S p i r i t ua l i t y S t u d i e s 3 - 1 S p r i n g 2 0 1 7 4 3 Swami Veda Bharati • Loyalty is not demanded, it is earned. • Only a self-controlled leader maintains control. • Only in the presence of self-disciplined leaders/guides the organizational family remains disciplined. • Only in the presence of a humble leader/ guide, others speak and behave humbly. • The leader/guide shares with others all that can be shared safely; all work and all information. • The leader/guide confers all honors that can be conferred on others, without seeking to be honored. • The leader/guide confers all love that can be conferred on others without demanding or expecting that she or he be loved. Be surprised when you are loved or honored: “Whatever am I being honored for, I wonder? I have done nothing.” • Humility towards “seniors” and “equals” is no humility at all. Humility and self-effacing manner towards the “lesser” is the true humility. • A sādhaka manager’s voice shows poise and mildness, measured tones and measured words, lovingly, even when using effectiveness and firmness. • The Law Book of Manu (Manu, verse 200), the first law-giver, lays the code of conduct that “Smita-poorvaabhi-baaShee syaat” – “One should be a person who always smiles before she/he speaks”. • InRamayana (Tulasidas 1650, Shastri 1962), one of the primary qualities of Rama is stated several times as “Smita-poorvaabhi-baaShee” – “Always smiling before speaking”. • As part of one’s sādhanā one constantly devises ways to implement these principles in practice. The ways devised by two sādhaka leaders/guides need not be identical; each is on his/her own spiritual journey. • As the parents think of the progress of children in making all decisions, so the leaders/organizers in the organizational family of sādhakas think of the progress of all who are working as helpers. • One ceases to think in terms of “I pay him”, “I am paid by him”. The leaders/organizers constantly keep in the mind, “how can she/ he make progress both in artha and dharma”. This applies to all relationships from sweeper to swami. All “hiring”, “firing” and “correcting” is done with this attitude, this concern, within oneself. • The personal progress made by the socalled “dependents” in the organizational family ensures the progress of the family. • One trains oneself in communications based on self-purifications and self-pacifications. • In a spiritual organizational family relationships are long term. One should seek to prolong them as much as possible. Even for generations. • As heads of the family, the concern of the leaders/organizers is not only for the current “helpers” and “dependents” but also for their future generations. Thus, one thinks of the family happiness and progress of the children of the helpers. • All relationships should be cultivated thus that they continue for generations. This used to be the tradition in the older societies of Asia but seems to have ceased for the most part. • All “correcting”, by the guides is based following the principles of hitam, mitam, and priyam. This is one’s own sādhanā and is a help in the helper’s sādhanā of self-improvement in dharma and artha. • The leaders/guides thus not only remain conscious but try to keep finding ways and resources to help the progress of helper’s family and children. • Thus, kindliness, self-observation and self-control on the part of the guides/leaders ensure the over-all controlled discipline in the organizational family. • No communication is undertaken to impress on the “lower rank helper” as to “I am the boss here”. Instead, “we are all together, trying to progress together and thereby helping the family’s progress”. • Whenever one’s self-observation tells us that the recent communication contained elements of showing “position”, one corrects oneself spiritually to reduce one’s pride. • The thought of the sādhaka guides/leaders is not “what is the minimum I can pay” but “what is the maximum within my capacity to pay” because any work has no price and it has infinite value. • The amount “paid” for the same work and capabilities may vary according to receiver’s need and giver’s capacity. • All work being given by the helper is selfless service, sevā; all help being given by the family guides is selfless dāna. There is no principle of equivalence between the two in spiritual economics. • One does not “fire” anyone; one changes their positions and spheres of service within the family, and it must be done while giving reassurances of love, continued relationship in a different format and with utmost honor conferred on one whose relationship is being changed.
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