Seva, Selfless Service.

Seva is a Sanskrit word meaning selfless service. It means giving of ourselves to others, our time, energy, resources, love, attention, etc. and all without the expectation of anything in return.  Even though we are not expecting anything in return, there is so much joy and happiness we get when we give selflessly to others. Think about how it feels when someone gives something of themselves to you with no expectations that you do something in return. It might be their time, their money, or their help with something. When these things happen to me, I feel a warmth and happiness that radiates from the inside out and that spirit of freely giving to others is so contagious! When someone gives freely to me, it makes me want to give freely to others. What an awesome thing to put in motion, and a wonderful practice to pass on to our children.

One way to develop a Seva practice in your family, school or community is to create/organize/participate in community service projects. Here are 10 project ideas you can do with your children whether its just you and your kids or a community event that you put together.

1. Bake sale that benefits a charity or organization
2. Create cards for hospitalized children
3. Volunteer at a local pet shelter
4. Visit a nursing home and make a new friend!
5. Organize a town clean up day to pick up trash and clean your neighborhood
6. Organize a food drive for a local food bank
7. Do yard work for elderly community members
8. Create care packages for children in hospitals
9. Create cards or make treats for your towns first responders
10. Organize a clothing drive and donate to a local shelter