I have often wondered how I was going to make a living in this crazy mixed up world. It can seem sometimes as if money is the "root of all evil", as so many of the worlds problems are in part due to the idolization of money and material wealth. As a backpacking, rock climbing, yogi it can be tempting to just go live in an ashram or become a climbing bum: avoid the whole economic game and live simply. And in fact, I want to do those things some day, but I want it to be by choice. This is what I have been realizing lately: money is just energy like everything else. This means one shouldn't resist it nor become attached to it. If we are using the energy(or the money) that flows in and out of our experience for the benefit of all and the awakening of everyone involved in conducting business, then we should be honored to have been in service and present to the Sacred, Divine, Most High in every interaction/transaction. Thus the foundation for spiritual business, holy business, sacred commerce and financial alchemy is simply that the dominate direction and intention of your establishment is to manifest, maintain, and share the awareness of Oneness through service that affirms the Spiritual on every level.
" When we use the word "spiritual" in this context, we're not advocating the adoption of a new belief system, only an authentic willingness to look deeply into our lives and see where we are worshiping something other then the fundamental reality of Oneness." - Matthew and Terces Engelheart, "Sacred Commerce: Business as a Path to Awakening"
On a practical level this means providing the highest quality service through the most sustainable means. It means providing the space for the personal evolution of everyone involved in the business on a daily basis. Cafe Gratitude spends about $230,000 per year "Clearing" everyone last one of their employees 360 days of the year. Clearing is a process conducted by employees with one another in which they are given the opportunity to speak honestly about whatever they might be carrying into that moment while being truly heard. It is a practice of two people intentionally getting themselves into the present moment and recognizing the divine in each other so that they may then bring this presence into their work, and to ever interaction they have. Imagine if your employer spent 1/3 of it's annual profit on sitting you down to be heard and reminded of your divine nature before every shift!
It is important to point out that this concept of "sacred commerce", or "spiritual business" does not imply that you are selling spirituality nor promoting any particular religion. Rather it is creating a business that, on every level, honors and acknowledges and promotes the awareness of the Divine Oneness of all things while providing service. This means "leaning into the discomfort, asking hard questions," and being open, honest, and willing to change always. It means serving the One before yourself. "What master are we serving?" Cafe Gratitude uses four questions that help direct all decisions that are made:
P - Are we PROFITABLE? Does it serve the company as an entity?
A - Are we AWAKENING? Does this support transformation and growth?
S - Are we SUSTAINABLE? Are we in harmony with the Earth?
S - Are we SERVING? Are we creating a just community/society?
To do this legitimately with ones self is a true spiritual practice, let alone a large staff. It requires that one is unattached to the delusion of anything being "right" or "wrong". It requires the awareness and ability to be flexible, fluid, and change as the business (and life) evolves.
I am writing about all this because I am beginning to let go of the idea that spirit and business cannot align. In fact I am now seeing that by authentically bringing them together we could completely change the paradigm of greed-ego-separation based economies to abundance-service-oneness based. All we need is some really amazing marketing and we'll have the whole planet eating vegan and repeating affirmations. Ha! But seriously, we can begin to love money! Love money as "an expression of the divine presence of abundance that is everywhere, always. Money represents the inner quality of abundance, the knowingness of always being provided for. In the same way, a photograph of your children (loved ones) represents the inner quality of love."
I am excited for this life and the mass awakening the we are part of. It's time to think big. It's time go completely all out and over the top with this life. We want the energies of peace and love to prevail on this planet and we must begin with ourselves. What do we put in our bodies? How do we spend our time and money? Are we being the change we wish to see in the world? Einstein said something to the effect of " the problems of today will not be solved be the same thinking that created them." We are ready to completely change from economics of death and separation to those of life and oneness.
If you are skeptical of all of this hippy-dippy new-age economics base on love nonsense; here's a statement I would invite you to ponder:
"There is power and freedom in being the fool. When we declare something completely outrageous, we are no longer dominated by the looming shadow of failure and the fear of mockery."
"We are liberated by our audacity."
Superhuman and nutritional expert David Wolfe has started a website called "The Best Day Ever", and he lives that way all the time. It's always the best day ever! The business that I am starting is called "The Highest High", and I am going to make it my business to keep myself and everyone I come into contact with "high on life". The point I'm trying to make is that if we don't live big . . . we're living small.
When "we begin to understand that one's consciousness is the source of experience; we can craft our lives in any way we choose." Create Peace, Love, and Oneness. . . and so it is!
Peace-Love-Bliss
Baba
