Beacons of Business - 39

[Guest guest]

Sairam Sisters and Brothers,

We continue to listen from Andrè L. Delbecq, D.B.A., Director - Institute for

Spirituality and Organisation Leadership, J. Thomas and Kathleen L. McCarthy

University Professor, Santa Clara University, Alameda, CA, USA.

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"In the past, I would have talked about my spiritual purpose (in the context of

my profession) as encompassing my great joy in being a teaching scholar. I love

being an academic. I have had many opportunities to become a consultant, to take

an executive post in an organisation, or to work for the government. But I have

been able to resist those temptations because I deeply appreciate the academic

life. I love the privilege of being able to read and study. I cherish the

opportunity to teach. I enjoy sharing ideas through publication. (Writing is a

hard discipline for me, so I wouldn't say it is joyful, but it is satisfying.)

Thus, in the past, I would have defined my life purpose largely in association

with my service serve as an academic. This integration of my work with

spirituality is still true; I think one's work is part of the spiritual

journey.

But in these more senior years, I am much more content to let God be God, and am

increasingly content to simply be in the presence of God without feeling that I

always need to be doing something for Him, or anyone else. I have a much

greater sense of the abundance of God's action through the cosmos, and the

actions of many others. Yes, I am invited to play a part, but I increasingly

realise I am not such a major player as I once thought I was. I feel privileged

to be a modest contributor, but I know the world isn't awaiting my every word

and accomplishment. I now understand God is the master builder so to speak. So

I am able to both "be" and "do", whereas I would have defined myself mostly in

terms of "do-ing" and less in terms of "be-ing" before my spiritual journey

deepened.

This has also changed the way I teach. I now begin my spiritual seminar at the

university with silent meditation. When I finish lecturing and the dialog ends

surrounding a very complex issue, we return to silence. My seminars begin at

8:30 and end at 14:30 and the last hour is spent in shared silence. Students

are given "homework" assignments to write in their journal, but to do so also

following periods of meditation. I am clear that the most critical learning and

individual changes that occur within the inner lives of the seminar participants

actually happen during meditation. I am a good teacher; I don't mean to minimise

the contribution that I make through lectures and dialog. But in general,

participant journals do not begin by saying, "During your brilliant lecture;"

Rather, their ideas and insights most frequently begin with words such as:

"During my meditation I became aware of;" So I know who is truly in charge of

the universe now. It is actually very liberating, because I do appreciate what

I am called to do and I still have a great sense of joy in it; but I have much

less of a concern about being the symphony leader and am simply happy to play

my instrument when it is appropriate."

© Global Dharma Center 2004

http://www.globaldharma.org