There is a basic premise and a question at the root of my outlook on running Suan Sati. The premise is that my role is to serve all that I come in contact with. The question is how to lead from a place of service to others, as opposed to only looking out for myself and our bottom line? Being of service is something I talk about often as my life’s purpose. Weaving that into my management style has been an interesting dance between my personal values and the challenges of running a complex organization.
I have no aspirations to be a politician or head of a large company. Those, along with being famous, are some of my worst nightmares. And yet, I responded when I was called to start a business that necessarily involves many others. Service is not a solitary undertaking, it requires an object. So, against my baser instincts, I thrust myself into this position of leadership. Places like Suan Sati are needed in this world, and seeing that somebody had to do it, I volunteered. It hasn’t been easy, let me tell you. I do love hosting people, and at the same time, I loathe how vulnerable it makes me to criticism. I have to constantly remind myself that in this life, criticism and judgment are unavoidable, so I might as well aspire to be of service.
I have done every job at Suan Sati, from cleaning toilets to cooking to making beds to teaching yoga. Having done it all, I have a profound appreciation for those often thankless tasks that are necessary to make Suan Sati function. Our loving Thai staff are just as important as the superstar jobs of teaching yoga. Being my best in a guest-facing role is my way of being of service not only to our guests, but also to the kitchen, housekeeping, and maintenance teams. I know their families and life situations, and I have a responsibility to do my job diligently to support them as they support me and my vision.
Being of service to our guests takes on the obvious forms: basic hospitality and sharing practices from the heart. What is less visible is the way that I cultivate myself in order to have something worthy to share. I’m interested in learning more about yoga and meditation for myself, yet what gets me motivated is that others are looking to me to lead them while on retreat or during a teacher training course. Another unseen aspect of service is the way that I care for myself, whether that be rest, diet, travel, or anything else under the umbrella of self-care. I need to show up as my best self not only for me but also for everyone who walks through our gates. Whatever I do for myself, I do for the benefit of all.
I also have a duty to serve my growing family. That includes every level: physically, emotionally, energetically, and financially. Since Willow was born, I’ve pulled back on how much of my free time I spend with guests. I often used to stay around the dinner table until the last guest went to bed just chatting and enjoying being in community. It’s a priority now that we spend some family time together, just us, and I know everyone understands. Serving my family also means taking care of the business side of things so that my loved ones are well looked after. Affordability is a hallmark of Suan Sati, and yet don’t we deserve to be well compensated for our work?
There’s much more to be said on this topic, but I’ll leave it there for now. Feel free to ask me about this in person when you visit us next time! All my love and my deepest gratitude for allowing my heart to ramble.
