Volume IV : November 2007
2007 Program Schedule
Open Teleconference Satsangs with Neelam
Wednesdays, November 14 and December 5
5:30 P.M. MST
Sundays, November 25 and December 16
4:00 P.M. MST
Donation: sliding scale $25 - $30
4 Week Teleconference Satsang Inquiry Group
November 27 - December 18 6PM MST
Donation: sliding scale $45 - $85
For more details, download the flyer. (Assistance with PDFs can be found on our PDF Help Page.)FOTS and Sangha News Update
A Letter from Lee about SEVA
Seva is the Sanskrit word for service and is an important and integral part of all of Neelam’s programs. More than volunteer work, Seva is selfless service, it is a contribution to life. Some say that true Seva is inspired by “Divine Love!” And when you think of work as divine service, you do it anywhere, anytime and it becomes its own reward. The practice of Seva feeds us spiritually and can help to lead us to a deeper awakening to the greater Truth of our own being.
My dear friends,
Everyday at least one person, and often several more, thank me for my service. And I thank them and all of you for that kind recognition. Your recognition of my Seva is a sweet reward. But that is not why I do what I do.
I love to tell this story! I met Neelam in September 2002 when I had been invited to sit in Satsang (a word I never heard of before) at her home in Colorado. Instantly I fell in love with her and with her teaching. At the end of Satsang, Leif mentioned that he and Neelam had just moved to Colorado. Their office was in boxes and they needed some temporary help in getting organized and set up. I immediately offered my services. It sounds a little like a cliché, but the truth is, I was looking for a place to be, I was looking for something meaningful, something with purpose, in my life. I had no idea, that crisp fall afternoon, that this, this Seva, was what I was seeking.
It is interesting to me to find such joy here in Seva. I mean, the hours are long and the pay pretty much stinks! But I don’t work for pay. I do this work, and I give this gift of service, because I can, and because my heart tells me to do so. As Neelam says, “There is a time in our lives that we are finally able to go beyond the notion of ‘me’ and begin to see more of the interconnectedness of things, as they are in Consciousness.” My labor for Neelam and for the entire Fire of Truth Satsanga is a true devotion, a true selfless effort. It is my own expression of love: love of self, of community, of Sangha and, yes, love of Neelam and this beautiful teaching.
I feel honored and blessed to have found this practice. My truest desire is to serve. I serve my family, I serve Neelam and the Fire of Truth Satsanga and that means you. Its reward is here everyday as I see the organization grow and get stronger, and as more and more of you connect with one another to inquire into Presence. So, thank you for this opportunity each day to serve, to give Seva.
I invite each of you to look into your hearts and see if this giving is something you desire and if it is, we have outlined a few volunteer projects that could use some tender attention. If this speaks to you in any way, follow that and reach out to us.
And whatever your level of commitment of Seva, know that it is right and true and perfect and we appreciate it! Thank you for your beautiful beingness!
With tender gratitude and great appreciation,
Lee
Fire of Truth Satsanga Volunteer
Be Inspired, Get Involved
Fire of Truth Satsangha is an open community of people drawn to living in Truth. We support each other in coming back to being present not only in Satsang and retreat but in our working, daily life. That's why working together in Seva (link to website) can be such an enriching experience. Here are just a few ways that you could experience the joy of Seva.
Current Projects That Need Your Tender Support
Researching housing for Neelam:
Because of her allergies and environmental sensitivities, Neelam lives in a tent, which she loves. But, she needs to move to warmer weather. That means moving from New Mexico to someplace south like southern Arizona. If you have some time to do research, to make phone calls, etc. to help, please let us know and we will put you in touch with other volunteers doing this now.
Coordinating Neelam’s private sessions schedule:
This requires someone who is discrete, able to check email once a day, follow up with emails and update information in a Google calendar daily. You will work closely with Lee who oversees Neelam’s full calendar.
Moderating and recording teleconference Satsangs:
Requires no special skills, simply your time and attention. You will be instructed and supported for the first couple of Satsangs.
Other Ways That May INSPIRE YOU to GET INVOLVED
Share Your Technical Skills:
Some people just have a knack for this. Is that you? Our community is global and we would love to better leverage our resources to communicate with all of you. We still need a couple of people to work on maintaining our 6 month group blog -writing and content management. Are you interested? We are also researching a new free or low cost, member management software to use - got any suggestions?
FOTS MEDIA Project:
We'd like to continue to take advantage of all the wonderful work Neelam has done and put it in the form of various media projects: written, audio, video or mixed media. Are you inspired to create a short video, an audio piece with words and music or do you have something else in mind? Let us know. Also, we have some wonderful people working on transcribing Neelam’s Satsangs but we can always use another good writer.
If you are inspired by Neelam's work, why not consider getting involved?
Please send an email to alex@neelam.org with INSPIRED TO GET INVOLVED in the subject. State how you want to GET INVOLVED and include your phone number.
Fire of Truth Satsanga (FOTS) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting the teaching of Neelam. FOTS was founded in 1996 to awaken individual consciousness into the Oneness of Being. View more information about our organization.