Service

Many years ago in a Tibetan Settlement in South India, my Tibetan teacher asked me to accompany him to visit a special patient who was dying.

The time I spent listening deeply and being present with this remarkable woman could be called service. And that's a good thing.

Yet what I remember most about that experience is how much she blessed me. Someone I had never met before — who was blind, almost deaf and extremely poor in conventional terms but hugely rich in spirit and practice — received from me in a way that gave her soul freedom.

And she gave back to me infinitely more. I left these meetings feeling completely and unconditionally loved by the pure heart of another human being. During our last visit, she began vigorously rubbing the skin on her face, explaining that she wanted to transfer every bit of her goodness into me and then she rubbed the skin on my face with the same conviction. Recalling that moment still takes my breath away.

Service takes place in the heart. Whatever service you feel moved to do, let it happen from your heart because that's where you will also be blessed.