

  7. How do you learn / reflect / engage in self study or spiritual study & practice?

In the midst of multiple ongoing global crises, I’ll be offering a free workshop on Friday May 14th, 11-12 PT/ 2-3 ET as part of my sewa. This is an invitation to envision your future self, to make contact with the wisdom that can guide us through the current moment. Register here. Everyone is welcome. The workshop is free.

Take Action - Collective Sewa

I want to draw your attention to the horrific COVID crisis in India at this time. Having cremated her own father on the day she does this interview, journalist Barkha Dutt speaks about the unprecedented humanitarian crisis in India right now. As you can see from the resources below, this crisis is worsened by political apathy and abandonment. The ruling party led by the Hindu-right-wing is continuing election rallies to cement power, while denying there is a severe oxygen shortage in hospitals, and clamping down on journalists and activists who speak out. We all need to act. People who love haldi doodh (golden milk), chai, yoga, Bollywood and Indian food - if you’re loving and borrowing from Indian culture for your pleasure, please make sure to support this country in crisis. “If it doesn’t touch the world’s conscience, it will impact the world’s security” —Barkha Dutt. We are interconnected, and the global pandemic is not over, even if you are vaccinated and feeling safer. Everyone has something to offer, a role to play, something to contribute in service of greater justice and the better of the collective. See resources to advocate, donate, or offer your sewa however you can.