When most of us think about best business practice, we are usually focused on sales, profit and loss, and return on investment (R.O.I.), but the skill that could be the greatest determiner of each of these measures of business “success” might just surprise you.

According to a May 8, 2013 article,”Want to Cultivate Wisdom in B-School? Meditate,” by Francesca Di Meglio, “If David Mick had his way, meditation would be part of the core curriculum in business school.” At the University of Virginia’s McIntire School of Commerce, there is a waiting list to get into Mick’s undergraduate class Cultivating Wisdom and Well-Being for Personal and Professional Growth. Meditation is among the course work.

Of course, the knowledge that meditation is vital to our mental, as well as our spiritual , emotional, and physical well-being is not new, even if it might be news. Daniel H. Pink has said that in his book, A Whole New Mind: Why Right-Brainers Will Rule the Future. In an interview with Oprah, Pink says the best part is that anyone can tap into the right-mind set. Pink highlights what he calls the conceptual age, a new era in which right-brained skills will be in greater demand than computer programming and accounting. These new conceptual age skills are developed through a regular practice of meditation. 

This excerpt is from one of my handouts titled Meditation is not What You Think:

To the body, meditation is the opposite of fight or flight or anger or anxiety. The physiological effects of meditation are deep relaxation coupled with a wakeful and highly alert mental state. In the Western world, illness has been called the most widely practiced form of meditation. Many people find it easier to practice meditation in a group, like singing in a choir, but the important thing is that you recognize the benefit of the relaxation response.

An easy way is to begin with a minimum ten-minute period daily for two weeks. Set aside a regular time and place for meditation, one that supports your lifestyle – a specific time, or first thing in the morning, right after the kids leave for school, on my lunch hour, or just before dinner. This will help you create a positive expectancy. Give yourself two days off per week. As you begin to enjoy the results, gradually increase the time, by adding five minutes and staying with that for two weeks before adding more time.

After many years of various meditation practices, all of which you can enjoy thoroughly, I have discovered mindfulness (Vipassana) practice is one of the easiest to teach, the quickest to learn, and the most practical. In this practice, all disruptions are recognized simply as “objects of awareness,” activity of the mind you simply notice. As you practice this style of meditation consistently over time, you will derive maximum benefit in all areas of your life, both business and personal.

This week, whether you are an advanced or novice meditator, enjoy reading through and/or printing these free Vipassana instructions, and making a commitment to activating your right-brain processes more. Imagine we are all now living in a culture where meditation is recognized as a vital component of best practice in business as well as personal life.

Rev. Debra Basham Voice: (269) 921-2217 Email: debra@scs-matters.com https://scs-matters.com http://ImagineHealing.info http://SurgicalSupport.info Small Changes … Infinite Results™ “If we have no peace, it is because we have forgotten that we belong to each other.” ~Mother Teresa Tips from 5 April 2010 to 6 August 2012 are here: Archived Tips