Soul in Business

It is increasingly common to talk of soul relation to personal partnerships: terms like 'soul mates'  or 'soul connections' describe the presence of a deeper part of our being in such relationships.  At the level of soul there seems to be an intrinsic knowing, and all-at-once understanding.  It is almost a holographic experience, wherein a few words reveal the full essence of the other unto us.  Moreover, in that place of soul consciousness, it seems that we have a magical window into the entire Universe.  We experience a sense of oneness almost as though the Universe lives within us.  It just might.  Connectedness is inherent in all things, and it is only our limited vision in any situation that prevents us from seeing that.


Soul consciousness is not limited to the realms of love and creativity.  It is for us to find it in every aspect of our lives.  In personal relationships, we see how we are mirrors for each other.  We understand the themes that play themselves out between generations, or as we more from one relationship to the next.  We often do not think of business relationships in the same way, treating business as somehow a separate part of our lives. The deeper consequences of our actions affect us equally in our personal and business lives.


The soul is the seat of our higher consciousness; our deep wisdom.  It carries the wisdom of the eons, and one of the purposes of our learning on Earth is to align our personalities, our thoughts and actions, to that clear note of truth.  Every word, decision, or action is an opportunity to strive for that alignment.  In order to achieve this, we must be able to tune in to our own souls.  Otherwise we are like an airplane flying with no awareness of a flight path.  Some achieve this through meditation or prayer, others are lead to that awareness through life experiences.  It is a little like the children's game of hot or cold.  If our behaviours leave us feeling out of integrity, then we were not honouring our souls, or the souls of others, and are moving farther from our true path.  If our behaviours leave us feeling at peace, and with a sense of the "goodness" of the energy we put out into the world, then we move closer to that path.


Integrity is the key word.  If we are taking advantage of, or creating hardship for others, then what we are doing is lacking in integrity.  If our product or service damages the environment, and we choose to ignore that, we are out of integrity.  If we see the people with whom we deal only as 'prospects' or 'potential sales,' we miss incredible opportunities for strengthening our earthly connection to soul.  Every person in our lives is significant from the soul's perspective.  Each one provides an opportunity for being in our highest self and somehow enriching their experience on Earth.


The basis for business originally had to be helping each other.  Two could create more than one and both would benefit.  Those who had abundance could help those who didn't.  Each could contribute in their own way.  Jonas Salk wrote about the survival of the wisest.  In 1976 he anticipated the need for a change in the predominant values, away from domination and competition towards cooperation, partnership and the win-win perspective.


As a species we are evolving, and positive evolution is like a growing up. Aligning with the wisdom of the soul leads us in the direction of less self-centredness, and greater compassion towards all other beings.  We learn to see every soul as equal to every other, regardless of earthly position. We understand that our business dealings are secondary to what is happening at our soul level, and those with whom we deal.


We are also challenged to assess whether our work honors our own soul.  If it is not nourishing to us, then misalignment is felt between body, mind and soul.  It manifests as stress, or even illness.  It should not be surprising that many very successful businessmen succumb to heart attacks.  Perhaps the heart and soul are refusing to follow an unhealthy path without putting up a fight.


Integrity means honest and sincerity.  Its root is 'integral,' which means essential, complete, whole.  Honoring soul in business means not only acting openly and honestly, but ensuring that we look carefully at the essence and implications of all that we do.  It requires honoring the beautiful spirit of wholeness, of oneness, on which our Universe is based.

For more on this topic, see Growing Into Soul: The Next Step in Human Evolution by Gwen Randall-Young. She is an author and psychotherapist in private practice. For books or healing CDs  go to www.gwen.ca or contact Gwen directly at gwendall@shaw.ca

Gwen Randall-Young is a psychotherapist and author of "Dancing Soul: The Voice of Spirit Evolving" and "Echoes Through Time: A Message of Healing for Men"