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Incubator of compassionate action.
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"It takes two to know one," Gregory Bateson once quipped. It's not just that relationships can be a mirror, but a sacred arrangement of those connections can ignite a whole that is greater than the sum of the parts. Just as carbon atoms arranged in one formation yield graphite while in another formation yield a diamond, we have recently been hosting Pods with the inquiry: how must we come together virtually in a way that will support our inner transformation?
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In the last month alone, thousands of volunteer hours have gone into offering Pods on wide-ranging themes ranging from art to education to business. In observing so many participants from 30+ countries, what seems to make the Pod Process so regenerative is the intersection of three spheres: inspiring content, many-to-many context, and skilfull laddership. Not only do people show up differently, but they tell a different story. Chris's 5-year-old asked for the "cure" of the humble breath; in Colombia, Amparo experimented with pay-it-forward;
Rohit failed to negotiate down his salary at an NGO in India; Marilyn sold her condo in Silicon Valley to adopt a cat; Greg learned business lessons from his wife's flower shop in North Dakota; world-renowned activist Mark was in tears remembering a tree; Wakanyi discovered the measure of real education.
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Thank you for creating a new story.
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Starts this Saturday!
What am I devoted to? A subtle bridge connects the uniqueness of our individual calling with the universality of our fundamental oneness. Our divine purpose manifests through our devotion to it. As the holiness that seeks emergence through us is magnified by collective support, our coherent devotions bless all beings! Join us for this unique pod with a forward-thinking church minister who embraces the fullness of God, alongside a pioneering change-maker whose life is a wordless ode to the emptiness of our essence.
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Who was Rumi? How did he become the great saint whose verses are still read after eight centuries? What are the roots of his teachings?
Two practicing Sufis residing in Istanbul are offering a Pod on the Wisdom of Rumi! One is Marian Brehmer, a German author who has written a book on Rumi, and another is Aslinur Akdeniz who comes from a family lineage connected to Rumi's teachings. "In silence there is eloquence. Stop weaving and see how the pattern improves."
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Qigong Master Mingtong Gu and Cynthia Li are offering round 2 of their popular pod to heal and awaken -- both journeys that venture into the Great Unknowns of our bodies and the cosmos. "We come together to practice because healing and awakening are solitary journeys that cannot be done alone."
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Our quarantined lives have been an interesting year to explore friendship. Who did we miss? Who did we connect with, and how? How do we want to be a friend going forward? Buddha's attendant, Ananda, once remarked, "Half of a holy life is noble friends: companionship with the good, association with the good." To which, the Buddha responded, "Do not say so, Ananda. It is the whole of holy life." In an era of social networks, how do we recognize noble qualities and cultivate deep friendships? Along the path of inner transformation, how is our resiliency supported by a web of relationships, such that Buddha would call it the whole of a holy life? Anchored by two monastics and many other wise elders, this 14-day immersion is expected to be waitlisted -- so sign up soon!
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WITH A BOW OF GRATITUDE ...
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Last week, a wise elder in Dwarko-ji passed away at the age of 98. As one of the last active disciples of Gandhi, Dalai Lama would often say, "Dwarko-ji, I teach compassion but you live it." With an untiring heart, his entire life was dedicated to service without asking for anything, owning anything, or fundraising for any of his projects. Effortless emergence would routinely manifest around him -- whether it was Martin Luther King Jr. visiting him or S. N. Goenka hosting his first 10-day meditation retreats at his ashram in Bodhgaya or dialoguing with J. Krishnamurti. During his various visits to our circles, he would respond to many questions with a simple-yet-profound refrain: "Life is an arrangement." That, wisdom lies not in attempting to control life but learning to surrender to its flow.
For more on Dwarko-ji, see Madhu's labor-of-love movie: Samanvaya (Harmony)
A recent Pod participant eloquently wrote, "Coming together isn't enough. Beauty emerges when we knit the sacred into our being, such that my virtue folds into yours along an inseparable fabric of creativity."
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Thank you, all, for knitting along that fabric of creativity.
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ServiceSpace is a unique incubator of volunteer-run projects that nurture a culture of generosity. We believe that small acts of service can nurture a profound inner transformation that sustains external impact. To get involved, you can subscribe to our newsletters or create an account and complete our 3-step process to volunteer.
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