With current Corona virus crisis all over the world, we find ourselves, afraid, uncertain and concerned. Millions of people have been affected worldwide, physically, financially and emotionally, and yet deep down we also feel the potentiality of transition from a consumption based world to co-operation and harmony. In these tough times, together with government, many individuals and organisations have stepped up to be of service, supporting communities with food distribution and essential supplies and through financial support to those affected. Many stories and experiments of Karuna (compassion) have spontaneously emerged to extend a supporting hand.
With physical and social distancing, we feel disconnected with fellow beings, there’s an inherent fear clouding our hearts and what we need is to be able to respond with love. This could only happen when together with social aid we also push ourselves for personal transformation, to strengthen our personal practices so that we can re-establish a sacred connection with ourselves, with our community and with mother nature.
Here’s few small experiments of love or humble habits of humility being practiced by our community. We invite you to participate with us as and however your heart resonates.
1. Monday Fasting or Tyag Nu Tiffin – Fasting in many traditions has been associated with cleansing of body and spirit. Done with reverence and prayer, it evokes the energy of equanimity and acceptance. With the intention to connect with other living beings through fasting, We invite you to to skip your one meal (either breakfast, lunch or dinner) on Monday and share the contribution of that meal (Rs 100) with any worker in your neighbourhood. This simple act of love and sacrifice converts our donation into a sacred contribution.
2. Sarvoday Patra : During bhoodan movement, Vinoba ji proposed this idea, asking for a daily handful of grain from every household in token of their faith in the work of non-violence. “Like the seeds have the potential of a tree within them, in the same way, the great tree of the people’s power will spring from the invisible seed-power in that little handful of grain,” he said.
“We invite you to join us in keeping a Sarvodaya Patra (Sarvodaya means ‘Rise of All’ and patra is a pot/container) in your home and every day put a handful of grain in it before your meal. You can use it to share it with someone who may need it or you can also use it to feed birds and animals.
Glimpses of our Lokmitras doing these practices:
Anil Bhai, one of the Lokmitras is making sarvodaya patra to keep food and water for birds. He is engaging the local community in this process and inspiring them to do it themselves.
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