Spirituality at Work Because You Cant Leave Home Without You

Several years ago after I presented a workshop entitled "Spirituality at Work: Because You Can't Leave Home Without You?" I got a phone call from someone who saw the program booklet. She was very interested in the topic and wanted to know how to "get it" at her company. She went on to ask, "How can I implement spirituality in our organization?" My response was simple. "You can't. Spirituality isn't something you implement; it's something you are."

From that point on I became an ardent observer of this new "hot topic" and it's evolution in the corporate world. Let's be clear. Spirituality is not religion. Spirituality is an inner search for deeper meaning-a personal private journey.

Or as Peter Block says in Servant Leadership "The process of living out a set of deeply held personal values, of honoring forces or a presence greater than ourselves. It expresses our desire to find meaning in, and to treat as an offering, what we do." If you want to bring spirituality into your company, just be spiritual.

Given that you can't leave home without you, your work can then become a place for your spiritual practice. Plus, some of the great spiritual teachers like Jesus, Buddha, Gandhi,  Dalai Lama, and Confucius, have much to teach us which can be directly applied to how we interact and live while at work.

For example, if you want to reduce stress and also become a better communicator, meditate and practice mindfulness. Dalai Lama says, "Everyday I experience the benefits of peace of mind. It's very good for the body. As you might imagine, I am a rather busy man. I take many responsibilities upon myself, activities, speeches, trips. All that no doubt is a very heavy burden, and still I have the blood pressure of a baby. What's good for me is good for other people. I have no doubt on that score. Good food, a struggle against every excessive desire, daily meditation, all that can lead to peace of mind. And, peace of mind is good for the body." Not only is peace of mind good for the body, it is also good for the mind. Conscious, mindful communication reduces misunderstanding and increases productivity. Here's a simple exercise you can do anywhere, anytime to help you develop your present moment power.

Sit quietly by yourself. Follow your breath...sense the feeling of it as it comes in and goes out of your body. That's all there is to it. Just feel your breath and know you are breathing. Don't think about your breath, just be aware that you are breathing...normal breathing pace and depth. Simply note your breath...in breath...out breath...breathing in...breathing out...don't worry about getting anywhere...just stay with one full in-breath on its way in and one full out-breath on its way out. Keep your mind empty to just this moment. When thoughts appear, return your attention to your breath. Practice this ten minutes a day and you'll see an increase in your ability to be present moment focused-the key to better communication and deeper understanding. If you want to read more about this, pick up Jon Kabat-Zinn's book Wherever You Go, There You Are.

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