There are silent acts that change the world, there are glances that hold, gestures that embrace, hands that give without asking. That, in Yoga, is what we call SevaThe art of selfless service.
My first encounter with this energy was not in an Ashram or during a spiritual formation. It was in my childhood, in the corridors of a Catholic school. There, among books and prayers, I met the Sisters of Charity, women who lived to serve. I used to sneak out of class just to listen to them. They would talk to me about the novitiate, about silence, about giving as a way of getting closer to God. There was something in their self-giving that touched me deeply.
Sometimes we were taken to hospitals, nursing homes, community kitchens. I clearly remember a visit to the neonatology area of the San Juan de Dios Hospital. A young mother, visibly tired and worried, let me hold her baby while she shared her story. I felt a tenderness so great that I could not fit in my chest. That day I understood that love is also expressed through service.
Over time, those seeds grew in me. No longer from a religion, but from compassion. My parents also showed me that way. Giving with both hands, even if you have little. Today I understand that authentic service is not measured in grand gestures, but in the ability to offer with humility and without expectations.
What is seva in Yoga?
In Yoga philosophy, Seva is an essential practice. In yogic traditions, especially within Bhakti Yoga (the path of devotion) and Karma Yoga (the path of action), Seva is seen as a tangible expression of unconditional love and spiritual surrender. It is not about helping from a place of superiority, but about remembering that we are all made of the same essence, and that in serving the other, we serve ourselves.
Seva is incarnated presence, it is caring for others with the same tenderness with which we care for our own wounds. And although this word is born in the sacred texts of Yoga, its essence is universal. Anyone - regardless of beliefs, traditions or paths - can practice seva. Because serving with the soul is a language we all understand.
In a world that values performance more than empathy, offering time, listening and attention without expecting anything in return becomes an act of loving endurance.
Serving without expecting anything... and receiving everything
And life, in mysterious ways, has returned that delivery to me. Not always from the same people. But in the moments when I have needed it the most. Seva not only heals those who receive it. It heals the one who offers it. And it sustains the invisible fabric that unites us.
One of the greatest blessings I have received was the opportunity to travel to India on a government scholarship, to train at one of the most renowned Yoga institutions in the world. Everything was covered. Everything was surrender. Since then, I felt a commitment to give that seed back to my community.
Since returning, I have offered community Yoga classes, free of charge. Chair classes for people with reduced mobility. Workshops for children. Meeting spaces for those who have not yet found their place. It's hard sometimes, especially when you have to pay for space or materials. But my heart does not allow me to stop doing it.
Sometimes people think that in order to serve, one must empty oneself. But true seva is born of compassion, and compassion begins with oneself. I learned that my limits are also sacred, that I can offer myself without disappearing. That when I take care of myself, my service becomes more honest and sustainable.
"To serve is to pray with the body."
That phrase dwells deeply in me. Although I no longer consider myself part of any organized religion, many of its teachings still resonate with me. I remember one that said, "God is seen in the faces of others." And today, when I serve from my soul, I feel that same connection.
I am concerned that today, service is becoming something that is shown more than it is embodied. Photos helping, publications about good deeds, always looking for external validation.
My mom has a saying that she repeats often, "Don't let your left hand know what your right hand is doing." A teaching of humility and truth.
Practicing seva should not be a spiritual luxury, nor a privilege of a few. It is one of the deepest ways of weaving community. It reminds us that we are not alone, that pain can be shared, that joy is also multiplied. And though it may seem small, every act of service has an echo that transcends.
Seva is weaving humanity. And in that weaving, we all have a thread to offer..
Today I want to invite you to practice seva. You don't need to do something great, just look around you and ask yourself:
- Where can I offer some light today?
- How can I care for someone without expecting anything in return?
And if you have a few minutes, I leave you a guided meditation to connect with that loving energy that lives in you. You can listen to it in episode 2 of Tejido Sonoro on Spotify.
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