Love@Work in ACTION

Birth of a Project
How love@work came about

On Friday 28 July 2006 at approximately 4pm, while seated at the Divine Lotus Feet of our Beloved Bhagavan, one of His Australian children, with boldness and deepest sincerity asked Him:

Swami, what is your mission for us in Australia?

Bhagavan's response was instant, clear and direct:

I just want your Love, Love, Love.

Love@Work in Action

At the Birthday Celebrations at Hillview Stadium for Sai Baba's 65th Birthday, the world-transforming message, "Your Mission Has Begun" was read out to the assembled devotees. In that message, Sathya Sai Baba told that 'the multiplication of My Love will be felt throughout the world.' What follows here are excerpts from Love@Work Newsletters produced by the Sai Young Adults during the Pilot trial of the Love@Work Project. We read from Newsletters produced by Sai Young Adults in Western Australia, Victoria, South Australia, New South Wales and Queensland.

Western Australia

It's easy to be 'in God' and 'at one with The One' when things are going smoothly. It's when things get challenging and frustrating that we remember to consciously focus on God. Last week, I was brought to my knees – quite literally, before the Altar at home. "Please, Swami", I begged, "You – who are the Protector of all, and God in us all – including challenging people at work: please guide and love through me..." At that very instant, I felt like I could breathe again. My eyes felt clear, they were no longer squinting through some dense fog of apprehension and concern. My mind and heart were – quite literally, light.

At the moment I asked Swami to protect the very one who had been challenging my equanimity (with success, I might add) and the weight lifted, I knew that I was now in a place of complete trust. It was WONDERFUL. That moment of surrender, after all the mind games, possible scenarios, sleep deprivation, over-eating, and under eating I’d subjected my body to, was the best feeling in the world.

At first, it's a conscious thing. I had to really work myself up to the right state. Then, it became unconscious – and I think that's what I have to work on – when spreading the love is not a conscious effort, but an unconscious expansion and expression of that which we already are – LOVE as yet undiscovered! Being on the L@W program is a bit like a tango – one step forward, two steps off to the side, one step forward, another back, and so forth (is that the tango, or another dance?). Like any dance, the more I do it, the better I'll get.

South Australia

"Love at work isn't just not trying to get annoyed at people it is also make an effort to actively love people. It is hard to remind yourself throughout the day but I guess it's like anything, practice makes perfect. Swami asked us to LOVE LOVE LOVE so that's what I will try and do and I spend more time at work than anywhere else sometimes so it makes sense... "

"It hasn't been easy to practice l@w, I need to consciously remind myself, which takes effort. But the effort is worth it. I also found if I thought of my work as a service, rather than a career, it made it much easier to show love to the people you work with. But we all still have a lot to learn from Swami..."

Victoria

The power of love...
"After having heard of the concept of Love@work, my colleagues and I at work were having a meeting with the representative of our funding body, We were meeting with her for the first time and were having a difficult time engaging her. Half way through the 1.5 hr meeting, I thought of L@W and started sending pink love. Within 15 minutes her manner changed to that of being a friendly person; smiling, interested in our conversation and work. My colleague later commented on the remarkable change in attitude..."

Connecting to people...
Before I go into a meeting or an important presentation I try to connect to each person in the room and talk to them mentally I tell each of them that we are all the same and playing a divine drama. Let us play our roles well and not hurt each other unnecessarily Every time I do this, I find the meeting or presentation is a breeze.

It's all about the attitude
Implementing L@W, I was more conscious of my anger. I looked for differences in me instead of others and dedicated each task instead of the day. I surrendered the results and noticed changes in me. I was now more content in difficult situations.

New South Wales

Yesterday I had an assessment at uni which was a 'mock interveiw'. It was a potentially very stressful assessment as I have not had an interview with a panel before (and this was with a panel of my lecturers!!).

So the weekend before I made sure I prepared answers to the likely questions. Now usually I am cool, calm and collected until about 1 hour before any assessment when the butterflies, jelly knees, sweaty palms and stress levels accelerate. I knew that nerves would absolutely throw me in the interview so I applied L@W.

I sat in the sun and built up a strong flow of LOVE within me. I then i sent the love to my lecturers and really really loved them. I concentrated on feeling the unity of myself, my lecturers and everything around me as ONE DIVINE ENERGY. It was beautiful, especially while sitting in the sun! I felt very calm and relaxed. And the thought of "Do your best, and Swami will do the rest" came to me. I felt the maya of the world disappear and realised that the truth of life is to feel the connection and oneness of everything.

I went into the interview without any nerves or fear. Just with love. And it went very well. I was confident and comfortable and happy! I enjoyed it! HA! Love at work!

Queensland

My L@W goal: "Work life for me is good. I don't have any complaints nor troubles at work and Swami has taken care of A LOT of things for me... what I want out of this, is to remember HIM and HIS glory as often as possible.. I”m sure L@W can assist me to accomplish this!"

On Sunday I worked out my targets for L@W for the week. I turned up at work on Monday all ready to give love to all. Then I found out I had only 2 patients, and they were going home - I finished work by 830AM! So Monday evening I rang one of the L@W sisters, my hotline. She suggested I put L@W to work in my study. Usually I call Swami for my medical work so thought I'd put same feeling into studying. Soon I found myself enjoying every moment, like putting love into making tea ...

Love at Work Newsletter - Archival Copies

You may read the continuing narratives of Love@Work in the full archive of the Love@Work newsletters, found on the archives page.