Logic and reason, facts and figures, profit and loss are the language of business. However, there’s been a movement that has been sweeping through business bringing a whole new language.
It is changing not only how business is done. It is also powerfully impacting its results.
If you’ve missed this whole mind, body spirit thing you’ve been sleeping under a rock. It’s creeping in everywhere.
From yoga, meditation, wellness, spas, green juices, Lulu Lemon, turmeric lattes, kale, retreats, mindfulness, TM, Conscious branding. Conscious creation. Conscious business Conscious everything.
It’s an industry that has been increasing in value by 130% each year for the last 20 years. It is a $3.4 trillion industry. Many companies would be very happy with such growth and yet often when I introduce mind, body, spirit (which really just means you’re breathing and if you’re reading this you are:-) I face raised eyebrows resistance and doubt. I am seen as left of centre and slightly capricious.
People including my closest friends say they don’t get what they call this spiritual thing.
I have been called a hippy a tree hugger, woo woo, and out there.
I meditate, but so does anyone who focuses on anything, I’ve been called woo woo because I’m open to serendipity aka happenstance or opportunity, out there because I act on the ideas that come to me in meditation, and believe we are here to make the world a better place.
So what’s so ‘freaky’ about spirituality Is it because it’s mysterious or unexplained?
Everything is until some scientist or Phd student applies rigour to it.
Is it because what’s unknown it is scary? But so is the weather and what will happen tomorrow.
Here’s 7 reasons I ask you to consider why it is makes sense and how it could be applied to your life.
1
It teaches you to take responsibility for your own life.
It teaches you that you are the maker of your own destiny: that your words, thoughts and actions impact your reality. Spiritual people call this karma, the law of actions and consequences. This means you are not blaming your boss, your wife, husband, parents, children or some random politician for your fortune or misfortune. You accept that whatever you have or not done has consequences and you can change your circumstances by taking charge of your life and changing your thoughts, words and actions.
1
It teaches you to master yourself
Every energy and spiritual tradition I have learned asks you to know yourself. It asks you to master yourself. It requires discipline and practice and a constant return to your essential self. You discover your strengths, your weaknesses and to accept each of them. It teaches you to discipline your mind and your body so you can master them. As Yogi Bhajan says Learning is not difficult; living is difficult. Discipline yourself and see how fast you learn. Click To Tweet The first faculty of a leader is that you have to be a leader of yourself.
2
It teaches you compassion
It asks you to accept your duality – what I describe as knowing that you are naughty and nice, that you can be as sweet as you can be sour, as pleasant as you can be grumpy, as wise as you can be dumb, as lazy as you can be energetic. This engenders compassion for yourself for others.
3
It teaches you gratitude
We truly do live in a magical world. A world that supports us in every moment. People help each other with random acts of kindness. The earth and skies combine to deliver us food, water and air and the resources to provide housing, transport, infrastructure.
There is beauty everywhere in flowers, trees, plants, animals, beaches, forests, lakes, mountains. The earth regenerates itself to keep producing these things despite us plundering it to produce more than what we really need, but that’s another story. . .
4
It teaches you resilience
I recall when my niece was a toddler backing herself into a chair. She didn’t trust it would be there. The first time she misjudged the distance. She fell on her bottom legs flailing in the air. Not put out, she immediately got up and tried again. This time she looked behind to ensure it was there. She edged closer, bent her knees and sat down. She smiled pleased with herself.
There was no shame. There was no regret. She just tried again.
Not every idea we try will work. Not every job we take will be great. Not every romance will be life long. Not every haircut will be flattering. Not every dinner will be scrumptious. Not every wine will delight.It is by trying we experience. It is by experiencing we learn. It is be learning we can iterate. Click To Tweet
Those iterations create improvement, refinement and progress. They also create our boundaries, our values and our preferences.
5
It teaches you flow
It teaches you to step into the Cosmic Flow where everything follows cycles of beginnings, middles and endings which essentially translates to using your energy effectively and efficiently.
Time and motion studies done in industry pay consultants to do the same. Working with your spirit suggests tuning into your body to know the best time to work, rest and play, to learn your own rhythms and cycles and work with these, so you can do your best work more effectively and with greater ease. It teaches us to tune into the natural energies, the cycles of the day, the Moon, the seasons and the year to evolve and grow and get what we need to get done.
6
It teaches you creativity
By tuning into your intuition you can access everything you have ever learned or experienced. You can access your infinite nature and inspiration. You can tap into the collective consciousness. You don’t need Excel, You don’t even need Google, You can tune into the most amazing computer you have at your disposal, your own mind which stores and computes ready for your random access in any moment.
7
It teaches you confidence
Through knowing yourself, you learn your strengths and weaknesses. you learn your gifts, what comes easily to you. you learn to accept yourself so your boundaries are clearer. You trust yourself to put your hand up for a challenging project at work and to be held accountable to deliver it because you realise how your skills, education and experience can be used with your gifts, passions and strengths to add value. You can apply this to your work, your relationships and to your life.
Imagine having the surefire confidence to ask for what you need, and to offer what you know. To value yourself as you deliver value so you are able to take care of yourself and those you care about.
It means you learn to trust yourself so you can take a chance on others or on an idea, It means you can take a stand on what you believe in. Allow yourself to express your opinion. Allow yourself to stand out and disagree with others. Allow others to be different to you. Honour others as you honour yourself.
How would your world be different if you allowed your spirit to guide you?
How would your relationship with yourself, your colleagues, clients and your work change?