Spirituality builds code of ethics for personal, professional life
Professionals spend enormous amounts of time, money and
energy to build their career. In this pursuit, they toil for long hours, while making personal sacrifices. Despite physical and mental challenges, they strive to maintain self-esteem, higher level of know-how and expertise, automatic development of a wide range of skills, communication skills, while progressing towards a refined way of life. The exhilaration of learning, application and achievement are powerful motivators for professional excellence.
The standard guiding codes of ethics of industry, law, commerce, medicine, etc., enable an honest worker to move quickly along the path of professional excellence. Yet, there exists a checklist one needs to consider to maintain standards of ethics and codes of conduct, while maintaining purity of purpose and staying free from corruption of wealth, position, fame and power. This also helps in ensuring professional life being free from guilt, inner conflict, competition and jealousy.
One must always keep this in mind that we are all on a journey of lifelong learning. Hence, learning to let go of ego, dishonesty or superficial interaction with others is not a small thing. There are many fears along the way, and heartburn is often experienced. We try to cover these wounds with bandages, but eventually we need to remove them and begin the process of healing and become whole again. It sounds simple, while reading, but practically it is not so easy to develop an attitude of renunciation and austerity and also with ease and freedom. This is because we all are deeply attached to limitations and chains that bind us.
Moreover, individual ‘karmic’ accounts have led to accumulation of unlimited negativity in one’s ‘samskaras’, thereby compelling souls to forget their original loving nature of peace and love. Today, vices of greed have penetrated all strata of society — political, civil and even medical. With massive scandals happening on a daily basis, there has been a “trust deficit” in society at a mass scale, putting the entire humanity in turmoil. Under such a scenario, how can one even think of experiencing inner power and peace? The only hope for humankind under such a crisis lies in the almighty’s wisdom and connectivity, by which we feel blessed, energetic and secured, for it is this divine wisdom which empowers us to have a clear vision of ourselves and our roles in this world drama. With trust and courage, if we take a step of determination, then we would surely receive the strength to shed the false identity that we have created. One needs to ask himself whether my dealings are pure and honest. Do I accept bribery in the form of praise, favours and wealth? Is my service/role/product totally beneficial? Am I maximizing my time, energy and resources for the company/nation? Do I maintain a personal standard of integrity and balance? A professional, who has mental and spiritual balance, and has a sense of professional worth and responsibility will maintain equanimity of mind and steadiness in progress.
It’s to be understood that while playing our roles as engineers, doctors, lawyers, businessmen, etc., we are essentially ‘brother souls’. This will help us focus on self-progress against external show and accumulation of material wealth. The worldly gains are visible signs of achievement, financial security and profit, but one also needs to monitor one’s own consciousness, attitudes, actions and perspectives as they manifest outwardly and reflect the culture of the company as a whole. Lastly, one must remember that my personal effort-practical way of being and doing-is ultimately the precursor to my own happiness, uplift and downfall.
(The writer is a spiritual educator. The views expressed are personal.)