Hare Krishna,
Not sure if this is the right forum for this discussion. Please accept my apologies and ignore if you feel that way.
But I am looking for some guidance related to professional life. For some reason as I am gaining professional experience (almost 15+ years), I am also facing some anxieties. Some of these are in terms of how do I keep on learning constantly and keep contributing, so that the experience is not seen as a bagagge, but rather as something very useful.
Also, there is some confusion whether the approach should be a bit on the aggressive side (as is sometimes expected by the manager for gaining visibility across the team) Or behave in a more neutral manner (I personally prefer this as I am more of an introvert kind of person)
Apart from this, I do observe office politics in terms of bias towards other individuals, etc which sometimes tends to disturb me.
While I do entirely understand that all these things are quite mundane and do not matter in the larger scheme of things, it does tend to occupy my mind which is why I am looking for some suggestions and what specific learnings I can take from scriptures for professional dealings.
Also just to add, as far as my spiritual life is concerned, while I have not been able to develop taste for regular chanting, I do try to read a lot of Srila Prabhupada books on a regular basis (on some days I read for atleast an hour in a day) and more so, when my mind is agitated. Also I try to read them with a total surrender attitude and do find lot of peace while reading.
Thanks.
Replies
Hare KRsna Prabhuji,
PAMHO.
While we are on the spiritual path, trying to perfect our sadhana, we are also in the material world, trying to make ends meet and live a reasonably comfortable life. The material aspect does have a heavy bearing on the spiritual aspect, because we spend so much time in the work place. So work related tensions will definitely affect us.
WHat we can do is - apply our learnings and realisations in spirituality in our life so seamlessly that it becomes second nature for us, where the material and spiritual aspects of our life blend seamlessly.
Since you mentioned that you are an introvert, it is very possible that others would try to shortchange you for getting higher posts and pay. We have to take these things with a pinch of salt. THe thing to understand is - we all get what is destined for us, when it is destined to come to us, how much is destined for us. Nothing more, nothing less. THat does not at all mean that we dont have to put in any effort, it willl happen by itself. THe effort has to be there, the struggle is always ours. We have to learn to do things as a duty, not with an intention to win. That is where sprituality comes in, it helps to keep our perspective.
It would help if you started chanting. You coudl start iwth minimum 4 rounds in a day, will take half an hour of your time.
Haribol,
Your servant,
Radha Rasamayi DD
Hare Krishna,
Team leading and managing a group is tough for an introvert. I know. Extroverts are good at extracting work and cope easily with varied people and at varied atmospheres. But some changes at some levels, can make an introvert an exceptionally great teamleader.
Extrovert would just go by saying simply the NIKE way.. "Just Do It" ... Introvert on the other hand weighs the consequences of the outcome of the decision making.. keeping on losing time in judging pros and cons.. But still they are good long term planners. They are not like just do it .. the plan things properly and even judge the results and take steps slowly. But that is just making them a little but slower in terms of aggressive behavior and taking control of the team., and just doing action at the nick of the time and not concerned with the results.
As per Bhagwad gita.. Arjuna was lamenting how he can fight war against his own kith and kin. He was weighing the results of the war before hand. He was thinking and asking Krishna ..what if he wins? and kauravas lose... will it make him and pandavas happy? the war is going to destroy many people who are close to him like Grand father, Dronacharya and all the cousins.. then who will be left when he wins also.. to enjoy the kingdom with? What is this war for... so many people will be killed , so many woman will lose their husbands and woman who lose their husbands.. will become surrendered to prostitution or labor and dharma will die in this way. The war which we are about to rage.. is infact going to end the dharma .. said Arjuna to Krishna.. Arjuna.. was thinking of the end results of the action before action itself!!!!?? isn't it?
Krishna adviced him to to " Just do it" give your best leave the rest to ME ( simple one liner statement of all Gita ). What is the use of thinking of results without even playing the game?
do you think results are within your hands? says Krishna
Work for the pleasure of Krishna not for pleasure of some boss or some people around you. You work with dedication and complete surrender to that work.
buddhi-yukto jahātīha
ubhe sukṛta-duṣkṛte
tasmād yogāya yujyasva
yogaḥ karmasu kauśalam (2.50 BG)
As per Karma Yoga, One who works for the pleasure of Krishna that type of work doesn't bind him to the reactions of the karma or the fruits of karma.
That work is also perfect and it is called Karma Yoga not simply karma kanda.
I will give you one example:--
You employed a kaamwali bai ( servant maid) at you home for cleaning house. She is doing her work. She does all the assigned work.. washing clothes, cleaning utensils and mopping floors. She is on time and leaves job on time. she is doing her works as you per the salary given ( let us say you offered her $15 per hour).After her hour of work she wont do even one single thing also even if there is some very very emergency condition also. How do you feel? She just avoids even looking around also, just watching the clock and doing every work like in express way. She is not concerned whether she is really doing the job perfectly or not. her main concern is doing the job and finishing taking $15 dollars and going back home. She doesn't care if the utensils are really clean or if the floor is left out in corners uncleaned. This type of work is it satisfying to you? Neither it satisfying to her. On the other hand.. your wife is there/ or your mother.. .. who is doing the work same work cleaning floor and cleaning utensils.. she takes extra care to clean them properly she is not concerned with the time running out or the money. She is doing work for the pleasure of serving her family well.
That is the difference in the work done. When you do it thinking this work is not mine.. I have to do it, because the boss is telling me to do.. The work appears boring and also.. you dont really do it for the pleasure of it. If you do any work enjoying it and thinking this work is mine..I have to give my best.. I am working for the organisation, You are not seeing just your personal growth or personal sucesss.. . You will no doubt be successful at it and you also feel lively and enthusiastic with lot of involvement into the work.
Let me give you one more example..
Once upon a time there was in Akbar's court a great musician by name Tansen. Akbar one time was pleased with his ablity and gifted him a neckace and said who is your guru.. let me meet him call him to court tomorrow... Tansen says. . my guru ji is a renunciate sage.., Haridas Thakur, who reside in Vrindavan, he deosn't meet any king.., if you want to meet him you have to dress like a normal person. Because he treats a rich and poor man equally. He doesn't care for your riches.. So, Akbar decided to go in incognito to meet the great sage. They went there and Tansen began to play his musical instrument in a wrong way so that his guru ji will start to correct him.., as the guru ji was busy in chanting and was not interested to even waste a single minute. When Tansen played it wrongly, the guruji said .. okay my child this is not the way to play it. let me show you and he started to play the instrument and sang bhajan. Akbar lost his senses and felt out of world experience. While going back to the court. Akbar said why dont we hire him. He plays so well, and why don't you sing like him? Tansen said Maharaj my guru ji is playing for the pleasure of Krishna.. he is not playing for getting praises from a king. he is playing for the pleasure of king of kings , the King of the universe. That is why you find sweetness in the song. I am playing to get praises from you. There is a difference.
Let me give one more example..
Two painters, one is working for the getting money and praises and other paints because he loves to paint. Who art would look better?
The person who paints for he loves painting is enjoying his work and does really best, he is not concern for some praises., or he is not concerned for some money. He is simply painting for pleasure of Krishna.
see kids ( 3-4 yr old) draw and color they enjoy get totally involved in coloring have you seen them how they enjoy it. they are lost in their own world. they don't care or compare themselves with others paintings. one must become so simple minded when doing the job. Selfless service if you are doing then God becomes pleased. While doing selfless service also.., you want to give the best not because someone will praise you for it, because you like it, you enjoy doing it. The work should be such that.. you are totally engrossed into it and then you wont find other small petty things so important. You know one thing for sure.., you gave ur best. ab result aayega nahi aayega woh log kya kahenge, boss kya bolega, doosaron ko praise milta hai mujhe kyon nahi milta., boss is biased to some , my work is not aknowledged, this all things wont matter. I know I did my best. I know and My Krishna knows.. koi mujhe praise karein ya na karein.. Bhagwan toh dekh raha hai. I Will work for Krishna's pleasure not for anyone's pleasure. This should be our attitude. Then such work wont bind us to material world.
I want you to watch these vids.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=boRV7otSwfI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PWmhl6rzVpM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-oLSca0HdR4
If you keep ur mind engaged in Krishna and work for Krishna nothing much of the office politics would matter to you.
Hare Krishna
Hare Krishna Mataji and thank you for your selfless service and taking efforts to put down in detail. I specifically found some of the following points very relevant in my context. Though I am not sure would it just take constant practice to follow them conssitently Or would there be something more to it?
Hare Krishna,
When do you judge, criticize or blame others?
We do so only when we feel, we are right and rest all are wrong!!! as simple as that.
This is one bad habit of self praising and looking down on others. This is wrong attitude. We are egoistic and arrogant then we cannot accept others behavior or others opinions.
Now how to curb this habit of judging others and critizing others?
Think that out of the whole universe what is ur cut out? How big are you? Who is the perfect one? Is it you? NO NO Never.
Perfect is not there on mortal world. Perfectionist is only Krishna. We are all trying to be perfect but actually no one is perfect. If you know this clearly. Then you would never hurt anyone or criticize anyone or blame and judge anyone.
It is our false ego that is making us feel that we are perfect and better than others. In this false egoistic position a person tends to judge others and hurt others knowingly sometimes and unknowingly sometimes. We are having many many many flaws in ours. Accept that first.
Once you know that you are not perfect only Krishna is the perfect one. We start becoming accepting everyone's opinions and giving every one chance to develop. We wont judge anyone and we try to appreciate even smallest thing that others do. This makes us a better person and thus we can keep the circumstances cool at any given point of time in any atmosphere ( be it office or house). Accepting people as they are and knowing no one is perfect except Krishna. You may feel perfect but actually you have much more flaws in you. Which you cannot see because of false ego.
Hare Krishna.
one story I remember:- Once a person a rich man approached Socrates. He was constantly praising himself. He was saying I own a big mansion at so and so place, so much property, that this.. After hearing all this Socrates, said where is your house show me on the map? Then the man showed his house on the map. It was like a tiny dot. Because..In the map you know the place which owns is shown is very small. then Socrates said, can you tell me in the whole galaxy where is your home? It is just insignificant. So, what makes you prideful? When we feel this false ego too high and inflated then we look down on others. Just we have to understand that we may be perfect people compared to few bunch of people around us but.. not great compared to Krishna who own everything even you also. Then we are humbled down to zero level and we would accept everyone and never judge and criticize anyone. Tell me we are so much faulty ourself. How can we judge anyone? It is merely our false ego only isn't it ?
Hare Krishna Mataji - You seem to have hit the nail on the head and yes, somewhere I do realize that "ego" is the cause of the professional issues I see and I also feel that for some reason, the ego aspect seems to be increasing alongwith professional experience.
But I'll keep coming back and revisiting your posts and the story again and again to bring that down under control.
The essence that I get from your post and story is to understand that we are insignificant when compared to the universe and to the all-great Krishna. This is probably something which needs to be drilled down within.