Tag Archives: selfless service

SIVA’s Table

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What Would YOU Do… If YOU Won The Lottery?

…or maybe you’ve manifested an income of $2M ?

I’m sure that many of you have had noble thoughts of what you’d like do to help your fellow man… if suddenly… today, you’re in a position of having considerable wealth… I mean lots of money! What would  YOU do? I have had such a thought simmering for some time… to be of service, and encourage those who “have”…that they may assist those who “have not”.

Siva Nataraj - King of the Dance

SIVA’s Table

My goal is to develop a centre of service… in Dattatriya Siva Baba’s name… a place that is accessible to everyone in our community. It will be an independent resource facility to provide assistance to those in need. It will be managed and operated as an outreach centre in seva (ie. “in service to”)… as part of the future Toronto Pillai Center

An integral part of our effort here will be to establish a very broad, cross-cultural, “open invitation” to ALL who may be interested in availing themselves of the blessings and deriving the benefits that Dr. Pillai’s teachings present…. and …in service to others… offering the “street people” some assistance in their daily lives… in Lord Siva’s name.

SERVICE TO THE COMMUNITY

In this centre, on the first level is a kitchen, and space where we are able to feed them a hot meal. On the second level, we offer them help with the practical everyday things, such as some basic life skills…health, nutrition, hygiene… educational/vocational guidance and support in the form of coaching and/or training.

On the top floor, we have an area suitable for group seminars, classes, and homas… as well as enough room to allow everyone some quiet space to meditate, pray and worship The Divine. Here, we offer everyone an environment for silent contemplation and reflection…as well as an opportunity to learn to meditate.

The name that just sort of “appeared” to me for this centre is SIVA’s Table … a name that I first shared some years earlier with a few of Dr. Pillai’s students, here in Toronto.

MY CHRISTMAS MIRACLE

During a recent Christmas, one of those students, Lalita, arranged for some of us to work at “The Maxwell Meighen Centre” –a men’s hostel centre in downtown Toronto run by The Salvation Army– serving dinner on Christmas Day to a group of about 100 men.

We were there helping out… working under the direction of one of the Captains to get this centre’s hall set for our dinner guests. As we were setting tables, Lalita had mentioned SIVA’s Table… and while we only had time right then to discuss it briefly, we had both noted and remarked how smooth and well run this Salvation Army facility was. We mentioned that this could be a benchmark for our project to help the community… SIVA’s Table

Moments after we said that, our first guests arrived. Lalita motioned to me that I should look around to see who just walked in. Prominent among them was an individual who, for lack of a better term, just didn’t seem to “belong” with this crowd of distressed souls … someone who stood out dramatically from these other men. I couldn’t believe what I was seeing before me. I was flabbergasted and stood slack-jawed, in a motionless state as tears welled up in my eyes.

Dr. Baskaran Pillai (Dattatriya Siva Baba)

For all intents and purposes, Dattatriya Siva Baba had just walked in and sat down at a single table for dinner! Was I dreaming? No… others saw Him too! By this time, I had to excuse myself briefly from the room as my emotions were overwhelming me, tears of joy… yet completely shocked by what I just witnessed. Even to this day, I still feel the emotion of that blissful encounter… the joy of seeing “Him”.

THE DIVINE DINER

He sat by Himself and had dinner… then foregoing any dessert, He left, just as quietly and as unassumingly as He had arrived. As much as I wanted to be the one who served Him dinner, I remained dumbstruck, frozen…I could not believe my eyes! I simply stood staring in awe…looking at Him from across the room while someone else served Him. He looked exactly like our beloved Baba… it was uncanny! There, at that moment, I was transported back to another time… years earlier it seemed.

He looked to me just as He did back when I first had this desire to manifest a centre of service in His name. Everything about Him…His neatly combed long grey hair and beard; He had the same facial features and colouring, freshly pressed Indian clothes. Seeing Him, at that moment, was to me both an incredible heart-warming experience and a personal confirmation from “source” … unlike any that I had ever had… that clearly this is something I’m supposed to do!

Arut Perum Jyoti

My Christmas Miracle…? Well, I didn’t get to serve Him personally, but of this I am certain… Lord Siva came to our Christmas dinner!

Thank you, Lalita… for inviting me to the most memorable Christmas in my life!
Agastya

~* To ALL who have read this page… Please send us your positive thoughts and energy, your goodwill and prayers to assist us in manifesting this centre… “SIVA’S TABLE” …in Dattatriya Siva Baba’s name. *~

Om Dram Dattatriya Siva Baba Swaha

Selfless Service

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Many of us living in the “West” are privileged to inherit many hard-won rights and life options. We can live independently, study and work to pursue our passions, and if we choose, we can be leaders in our own rights. So, what comes next for us?

A meaningful life is based on a longer-lasting kind of satisfaction that comes from acting for something bigger. My Spiritual teacher refers to this as “Selfless Service”. This stage in our lives usually comes only after we hurdle the other stages of living: our individual survival, wellbeing, immediate family and the friends we have, and personal fulfillment.

When we do something for the good of someone else, we attain higher levels of satisfaction. Besides, the world needs us now. The planet needs saving, there are those who suffer from poverty and hunger, and there are those reeling after a catastrophe. There is no time better to shed our apathetic ways and become involved in helping make the world better.

Changing the world will take every person in the community. There are organizations that encourage societal change through inner transformation. Everybody is free to contribute based on their unique talents as individuals. Besides, taking up a cause could make our life even more interesting.

To stick to the journey of change, we all must like what we do. And you don’t need to take the streets if you don’t want to. Find your comfort level and do something you can be confident in. You could even volunteer for an organization that you believe in. There should be a group out there that caters to at least one of your interests. Focus on what you’re good at as well. The point is, there is always a way for you to help.

To help the world, it’s not an all or nothing kind of event. It also helps if you put it within your routine. Yes, you also have a life to lead and responsibilities to fulfill. These organizations know that, and anything you can contribute would be more than enough.

If you just have too many on your plate, it helps to start slow and easy. Choose one thing and start doing it at a comfortable pace. You could even commit to only two hours weekly at an organization that carries your cause. Just remember, even one person can do so much.

Worldwide concerns and issues can be very overwhelming. Just remind yourself of the power of one because as an individual, you can do something. This is not just in terms of direct effects, but also by influencing others to follow in your footsteps.

You can seek out the company of people you can relate to. If you feel that you have been awakened and you want to do something about it, there are those who will be able to understand how you’ll feel.

Start by believing that a change in the world can only happen if you change what’s inside of you at first. This may eventually spread to others when they see how much more fulfilled you are.

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