Re: Seva suggestions
hariḥ oṁ
~~~~~~
namasté
I have a different view on this matter...
If we see the guru as an ~individual~ , then perhaps the activity of service is appropos. Yet we are told the guru is none other then brahman-in-form ; hence he is none other then the Self in form (svarūpa).
Now if guru is Self/brahman what possibly can he need ? Everything is himself already. What then can you give him ? The secret is in bowing.
We bow, and we touch our head to his feet. This is no doubt a symbol of humility yet there is more. Would it not make sense to touch our head to his head ? Consciousness to consciousness , no ?
The notion is this... the feet is the furthest from the head, from the residence of the ego. So for the guru his feet can be looked at as ~ pure awareness~. Now, our head is the residence of ego¹. We are bowing and offering the ego to him. This smallness of 'me', we wish to become pure awareness ( his feet), that is the offer, the highest service.
Now is it okay to offer one's actions to the guru in doing service. This doing can be for him, for the community for the mandira (temple). But if it is done and it swells the head ( code for feeding the ego) we have only increased the problem , no ?
What stands between you and the Supreme is this limited 'me-ness' of which the ego is the prime operative. You see, the beauty of spiritual growth is not to become something that you are not, it is just to get the things out of the way that is not the fullness of Being. The ego is none other then 'limited being' . We wish the full daylight of Being, of wholeness.
It is like the moon being out in the daylight. It is there but its light compared to the full rays of the sun ( ātman) has little affect.
The guru is the sun; give the moon to the sun and all will be well.
iti śivaṁ
1. ego = ahaṃkāra - is the 'I' doer; this is self(me) awareness; differentiated awareness within the realm of objects and within the world some call tripuṭā ( the 3's )
यतस्त्वं शिवसमोऽसि
yatastvaṁ śivasamo'si
because you are identical with śiva
_
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