Philosophy Break: Seva

Seva is a concept in yoga philosophy that is about selfless service. It is a central tenet to many school of yogic thought, and specifically the school of karma yoga - the yoga of action and selfless service.

Karma yoga is one path of yoga that doesn't involve physical postures and breathing - it sometimes doesn't involve the body at all. It is a path toward enlightenment that is encompassed by action without the any expectations for the result of your actions. This is why seva (selfless service) is a big part of the path of karma yoga. Seva is about giving freely of yourself without expecting anything in return - within appropriate boundaries, of course. Seva is not about pouring from an empty cup. Seva wants us to pour from our cup knowing there probably won't be anything coming back, and it means that we have to find other ways to keep our cups filled.

Seva in practice can look like volunteer work or donating to your favorite causes. It can also look like being available for your friend who needs to talk, or even referring them to a therapist when you can't hold space for them. It can look like almost anything under the sun that you can do (karma means action) that is oriented towards others, rather than yourself.

You may never step foot in a yoga studio, and you'd still be practicing yoga if you are practicing seva. ❤️