Over the years I’ve had so many people come to me, either having had a big spiritual awakening, or a slow build to a spiritual realization that they can no longer avoid.
In both cases, it’s become clear to them that this is part of their work now. That they can no longer avoid it.
Maybe they thirst for more depth in the work they are doing, or there is something that needs to be way more explicit about what they are doing in the world, spiritually or otherwise.
All of this is wonderful. However, it can create a really challenging impulse.
(Don’t!) Scratch everything! (Don’t!) Start over completely!
So often, the first, second, maybe third impulse is to change everything, to upend their business, to go off on the quest to put this new reality in their heart center stage.
I get it! It’s natural, and makes complete sense. Of course this kind of awakening demands this kind of attention.
I think this is a healthy reaction. There comes a time when we can no longer ignore what our deep heart, Spirit, the Divine, <insert what you call it here>, is insisting on.
However…
Huge to you. Maybe not so big for others.
One of the funny-strange things about spiritual awakenings is that they can turn our world, or rather our perspective of our world, upside down in a moment. Everything looks different, and requires us to show up differently.
Where there was fear, now there’s love. Where there was caution, now there’s strength and clarity. So much can emerge from here.
However, this internal awakening is not necessarily externally visible. The people you may not notice very much at all, except that your presence *may* (or may not) feel different.
The Sufis talk about four layers of existence- (1) The physical world, or self. (2) The heart, the unseen realm of energetic beings and angels. (3) The soul, the realm of the pure Divine qualities, like Love, Wisdom, Strength, Sovereignty, etc. (4) the secret, the pure, non-dual Oneness.
According to the teachings of Sufism, a breakthrough often involves witnessing the world around us from a different layer. We might witness the physical world, while also experiencing the energetics, or the qualities, being expressed through the world.
But, it’s not a change *to* the world, just we’re experiencing the world more completely according to its inherent Reality.
Because of this, your business rarely has to change in its externals. I always invite my clients to consider whether they are being asked to bring more awareness, more depth, more of the big “R” Reality to their work, rather than actually changing the structures, or the focus, of the business.
This often leads clients to something much more deeply satisfying, which is the expansion of the inner reality of what they are doing.
- Not changing the structure of their sessions, but being willing to be more explicit about the inner work they are doing with people.
- Not changing the niche/audience of their business, but willing to expand their capacity to meet people more deeply, and to invite those in that audience to do the deeper work.
- Not changing the name or presentation of the business, but allowing the essence of the business to shine with the illuminated light of the realization that the heart carries.
Sometimes, it does lead to big external changes.
However, I recommend taking the path above first. You may find it deeply satisfying, and you can still be supported by the business you’ve been hopefully already gaining traction with.
And if your heart does lead you to make big external changes, hopefully the care that Divine has for you will support you in making those changes in a way that doesn’t bring harm to you. Meaning maybe the change can be more gradual, better-timed, or thought-through. That, instead of making an abrupt U-turn that may disconnect you from so many people who need the gifts you are carrying.
Thoughts? Questions? Pushback?
With love,
Mark Silver, M.Div.
Heart of Business, Inc.
Every act of business can be an act of love.
Two things to know:
Virtual Retreat November 3
Can I encourage you to dive deep with me on November 3? To give both your heart, and the heart of your business, space to immerse yourself deeply in the love, to listen quietly to guidance, and to have a container of support to clear distractions and other clutter from your spiritual, and business, space?
Since 2005 I’ve led over 100 of these retreats, and they have surprisingly profound effects. Priced at pay from the heart. You can participate even if the whole day isn’t cleared for you.
Check it out: Virtual Retreat November 3.
Central Pennsyvlania: Live Heart Centered Business talk
The Horn Farm center for Regenerative Agriculture, one of the organizations I’m most inspired by locally, and whose foraging walks and other events we’ve been attending, is hosting me!
Wednesday, Nov 15, 6-8 p.m. I’ll be speaking on being heart centered in business, avoiding toxic business culture, and still be effective. Of course, based on my book, Heart Centered Business: Healing from toxic business culture so your small business can thrive.
You can see detail and register here: Heart Centered Business at Horn Farm
If you’re local York County, or close by, I hope you’ll join me. And if you know people in Central Pennsylvania, between Harrisburg and York, please let them know.
