GENEROSITY

Selfless Service with FCM

At the Florida Community of Mindfulness (FCM), volunteering  is considered an essential part of our "Selfless Service" practice.  Selfless Service means work performed without any thought of reward or repayment. In ancient India and continuing to this time, “seva” (the Sanskrit word for selfless service) was believed to help one’s spiritual growth while also contributing to the health of the community. Similarly, at FCM, Selfless Service is a foundational practice in our spiritual growth, helping to eliminate the boundaries between self and others, and open the heart through the practice of generosity. Selfless Service is a manifestation of our bodhisattvic ideal of helping others. 

Whether you are physically located near our Tampa or Naples Center or live further away, we invite you to join us in Selfless Service with FCM. As discussed more in this section, we have both in-person and remote service opportunities available. Our service is offered as work meditation. Thich Nhat Hanh's words, adapted by FCM for our Center, beautifully express the spirit of work meditation:

To participate in working meditation can be a great happiness. It is an opportunity to engage in the maintenance and care of our practice center and activities while enjoying our practice of mindfulness. When we clean the bathrooms, work on the computer, greet guests, sweep sidewalks, or turn the compost piles we stay mindful of our breathing and the activity that we are doing. We speak only when necessary and about the work at hand. We can maintain a light and easy feeling as we work. An environment that is quiet can make the work more pleasant and enjoyable.

We invite you to listen to teachings from our teacher Fred about work meditation as a transformative practice, and to join us in work meditation at our Tampa Center and other locations, as described more fully below.

Work Meditation Opportunities

Many opportunities exist to offer service to others within  FCM, including:

• Facilities & Grounds: Helping to clean, garden, and perform other chores at the Tampa Center to offer a beautiful space for meditation and transformation
• Programs & Classes: Helping in many ways to support our weekly meditation programs, periodic classes, and special events in Tampa and  Naples 
  
• Support Activities: Helping with work on the website, filing, communications, audio/visual tasks, and many other activities that support our ability to provide beneficial programs to so many

Because work meditation is considered a foundational practice for FCM members, most ongoing work meditation opportunities are for FCM members; therefore, access to our Selfless Service sign-up app, Better Impact, is limited to members. We welcome non-members to join us at an upcoming "Work Day" and/or to explore becoming a member of FCM.

More Information and Resources for Members (please click links below)
Information  and links for Signing Up for Selfless Service via Better Impact
Weekly schedules showing those signed up by Service Category (not for signing up, but for seeing who is covering what in the upcoming weeks)
Leader's page for updating work meditation instructions and other service documents