Bodhicitta in the workplace

Not too long ago, a fellow sangha member was supporting me when I was sick.  I am grateful for his support (in the form of hearty soups and other good food) and I am very grateful too for the fascinating conversation we had at the time.

We discussed non-duality and what is possible for a serious practitioner of Dharma (or any authentic spiritual path).  Basically we can change our perspective on the world and therefore change our world!

And at one point in the conversation, he mentioned that one of our mutual friends had been in a situation (work environment) that was less than healthy.  Our friend, who is a dedicated practitioner, dropped in the question: “What would it be like to work in an environment that was informed by Bodhicitta?”  (or something along those lines)

And apparently, within a few weeks, major reforms started to happen at his job sites.  The toxic management was told to leave and things started to improve within a few months!  Whoa!

So I am a skeptical guy.  Yes I have had some experiences which should lead me to have more faith, but I feel that some level of skepticism is healthy 🙂    I am a Pisces after all, so I actually have much more faith than I am letting on to.  But in my skepticism, I said to my friend, “Well my work environment kind of sucks as well.  But I don’t think I could create any change by dropping in a question.”  To which he just sat with me, present.  I think he disagreed – I was sick at the time.  He probably did not want to rile me up.

But guess what?  Soon after talking with him, after I started feeling better, I did drop in the question for my own work situation.  I said, “What would it be like to work in an environment that was supportive and inspired altruistic conduct?”

And within the past month, I was a part of meetings which involved the corporation that owns my employer coming in and stirring the pot in a good way.  There have apparently been a couple of anonymous letters written to the local papers about the less-than-morale-boosting environment at my job…  And that apparently got this ball rolling.  So yes, the reforms which are slowly happening at my job began many many months ago.  And I just dropped in the question not too long ago.  So of course I did not cause this current stream of reforms.  But, I wonder if it is somehow connected.  I did stick around with the job long enough to see these changes start to happen.

So if you are in a toxic environment at work and you have some form of spiritual practice, maybe you could drop in an “innocent” question while you are there.  Ask something along the lines of more happiness, more compassion, more recognition or more of a team inspiring environment.  Maybe things will start to change soon thereafter.

It is for me.  🙂

Thanks for reading!