Supriya sent in feedback on Sarah's recent piece Why I
Like My Many Hats, saying that she did not see her 'hats' as
separate areas of learning, instead seeing holistic opportunities
for spiritual growth and meaningful connection with other people.
When she then commented that one aspect she has missed reading
about is the spiritual side of work and life, we immediately
invited her to contribute on this theme - and were delighted when
she readily agreed. Read on...
I have always thought of life as a school, a place of learning and
of growth. Everything that I have done, from the choices I have
made, to the experiences I have had, has been about experimenting,
learning and growing. Intuition has made it easy for me to make
choices that have been right for me in my spiritual journey, be it
the friends I make or the work I do. I learnt very early in life
that if I did something I loved, success would follow. Money is
incidental to doing what you are meant to do.
What is spirituality?
People often confuse spirituality with religion. A life of
prayer and piety is often considered to be synonymous with
spiritual living. This may be the case for a few who though prayer
and religion have found a pathway that is right for them but for
many of us this is not the case. So what do I mean when I say
spirituality?
Spirituality for me is about growth, whether we lead one life or
many. I believe that we are all a part of a larger fabric and a rip
in one part does affect and weaken the whole. While we all have our
paths to walk, connecting with other travellers along the way is a
way to accelerate the learning. This may take the form of a
dominating mother in law or a chauvinistic boss. I know that I have
learnt more about myself from people who have given me a hard time
than from people who like me.
Another aspect of spirituality for me is the level and degree of
connections I make with other people. I think of my loved ones and
I like to believe that we are souls who are in the class together
to do our own learning and to use our connection as a means of
support and stability. The people I work with and connect with
professionally are teachers, catalysts and fellow students.
I very rarely take people at face value. Without trying, I am
able to get a sense of where they are in their own journeys and how
closely connected they are to themselves and others. This has
helped me form strong relationships and helped me with work. I am
able to communicate with people in a manner that resonates with
them. The conversations and connections that come out of this have
a higher degree of impact and are more meaningful.
No Man is an Island
I once read something which made a profound impact on my
thinking. I think it was by an Indian poet who said, "I am human
because I have the ability to cry for my neighbour's sorrow". I
truly believe this helps us as individuals, professionals and
societies to rise above our differences but I think this is all but
forgotten in the rush to earn a living and make one's mark in world
today.
I did a professional degree which was very competitive and it
was a struggle for me to stay true to myself. I spent the three
years feeling lost and unable to connect with any of my fellow
classmates. I understood where they were coming from but it was not
who and where I wanted to be. It taught me that everyone has their
reality depending on where they were at and that it was more
important to continue on my journey than belong to a particular
mindset or reality.
Meaningful connections
I have been watching the American elections with great interest.
It was neither the race or the issues discussed that got my
attention. What gripped me was the fact that Barack Obama was
connected. It didn't matter what colour he was, what religion and
where he came from. He understood himself and he understood people
needed to connect to something that was meaningful for them. His
language, his commitments, his vision all reflected hope and
promise. He was able to connect with people on many levels
including the spiritual.
This gives me hope that as we go through difficulty and strife
for one reason or the other, we will stop crying 'why me?' and use
it as an opportunity the same way a goldsmith does when he uses
fire to clean the impurities out of gold. I believe that with an
open mind, an open heart and open will, the possibilities are
endless.
Acknowledgement
Supriya Rathod works in the in the corporate responsibility area
of a major New Zealand bank, managing community programmes.
She says, "I love it. I am able to use my communications and
relationship management skills in a meaningful way to do something
that I feel really passionate about. I love writing and I enjoy
public speaking both of which are an extension of a lifelong
interest in people and human behaviour. I am based in
Wellington."
Supriya can be contacted by email.