QUOTE 140 EXCERPT:
Quote:
Originally Posted by HITESH SHAH
I have been part of the activities/movement inspired and guided by philosopher activist Rev Pandurang Shastri Athavale's public lectures since almost 30+ years . Such activities have had a tremendous positive influence on all involved. Such activities are pure voluntary funded by participants for themselves only (meaning I take care of expenses for my own activity with my time and energy)
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What an awesome post and what an awesome movement in which you have participated for almost 30 years.
Like yourself, I engaged in similar volunteer activities for over 40 years:
- doing home visits to people dying of AIDS in the 1980s/1990s when the disease was an unknown and most people wouldn't go near these dying young people
- High school tutoring programs
- Covenant House for runaway teenagers (Under 21)
- Partnership for the Homeless
- Reading Programs
- Prison Visitation programs (I'm an ordained interfaith minister even though my career was corporate management/consulting)
- Volunteers on Saturday outings for kids in shelters
- Big Brother Program
- A Pets Program to help the elderly with their beloved pet care and expenses
- etc.
I also hosted free weekly meditation groups at my home for years and my teacher, a Mahamandeleshwara in the Niranjani order of Shankara, would speak there when in this country.
After corporate, I served as a Supervisor/caseworker in both Adult Protective Services and Child Preventive services in NYC for a few years more of dedicated service. As recently as yesterday, I sent money via Western Union to international friends with a similar disposition who are financially stressed themselves in some cases due to the pandemic but are still committed to helping others who are in greter need. In this way, I know that any donations go 100% to direct services and not to cover administrative costs.
Our ashram's Prayer For Peace includes:
"May service be our worship".
While spiritual talk can inspire, as you duly noted, actions indeed speak louder than words.
What an awesome post you have just provided to us. It is far more inspiring than those who post long series of Biblical quotes without any mention of any practice and/or service to humanity, the Brotherhood of Man.