Since the beginning of the existence of humanity, people have gathered together and worked for a better life and improved living conditions. Their togetherness was named or interpreted in various ways; as tribes, villages, countries and even as the unification of different countries. Guided by love and understanding of each other, or guided by material interests, people worked together, for their own good, for the good of others or for the good of society.
Kindness, helpfullness, compassion, giving without receiving or expecting to receive anything back have been considered as honourable qualities of a human being. It’s at the core of most religions such as Christianity, Islam, Buddhism and Hinduism, profoundly exemplified by the main propagators of these teachings in practice in real life and are considered as examples to follow by our modern civilization in spite of an increased emphasis upon selfish behaviour and catering for our own modern day material needs.
Nowadays, there are different interpretations of the work that somebody can do: for example, we have the category of employees, we have volunteers and unfortunately, we have also the category of those people who are exploited, for example, in human trafficking and in some cases, old fashioned slavery.
Regarding employees, this is more clear. About human trafficking, it is clear that it is condemnable and people are abused against their wish and will.
But the category of volunteers is still open for clarification and improvement.
Without a doubt, volunteer work is appreciated and well integrated in society.
By definition, volunteering is generally considered an altruistic activity and is intended to promote goodness or improve the quality of human life. In return, this activity can produce a feeling of self-worth and respect. There is no financial gain involved for the individual.
Volunteering is not always charity or social work but also renowned for skill development, socialization, and fun, whereas the special branch of voluntary charity work is defined by the fact that the work done is not only unpaid, but more for the greater good of others, meaning selfless action.
So voluntary work can intend to make contacts for possible employment, improving skills or other direct personal benefits or it can be with the intention of the pure idea of charity and compassion and thereby experiencing the indirect profit towards the soul. Voluntary work is always helping, assisting, or serving another person or persons without pay - many are specifically trained volunteers in the areas they work, such as medicine, education, or emergency rescue, while others serve on an as-needed basis, such as in response to a natural disaster.
We have extraordinary examples of voluntary charity work such as Mahatma Gandhi, Mother Teresa, St Francis of Assisi and many others.
There are also in our society, organizations that work with volunteers for the benefit of those in need, such as the Red Cross or the Salvation Army. In many EU member states, it is normal to have on one’s CV, voluntary actions that one took part in. [see the Final Report: Volunteering in the EU, Cecile Mathou 2010.]
There are examples of so called voluntary work which is actually based on a utilitarian attitude eg. political campaigns or collecting donations for people suffering the consequences of a calamity. Or for example, helping the homeless or even Youth Clubs are often run by voluntary workers.
Systematized voluntary help is an integrated part of almost all clubs whether it be clubs for sports, chess, stamp collectors, knitting, ornotologists, car collectors, home owners etc. Its all run by voluntary work. In fact the same goes for all major organizations and even political parties.
These days we have internships, which can be classed as voluntary work. They are not pure voluntary work as such, and coincidently are the most socially acceptable forms of voluntary work, which shows a distortion of values.
In another context – it is considered acceptable to do part time voluntary work – but if you do full time voluntary work eg for more than a year, it is considered that something is wrong.
Even if for those practicing it, full time voluntary work can be understood as an alternative life style. We can even say that voluntary work is a human ideal.
At the official level, voluntary work was misunderstood and wrongly used by various organizations.Examples of misunderstanding of voluntary work came from both the side of its practitioners and from the side of the law and society. Also examples of the wrong understanding and application of voluntary work exist in non- spiritual organizations and sects.
In the ex-communist countries, it is clearly understandable that the reason why there is a fear of voluntary work is related to it being a sign of manipulation or weakness.
On the other hand we give the well-known examples of correct understanding of charity voluntary work: the work done by monks and nuns in the monasteries, the work done by people under the guidance of Mahatma Gandhi and Mother Teresa. Nowadays, a group of volunteers from Amma offered their help of a contribution after a tsunami, a group of yogis from MISA offered their help in Costinesti, Romania after the floods and so on…
One of the problems of society, due to the fact that voluntary work is not correctly understood at times and in all countries, is the fact that participation in voluntary work in spiritual schools was interpreted as exploitation.
Furthermore, in former communist states, an additional issue appears. Due to the imprinted lack of freedom towards alternative beliefs, it seems that while voluntary work in monasteries by monks and nuns is accepted, any form of voluntary work entailed in other traditions is rejected and even prosecuted as exploitation and human trafficking.
In some cases of spiritual schools integrating the practice of voluntary work or even charity based voluntary work– the very existence of voluntary work was taken by itself as proof of exploitation. By these standards also Gandhi, mother Teresa and Amma are guilty of exploitation. Obviously there is a need for more correct criteria to define what voluntary work is, when integrated in a spiritual school.
There are several systems of spiritual paths leading to gaining self knowledge.
Let’s take the example of the millenary tradition known as yoga. One kind of yoga is Karma yoga, the yoga of action.
“Karma yoga, or the "discipline of action" is a form of yoga based on the teachings of the Bhagavad Gita, a sacred Sanskrit scripture of Hinduism. Of the four paths to realization, karma yoga is the process of achieving perfection in action. Karma yoga is derived from the spiritual life. Karma yoga is said to be the most authentic way to progress in the spiritual life. Found in the Bhagavad Gita Karma yoga is a part of nature. Karma yoga is taught by teachers of zen who promote tranquility. Karma yoga is an intrinsic part of many derivative types of yoga, such as Natya Yoga. Karma yoga is often understood as yoga of selfless (altruistic) service.”
It becomes clear that for those practicing it, it is more than just voluntary work or even charity voluntary work, it is a way to self-realization or self knowledge. By mistake, the misinterpretation of a spiritual practice can become a court case, as is the case of the German Yoga School, Deutsche Akademie für Traditionelles Yoga. A court case which they won.
Other schools face a big problem with the court trials and the media coverage of their case, which has caused a rather unfair problem to their organization.
We should understand the wish and desire of people for a life which embraces others also by the actions that they do, and the ideal of helping others through voluntary work, and ultimately, we need to understand the hope and faith of those practicing on a spiritual path, such as karma yoga and that by this practice, the deepening of knowledge about themselves.
Nowadays, there are different interpretations of the work that somebody can do: for example, we have the category of employees, we have volunteers and unfortunately, we have also the category of those people who are exploited, for example, in human trafficking and in some cases, old fashioned slavery.
Regarding employees, this is more clear. About human trafficking, it is clear that it is condemnable and people are abused against their wish and will.
But the category of volunteers is still open for clarification and improvement.
Without a doubt, volunteer work is appreciated and well integrated in society.
By definition, volunteering is generally considered an altruistic activity and is intended to promote goodness or improve the quality of human life. In return, this activity can produce a feeling of self-worth and respect. There is no financial gain involved for the individual.
Volunteering is not always charity or social work but also renowned for skill development, socialization, and fun, whereas the special branch of voluntary charity work is defined by the fact that the work done is not only unpaid, but more for the greater good of others, meaning selfless action.
So voluntary work can intend to make contacts for possible employment, improving skills or other direct personal benefits or it can be with the intention of the pure idea of charity and compassion and thereby experiencing the indirect profit towards the soul. Voluntary work is always helping, assisting, or serving another person or persons without pay - many are specifically trained volunteers in the areas they work, such as medicine, education, or emergency rescue, while others serve on an as-needed basis, such as in response to a natural disaster.
We have extraordinary examples of voluntary charity work such as Mahatma Gandhi, Mother Teresa, St Francis of Assisi and many others.
There are also in our society, organizations that work with volunteers for the benefit of those in need, such as the Red Cross or the Salvation Army. In many EU member states, it is normal to have on one’s CV, voluntary actions that one took part in. [see the Final Report: Volunteering in the EU, Cecile Mathou 2010.]
There are examples of so called voluntary work which is actually based on a utilitarian attitude eg. political campaigns or collecting donations for people suffering the consequences of a calamity. Or for example, helping the homeless or even Youth Clubs are often run by voluntary workers.
Systematized voluntary help is an integrated part of almost all clubs whether it be clubs for sports, chess, stamp collectors, knitting, ornotologists, car collectors, home owners etc. Its all run by voluntary work. In fact the same goes for all major organizations and even political parties.
These days we have internships, which can be classed as voluntary work. They are not pure voluntary work as such, and coincidently are the most socially acceptable forms of voluntary work, which shows a distortion of values.
In another context – it is considered acceptable to do part time voluntary work – but if you do full time voluntary work eg for more than a year, it is considered that something is wrong.
Even if for those practicing it, full time voluntary work can be understood as an alternative life style. We can even say that voluntary work is a human ideal.
At the official level, voluntary work was misunderstood and wrongly used by various organizations.Examples of misunderstanding of voluntary work came from both the side of its practitioners and from the side of the law and society. Also examples of the wrong understanding and application of voluntary work exist in non- spiritual organizations and sects.
In the ex-communist countries, it is clearly understandable that the reason why there is a fear of voluntary work is related to it being a sign of manipulation or weakness.
On the other hand we give the well-known examples of correct understanding of charity voluntary work: the work done by monks and nuns in the monasteries, the work done by people under the guidance of Mahatma Gandhi and Mother Teresa. Nowadays, a group of volunteers from Amma offered their help of a contribution after a tsunami, a group of yogis from MISA offered their help in Costinesti, Romania after the floods and so on…
One of the problems of society, due to the fact that voluntary work is not correctly understood at times and in all countries, is the fact that participation in voluntary work in spiritual schools was interpreted as exploitation.
Furthermore, in former communist states, an additional issue appears. Due to the imprinted lack of freedom towards alternative beliefs, it seems that while voluntary work in monasteries by monks and nuns is accepted, any form of voluntary work entailed in other traditions is rejected and even prosecuted as exploitation and human trafficking.
In some cases of spiritual schools integrating the practice of voluntary work or even charity based voluntary work– the very existence of voluntary work was taken by itself as proof of exploitation. By these standards also Gandhi, mother Teresa and Amma are guilty of exploitation. Obviously there is a need for more correct criteria to define what voluntary work is, when integrated in a spiritual school.
There are several systems of spiritual paths leading to gaining self knowledge.
Let’s take the example of the millenary tradition known as yoga. One kind of yoga is Karma yoga, the yoga of action.
“Karma yoga, or the "discipline of action" is a form of yoga based on the teachings of the Bhagavad Gita, a sacred Sanskrit scripture of Hinduism. Of the four paths to realization, karma yoga is the process of achieving perfection in action. Karma yoga is derived from the spiritual life. Karma yoga is said to be the most authentic way to progress in the spiritual life. Found in the Bhagavad Gita Karma yoga is a part of nature. Karma yoga is taught by teachers of zen who promote tranquility. Karma yoga is an intrinsic part of many derivative types of yoga, such as Natya Yoga. Karma yoga is often understood as yoga of selfless (altruistic) service.”
It becomes clear that for those practicing it, it is more than just voluntary work or even charity voluntary work, it is a way to self-realization or self knowledge. By mistake, the misinterpretation of a spiritual practice can become a court case, as is the case of the German Yoga School, Deutsche Akademie für Traditionelles Yoga. A court case which they won.
Other schools face a big problem with the court trials and the media coverage of their case, which has caused a rather unfair problem to their organization.
We should understand the wish and desire of people for a life which embraces others also by the actions that they do, and the ideal of helping others through voluntary work, and ultimately, we need to understand the hope and faith of those practicing on a spiritual path, such as karma yoga and that by this practice, the deepening of knowledge about themselves.