I often think about the struggles my students go through, the challenges I face in my profession or the little problems I face in my life. I also struggle sometimes to see how those moments of taking care of my daily life are really helping this world—I wonder if what I am doing on a daily basis is the kind of service the world needs in this moment. How do we bridge that gap between taking care of things in our lives and the service we want to give to this world?
A famous Zen teaching states that “whether you are going or staying or sitting or lying down, the whole world is your own self.” In many spiritual wisdom traditions the answer is clear: the gap is only in your mind since there is no separation between self and the world.
The work of service starts with loving the smallest details of your own life and seeing no separation with the world since this is also “your self.” On the other hand, when you are helping this planet, your community or your co-workers, you are also taking care of yourself.
Try this meditation if you feel a gap between your self and the world:
- Moment by moment love is action. Breath in and out, and visualize yourself performing every action in the spirit of service, whether you are helping your family, your community or the whole planet, notice “love” is what you do.
- Moment by moment the heart opens. Open the heart to every moment. Go beyond likes and dislikes. Notice your heart opening to the world. Keep a mind so filled with love, it resembles space.
- Clear and open, just do it. Without separation, in the spirit of service and love, moment by moment, just do what you need to do. Don’t overthink it, let the heart become pure action.
Juan Velasco