I recently finished reading “Soul Boom: Why We Need a Spiritual Revolution” by Rainn Wilson, and was pleased to discover how much of the message of the book overlapped with Madhukara’s mission. Most people know Rainn Wilson as the actor who played Dwight Schrute on the TV series “The Office.” However, he is also a successful podcaster, writer, activist, and a deeply spiritual person.
In “Soul Boom” Wilson examines the role of spirituality, and even calls for a spiritual revolution in the face of the broken political, economic and cultural systems of today’s society. He calls upon his Bahá’í faith as the backbone of his spiritual beliefs, however his approach is taken from an interfaith perspective, taking lessons from faith traditions across the globe. It is inclusive of the perspective of atheists and agnostics as well (a reflection of the book’s central theme of unity.)
While Wilson highlights many tenets that are common to all the world’s major religions he deems essential to a spiritual revolution, one he references in particular is at the heart of our mission here at Madhukara- being of service. In his book Wilson quotes Abdu’l-Bahá:
“But if you are so angry, so depressed and so sore that your spirit cannot find deliverance and peace even in prayer, then quickly go and give some pleasure to someone lowly or sorrowful, or to a guilty or innocent sufferer! Sacrifice yourself, your talent, your time, your rest to another, to one who has to bear a heavier load than you.”
Being of service to others is the foundation of our mission at Madhukara. We come together in service from a diverse background, with different religious upbringings and spiritual beliefs, and bring a diversity of ideas and talents to the table. We liken ourselves to “worker bees,” each contributing in our own way to make the world a sweeter place for us all. Being of service not only helps the individuals we serve, but we help ourselves in service as well. Whether we are feeding the homeless, helping with a rent payment, or providing a necessary medical device, we ultimately are helping ourselves, both as individuals and as a community as a whole.
Wilson also speaks in his book of the importance of fostering joy, and how the focus on joy is greatly lacking in western culture. We can find joy in many outlets, but I’ve always found it to be true that acts of service produce joy, not only in the receiver, but in the giver as well.
In “Soul Boom,” Wilson quotes poet Rabindranath Tagore:
“I slept and dreamt that life was joy. I awoke and saw that life was service. I acted and behold, service was joy.”
Whether you consider yourself religious, spiritual, or none of the above, I highly recommend “Soul Boom” to anyone looking for a thoughtful, hopeful and positive take on how we can both individually and collectively better our world.
If you are interested in helping Madhukara with our mission, you can learn more about what we do by clicking here or joining one of our upcoming volunteer opportunities.
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