Author: Linda Ferguson

I like the Sufi expression, ‘Keep your feet firmly planted on the earth and your heart fully open to God’. Work is such a wonderful place to practice this expression. It is through work that we feel most grounded in the physical world, yet often feel most disconnected from our spiritual life. It is here that we most need to re-connect to the Source of our being.

Think of all the times you must be grounded and present at work as you desire to keep your heart open to God. Do you seek clarity or support from your Source (Higher Power/Buddha Nature) in the midst of your work challenges? What helps you do that?

When you are having a tough time meeting deadlines, paying bills, working with difficult clients or co-workers -Is your heart fully open?

Close your eyes for 10 seconds and breathe deeply into your Source, feeling the power and comfort of it in your heart……..Feel your heart expand and fill you with peace…. (Repeat as necessary)

Remember

Remember that you are a Divine Presence. Too often we don’t remember, or as Rumi and others have written, we fall asleep to our Divine Nature. Remembering your true nature as a spirit being, while in the midst of experiencing your human emotions, re-connects you to Source. Making that reconnection helps you plug into the Master Energy Circuit. I’m guessing you’ve experienced moving through stress with more ease and grace when you remember. Your heart expands as you open to your Source.

Pray Throughout Your Day

The last time I traveled through the Middle East I wondered how our workplaces would feel if in the middle of a meeting or throughout the day, we stopped to kneel in prayer. How would we work with others if we intentionally set aside time to connect with the Holy Oneness (Allah, Yahweh, Great Spirit, Divine Wisdom)? Praying several times a day, not out of duty or obligation, but from a yearning to connect with God would almost certainly open your heart. Would your work be done with joy, meaning, compassion, purpose? See what happens in your week ahead- stop 4-5 times throughout your day to offer a prayer of thanksgiving, healing, compassion, forgiveness or petition. You can direct your prayers for yourself or others. See how this opens your heart and keeps your feet firmly planted.

Om, Shanti, Bismillah

Please share prayers that you like to use to stay connected.

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For more resources, see our Library topic Spirituality in the Workplace.

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While we often feel spiritual when all is peaceful, joyful and calm, spiritual growth often happens on the edges of our comfort zone. When you feel the tug of your soul or psyche, you are called to shift somehow. It is in these times you have to dig deeper to connect with your Higher Power and Inner Wisdom for creativity, forgiveness, clarity, or strength. Re-connecting to your Source, you find energy to move forward and see a bigger perspective for what is unfolding.

Think of a situation currently in your work where you are feeling that growing edge. Perhaps you are challenged by a co-worker, have a stressful deadline, or you don’t have a job and are looking for work. Emerson describes times of Divine Discontent, when your purpose may not be clear or your soul feels unsettled. Honor this time of unfolding. See what may be brewing below your discomfort.

• Is there something that needs tending in your soul?
• Where is your growing edge in this situation?
• What is the next best version of yourself that needs to be expressed or discovered?

Pema Chodron speaks of the in-between time:

The challenge is to stay in the middle rather than buy into struggle and complaint. The challenge is to let it soften us rather than make us more rigid and afraid. Becoming intimate with the queasy feeling of being in the middle of nowhere only makes our hearts more tender. When we are brave enough to stay in the middle, compassion arises spontaneously. By not knowing, not hoping to know, and not acting like we know what’s happening, we begin to access our inner strength. From The Places That Scare You

As we move from summer to fall, the changing leaves and changing temperatures, note what changes are brewing below the surface for you. Breathe deeply into this time and space. Allow this time to speak to you without moving too fast to fix it or change it. Embrace whatever vulnerability and fear surfaces as a friend. It may show you something within yourself that needs to heal, to awaken, to strengthen, to rejuvenate. It is in the time of Divine Discontent that you recognize a deeper yearning, opening up to a more authentic you waiting to be expressed.

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For more resources, see our Library topic Spirituality in the Workplace.

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Many people in the eastern half of the US are cleaning up debris in the aftermath of Hurricane Irene and the Gulf storm impact from Lee. Several thoughts crossed my mind about the symbolic nature of the rain and storms this past week. In various Earth-based faith traditions water symbolizes cleansing, emotions, purifying.

Emotions– What emotions need to be expressed or balanced?

Cleansing, purifying and rebuilding seems appropriate this week. As we approach the 10^th anniversary of Sept. 11^th many are preparing memorials or tributes. I don’t think it’s a coincidence that we are getting heavy rains as we approach this anniversary. People around the globe were impacted by this attack and we need to individually and collectively process the emotions that go along with it. This week is not only a time of reflection but also an opportunity to move through any emotions that linger.

You may be feeling frustration, anger or grief as the anniversary approaches. Regardless of your political persuasion, you probably have some emotional response to that day and the course of history since then. Take some time to get in touch with any emotions you want to acknowledge and shift.

Think about about how you can release and move through those emotions so that you are more balanced and whole. What needs to surface or heal so that you move through your emotions connected to the Sept. 11th event? Honor whatever comes up for you; it’s part of your spiritual growth and unfolding. Pay attention to your emotions and energy as you move through this week and next.

Purification and Cleansing – What needs to be cleansed and remade whole?

Many sacred traditions use water in rituals- baptism, blessings, ceremonial purifying, anointing etc. Once your emotions are honored and released it’s important to individually and collectively purify your space to reclaim it as holy ground- at work, home, community. Examine those aspects of your life and work that need purifying and cleansing.

I spent my Labor Day weekend cleaning out my office, clearing out files, and painting. It was work that I had been thinking of doing for months and finally got to it. Only now as I write this blog and reflect on this week, I see this project was my way of purifying that space. Now I can bring new energy into my office- to be more productive and peaceful.

Look around your office or home and see what needs to be purified. If you don’t have the time to completely clean the space, at least use a spray bottle and spritz the area with a nice smelling aroma. That will help you clear the air and purify the space. You can say a blessing or set an intention for what new energy you want to bring into that space once it’s purified.

Spend some time this week focusing on what needs to be purified and balanced in your life and work. Find some way to use water symbolically or physically to cleanse that space. As you do this purifying ritual, release any emotions that no longer serve you. Acknowledge emotions you are ready to heal and release so you can bring in energy of greater balance, harmony and wholeness.

May you create a purified and holy week.

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For more resources, see our Library topic Spirituality in the Workplace.

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Linda is an author, speaker, coach, and consultant. Go to her website www.lindajferguson.com to read more about her work, view video clips of her talks, and find out more about her book “Path for Greatness: Spirituality at Work” The paperback version is available on Amazon. Also available for download from her website is the pdf version of Path for Greatness.

I was reminded recently how hard it can be to Be Peace when our emotional hot buttons get triggered. Whether at work or home, we can get triggered easily by old wounds or reminders of past patterns. When these instances occur, rather than sending your anger to the person who bothers you, look deeper at what the emotional trigger is inside yourself. That’s where the peace work needs to be done. This happened to me this past weekend and I was surprised at what I found.

Over the weekend I came across a nice YouTube video clip called “Don’t Worry” by Playing for Change. I love their compilations. I felt really uplifted listening to this song- the message of peace, the symbolism of world peace with singers from around the world, and the wonderful harmonies. As such I decided to send the YouTube link to my family and friends whom I thought would like it. As I was typing the message in email, my partner started playfully pestering me. I got more upset the more my partner continued. Only later did I realize what hot button was getting pushed.

Being Peace comes from Within

I was aware of the irony of getting angry while sending a peace song to friends! No matter what “good deeds” I was doing to create peace in that moment (by sharing the video link with my friends), my anger created energy that negated the peace I was sending.

Do you get angry as you try to do “good things for others”? Pay attention to to your reactions, even when you have good intentions.

As I mulled over my reaction in this incident, I realized how challenging it can be to Be Peace, even when taking actions to create peace. I try to remember the idea that – If your walking is not peace, then you cannot create peace. This is spiritual practice that can be done every day.

Notice Your Hot Buttons and Work There

Next time someone really rubs you the wrong way at work, use that opportunity to recognize what your hot buttons are and where they came from. If you want to create peace at work, and work in a peaceful environment, see when and how you get angry or emotionally triggered. Find ways to heal whatever old sores are there within you so that you can bring peace to your work by Being Peace.

In my incident, I realized that my partner was bugging me in similar ways to how my oldest brother used to tease me as a kid. Evidently there was still a scar there. I was glad to have this reminder so that I could do more work to heal that older wound. Luckily I saw what was going on and could shift gears to re-group and apologize for my reaction to my partner. I had to admit the sore spot was mine and heal the emotional charge of it. We talked it over and were able to clear the tension. In so doing, I was able to be the peace that I wanted to share with others.

Spiritual practice – Be Peace; Smile from Within

Reflecting on this incident I was reminded of a poem I learned in high school. I only remember one line from it, but that line has stuck with me over the years – “It’s easy to be joyful when life flows like a song. But the one worthwhile is the one who can smile when everything goes dead wrong“.

Here’s some spiritual practice for you this week –

1. Create peace from within you when you get triggered.
2. Practice sharing that peace through your smile- even when things go dead wrong

Here’s the video link of “Don’t Worry” by Playing for Change. Enjoy and spread the peace.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tAjFnJuk1Aw

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For more resources, see our Library topic Spirituality in the Workplace.

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Linda is an author, speaker, coach, and consultant. Go to her website www.lindajferguson.com to read more about her work, view video clips of her talks, and find out more about her book “Path for Greatness: Spirituality at Work” The paperback version is available on Amazon. Also available for download – the pdf version of Path for Greatness – available from her website.

‘Tis the season for vacations and preparing children to go back to school. I heard a woman recently proclaim that she has too much work to do to take time off. It’s a common complaint. Yet, just as getting an oil change every 3-4 months keeps the engine running smoother, so too we need time away to keep renewed and in good mental, emotional, and spiritual condition. Otherwise we run the risk of being tired, stuck in a rut, not gaining perspective, or just plain bored.

Time out is Time in. Vacations allow you to come back with greater energy to face your tasks and challenges. Stepping away from work allows you to see your work with fresh eyes and gain new perspective on what is important. You can see more clearly what work adds values vs. wasted busy work. Sometimes just having extra time to read or think away from the office, you find a solution or work through a problem that has been weighing on you.

Taking time off to renew your spiritual soil is important time so you don’t feel depleted. Even if you take an afternoon to go fishing or go to a spa, that is helpful to renew your spirit. Tending to your spiritual soil, keeping it nourished helps you keep centered, focused on your values and priorities, and invigorated to face your tasks.

I knew of a company where two VPs didn’t like each other and didn’t work well together. The CEO saw their conflicts over time disrupt meetings and hinder business success. He told them if they wanted to keep their jobs they needed to spend one day a month together doing something they both liked doing away from the office. The two VPs weren’t too happy about mandatory time off together.

It took two months to find an activity that they both enjoyed doing and felt they could do for 8 hrs with each other. It took another 3 months before the men were able to talk openly about their backgrounds and share more personal information with each other. By the end of the year the men realized they had similar life experiences and learned to approach their challenges in different ways. They learned to respect each other’s different approaches and saw that they each had something to offer the company. After this one year experiment getting to know each other away from work, they were able to bring their differences and new perspectives back to their work in a productive way. Their teams aligned better and worked more cooperatively with each other afterwards. This was time away that led to millions of dollars saved in improvements to work flows and greater revenue generated by more customer retention. Time Out was recouped thousands of times over.

1. What will help you recharge your energy and gain better perspective?

2. What teams need re-charging so that they can work more effectively together?

3. Where do you go to till your spiritual soil so that you can be more grounded?

As you move into the busy fall activities, remember to take time away, even if for a day, to renew yourself or your team. It will support your personal foundation and your work if used intentionally for greater renewal and regeneration.

May you walk the Beauty way in the months ahead. Aho!

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For more resources, see our Library topic Spirituality in the Workplace.

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I wrote a few weeks ago about a ceremony I did with an EcoShaman group to visualize the world we wanted to create.

It was a full day of drumming, singing, chanting in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains. Using American Indian hand drums, we sent our intent for a new world to be born, based on conscious co-creation, abundance, beauty, and balance. We used the drums as instruments of healing, conscious creation, and power. We worked with The Herb Medicine Wheel Garden and Angelic guides to broadcast our messages of healing.

The images and themes that emerged were beautiful expressions of what we intended for our lives, the lives of our family, neighbors, government and business leaders, and people around the globe.

• What do you envision for the world?
• What is your most exquisite expression of joy, balance, wholeness and possibility for our world?
• What is your positive intention for your life, work, home, community?

Take some time this week to set your intention for shifts to greater harmony, balance, wholeness.

Now is the time to get clear on what you desire to create in your world. The energy is building for us to fully express and manifest what our heart’s desire is for a world of peace, love, harmony and wholeness.

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I’m including this section from an article on this website- http://www.eraofpeace.org/world-congress.php that speaks to the shifts that are needed at this time.

“2011, A Transfiguring Year of Rebirth and Renewal” by Patricia Diane Cota-Robles

A Call To Love

Precious Hearts, a monumental shift is taking place at this moment that transcends the perception of our conscious minds. We are being called, on behalf of Humanity and all Life evolving on this sweet Earth, to release the greatest expression of Divine Love we have ever experienced. This very moment, focus your attention on the person you Love the most in this world. Tangibly feel your Love flowing through your Heart Flame into the Heart Flame of your Loved One. Now, feel your Love expanding and expanding until it envelops every particle of Life on Earth. Ask the Presence of God pulsating within your heart to increase this expression of Divine Love daily and hourly with every breath you take from this moment forth.

On Saturday, January 8, 2011, which numerically was an 11:11 day, we held a Celebration of Life Service for my beloved son Joao who passed away unexpectedly on December 29, 2010. The service was held at Saint Pius X Catholic Church in Tucson, Arizona, at 10:00 a.m. There was an overflow crowd of 700 people physically present and tens of thousands of people all over the world joining with us in consciousness to send their Love and support.

At 10:10 a.m., during the exact moment that Tucson was being flooded with Love and support from all over the world, an unprecedented act of violence took place which took the lives of six people and seriously wounded Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords and eleven other people. Those who were killed included a Federal Judge and a nine year old girl who was born on September 11, 2001. The focus of the world instantaneously turned to Tucson, and people everywhere began invoking the Light and praying for healing and comfort for the people involved. This outpouring of Love and Compassion created a powerful forcefield of Light that enveloped the planet and paved the way for a shift of consciousness that has the potential of lifting Humanity into a Higher Order of Unity Consciousness and Oneness than we have previously experienced. The success of this opportunity is up to us. Let’s all accept responsibility for being the Open Door for a perpetual influx of Divine Love. Let’s all hold the sacred space for Humanity to remember the Oneness of ALL Life.

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For more resources, see our Library topic Spirituality in the Workplace.

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Often our most challenging times at work are dealing with people who push our hot buttons in some way. Perhaps we experience them as being uncooperative, unsupportive, intimidating, or outright vindictive. While I can understand you would want to run from these people as fast as you can, I encourage you to stop in your tracks and consider the situation from a spiritual perspective.

Accept the Challenge as your Calling

You are brought to this situation to be a spiritual presence. When you model peace and harmony for others, you shift the energy where you work.

Often the lessons we most need to learn are brought to us from people who challenge us the most. In order to develop patience, we need to be in situations where patience is required. In order to practice compassion, we need to experience situations where compassion is required. In order to learn where our growing edges are, we need to be pushed to the edge. When you get annoyed with someone, take time to see what the situation is calling of you.

I’ve written before that our work environment is where our spiritual unfolding takes place every bit as much as with our families, our faith communities, and with friends. You can be spiritual and bring peace everywhere you go- if you set your intention on that. Others are presented to you so that you can choose how to be more spiritual. You are always provided opportunities to practice greater love, patience, graciousness, acceptance, forgiveness, peace. That’s the real work we are here to do!

Co-workers as Spiritual Partners

Guess what? Your biggest lessons keep coming back to you so you can practice. Maybe you practice with one person for a very long time, such as your partner or family member. Maybe you get reminders periodically so that you practice for only a short time. You may have to dig deeper to find a way through it. You may have to reach out to others or use prayer to find greater support with your challenge.

While these times and people may not feel particularly pleasant, they are in fact brought to you for your spiritual progression. Rather than get angry, stomp away upset, or otherwise feel uncomfortable- stop. Breathe. Relax. Pray. Reflect.

• What is this person here to teach you in this moment?
• What are you required to practice with this person?
• How are you creating peace this instant?

You have drawn these people and these situations to you so that you can work on those aspects of yourself that need polishing. Take the opportunity to see what needs to shift within you rather than focus on changing or judging them. As we read in Matthew 7:3 “Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye?” These people trigger your own hot buttons (eg., defensiveness, impatience, arrogance, self-doubt, not taking responsibility for your actions). Thank them for bringing into awareness your areas of growth.

Find ways to choose love, acceptance, compassion, peace, awareness. Not only will you develop more spiritually, but your work place will become more peaceful as you remain a spiritual presence.

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For more resources, see our Library topic Spirituality in the Workplace.

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In various Celtic traditions Aug. 1^st is celebrated as Lammas, a designation of the first harvest. This holiday marks the mid-point between the Summer Solstice and the Fall Equinox. Lammas is often symbolized by threshing wheat or baking loaves of bread.

This day is also the Gaelic festival of Lughnasadh and the medieval Anglo-Saxon Feast of the first fruit. This time was designated by Pope Gregory as the celebration of the Transfiguration of Christ on Aug. 6th (combining the pagan celebration of the wheat and making of bread to include the breaking of bread and communion in the Christian tradition).

For many of us in the northern hemisphere, this is the ‘heat of the summer’, a time for vacations and family gatherings. While many of us in industrial nations may not pay attention to harvest celebrations, it’s worth taking time to reflect on work and play.

Lammas rituals can take many forms, but the general theme is honoring what you have planted and now begin to harvest. Lammas represents a time for gathering up what you’ve planted in the spring or early summer that is now coming to fruition. This year Lammas has a keener significance for me as I just sold my house last week and have harvested the pay-off of my mortgage.

As I reflected on my home sale, I realized that it had been 9 months since I moved out of the house and stored most of my things, leaving only a few things over the winter for a house sitter to use. Of course the nine month period also had significance as it’s been a gestation period for me- to see what would be birthed in my new location. It’s felt like a long and challenging time to determine my next direction for work.

I’m keenly aware of the planting of seeds in my new location this spring (networking, sending out resumes, re-designing my website, joining various professional groups), the waiting (for emails and phone calls to be returned, for contracts to come together), the harvesting (of funds from my home sale, my website revision, and publishing my second book). I’m celebrating that harvest and long nine month gestation period by going to the beach.

What have you planted this year that you are seeing come to fruition?

What do you still want to plant so that you can harvest it later in the year?

How do you tend, water and nourish your work, your co-workers, your clients?

What have you harvested that you want to celebrate?

Now is a good time to take stock of how your year is unfolding, to examine what adjustments you need to make so that you can harvest and enjoy the fruits of your labor.

• Do you want to work more on some things and less on others?
• Have you spent the time on the things that are important to you?
• How are you progressing on the goals you set at the beginning of the year?

May this season of mid-summer be a time for reflection, celebration, adjusting, and initial harvesting.

Blessed Be.

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For more resources, see our Library topic Spirituality in the Workplace.

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I ran across a book some years ago by Bo Lozoff called “We’re all Doing Time”. Though written for prisoners to help them see how to use their jail time for spiritual growth, I found his book applied to many work situations. Far too many people feel trapped by their jobs, afraid to leave or take actions to shift their work. Bo encourages people to “live in the vast lane”.

Here are some ideas to live in the vast lane:

Think abundantly – Most people live smaller lives than they are capable of living. Getting into the Vast Lane requires a shift of thinking, knowing that there is more beauty, depth, and wonder that awaits you. You may be living small because you don’t believe you can live differently or are too afraid of losing something. Abundance consciousness affirms that there is a vast life awaiting you. Just like the river creatures I’ve written about before, the Current of Life delights to lift us free, to splash around the waves and bathe in the deep pools of life. Abundance consciousness may take some work to cultivate, especially for those of you who have been told not to stand out, to tow the line, or don’t rock the boat. What waves call you forward for more adventure?

Expand your Comfort Zone –We all have comfort zones where things are familiar, safe, secure. Yet the vast lane lies beyond that. It calls you to stretch yourself, to boldly go where you have not gone before. Examine those areas of your life you’d like to expand, reach further, explore- work, relationships, finances, family, diet. Most people never know where their edge is unless they push it. I encourage you to push your comfort zone just a little bit further than where it is now. Perhaps there is a co-worker you’d like to get to know better, some class you’ve been thinking of taking, some new project you’d like to lead, a new professional group you’d like to join. There are ample opportunities at work to expand your comfort zone. Give it a try.

Tune-in to your inner GPS – Most people stay in the slow comfort lane because of their peers or family. They worry what others will say or think. Have you had a yearning to try something new and it keeps coming into your awareness? What is your soul calling you to do at this point? If you aren’t sure what the Vast Lane is calling of you at this time- listen, observe, open up. You’ll get that cosmic nudge when the time is right to shift gears.

As you shift into the vast lane, all sorts of new opportunities open up for you. You’ll get an unexpected email or receive a Facebook/LinkedIn request you weren’t expecting. That is exactly what happened when I got asked to write this blog. I was wondering what my next steps were to share ideas on spirituality and work, and out of the blue I got a LinkedIn request to write this blog. Now we reach over 5,000 readers a week here.

For every positive action you take, the Universe responds with more opportunities. It is up to you to turbo charge your life.

Put on your seatbelt and enjoy the ride!

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For more resources, see our Library topic Spirituality in the Workplace.

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Linda is an author, speaker, coach, and consultant. Go to her website www.lindajferguson.com to read more about her work, view video clips of her talks, and find out more about her book “Path for Greatness: Spirituality at Work” The paperback version is available on Amazon. NOW AVAILABLE!!! the pdf version of Path for Greatness is available for download from her website. ALSO, Linda’s new book, “Staying Grounded in Shifting Sand” is now available on her website.

Last week I wrote about healing and reconciliation. Though I hadn’t planned to write a follow-up blog, life had other plans. On Mon. my 16 year old cat died unexpectedly and it’s been a shock and loss. I’ve often thought that in our American culture grieving is highly under-rated. Other cultures understand the importance of allowing time to grieve, to move intentionally and mindfully through the range of emotions – sadness, anger, shock, turbulence, confusion etc.

It’s been said that we die a thousand little deaths throughout our life. In the workplace there are many ways people experience a death. While the obvious death we think of is when someone loses a job, there are other ways that death and grieving may be occurring in your workplace. Maybe your job or role has changed or you have been moved into an entirely different department. You may have experienced a death or ending with a favorite co-worker who has left, retired or let go. Your whole company may have merged or been bought by another company so your company as it was no longer exists. You or someone you know may own a company only to sell it or close it due to financial circumstances.

Others of you may have experienced a large project ending so your team has disbanded. The stages of a team involve forming, storming, norming and performing. Yet there is another stage that doesn’t get as much attention- mourning. Have you taken time as a team to acknowledge that the group that once was no longer exists? That may be a source of celebration and joy, but it may also involve some loss, sadness or uncertainty.

If you or someone you know has experienced any of these situations, mourning may be occurring, consciously or not. Give yourself permission to grieve. Find a time to acknowledge an ending and the resulting feelings that may emerge. Those feelings may come up in unexpected ways. Honor them as they emerge. Greet the sadness, confusion, anger as a friend- ‘Hello darkness, my old friend. I’ve come to talk with you again’…. That darkness or sadness is there as a reminder that someone or something was important to you. There is meaning underneath that sadness, it shows you that what once was in your life was precious and you cared about him/her/it. Better to acknowledge the underlying feelings than to stuff it or push it aside.

Once you’ve claimed and honored what you are feeling, you can let it go in the time and manner that works for you. Find some way to honor what was and say goodbye to it. Create whatever ritual or ceremony works for you to acknowledge all the feelings you have as you step through this time to face a new way of working.

Last week I attended the Dalai Lama’s Kalachakra ritual in Washington DC. As part of that ceremony the monks created a beautiful, intricate sand mandala. I love the teachings of sand mandalas. Monks meticulously create a gorgeous piece of artwork over the course of several days. Then to symbolize the impermanence of life, at the end of their ceremonies, they sweep the sand into an urn and put it in a body of water. Life on the physical plane is finite and fragile. In the sweep of a brush, our life, our loved ones, the things that we hold dearly are gone. While we stay attached to the memories, the tangible physical form is gone, changed, transmuted to some other state.

The mandala, now gone from view, remains forever in the memory of all who entered its perfect realm. Though the philosophy of the Kalachakra is at the highest level of Buddhism anyone can use it at any time. This philosophy urges us to reach a splendid, pure inner world while still living in our imperfect, earthly one, using Kalachakra as a model. For example, a pure body comes from healthy eating and not smoking, drinking alcohol, or taking drugs. Pure speech means not gossiping or saying unkind things about others. A pure mind is trained away from angry, hateful and selfish thoughts. Once each of us purifies our body, speech and mind, we can find inner peace. (from http://www.buddhanet.net/kalini.htm)

Your life is filled with beginnings and endings. Samsara, the flow of life- birth, death, and re-birth- continues on. May your beginnings and endings be filled with grace, peace, and beauty.

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For more resources, see our Library topic Spirituality in the Workplace.

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Linda is an author, speaker, coach, and consultant. Go to her website www.lindajferguson.com to read more about her work, view video clips of her talks, and find out more about her book “Path for Greatness: Spirituality at Work” available on Amazon. Now available in pdf form from her website, Linda’s new book, “Staying Grounded in Shifting Sand”