Spirituality At Work: Living Truth At Work  

By William and Debra Miller

Spirituality At Work: Living Truth At Work  

In this article we will explore truth , the first of five human values found in all spiritual traditions (truth, righteousness, peace, love, non-violence). Most people think of truth as simply being honest. However, the spiritual essence of truth reveals much deeper implications as Sathya Sai Baba, a spiritual teacher explains:

Truth is not merely telling the facts about what you see or hear or know. These are temporal truths. Truth relates to the unchanging reality. It is changeless in all three categories of time: past, present, and future. That is Divinity.

Truth, from a spiritual basis, starts with recognising the unchanging, essential nature of Divinity in oneself and all creation. And this leads to seeing the Divinity in everyone. One spiritual-based executive told us:

There is no difference between two human beings, because we are all creations and manifestations of the same energy, which is God. Even as a child, I could not see any difference between people, no matter what their caste, class or religion was.

And another executive told us:

That fellow who is typing for eight hours is as close to my heart as a general manager. Both are human beings. Both are creations of God.

Just as a warm smile can be understood without words in any culture, truth from this spiritual basis can also be felt and understood across all cultures. Some ways that truth might be expressed cross-culturally are:

¥ Discerning and following what is helpful to others

¥ Seeking the wisest action to take

¥ Connecting heart to heart to solve difficulties without judgements or superior attitudes

Because each of us has a unique purpose and role in life, we will also have our unique expressions of truth. Anand Pillai, who heads a Centre for Leadership called ÔIntrapreneurship and Management Excellence', shared with us how he expressed truth in his work.

Years ago, soon after he had taken a new position, his secretary told him that an angry vendor was on the phone and asked if she should tell the vendor that he was not in the office. With a peaceful mind, he took the call. After listening intently to the vendor, he promised to call back in 30 minutes after researching the problem.

Then he went to his secretary and explained:

If you say that I am not here, you are only solving the immediate symptoms. What is important is that we solve the source of his problem. We don't want this man to leave as a dissatisfied vendor.

Within fifteen minutes, Anand discovered the facts of the case and called back. He promised the vendor that when the missing items were received he would be fully paid. The vendor appreciated the truthful way he had been treated, sent the items, and received his payment.

Anand explains the natural results that occurred:

From this experience my secretary gained a clear conviction to solve the problems and not the symptoms. More importantly, neither I nor my secretary will dread his call in the future.

The underlying basis for this leader's actions was the spiritual connection he felt with his secretary and the vendor. He naturally wanted to resolve the situation for everyone. He knew if he reacted only to the symptoms, he would not become aware of the "full truth" of the situation. By seeking the true cause of the problem, and being honest in his communications, the vendor's trust was re-established and his secretary became aware of the power of truth.

You might notice in this story how truth is inextricably linked with the other four human values. For example, if the executive had felt mental agitation, he could not have been so dedicated to the "truth."

Also, you can see how the strength of truth can bring out the other human values in yourself. When you are truthful from a spiritual basis, you will naturally be ethical (righteousness), self-confident (peace), pure at heart (love), and dedicated to equality (non-violence).

Ask yourself: How well am I recognising the unchanging, essential nature of Divinity in myself and all creation? To what extent do I have a clear, objective understanding of "what is" (free from personal opinions, prejudices, justifications, rationalisations and assumptions)?

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More from same authors see: William and Debra Miller

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