Photo by Claudio Schwarz courtesy of unsplash.com
When we strive to see ourselves as instruments of a Higher Will—the hands of God at work in the world—we access and allow ourselves to be guided by a concern for the well-being of everyone. We more easily let go of our personal desires without force or denial and find fulfillment in serving a higher purpose.
The intention to serve a Higher Will inevitably leads us to serving our families, neighbors, and communities. Our own beloved Guru, Sri Swami Satchidananda, served humanity as a way to serve the Divine. Mother Theresa also beautifully experienced and taught that we serve God by serving the Divinity in each other and in everything. Serving this way is a practice, and if we practice seeing and serving God in all, we gradually erase the imaginary boundaries we have come to believe in.
We have countless opportunities to practice service in everyday life, whether we are mentoring someone, listening to a friend, checking out at the grocery store or actively fighting for social justice. Clearly, the best motivation for serving others comes from experiencing for ourselves the feeling of compassion flowing through our hearts, and the natural sense of joy that arises from giving freely. Ultimately, we are all learning, one act of kindness at a time, that pursuing our spiritual growth and serving a Higher Will are actually the same thing.
About the Author:
Swami Ramananda is the Executive Director of Integral Yoga Institute in San Francisco, a certified Yoga therapist, and a founding board member of the Yoga Alliance. He leads beginner, intermediate and advanced-level Yoga teacher training programs in San Francisco and teaches throughout the world. Having dedicated his life to teaching Yoga for nearly 50 years, Swami Ramananda is highly-respected senior teacher in the Integral Yoga tradition in Yoga communities worldwide. Swami Ramananda co-developed the Stress Management Teacher Training program with Swami Vidyananda, has trained many teachers to bring Yoga into corporate, hospital and medical settings, and has taught mind/body wellness programs throughout the US and abroad. He is also a co-founder of The Spiritual Action Initiative (SAI) which brings together individuals committed to working for social justice for all beings and for the care and healing of our natural world.
