I Am Moved By Love

Saee and I are just back from a 4-day Ahmedabad retreat hosted by the Moved By Love volunteers. The venue was the Environmental Sanitation Institute, Sughad. This was my second visit after last year.

From the first step you take into the place, you are struck by the peace and love that emanates from it. As you explore further, your eye encounters words of love, compassion, and inner inquiry. Even if you meet no one here, the place makes you meditative.

Then we met the volunteers and participants, 50 people being served by 20 or so volunteers. And from then on, began the beautiful soul-enriching dance of receiving and giving, listening and sharing, holding and opening, inner shudhi (purification) and outer cleaning, heart and hand, heart and head, endless smiles, and endless compassion.

I swept the streets and stood asking for alms. As the street got cleaner, I saw my ego recede.

I joined in the laughter and dance of children in an ashram and appreciated what money can never buy.

I ate food at the Toilet Cafe and walked through the Safai Vidyalaya and saw the tremendous work of legendary Padmashree Ishwar Patel and his son, Jayesh Bhai.

I sat at the feet of Jayesh Bhai and saw a man with infinite kindness, patience, and love who continues to do astounding work without a trace of ego.

I served with living gurus and understood that the language of love goes beyond the words we knit together.

I saw regenerative love and wisdom show up in unlikely places.

I heard stories of great courage and resilience, balanced with grace and poise.

I understood the shift from”leadership” to”laddership.”

I heard from a political minister about how she aligns her inner compass with the needs of her job.

I sat with questions about money, power and fame, and found answers in the questions of my brothers and sisters.

I walked back to my room every day and found a new gift on my bed, mindfully made with love and care.

I walked three steps and with each subsequent bow let go, thanked, and prayed.

I shared my table with beautiful souls from around the world and experienced the shared humanity and love through us all.

I heard songs that called to my very soul and expanded and opened and became one in the garden of twinkling hearts.

I invite you all to attend at least one such retreat for words cannot do justice to the experience of being moved by love. You can learn more about these retreats here: https://www.movedbylove.org/retreat/

May we all be compassionate and wise.