Daily yoga practice: Supporting the law of the world

Went to a volunteers briefing on Sunday at the Kong Meng San Phor Kark See Monastery. They have a wonderful term for volunteer work: "Hu4 Fa3" -- Supporting/upholding/protecting (the) dharma. Dharma is/are the natural law(s) of the world, e.g. "In this world hate has never yet dispelled hate, only love dispels hate". We should daily be the supporters of such truths. Not just in sectors of our lives like volunteer work but in our dealings with all people. Think about it. Instead of "contributing your time", "doing charity", "donation", "fundraising" (terms which I always felt sounded a little patronising and lacking somehow...) you are "protecting the laws of truth", "guardians of eternal wisdom". ;-) So from an ego-based wish to "do good" and "become a better person" you have graduated to a ego-less wish to acknowledge and perpetuate what is true and good and "be a better people". I can't think of a better way to practice yoga than this! Karma ("action") Yoga is uniting our mind, body and soul through our actions. We act out of truth and are not attached to the outcome of our actions.

However many holy words you read,
However many you speak,
What good will they do you
If you do not act upon them?

Read as few words as you like
And speak fewer.
But act upon the law.

-- Dhammapada

Act now! Find out more about volunteering from my good friends at the National Volunteer and Philantrophy Centre: http://www.nvpc.org.sg/

Remember, as Mahatma Gandhi said: "The difference between what we do and what we are capable of doing would suffice to solve most of the world's problems."