A typical office is busy and hectic, full of chatter
and laughter, toil and tears. Frequent interruptions can punctuate the working
space. Clear the papers from the desk and start to see the space anew. Is this
space a sacred one, or is it just an expedient one? Is it only a space where
people compete for scarce resources, or is there some other reason for it? If I
identify myself with only one function, then it can start to look that way. But
if I see a wider purpose to everyone being in this space, then it takes on a
new meaning.
The
broader I think, the less I narrow myself to what appears to be the goal of an
organization. Is any organization only meant to maintain this temporary
existence? Does it all end with either a pay-cheque or a pink slip? Rudolf
Steiner has this to say about the learning path of individuals:
Modern people are still shocked that, to obtain a complete understanding of humanity, it is necessary to consider all that humans endure before birth and after death along with what presently lives in people. This is necessary if we are to achieve an integration of humans into the whole, including into the temporal world. If we do not include that, if we consider people the way modern anthropology considers them---only in their existence between birth and death—then we do not consider the complete person, but only a portion. (p.22)
If I reflect that existence is not limited to the few years (or decades) that I am on this planet, how does this affect how I might see the world of work? For one, I think it forces me to go beneath the surface of what organizations are designed to do. On the surface, it seems that organizations are only meant to sustain human survival in its present forms. Most companies sell products, and these products are mainly intended to sustain the limited physical body I have in this life. But Steiner forces his audience to rethink that paradigm. While the ostensive purpose of ‘coming together’ is individual survival, what are the deeper spiritual meanings of human survival in the first place? What kinds of lessons are human beings meant to learn from their temporary body existence?
Another way this mind-set could broaden me, is that it forces me to look beyond identifying myself with this body, and even these memories that I have. I often assume that memories are fixed contents with which I fill my brain, but memories are often only related to what is unfolding now. Even memories themselves are subject to change, so I can’t even say that ‘who I am’ or how I narrate my life is going to the same from one situation to the next. What part of all these impermanent memories can I ‘keep for myself’? Maybe no part at all. But if I let go a bit and start to identify less with this idea that I am ‘protecting my investment’, I can start to align my actions with what is needed right now. It is like magnetic filings. The filings may not be permanent, but they continually align themselves according to the general direction of what is needed. And this creates harmony and a beautiful tableau of life. It is not about having to even create a center for one’s self, but it is the art of letting go and yielding to the present situation.
I think another significant benefit of Steiner’s approach is that it allows me to honor the mystery of my being in a workplace or a community, where there is much to potentially learn from all people. Personal growth is possible at any time, even if what I do could be improved or I fail to live up to certain expectations from others. If it is true that there are countless lifetimes, it seems an honor to be able to experience people as the legacy of many lifetimes, rather than viewing human life as limited to the body. And it is also an opportunity to practice the psychic space that is necessary for self-compassion. Rather than fixing on narrow ideas of my value in an organization, I can start to see that all beings have priceless vistas of experiences which shape the current life. But in order to appreciate that, one must have a mental space to imagine that.
It seems to take great love, courage and practice to be able
to re-conceptualize who I am when I am in a community that seems only focused on
a single goal. I think that a spiritual curiosity is needed to ensure that
people don’t become so attached to organizational goals that they lose the
bigger picture of what human life is for. In particular, it seems important to
honor the spiritual learning and wisdom that continues over many lifetimes.
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