Over the years we have come to believe that a nurturing eco-system is significant part of our service journey, and we are fortunate to have people around us who have dedicated their lives to do this precisely this. In this quest of keeping heart at the center of our service and how we see the world, we all are on a pilgrimage with different paths but an deeply inter-connected path.
 
Strengthening our quest towards inner-transformation and oneness, we are glad to share with you about a day-long retreat that’s happening in Delhi on 6th December with no other than the person who has moved so many hearts with love, Nipun Mehta. The idea is to come together to understand each other’s quest and also to strengthen the Delhi eco-system. We believe if we understand each other well, the process of strengthening eco-system will automatically start.

In the past, such circles have held various personal inquiries like ... How much of service is external and how much is internal? What are the properties of intrinsic motivation that make it regenerative? Is there such a thing as "compassion fatigue"? If compassion is regenerative, why do we feel a lack of motivation sometimes? How do I avoid burnout? How do I know if my act is actually in service to others? Should I analyze my intention or does that lead to analysis paralysis? Is it more selfless to share stories that inspire me or to be quietly anonymous? Why do I get so attached to the people I serve? Is it more virtuous to serve your own family or to serve others? Are holding boundaries a sign of weakness or strength? When the problems in the world feel too overwhelming to solve, how can I cultivate resiliency?

And more systemic questions like ... How can we assume value everywhere and creatively work with multiple forms of capital? Without power, as with a volunteer group, how do provide the needed leadership to get stuff done? Can we design a volunteer-run infrastructure that relies on non-financial incentives? What are the (personal and collective) practices for authentic and lasting inner transformation? How does a distinction between sympathy, empathy, and compassion affect our collective expressions of service?

For those don't have a context of Nipun-bhai's service journey, you may like read about his intention when he started in his twenties, which then led to his decision to attempt social change without money while tapping into multiple forms of capital. His article on 5 Reasons to Serve and personal interview on Meditation and Service share the foundation of what got him to embrace a gift-economy path, embark on a walking pilgrimage in India and not only sustain himself along the way but expand into a gift ecology and continue to nuance it further.

It will be an intimate group gathering of people who are seriously dedicated to service. All you have to bring is your being and one small object or thing that you relate most to. As per the financial contribution, we will keep it on gift economy making sure it isn't a barrier for any of us.

It would be great to have you join us, share a contemplative space of reflection, and plant seeds for co-creating more goodness in the world. To join, simply RSVP below and we'll send you a follow-up email with the details.