My Sevas, Challenges and Findings (Link #812)

Speaker: Daisuke Inaba. Dai-san discusses his seva activities, the challenges they present, and his findings in working with challenges. He divides a period of service into beginning, middle, and end and offers methods for dealing with difficulties that arise at each stage. In the beginning, there is procrastination and distraction, which he overcomes by setting up a physical and mental environment supportive of service. In the middle, discursive thoughts arise, which he addresses with a breathing practice similar to shamatha. In the end, pride and arrogance "slowly and sneakily creep in", which he surmounts by dedicating the merit and appreciating the opportunity to serve. Dai-san offers this three-part method as a beneficial antidote to self-absorption and an aid to achieving happiness and confidence in seva.