Sufi Service Committee (Boston) | Issue 191

Addressing the most pressing needs of our commUNITY

“…the path of enlightenment converges with our basic instinct of empathy and altruism.”

– Dr. Alireza Nurbakhsh, Founder of Sufi Service Committee

Threading among us

Volunteering keeps us connected with a sense of fidelity, loyalty, and friendship. Chopping vegetables and preparing a meal together under one tent gives a sense of unity of hearts and spirits to the group. Sharing laughter, conversation, and appetite while doing the dishes evokes the power of oneness. 

Spiritual evolution cannot be achieved in isolation. To give and to receive love from others is a part of the social fabric. One of the signs of spiritual growth is the tolerance and kindness that one can express to others who do not think and believe similarly to oneself. Only by participating in a group can one practice tolerance and kindness. Every time we engage in charity work, we begin to appreciate the food, health, and lodging we have, juxtaposing our situation with the ones we serve. We need this constant reminder so we do not forget that the tables may turn around on us, too! We accept whatever may come our way more easily. Those who turn negative in the face of calamities do not practice submission. Alleviating the suffering of others puts the practice of love and kindness into motion. 

Belonging

Once you buy the groceries for a group activity, you “own” the meal, a feeling that you seldom experience once you buy groceries for yourself. Participating in a community activity, you develop a relationship and identify with it as a part of who you are. A sense of pride leads to complete contentment. 

Tolerance 

Tolerance and acceptance of others stem from collective actions. The seven continents have created more than seven billion perspectives on truth. Truth remains truth, truth in thoughts, truth in speech, and truth in actions.  We have to reconcile our dichotomies, realizing that one’s set of religious dogmas, rituals, rules, and practices is no closer to the truth than any other. Teamwork requires integrating our conflicting ideas, making the impossible possible! Dealing with “others” triggers our biological bias, leading us on divergent trajectories of “I” vs “YOU” in juxtaposition to “WE”.

“If we are to survive as a species on this planet, we need to embrace views or belief systems that are inclusive of others, that emphasize the essential similarities among people rather than the differences… With the world population increasing at an alarming rate (by the year 2050 it is estimated the world population will be nine and a half billion), and with limited resources in many poor countries, it seems inevitable that conflicts will increase throughout the world.” – Dr. Alireza Nurbakhsh, Founder of Sufi Service Committee

Altruism certainly contributes to the decline of conflicts.

HEALTH

Psychological studies indicate there is a strong correlation between altruism and the general well-being of an individual. People who engage in helping others suffer significantly less depression and anxiety than those who do not. Altruism plays a key factor in our psychological health.

Volunteering strengthens our bond

Feeling closer to each other

Experiencing complete fulfillment

Extending open hearts 

Building trust and companionship 

Becoming a lifeline when we have nowhere else to turn. 

Working alongside each other

Not ‘my way, your way’, but our way  

I am rock and you are roll 

Neighbors helping neighbors. 

We are all in it together!

Culminating in giving and receiving LOVE!

MAKE HUNGER HISTORY! 

1. In-person service: Our core volunteers and happy new faces sort, organize, fold clothes, garden, or prepare meals for homeless children, women, and men. This is a cheerful collaboration of friends over the joy of service. The friendly events are held on Saturdays (8:50 am to 12:30 pm.) at Noor Oriental Rugs, 769 Concord Avenue in Cambridge, MA. 

2. Donation: We do not have the luxury of time. We are stronger than ever, but we have the hardest challenges too. We are supported only by awesome people like YOU! As a 501(c) charity organization, all donations are tax-deductible. To put your money where your heart is, send a check or PayPal to: SufiServiceBoston@gmail.com 

Mo Nooraee, Sufi Service Committee (Boston)

84 Pembroke Street, Boston, MA 02118 & 769 Concord Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02138

sufiserviceboston@gmail.com www.NimatullahiSufiBoston.org

The Sufi Service Committee of Boston is a 501(c) charity organization. All donations are tax-deductible.