Service and Labor – the path of Illumination

When you are serving, you have worth.

The first principle is labor without limit.

The second principle of labor is acceptance of tasks without rejection.

A great spiritual teacher shared a story. He said there was a young man that was working in his office. The young man was telling others, “I worked all day. The teacher did not even say thank you. You know, three years I was there. He did not give me one gift.” Can you understand that? All my labor is wasted.” The teacher said, “Really? How pitiful you are to go through this trash in your mind, or engage yourself in a labor and two days later escape! How pitiful. What are you doing? You are really demonstrating where you are, and the Universe is not going to trust you with higher labors. You are not trustworthy. You cannot do it.” He was a no-nonsense Teacher who labored until the last month of his life.

These are two things that are very important to know – labor without limit and acceptance of tasks without rejection; without negative emotions, complaints, gossip, and so on.

If the person leaves and cannot finish it, do it yourself. These are the principles that we are going to digest in our consciousness if we are going to really understand what the labor is.

A modern Master described how the Buddha had encouraged his monks by sharing that those who practiced diligently would surely be enlightened in seven days or, if not in seven days, then in seven months or seven years. A young American monk heard this and asked if it was still true. The master promised that if the young monk was continuously mindful without break for only seven days, he would be enlightened.

Excitedly the young monk started his seven days, only to be lost in forgetfulness ten minutes later. Coming back to himself, he again started his seven days, only to become lost once more in mindless thought – perhaps about what he would do after his enlightenment. Again and again he began his seven days, and again and again he lost his continuity of mindfulness. A week later, he was not enlightened but he had become very much aware of his habitual fantasies and wandering of mind – a most instructive way to begin his practice on the Path to real awakening.

“I have only three enemies. My favorite enemy, the one most easily influenced for the better, is the British Empire. My second enemy, the Indian people, is far more difficult. But my most formidable opponent is a man named Mohandas K. Gandhi. With him I seem to have very little influence.” (by Mahatma Gandhi)

I truly believe that to become a true server; an Agni Yogi, is found in one who lives these two principles given to us by the Great Sage Master M.

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To labor without limit – to be mindful every single minute of your day of service – is your spiritual practice – the Path to real awakening.

Let me share one more story – this is a story by Desert Fathers: “Amma Syncletica said: In the beginning, there is struggle and a lot of work for those who come near to God. But after that, there is indescribable joy. It is just like building a fire; at first it’s smoky and your eyes water, but later you get the desired result. Thus we ought to light the divine fire in ourselves with tears and effort.”

You can find many parables and many examples by holy ones; and by modern day Teachers who try to teach us the value of labor. And once we understand the value of labor we understand that all our labor, all our sweat and tears, all of our sacrifices – are not done for ourselves – but in service to the Lord.

If when you engage in easy or difficult labors you are thinking what kind of gifts of gratitude you are going to receive – you are lost.

When I was growing up and investing myself in all those many hours of labor – no one told me how special or unique I was – it was expected of me. And because it was expected of me – such endless labor taught me about the Path to illumination – that the Path to Illumination is an endless Path.. The Path to illumination bypasses the Path to Egotism. It saves you from many incarnations of suffering.

I would love to hear what you have learned from the value of labor.

With love,

Joleen DuBois