There’s a lot of talk lately about bringing spirituality to the workplace, but what does that mean exactly? How can we practice spirituality at work without interfering with individual religious beliefs and rights?
“Spirit,” as I define it, is “the life-giving, animating force within all things.” To be spiritual means to seek and respect this presence in ourselves and others. To follow our spiritual path at work means we are acting with the highest integrity for the greatest good of all involved.
Various religions are the means by which people relate to, and celebrate, a Greater Power, God, or Spirit as they understand it.
Spirituality is intensely personal, but as with any universal concept, such as beauty, freedom, or love, we demonstrate our understanding of the concept with our actions. For example one aspect of love is “a deep affection for another person.” When people love each other they personalize the concept by doing things to express that love, such as giving each other gifts, communicating on an intimate level, and spending time together. Likewise if you have a personal relationship with God, Spirit, or a Greater Power, you can express that relationship in your life—including the time you spend at work. You can do this in a variety of inspired ways, such as:
1. Replace one of your daily coffee breaks with a prayer or a meditation
2. Work on a different virtue every day, such as patience, cooperation, or compassion
3. Repeat a mantra, word, or phrase that suggests tranquility after disagreements or interruptions to center yourself and return comfortably and quickly to the task at hand
There’s increasing evidence of the value of having a spiritual perspective in our daily lives. More than a third of the medical schools in the United States now offer courses on spirituality and health.
Dr. Harold G. Koenig, director of the Duke University Center for the Study of Religion, Spirituality, and Health, has found that people who put spirituality at the center of their lives recover from depression 70% faster than those who have no spiritual focus. They also lower their blood pressure and strengthen their immune systems.
When you express your spiritual nature at the office, you might find that you enjoy similar results: more energy, a greater sense of well being and, maybe best of all, renewed enthusiasm for coming to work.
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by Kathleen Hawkins, author of Spirit Incorporated: How to Follow Your Spiritual Path from 9 to 5.