What volunteer work etc do you all do?

[CdnSikhGirl]

I believe in getting out in the community and doing volunteer work, and I used to volunteer as a medical first responder at local events.  It was a great way to interact with the public when they are at their worst, and I got to patch them up, comfort them while they puked, in some cases even administering oxygen and CPR.  

Now I am shifting my focus to other directions.  I have applied to be member on Nova Scotia Human Rights Commission.

I currently serve on the MARLANT Defence Visible Minority Advisory Group in the Navy.  

But I want to start a project in India, that will help a lot of people.  Community first response program where we train local volunteers to advanced first aid level and they take turns with the pager.  They would be dispatched at same time as ambulance only they would usually be first on scene. As we know ambulances take some time to arrive in India to the patient.  There would be a community kit with basic life support level (can deal with anything from severe bleeds to broken bones) and some airways (NPA/OPA but not intubation) Oxygen and an AED.  I have 3 separate doctors from India on board with the idea and want to trial a small area (rural) first.  I need to know if anyone has any experience in how to start organizing it.  I can probably work on having one full kit donated by St John Ambulance.  But to get it nationally funding will have to come from other means.  But for a trial getting kit wont be an issue.  But I need to know about NGOs how to register, and any legal issues.  UK has the system fully running and is a good model.  

Also in near future will be involved with NGO my husband runs which empowers women. It involves handicrafts and export.  

Just wondering what types of seva (outside of the gurdwara) you all do?

[Northern]

A couple of times a month I spend time in an elderly care home sitting and listening with the old people there.  They are so lonely and love that someone young has taken time to be with them because they really have nothing else to do, and rarely visited by their family.  They share some lovely stories and really appreciate any visitor : )

[CdnSikhGirl]

That is really great seva!  I remember when I was younger my great grandmother was in a nursing home. (It was necessity as she was not only requiring heavy physical specialized care but was also combative with alzheimers) but we still visited often, decorated her room as if were home etc. But I remember some of the residents their families didn't even visit. They were always alone. Even worse some places just medicate combative residents to make them better to deal with.  It's sad.  I won't pretend to know how to deal with advanced alzheimers but there has to be a better way than medicating them to the point of drooling and staring off into space :( We must never forget our elders and what they have done earlier in our lives.  

[Northern]

There are various elderly care homes in the city where I live, and I'm sure there are some near other members of this forum.  I would definitely recommend this as the elderly really appreciate this.  They can chat with others but you notice the glint in their eyes when a new youngster comes in and has chit-chat with them about any random topic (and they are funny and random at times).  The thing is, there are many more elderly people who live on there own (ie. not in a care home with others) so can you imagine how lonely they get?

 

There are so many different types of volunteer work we can do.  Whether its helping elderly, teaching kids in a special needs school, cleaning sheets/pruning back trees, cooking for homeless.....etc

 

: )

 

[amardeep]

Many people will probably consider their volantary work as a sewa so they will not mention it on here due to ego, dikhawa etc.

[Lucky]

I spend several hours a week volunteering to help with english language and communication skills for immigrants. These are both classroom environments and also one-to-one sessions with a range of different backgrounds. I help assist Chinese ,Philippine's, Punjabis ..etc. I know that many Sikhs are surprised when they learn that I also help a number of Koreans that are Christian students of theology, bible and pastor courses. They have been an interesting and respectable bunch that I've come across.

[CdnSikhGirl]

I think it's a good idea to share because it gives people ideas of things they can do outside of the gurdwara... So intention was not to start an ego stroking thread...

[Lucky]

.

 

 

[paapiman]

On 3/27/2016 at 7:10 PM, amardeep said:

Many people will probably consider their volantary work as a sewa so they will not mention it on here due to ego, dikhawa etc.

It is a really good practice to keep Seva and Simran confidential/private as much as possible.

 

Bhul chuk maaf

[Guest Wake Up]

On 2016-06-15 at 11:30 AM, paapiman said:

It is a really good practice to keep Seva and Simran confidential/private as much as possible.

 

Bhul chuk maaf

Since everyone uses aliases on here and not real names, it hardly matters if you mention what you do. Letting people know about volunteer opportunities they may not have considered opens doors for more people to do the same. For example in never knew general public could volunteer at SPCA until someone told me that they do. So then I inquired and now do the same. I would not have known if someone did not tell me. Having too much pride is bad but so is feeling ashamed to share what you do to help others because that in its own way is you assuming that it is something which is elevating your status in sikhi and spiritually. When it's not. Fearing to share it is also ego because you are assuming it makes you better than others. In reality everyone should be encouraged openly to volunteer. It shouldn't be the few that volunteer. It should be the norm for everyone to do what they can to help others. So stop thinking that your seva puts you in a higher level so you have to hide it for ego. That in itself is ego. Instead, try to encourage others to also volunteer. But do so in a way that you don't make yourself seem better than others. 

[Lucky]

You don't have to keep it private if your intentions are in the right place. If you are talking about it and 'bigging up' yourself,...then you have a problem and it's probably wiser to keep your mouth shut.  On the other hand, if you are talking about it in the hope that it may encourage someone else to do good and follow your footsteps to volunteer, then your intentions are correct and it would be in line with gurmat.

We automatically assume that haumai is about inflating your ego by bragging and shouting "me, me, me ....I do this, I do that.".. but we don't realise that the guy who goes the extra mile trying to be super humble, is the biggest one with an ego problem.

 For example- the one that shouts "i'm so lowly.. I have nothing, no money...i'm poor,,, I don't get anything, everyone is above me.....blah blah,.."  that s EGO inflation itself.  A reverse psychological play that he will use to get extra attention, to be praised for being so humble and will try to label himself as a meek. Just think would a real timid, shy and tame guy, go around saying this?  

 

Anyhow, I've increased my voluntary work quite a bit and it is mainly with a goal for bettering myself and trying to conquer some of my hidden weaknesses.

We have had a number of Syrian refugees arrive in Canada and I have been volunteering to help set up classes to teach them English and communication skills.  As an anglo-sikh coming from UK, most of us turn out being prejudice towards muslims, especially Pakistani muslims (Dalsingh and others know!)  This is due to racial problems amongst UK communities that I won't go off topic with here. So, naturally, I admitted to myself that I was somehow a little reluctant to help muslims, but had no problem helping Koreans, Chinese, Philippines etc..  

I had to swallow my pride and admit to myself that this was my weakness. So, I plucked up the courage and pay out of my own pocket to help with classes for about 9hrs/week.  So far, it has been helpful and I do see them in a different light and as more human than anything else. I know at first, they probably saw me as a kafir, but even they are thinking "Hang-on, this sikh guy is a little different  because he's not getting paid to help us!". I can say that a strong bond of mutual respect has been formed and a few of them are beginning to see Sikhs in a different light.

So, you guys can see that my voluntary work is not just for the good of others but it is productive to help better myself and follow the teachings of Guru Nanak Dev ji.

[paapiman]

11 hours ago, Guest Wake Up said:

Since everyone uses aliases on here and not real names, it hardly matters if you mention what you do. 

Not everyone. We are aware of the identity of a few people on this forum. Anonymous or not, self-praising is a heinous sin in Sikhism. Even if anonymous, it does not change the fact that one is still praising himself, in front of others. This is a very subtle way to feed one's ego. If your intention is purely to help someone (out of compassion), then the case is different.

In real life, a Gurmukh tries to keep his Seva confidential. One can encourage/inform others about opportunities, without divulging personal details. For example, one can make people aware of a particular volunteer opportunity (at a hospital, local Gurudwara, etc), without making Manmat statements like - I have been helping people for many years, my name showed up on a magazine, I have received awards, etc.

 

Bhul chuk maaf

[Guest Wake Up]

2 hours ago, paapiman said:

anonymous or not, self-praising is a heinous sin in Sikhism. Even if anonymous, it does not change the fact that one is still praising himself, in front of others. 

That is no different than you saying "Look at me I don't talk about my volunteer work or seva." Because what you did just there is also ego paapiman veer ji whether you realize it or not you just made the statement you are better than others because you don't talk about what seva you do. In my opinion the thread started as a means for people to share what opportunities they have experienced for seva outside of the usual langar or cleaning shoes at the gurdwara. The OP was trying to get people to think outside the box and be open to other forms of seva in the community. By you jumping on them you just made the statement you are better than they are because you won't share and that is in itself ego. You aren't better or more spiritual because you don't divulge but those who do divulge if they do so in a way that inspires others to also volunteer then they are doing more than you are. It's not a competition of who is higher than who. We should all try to inspire others to also do seva. We can't do that by shutting up about the subject. We need to stop being so hard on others. 

[paapiman]

21 hours ago, Guest Wake Up said:

That is no different than you saying "Look at me I don't talk about my volunteer work or seva."

If someone makes the above statement, then he/she is also a victim of Ego.

Also, let's stay on topic. If you want to discuss more about ego, can you please post in the topics below?

 

 

Bhul chuk maaf

[JasperS]

Let's not become so fundamentalist that we can't talk about what we do in this life. Sikhi is not about that. While its bad to build yourself up by talking about something just as a means to get others to praise you, it's similarly bad to do make statements that because you dont talk about those things making suggestion that its somehow makes you better. Its not wrong to talk about what volunteer work you do. Just don't let it go to your head. And you paapiman should not care about what others do o do not do. Instead of policing everyone else, just focus on your own spiritual progression. You come across as the Sikh Taliban on here sometimes. 

[chatanga1]

On 27/09/2016 at 8:21 PM, JasperS said:

Let's not become so fundamentalist that we can't talk about what we do in this life. Sikhi is not about that. While its bad to build yourself up by talking about something just as a means to get others to praise you, it's similarly bad to do make statements that because you dont talk about those things making suggestion that its somehow makes you better. Its not wrong to talk about what volunteer work you do. Just don't let it go to your head.

 

Very nicely put.

 

[samurai]

@Luckygood for you in helping others which will obviously help your own karm...im sure you had this in mind..

listen...do your thing, but to try and say you were from uk  and have a way to love Muslims etc is not necessary .its like your trying to say you were in the uk shoes then you saw the light..mate just bounce man..do your thing in trying to reach moksh and leave the khalsa sweap to the warriors who leave everything to serve the greatest tenth master...