“Everyone can be great, because everyone can serve.” –Martin Luther King Jr.
Weekly Focus: Seva — service
Seva is an act of compassion and care for others above oneself. This is a selfless act of service that we enact without any expectation of gratitude, return or recognition. Its meaning is said to be embodied by the root words saha, meaning “with that,” and eva, meaning “too,” which together mean “together with.”
pronunciation CLICK HE
Like a vessel pouring out, Seva asks us to share our gifts graciously with those around us in acts of service. Have you considered how to share your talents lately? We are all so full and so abundant, with unique talents and gifts to share. Why should we keep this goodness bottled up to ourselves? Like a cork popping, how can you allow your talents to release and be shared?
When we practice Seva, we offer service to others without any expectation of return. Seva should be offered because we are called towards it, not because we wish to receive gratitude, return service or praise. This is a service practiced in humility, as we know our beautiful talents are more than we need just for ourselves.
Here are some ways we can offer Seva:
- 1. Write a random note of kindness to some in your life needing a little love.
- 2. Bring a meal to a loved one going through a hard time.
- 3. Offer to mow the lawn for a neighbor while you are doing your own.
What other ways can we offer service selflessly?
Passive Pose of the Week: Kurmasana (Tortoise Pose)
Find deep reflection in this seated forward fold to consider where you wish to lend yourself to your community.
- 1. Come to a seat on the floor. You may even enjoy sitting on the edge of a blanket, to help tilt your pelvis forward as you fold.
- 2. Bring the soles of your feet together and move your feet further away from your pelvis, creating a diamond shape between your legs.
- 3. Grab hold of your feet or ankles and fold forward.
- 4. Take several breaths here, imagining the body getting heavy and moving closer to the floor with each breath.
One of our favorite options is to bring a folded blanket or pillow on top of the feet or between the legs. This will give your head a gentle cushion to land on, creating a softer support for the body to relax.
Active Pose of the Week: Baddha Virabhadrasana (Humble Warrior)
pronunciation CLICK HERE, also CLICK HERE
Bow as you figuratively offer yourself in service to others through this humble gesture.
- 1. Step your feet into a lunge position, such as Warrior I or Warrior II. Keeping the back heel grounded will help the balance in this bowing lunge.
- 2. Interlace your knuckles behind your low back.
- 3. Inhale and feel the shoulders squeeze together, imagine pressing your knuckles down into the floor.
- 4. Exhale and fold forward inside of your front, bent knee.
- 5. Focus on the weight of your head and letting gravity drag your spine down. Breathe and hold for 3 – 5 breaths.
- Come up slowly when you are ready.
A humbled warrior does not have to include a bind of your knuckles. If that doesn’t feel right today, fold forward and let your hands drop to the floor to aid in the balance. From there, you can walk your hands forward (think downward facing dog). This will offer a more grounded experience and might allow you to hold the posture a bit longer.
Join us in class this week to practice your Seva!! See the schedule HERE.