Spiritual and Non-Spiritual

When we think about our spiritual life, many of us don’t include our work life, i.e., employment, as part of that expression.  Our spiritual pursuits are sometimes quite habitually separate from our job activities.  And, of course, it shows.

If we separate our spiritual and work life in this way, it usually manifests in our attitude and treatment of our co-workers, supervisors, clients, and/or customers.

Different Approaches

I know a person who is quite caring and loving in his personal and social interactions, but dramatically different at work.  Coworkers sometimes get the proverbial, “What do you want, now?” treatment rather than the kinder, more loving, “How may I help you?” approach.

My Mother

Interestingly, my mother often reminds me that work is just another arena in which we learn our life lessons and express ourselves in the world.  There really are no “separate” parts of our life.

It’s All the Same Thing

From the perspective of our Higher Guidance team, including our High Self, guides, angels, and so forth, that is exactly how they see it.  They don’t differentiate spiritual from non-spiritual activities based upon where we might be standing on planet earth or what we might be doing at a particular moment.

Seen from their ethereal vantage point, everywhere we go, there we are.  We are expressing ourselves each moment of the day regardless of whether we are at work, home, wherever, or whatever we are doing.

Missing the Boat

Pursuing our spiritual path is really about living from our highest nature and less so about artificial formal and social niceties, or following an ordained prescribed activity.

If following the “rules” is our definition of spirituality, then we have really missed the boat.  We are merely living from our lesser nature, i.e., our Low Self and ego.

An example of this is like someone who goes to church or the synagogue on Saturday or Sunday in order to check off that box and fulfill the prescribed religious edict.  This person’s actions have no relationship to who they are as a spiritual being.

Virtuous and Saintly Advice

In Colossians 3:23, Paul said, “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men.”  A related Buddha quote is, “The only real failure in life is not to be true to the best one knows.”  The best, of course, is living from our highest identity in connection with the Divine.

Both of these sound like good advice.

With that said, when we recognize our being’s oneness with the Divine and see ourselves as individualized expressions of the Divine, then everything we do is automatically an expression of our spiritual nature.  And more importantly, and expression of the Divine.

Everything is Service

If we think about it, all that we do in life is in service to someone, some purpose, or both.  For example, we make meals for our family, change the oil in the car, clean the house, go to the movies, take a family vacation, and, of course, we go to work to make it possible to pay for all these things.

Why not make the service to all people and required activities in our life a shining example of our loving nature?

Spiritual Cashier

Back when I was a cashier, the job itself was incidental to the reason I was there.  I saw the work as my “spiritual” service, which happened in two ways.

Centered in High Self

First, to the maximum extent possible, it was important to stay centered in my High Self while working, so as to be a clear channel of light for others.  I would watch as the energy coming through would shift as each next customer came to the checkout.

Kind, Caring and Efficient

The second, and more practical expression of my service, was to show my concern for each customer by being as kind, caring, and efficient as possible, so they could get their child to soccer practice in the next 15 minutes, make dinner, and so on, in a timely manner.

Vegetables and Scented Bar Soap

Standing in line for 30 minutes to be treated poorly by an unhappy employee, while having their fruits and vegetables bagged together with the scented bar soap wasn’t why they came to the store.

Dedicated Following

Because of this, I had a loyal and dedicated following of customers who would rather stand in my line, even if it was a little long, rather than go to another cashier.  Many of them knew which days I worked and did their shopping on those days.

Being Valued

I say this not to toot my own horn, but to illuminate how much people value being given caring and loving treatment by their fellow human beings, and having their needs and concerns met by receiving quality and efficient customer service.

The Main Thing

This is a little thing, but it’s really a BIG thing!  In fact, it’s the main thing.

It’s not what we do, but in the manner of how we express ourselves in a heart-center manner in all activities, which in turn, is manifested and reflected in everything we do, small to large.

Work is Our Spiritual Expression

If we engage in the activities of our productivity at work and interaction with others as our personal spiritual communication — a thoughtful, kind and loving service to our fellow kindred souls — then everything we do will be a bright and shining demonstration of our highest nature as an expression of the Divine.

Unto Others…

When we desegregate our thinking about what is spiritual and non-spiritual, it is then that we are able to shine our highest light onto all for whom we meet by making them feel valued and loved, just as we all wish to experience from others.