Our Ultimate Seva

For anyone on the Sant Mat path, seva or voluntary service becomes part and parcel of our lifestyle. Consciously or unconsciously, we are drawn to help out at the centre we visit. Initially perhaps, we start with small tasks in the library, garden or parking area. Over time, we come to see these involvements as integral to our being, to the point that if ever taken away from us, we would feel sad and incomplete.

What makes us feel this way? Why are we happy serving and sad when this aspect of our life is gone?

The greatest reward in seva is the contentment and happiness that you feel within, that you get an opportunity to serve someone.
_{Maharaj Charan Singh, Spiritual Perspectives, Vol. III}

Seemingly, it is the deep sense of gratification and fulfillment that drives us to keep doing seva. There is a universal feeling of love that fills us to the very core, a deep sense of compassion and humility as we share, help and give of our self. It may be just a small task of helping clear tables after a meal, or something daunting like preparing a satsang. But in every case, we are imbued with love and gratitude for the privilege to actually serve despite any difficulty or discomfort we might have to face. The feeling of harmony and love pervades the air when doing seva – the love we feel for the Master as we serve and, more importantly, the love we feel he has for us by granting us seva.

In fact, seva has that unique effect where the more seva a person does, the more inspired he is to do more. But before we get swept away doing more seva, we must first realize that all of our physical seva is only a means to an end. It is in fact a stepping stone to the real seva – and that is to sit in meditation and be one with the melody within.

Real seva is meditation – withdrawing your consciousness back to the eye centre and attaching it to the divine light or melody within, attaching it to the sound within. Other sevas are means to that end.
_{Maharaj Charan Singh, Spiritual Perspectives, Vol. III}

Many on the path are truly happy with their physical seva to the point of wanting to do more, but often complain about doing the real seva of meditation, saying that it is so difficult to still the mind and experience the light and sound within. Often they worry about progress as they sit in the darkness without seemingly any gain.

At this point, one must remember that stilling the mind is not an easy task, as we have been in this creation for many lifetimes and have developed deep attachments and outward tendencies. All these attachments have to be severed and our outward tendencies reversed. The process is indeed difficult and long. But we must be confident, as we are constantly assured by our Master that progress is always there, even if we sit for years in the darkness. But as long as we keep to our vows and sit in meditation as we promised at the time of initiation, we will reach the eye centre and meet him. Over time, even while sitting in the darkness, we develop a deeper love and devotion for the Master and this somehow cleanses our minds and brings out in us positive qualities like patience, perseverance, kindness, compassion and humility. It is these qualities that elevate our human experience.

The benefits of meditation are truly transformational. But we have to be tenacious in its practice, staying loyal to the daily struggle against the mind. The challenges will always be there – the worry about progress, the impatience to see results, and the worldly distractions seem endless. But as long as we remain true to our meditation, our meditation will be true to us and we will be able to overcome these challenges.

Vital to our success during challenging times is physical seva. The happiness and contentment we feel as we serve the sangat in ways big or small keeps us connected to the Master. We feel his love as we work hand in hand with others in the sangat. And the spirit of humility that is palpable when we work alongside sevadars from all walks of life gives us motivation to overcome the challenges we encounter during meditation.

Collectively, the benefits of physical seva help us conquer challenges we face in meditation and keep us steadfast on the path. That is why it is called a means to an end.

Thus, we should take pleasure in the benefits that physical seva brings. But we must remember that the happiness and contentment we feel while doing our physical seva is not our ultimate goal. Our physical seva is just a means for us to do our true seva, which is to meet and merge with our Master through the diligent practice of meditation.