A neem tree around here dried up recently. It was hard to see that happen. It seems neem trees all over the nation were in the same state at that point in time. That was a year ago. After a few months, the tree began to regrow and it felt good. However, it is now showing the same signs of the disease and beginning to dry up. It shows how nature goes through a process of emerging, evolving, accepting and moving ahead without any pompous or distress.

Self-check: You are facing an issue. What is your attitude towards it and how do you respond to it? Do you think of it as…

  • a problem and you need to solve it…?
    When one thinks of something as a problem, one begins to feel sad. The ability to perform or make decisions weakens. For example: a student can feel pressured and worried during an exam.
  • a challenge and you need to crack it…?
    When one thinks of something as a challenge, one begins to think of ways to overcome it by hook or crook. That can compromise one’s ability to follow the right methods or employ the right process during the endeavour. For example: a student may feel the need to cheat during the exam.
  • an opportunity and you want to utilise it…?
    When one thinks of something as an opportunity or a chance, one begins to invest the indwelling potential to its best use to evolve during the process. For example: a student will work to the fullest to understand the concepts and use the time as a chance to learn thoroughly.

What did the neem tree do? It did not cry. It did not ask for support. It did not complain. It simply rose from within fully. It accepted the situation and worked to emerge from it.

There are several issues in society today. Do you see it as a problem, challenge or an opportunity? Take it as an opportunity to serve the society…

What is the difference between an activity and service?

Service is an act driven out of love. Love for whom and what? It can be love for a tree, for someone in pain, for something in need. Serving a tree is to curb anything that endangers its natural existence. Serving a snake is to ensure it can live in its natural habitat in its natural ways. Serving someone in pain is to feel the same pain and alleviate yourself from that pain by relieving them of that pain. Serving someone in need is to ensure they don’t get into such a situation ever, but not letting them depend on you forever. A mother serves her child with no expectations. Whereas an activity is performed with some expectations.

How do volunteers at Jeeyar asramam serve?

Everything and everyone is connected through a common reality called God, whatever form it can be. Therefore, the volunteers serve all beings as service to God. It is done so by worshiping the form that the elders have worshiped and respecting all other forms that others may believe in.

Let’s therefore take the same lines as pledge. Utilise this opportunity and march ahead with enthusiasm and energy…

Serve all beings as service to God
Worship your own… respect all

– From the address of Swamiji to JYC, Jeeyar Youth Club
– 22nd Dec 2022, JIVA

Students from more than 10 colleges such as JIMS, JBIT, MGIT, Narayanamma have all gathered with a desire to take part in service initiatives through the Jeeyar Youth Club platform.

VASISTTHA


THUSANTH


ISHANI


ANANTH


MGIT-Students-with-HH-Chinna-Jeeyar-Swamiji