The concepts of “service to self” and “service to others” are central themes in various philosophical and religious traditions, including but not limited to Buddhism, Christianity and Stoicism. These concepts reflect different approaches to moral behaviour and the
ethical considerations that guide individual actions and relationships with others. As we each explore our spirituality, while sorting out philosophical changes we may recognize being stuck in a certain bias about how the world operates and through our own
personal experiences of change, we learn to move from that view point to get to another
point of view. We must remain open hearted and open minded because our truth
changes.
In an idealistic society where all members live in harmony with one another, the concept
of "service to others" would be deeply ingrained in the social fabric. Mutual respect,
cooperation, and empathy would guide each individual’s actions and relationships,
fostering a sense of community and interconnectedness. In this utopian vision,
individuals would prioritize the well-being and happiness of others, working together
towards a shared vision of a just and equitable society.
In a capitalist society, the concept of "service to self" is often emphasized as individuals
are encouraged to pursue their own self-interests, accumulate wealth, and achieve
personal success. This can lead to a competitive and individualistic mindset where the
needs and well-being of others are often secondary to one's own goals. In this context,
the drive for profit and economic growth can prioritize self-serving actions over acts of
service to others, potentially leading to exploitation, inequality, and social alienation.
On the other hand, the concept of "service to others" in a capitalist society can manifest
through philanthropy, volunteer work, and charitable giving. Individuals and corporations
may engage in acts of service to support marginalized communities, address social
issues, and contribute to the common good. However, these efforts may be limited in
scope and effectiveness, as they often rely on personal discretion and goodwill rather
than systemic change and collective responsibility.
In Buddhism, the concept of “service to self” is often associated with self-centred and
egoistic behaviour, where individuals prioritize their own needs and desires above those
of others. On the other hand, “service to others” is considered a virtuous and noble path
that leads to compassion, generosity, and selflessness. Buddhists believe that the
human life is one of suffering, and that meditation, spiritual and physical labour, and
right behaviour are the ways to achieve enlightenment, or nirvana. In the earliest
Buddhist traditions, it is understood to be a state of liberation, enlightenment, and
transcendence from the cycle of birth, death, and rebirth, known as samsara.
In Christianity, the concept of “service to self” is often associated with sinful behaviour
and selfishness, where individuals prioritize their own interest at the expense of others.
In contrast, “service to others” is seen as a central tenet of Christian ethics, as exemplified by the life and teachings of Jesus, who sacrificed himself for the salvation of humanity.
Jesus, role modelled virtues of compassion, care, kindness and forgiveness. He healed
the sick, forgave sins, fed the hungry (Matthew 20:25-28). Jesus came to serve humanity, which is why they did not understand it when he insisted that he washed their feet (John 13:5). He advised that whoever wanted to be great, had to be first a servant. As stated, Jesus submitted his own life to sacrificial service under the will of God.
In Stoicism, the concept of “service to self” is often associated with the pursuit of personal pleasure and the avoidance of pain, which are seen as fleeting and ultimately
unsatisfying. “Service to others,” is considered a manifestation of Stoic virtues, as it reflects a commitment to the common good and the well-being of society as a whole.
Gandhi, had an incredible experience with the people, not only in India but across South
Africa and England as well. He believed that the salvation of his life was through serving
the nation and people whom he loved beyond anything else in the world. Gandhi always held service in high regard and stated, "I am endeavouring to see God through service of humanity; for I know that God is neither in heaven, nor down below, but in everyone”.
Humanity has been served with a wide range of services that can include education,
food, health measures, housing, accessibility assistance to the physically challenged,
reorientation programs to the socially excluded, mentally challenged and victimized
people from all parts of society. In general, those who are able to meet their basic needs, and walked a path of healing and growth can become what has been referred to
as, self actualized.
What is Self-Actualization?
Self-actualization can be defined as self-fulfillment or realizing one’s full potential or the
act of achieving the full development of your abilities and talents.
The concept of self-actualization was popularized by Abraham Maslow, a psychologist
who studied human motivation. Maslow developed a hierarchy of needs that is often
represented as a pyramid, with self-actualization being at the peak of the pyramid where
one has realized their full potential. Maslow’s theory states that each lower level of the
pyramid, basic needs and psychological needs, must be satisfied before moving on to a
higher pursuit.
While Maslow was developing his motivational theory, he visited the Blackfoot reserve in
Alberta, Canada in 1938. Though he never credits the Blackfoot Nation, you can see
their influence in his 1943 paper on his motivational theory.
Interestingly, “The Blackfoot belief is not a triangle. It is a tipi where they believe tipis
reach to the sky.” There are three levels within the tipi, self-actualization sits on the
bottom, community actualization in the middle, and cultural perpetuity at the top.
The Blackfoot belief states that self-actualization is the base of the tipi as it is the
foundation which community actualization is built. Maslow, with western philosophies
and views, flipped this to prioritize the individual instead of community and culture.
The motivation behind serving others can be complex and multifaceted, often involving
a blend of altruistic and self-interested reason. Here’s a breakdown of the different
motivations for serving others:
Altruistic Reasons
• Desire to Help: Many people serve others out of a genuine desire to make a
positive impact, improve others’ lives, or alleviate suffering.
• Moral and Ethical Beliefs: Ethical frameworks and personal values can drive
people to help others because they believe it is the right thing to do.
Self-interest Reasons
• Psychological Rewards: Serving others can lead to feelings of happiness,
fulfillment, and reduced stress.
• Social Recognition: People may serve others to gain social approval,
recognition, or to enhance their reputations.
• Reciprocity: There is often an expectation of reciprocity, where individuals help
others with the understanding that they might receive help in return in the future.
• Personal Development: Engaging in service can help individuals develop new
skills, gain experience, or enhance their career prospects.
Combined Motivations
• Blended Altruism and Self-Interest: Most people experience a combination of
altruistic and self-interested motivations when serving others.
• Situational Factors: A contest can influence motivations.
Maslow’s Popularized diagram Hierarchy of Needs
Real-World Implications
• Charitable Donations: People often donate to causes they believe in, but they
may also enjoy tax benefits or social recognition for their contributions.
• Volunteering: Volunteers may be motivated by a desire to give back to the
community, but they might also appreciate the personal satisfaction and social
connections gained from their efforts.
Cultural and Social Influences
• Cultural Expectations: Different cultures and societies have varying
expectations and norms regarding helping behaviour, which can shape
individuals’ motivations. In some cultures, community service and helping others
are highly valued and expected.
• Socialization: Family upbringing, educational systems, and societal values play
a role in shaping why and how people engage in acts of service.
The reasons behind serving others can be diverse, often involving a mix of altruistic
intentions and self-interest rewards. While some acts of service are driven by a pure
desire to do good, others might be influenced by the personal benefits that come from
helping. Ultimately, the act of serving others contributes to the well-being of both the
helper and the recipients, creating a positive outcome for individuals and communities
alike.
Serving others is a transformative journey that enriches lives, strengthens communities,
and fosters empathy and connection. By embracing the power of service in our daily
lives and inspiring others to join us, we contribute to a more compassionate and
inclusive world where everyone has the opportunity to thrive. *
Additional Thoughts
A guiding tool could be to consult virtues, such as love, caring, compassion, being
thankful and grateful. By doing that, we are in service to humanity because it makes us
more aware and from a personal perspective, it makes us better humans.
For example, as we work our way through the densities, we begin as service to self and
we move into service to others. And in a dualistic paradigm, this is something that we've
all done to get to the point that we are in service to others.
Part of service to others is preparing and taking care of yourself. But often when we hear the term serving or serving others, we think of something outside of ourselves, something we are going to do, which can be a part of it. But it's pretty difficult to adequately serve others if you don't come from a point of wanting to serve in the first
place. And that being a natural aspect of where you find yourself because of how you're
developing. We can't separate them. They're two sides of the same coin.
Personal Experiences
“I had the opportunity to push by myself quite easily to gather people over the past two
years and a half. It was so pleasant to see those people meeting for the first time. It was
volunteering and it was coming from the heart. I really enjoyed that experience.
If it comes from the heart first, and you make sure that you are really grounded by
yourself and you just go with the flow. After that, you feel good because people are
expressing to you that they appreciate you”.
“I have been nominated by my family to speak about my brother at his Celebration of
Life service. What I came to realize was I needed to put on a heart of caring and love
and compassion. I've got to be able to help. And I'm not going to be able to help if I'm
interjecting myself into their thoughts. I have to speak in a way to show how I feel. I
have to let go of myself. I have to seek and feel the goodness of others and to have
spiritual eyes to see what it is I'm supposed to see. I need to respond to this particular
situation as loving, caring, and compassionate”.
“Service to humanity, for me was doing, being, helping, providing, loving and caring for
friends, families, family members, neighbours, strangers. And in order to consider
myself providing service to humanity, it was strongly coupled with service to self.
I like to think of myself as raising my vibration. Now that's not something that I can do by
service to self. That's only something that I can do by giving service to others and that's
by smiling at a child I saw at one of these market gardens this weekend. Just by that
smile, it raised the vibration”.
“The true service to humanity is... it just feels cleaner. Some days I don't have a whole
lot of energy to give. All I can give is a smile and some days I can do more. Like that
balance where the service to humanity is also serving my soul and myself without taking
away. It's not more than what my energy can handle. It's not more than what my
resources can handle. It's not taking away from family or whatever else that I might
need”.
“Part of it is the seen and the unseen, like the things that we do and then the other thing
that energy high vibe stuff that we're doing for ourselves then radiates out for others. So
it's not seen, but maybe felt by people who comment ... they notice, not everybody
notices, but some people will notice and comment and they can feel the difference.
They know there's something different about you as opposed to whoever else”.
“When I think about it, it just makes me think, well, even just small little acts of random
kindness spreads it, right? It becomes contagious. If everyone went out and did one
random act of kindness and people could share it or not, it could be just helping
my neighbour do something, cutting my neighbour's grass, buying this person behind
me a cup of coffee”.
Questions:
1.How would you balance self-actualization with service to others?
2.When would helping or servicing others become an intrusion?
3.How do you implement Service to others in your life?
4.Please share an experience you have had in your life, that is an example of
Service to Others, or an experience of receiving service from another.
Sources:
1. Dalai Lama. "The Art of Happiness: A Handbook for Living." Riverhead Books, 1998.
2. The Holy Bible, New International Version. Zondervan, 2011.
3. Epictetus. "The Discourses of Epictetus." Penguin Classics, 2008.
4. 52 Virtues
6. ”Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs" is a derivative image of "Maslow hierarchy" by Saul McLeod
licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0 and "British Columbia Kamloops Landscape" by sundiver72
licensed under CC BY 4.0 / "Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs" is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0 by Alexandra Comber.
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