Dear friends,
The value of service to others has been extolled for millennia. I thought I might dive a little deeper into its value as a vehicle for our own growth and happiness.
We also have often heard the idea of the death of the ego. What does that actually mean and what might that look like? After all, death is hardly an inspiring and sought-after state! What it is really about, though, is the death of our self-imposed limitations. It is said that a bird that has spent its whole life in a cage will stay in that cage even once the door is open. Fear of the unknown and over-concern for self-protection keeps it inside.
So, too, our little self is afraid to grow and expand into our deeper and larger Self. We are familiar with who we are and shedding our skin seems quite the scary prospect. But I’d suggest that any caterpillar that is afraid to grow into a butterfly is seriously missing the point. It has been quite a few lifetimes (I suspect!) since I have been a caterpillar, and caterpillars are not generally known for their introspection and self-reflection, but I bet if they had that level of self-awareness they’d think, “I’m not going in there!" when the time came for the cocoon. “And give up my ability to crawl? No way!” But are we so different?
It’s funny how much we each know we need to change but how we recoil when a real opportunity comes up. And how easily we slip into habit rather than boldly embracing the change presented to us. But how does service fit into this (lest you think I’d forgotten the topic…)?
The value of service is self-forgetfulness. In fact—and this is worth thinking about—it is impossible to feel stress, or even unhappiness, unless you are thinking about yourself. Stress, worry, sadness, fear… is all forgotten when our focus is on helping someone else. The best way to beat the ego is to forget oneself. And one of the best ways to do that is to create a habit of self-forgetfulness by having your mind go towards serving others rather than yourself. Almost universally, people who spend a lifetime of service are joyful. People who spend a lifetime of self-preoccupation are not. May we each learn to habitually focus on the needs of others rather than our own.
Blessings,
David G., manager
for the Gang at East West