The Ten Commandments for Volunteers

Few days back I was having a conversation with the volunteers and told them about the important learnings I’ve had through my 11 years on the path as a devotee and as a volunteer.

There is lot more to learn and people who’ve learnt anything apart from what I’ve jotted down here are welcome to share.

           I. THOU SHALT BE CONSIDERATE:

It is really irritating when people flash on your face while taking photos or pushes you or throws flowers right on your face, etc. Guruji will not ask us not to do these to Him. You may say that these things don’t matter to Him because He is Guruji or that He is God but we would like to add here…God in human form. We need to be considerate.

I remember, I had watched a live program of Guruji visiting some city and people were throwing flowers on his face. Two days later I was in ashram and went to meet Guruji, I saw He had a blood red spot on His conjuctiva. After enquiring many number of times as to what had happened He smiled and said, “wo na, phool lag gaya.” (got hurt by a flower).

So compassionate is our Guru, we just need to be considerate.

           II. THOU SHALT BE MENTORABLE:

Mentor means: wise man, a wise and trusted guide and advisor.

I’ve observed that I’ve attained maximum growth only when, I let my teachers train me.

Once you find the perfect teacher, mentor, it is good to let them handle you. The mentor would be your friend, listen to you when you grieve. They bring the greatest joys in your life and remain available to us when we reach out, irrespective of the time, irrespective of the fact that they have other important things to do; not to forget, their own personal lives. 

But when a mentor sees your weak side, you’d be made to face your short comings. Somehow, thanks to Guruji, my mentors saw more in me than I saw myself. It includes both, my potential and my short comings. I’ve been entrusted with tasks unimaginable for me. Frankly some of them scared the hell out of me and some I’ve genuinely disliked. Somehow, I do manage to accomplish them. It is the Guru’s grace and definitely the mentor’s faith in us that works.

When, your shortcomings are pointed out; some of them you don’t even know exist; you do resist and deny. It may even make you cry. But when you give it a thought, you’d realize that it was true. A true mentor would pamper you but not always.

He/she connects you to the Guru. You would be asked to be steady on the path, no matter what.

It is crazy when one moment you are sharing a joke with your mentor and the other moment you are given a ruthless teaching.

All I know is that I’ve become stronger, better, more humble. I’d have been someone but definitely not someone better day after day but for my teachers, my mentors.

           III. THOU SHALT HAST FAITH ON THY GURU:

He is to be cherished. Initially when you are new, you’d be pampered into a fairy tale life. But he is our Guru and does not want us to be weak.

When an Art of Living volunteer, you get to see life in extremes. The good things are too good, much better than people who don’t do seva. The testing times may not be so bad but since we get used to good things happening most of the time, we feel the setbacks to be too big.

However big the problem, remember one thing; the Guru is there in our life and it is a BIG enough reason to smile and be brave because you know you’d be taken care of.

           IV. THY STRENGTH IS THY UNITY:

We are all individuals and it is natural that we have our differences but squabbles should not be displayed outside.

           V. THY JOURNEY NEVER ENDS:

If you feel that you have done enough courses or have enough knowledge or have done enough seva, then understand that you have not. Always be ready to learn. Even when you assist a teacher’s course 30 times, I bet you will get to know new things on the 31^st course.

           VI. THOU SHALT HAST NO OTHER GOAL BEFORE THY 
       GURU ON THIS PATH:

On this path, you find all types of people; good, bad, stupid, smart, selfish, etc. All these people may distract you. There is only one perfect person…focus on Him.

 

           VII. THOU SHALT NOT LET PETTY THINGS AND EVENTS 
         MAKE THOU LEAVE THE PATH:

       

It is after immense good karma that we’ve found a Guru, a Guru in physical form.

Even big things don’t stand a chance. Remember, the Guru found us and it is our job to hold on to Him.

           VIII. THOU SHALT NOT EXPECT UNNECESSARY 
          ATTENTION FROM THY  TEACHER:

Understand, a good teacher would definitely put you in circumstances that you don’t like. Do not expect unnecessary pampering from your teacher.

                      IX. THOU SHALT NOT MAKE THY GURU WORK OVERTIME
       :p

He has better and more important things to do than some of our silly demands.

You will definitely get good marks and results provided you do both of the under mentioned:

•        You do your sadhna regularly

•       You study

100% effort leads to 100% grace.

                      X. THOU SHALT BE GENUINELY INTERESTED IN 
     KNOWLEDGE:

Keep reading Guruji’s knowledge sheets, listen to His discourses. It is good to listen them as a group and discuss them soon after. This is also satsang. Just sitting and clapping and singing bhajans may not suffice.

Jai Gurudev!

Krishna and Sweta