More and more employers, large and small, are encouraging, accommodating, even pushing mindfulness and meditation for their employees. Some may be following the latest fad. Others have seen how these practices and attitudes can affect the effectiveness of the workforce. Some are skeptical because they are concerned about the concepts of Acceptance and Non-Striving and the affect that promoting these might have on productivity and the bottom line.
Just because you learn to pay attention to and appreciate the Present, does not mean that you no longer remember or care about the Past, nor does it mean that you don't plan and prepare for the Future. Likewise, when you learn to accept the present, as it is, and learn to put aside Striving, that does not have to mean that you become a passive observer, ineffectual in the world around you.
Just because you learn to pay attention to and appreciate the Present, does not mean that you no longer remember or care about the Past, nor does it mean that you don't plan and prepare for the Future. Likewise, when you learn to accept the present, as it is, and learn to put aside Striving, that does not have to mean that you become a passive observer, ineffectual in the world around you.
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Spending time on a regular basis in stillness helps us to recognize more deeply and clearly, which things are really important, and which things are not so important. It helps us to see more deeply and clearly which things are urgent and which are not so urgent. It helps us to choose our words and our actions more wisely. It helps us to become more observant, and enables us to make decisions based on observations rather than habit or reactivity. |
The Acceptance that a regular practice of meditation brings is NOT passivity. This is a very active Acceptance. When we mindfully accept whatever current circumstance or experience facing us, we begin to see more clearly the options we have.
We may determine that this is not that important, and there is really nothing that needs to be done.
We may recognize that this is really important.
We may find that there is a blessing in the current circumstance or experience.
We may find that there is an opportunity to choose a different action or approach or attitude than we have been holding onto.
We may find that we are not prepared alone to deal effectively with the current experience and reach out to team with appropriate others.
We may determine that this is not that important, and there is really nothing that needs to be done.
We may recognize that this is really important.
We may find that there is a blessing in the current circumstance or experience.
We may find that there is an opportunity to choose a different action or approach or attitude than we have been holding onto.
We may find that we are not prepared alone to deal effectively with the current experience and reach out to team with appropriate others.
Teaming is such an important part of the modern workplace. Effective teaming is too rare. Meditation and other Mindfulness practices can help us to become more effective team members and team leaders. We communicate more effectively because we listen more often and more effectively. We develop better trust from customers and team mates because when we become more authentic within ourselves, we become more authentic with those around us, and therefore earn more trust.