Service and the self

#1 Whatever you do, do it with single mindedness. Lack of focus is fatal. That and nothing else. This will help in concentration, improve service through deeds and provide rich results. Think. Ponder about the topic. Go deep into it in the mind and then read. Highlight interesting portions.

#2 Take rest after reading, not before it.

#3 When you seem unable to do a task well, stop. Find the cause. Remove it if possible. If not, so something else.

#4 Do not shirk your responsibilities. Aim to do whatever you have been allotted before the time frame given.

#5 Balance. Don’t postpone less interesting work for doing more interesting work. Everything is important. Everything is service.

#6 You are judged not by how well you give discourses, but by your day to day activities and how you go about doing them.

#7 Service does not mean talking about God alone. Service means, being able to serve the others’ needs. If you don’t empathise, and instead, just talk about God, you are talking to yourself. It is not service.

#8 Service means knowing what the other person needs and providing just that in a palatable way. Sugar coated pills give the desired benefit and are also readily taken by the patients.

#9 Never judge another. There is too little time to waste on such trivial activities. Check yourself from moment to moment. Am I doing what I want to do or instead, what I am used to doing? Pay no attention to what others are doing. You know what is to be done and how to do it. The others know it too. It is not your responsibility to change others. Change yourself. Others shall emulate.

#10 Draw up a list of topics on which you plan to churn. Do you plan to refer any books for the same? How much time can you allot for the purpose? Plan for each free chunk of time. While riding a vehicle, while eating, while attending the nature’s call, while walking, while sitting for Yoga, during amritvela, before sleeping, during lunch-time, during traffic control moments, during “feeling sleepy” moments…

#11 Allot time for learning, for getting interested in the topic of interest. It is time well-spent.

#12 Plan your sleep. Sleep well and deeply. Don’t waste time in dreaming! If at all you dream, dream about some worthwhile topics (on service, on creativity…)! It is not impossible! Plan it and it will obey.

#13 Enjoy everything. That’s necessary. Don’t miss it while doing all the above activities!

#14 This is a game. You plan to be the best player and enjoy playing the game to its highest standards. No shortcuts, no foul play. The best coach is available. Learn and enjoy!

#15 Don’t kill creativity by repeating things hollowly. Everything has a meaning. Take it. Use it.

#16 Take NO ONE for GRANTED. Not Even GOD.

#17 Remember all this is your internal effort-making. Outwardly don’t let anyone feel change in attitudes from you ( in terms of aloofness etc.) Let them be at ease.

#18 Search yourself inside out. What defects do you see? Do you see any obstacles? Where do you fail or feel weak repeatedly? How can you improve the situation? List methods. See to it that you can follow them. Don’t give empty ones like be soul conscious 24 hrs/day! That is a solution but not for you right now. See what is your daily life and apply the solution to it. Be unashamed of any defects seen. Accept it. You had been perfectly(almost) negative. Why should one be scared of telling the truth? One should be scared of hiding the truth. Don’t speak if it will hurt others.

#19 While serving others try to give them your best effort. Don’t see the recipient of the service. If his intention is good, do the service wholeheartedly and with love.

#20 Never give anything which is useless to another. If the other person is not ready for something, why impose it on him? Its just not service.

#21 Spend 15 minutes of non-sleepy time on reviewing the day.