"We are on this planet to love each other, to serve each other, and to uplift each other. We have come to this Earth to give, not to take", Yogi Bhajan
Sat Nam! Greetings and Welcome back to week six of our seven week study of the Seven Steps to Happiness, written by Haribhajan S. Khalsa, based on the teachings of Yogi Bhajan, PhD.
Grace gives you the Power to Sacrifice – the sixth step to Happiness. The word sacrifice comes from the Latin word for sacred. To make sacred is to sacrifice the finite self and your egoic needs to the Higher self - your Divinity. We often think of sacrifice as giving up something we want or love for the good of someone else. True sacrifice involves no suffering. In fact, sacrifice is meant to bring you great joy and bliss. To have the power to sacrifice is the ability to serve others from the heart without an agenda of our own. The key concept is that to sacrifice is POWER.. With the power to sacrifice, you feel abundant and prosperous and naturally want to serve and share with others, and it does not feel like sacrifice because it feels like Love. Love is our natural state, so it feels good, safe, and comforting. When we sacrifice ourselves and learn to serve, we stop asking the question, “What’s in it for me?” and start asking, “How can my actions benefit the whole of humanity?” When we allow ourselves to truly operate from the heart and in the action of giving, we will automatically do no harm to others because the heart intrinsically knows that we are all ONE, and to harm another is to harm ourselves. We suddenly “Recognize the other person is you.”
Sat Nam! Greetings and Welcome back to week six of our seven week study of the Seven Steps to Happiness, written by Haribhajan S. Khalsa, based on the teachings of Yogi Bhajan, PhD.
Grace gives you the Power to Sacrifice – the sixth step to Happiness. The word sacrifice comes from the Latin word for sacred. To make sacred is to sacrifice the finite self and your egoic needs to the Higher self - your Divinity. We often think of sacrifice as giving up something we want or love for the good of someone else. True sacrifice involves no suffering. In fact, sacrifice is meant to bring you great joy and bliss. To have the power to sacrifice is the ability to serve others from the heart without an agenda of our own. The key concept is that to sacrifice is POWER.. With the power to sacrifice, you feel abundant and prosperous and naturally want to serve and share with others, and it does not feel like sacrifice because it feels like Love. Love is our natural state, so it feels good, safe, and comforting. When we sacrifice ourselves and learn to serve, we stop asking the question, “What’s in it for me?” and start asking, “How can my actions benefit the whole of humanity?” When we allow ourselves to truly operate from the heart and in the action of giving, we will automatically do no harm to others because the heart intrinsically knows that we are all ONE, and to harm another is to harm ourselves. We suddenly “Recognize the other person is you.”
Serve From The Heart
To have the power to sacrifice is to have the ability to serve others from the heart. The greatest pain experienced by a spiritual person is the pain of separation from the Creator. Each one of us has come from this same Creator and as a humanity we play this out by feeling separated from one another. A person with the Power to Sacrifice understands that the easiest and most efficient way to move out of the pain of isolation (ego) is to go out and serve others. This act alone is an honor to the Higher self - for our soul longs only for the exquisite experience of union with the Divine. When we serve one another from the heart it takes away the pain of separation and unites us again with the Creator . When we serve, love and uplift each other in this way - we feel the vibration of joy and ecstasy to be merged once again.
To have the power to sacrifice is to have the ability to serve others from the heart. The greatest pain experienced by a spiritual person is the pain of separation from the Creator. Each one of us has come from this same Creator and as a humanity we play this out by feeling separated from one another. A person with the Power to Sacrifice understands that the easiest and most efficient way to move out of the pain of isolation (ego) is to go out and serve others. This act alone is an honor to the Higher self - for our soul longs only for the exquisite experience of union with the Divine. When we serve one another from the heart it takes away the pain of separation and unites us again with the Creator . When we serve, love and uplift each other in this way - we feel the vibration of joy and ecstasy to be merged once again.
Noblesse Oblige
Noblesse Oblige is a French term, which translated means, the obligation of nobility. It refers to a belief, popular in the 1800s, that it is the obligation of nobles to give to others less fortunate. Benevolent, honorable behavior was considered a duty for persons of high birth or rank. For some, this belief inspired acts of charity, service and kindness. Similarly, when we become conscious and awake, it is our responsibility to help and serve our fellow man. Not because consciousness makes us better than another, but, because we feel deeply humbled to be touched by the grace of G.O.D. When we are blessed to awaken to our true nature in this lifetime, we also feel obligated to serve those who seek to be awakened. This is not something that we have to think about or decide. As we are filled with grace, naturally, we want to share it with others. There is no effort involved. Like a cup overflowing with water – we freely give to everyone around us. For example, you are in a line up at the grocery store and late for your next appointment. You witness the cashier being treated rudely by the person in front you and she is now visibly upset. The power to sacrifice will have you drop the thoughts of your meeting and tune in to the needs of the moment – to what is in front of you right now. You ask yourself, “How can I, as a servant of Infinity, uplift this person?” Perhaps all that is required is a friendly smile. Or, you may be moved to remind her that the person was angry long before they came into the store. A small act of kindness such as this can make a huge impact on others. And, it will affect how she serves the rest of her customers throughout the day and her family, when she returns home.
Noblesse Oblige is a French term, which translated means, the obligation of nobility. It refers to a belief, popular in the 1800s, that it is the obligation of nobles to give to others less fortunate. Benevolent, honorable behavior was considered a duty for persons of high birth or rank. For some, this belief inspired acts of charity, service and kindness. Similarly, when we become conscious and awake, it is our responsibility to help and serve our fellow man. Not because consciousness makes us better than another, but, because we feel deeply humbled to be touched by the grace of G.O.D. When we are blessed to awaken to our true nature in this lifetime, we also feel obligated to serve those who seek to be awakened. This is not something that we have to think about or decide. As we are filled with grace, naturally, we want to share it with others. There is no effort involved. Like a cup overflowing with water – we freely give to everyone around us. For example, you are in a line up at the grocery store and late for your next appointment. You witness the cashier being treated rudely by the person in front you and she is now visibly upset. The power to sacrifice will have you drop the thoughts of your meeting and tune in to the needs of the moment – to what is in front of you right now. You ask yourself, “How can I, as a servant of Infinity, uplift this person?” Perhaps all that is required is a friendly smile. Or, you may be moved to remind her that the person was angry long before they came into the store. A small act of kindness such as this can make a huge impact on others. And, it will affect how she serves the rest of her customers throughout the day and her family, when she returns home.
To Make Sacred
We often think of sacrifice as giving up something we want or love for the good of someone else. It brings to mind the cliché of the mother martyr that believes she sacrificed everything for her family. Her guilt-ridden children may hear messages like “I gave up my dreams so you could lead a better life. After all I’ve done for you, you should……” -- fill in the blank. This is not true sacrifice. It is actually a hidden agenda and a means to control others. This kind of ‘sacrifice’ creates suffering and leaves everyone feeling bitter and angry. To truly sacrifice involves no suffering. In fact, sacrifice is meant to bring you great joy and bliss.
We often think of sacrifice as giving up something we want or love for the good of someone else. It brings to mind the cliché of the mother martyr that believes she sacrificed everything for her family. Her guilt-ridden children may hear messages like “I gave up my dreams so you could lead a better life. After all I’ve done for you, you should……” -- fill in the blank. This is not true sacrifice. It is actually a hidden agenda and a means to control others. This kind of ‘sacrifice’ creates suffering and leaves everyone feeling bitter and angry. To truly sacrifice involves no suffering. In fact, sacrifice is meant to bring you great joy and bliss.
Seva – Selfless Service
Seva is a spiritual practice of selfless service with no thought of reward for oneself. Seva is also a form of yoga called Karma Yoga. Seva is a powerful way to confront and conquer your ego. This is an ancient practice referred to as zeroing the ego. Only when the ego is zero, can you feel the Oneness and connection to all. The ego will rear its head as soon as the thought of seva enters your awareness. Only the ego asks, “What’s in it for me?” It is only the ego that needs recognition and praise for what you do for others. Seva is also an attitude of the mind. When you feel and know yourself to be a servant of Infinity you instinctively want to serve higher consciousness in all areas of your life. This means being fully present to the moment, alert to the needs of the situation – seeing the gap and then filling the gap without hesitation. Seva is making yourself available to others; taking the time to care for and uplift others for no reason at all … just because.
Seva is a spiritual practice of selfless service with no thought of reward for oneself. Seva is also a form of yoga called Karma Yoga. Seva is a powerful way to confront and conquer your ego. This is an ancient practice referred to as zeroing the ego. Only when the ego is zero, can you feel the Oneness and connection to all. The ego will rear its head as soon as the thought of seva enters your awareness. Only the ego asks, “What’s in it for me?” It is only the ego that needs recognition and praise for what you do for others. Seva is also an attitude of the mind. When you feel and know yourself to be a servant of Infinity you instinctively want to serve higher consciousness in all areas of your life. This means being fully present to the moment, alert to the needs of the situation – seeing the gap and then filling the gap without hesitation. Seva is making yourself available to others; taking the time to care for and uplift others for no reason at all … just because.
“Sacrifice is the total non-presence of the ‘I’, Yogi Bhajan
The ‘I’ is the ego – that part of you which identifies and attaches to the forms in the external world. The external world is the material world and also includes thought forms, belief systems, emotions and feelings. The ego uses the language of me and mine. It is highly attached to possessions and labels such as gender, religion, race, and nationality. Out of this attachment, it creates an identity, which you believe is you. The ego can also identify with the roles you play, such as father, mother, daughter, yoga teacher, and of course, the role you play at work. In order for the ego to thrive, it needs to be recognized, praised, and always feel superior or inferior to others. It has a never-ending need for attention and validation. The more attached one is to their ego, the more they feel separated from the world and view it as hostile, competitive and worthy of battle at every turn. The truth is that the real power comes when there is no ego or, when the ego is in its correct placement - to serve the soul’s journey. It takes spiritual discipline and vigilance to keep the ego in check. The absence of the noise and demands of the ego brings us to our divinity – our soul. Only then are we able to truly sacrifice and experience the sacred.
The ‘I’ is the ego – that part of you which identifies and attaches to the forms in the external world. The external world is the material world and also includes thought forms, belief systems, emotions and feelings. The ego uses the language of me and mine. It is highly attached to possessions and labels such as gender, religion, race, and nationality. Out of this attachment, it creates an identity, which you believe is you. The ego can also identify with the roles you play, such as father, mother, daughter, yoga teacher, and of course, the role you play at work. In order for the ego to thrive, it needs to be recognized, praised, and always feel superior or inferior to others. It has a never-ending need for attention and validation. The more attached one is to their ego, the more they feel separated from the world and view it as hostile, competitive and worthy of battle at every turn. The truth is that the real power comes when there is no ego or, when the ego is in its correct placement - to serve the soul’s journey. It takes spiritual discipline and vigilance to keep the ego in check. The absence of the noise and demands of the ego brings us to our divinity – our soul. Only then are we able to truly sacrifice and experience the sacred.
Power to Sacrifice Meditation
Tune in first with the Adi Mantra three times
Ong Namo Guru Dev Namo
Part 1
MUDRA: Touch the tips of the middle finger (Saturn) and the thumb together (Shuni Mudra, the seal of patience). Keep the other fingers straight. Arms are bent up to a 90 degree angle, upper arms parallel to the floor, hands toward the ceiling
EYES: Closed
BREATH: Inhale through the mouth making a whistling sound. Exhale through the nose silently
Continue for 10 minutes (or shortened version - 5 minutes)
END: INHALE - HOLD- EXHALE- Relax the breath
Part 2
Mudra and eyes are the same as Part 1
MANTRA: With your awareness at the center of the skull, chant SAT NAAM
Continue for 10 minutes (shortened version - 5 minutes)
Tune in first with the Adi Mantra three times
Ong Namo Guru Dev Namo
Part 1
MUDRA: Touch the tips of the middle finger (Saturn) and the thumb together (Shuni Mudra, the seal of patience). Keep the other fingers straight. Arms are bent up to a 90 degree angle, upper arms parallel to the floor, hands toward the ceiling
EYES: Closed
BREATH: Inhale through the mouth making a whistling sound. Exhale through the nose silently
Continue for 10 minutes (or shortened version - 5 minutes)
END: INHALE - HOLD- EXHALE- Relax the breath
Part 2
Mudra and eyes are the same as Part 1
MANTRA: With your awareness at the center of the skull, chant SAT NAAM
Continue for 10 minutes (shortened version - 5 minutes)
And finally, the Power to Sacrifice leads to Happiness. See you next week! Remember, I will be with you every step of the way, and practicing along with you – so please contact me via email should you need any assistance in the journey to happiness. See you next week for Happiness!
BLESSINGS!
Vikki
BLESSINGS!
Vikki
