Why Eastern Philosophy Can Transform Your Business
Whilst travelling around Thailand during the winter break, I was astounded by the amount of temples of worship constructed in areas smaller than the size of London (1262 temples in Chiang Mai province alone).
It's important to note that in Thai culture, at the tender age of 18 they are initiated in a Buddhist temple for 3 months. This is before they begin the arduous journey of finding work, settling down with a wife and having children.
During this time, they look inwards to discover who they are, what they want and which path they want to chose.
They reflect inward before looking outward.
The benefit is that when they eventually graduate from the temple, they have an idea of who they are and what they want, without the influence of the outside world. Since sitting in silence chanting and meditating allows them to shift the outside noise.
In comparing their introspection with the way we live within a Westernised society, this could not be more different. We have been raised to look outside of ourselves and are under the warped assumption that happiness or who we are can be bought in a perfume, holiday or lifestyle.
This has not been helped by social media platforms.
So how does meditation, introspection and contemplation help your business?
The answer lies in whether your intention in setting up your business was to fulfil an external motivation of 'I'll be happy when I'm successful, financially secure, have high end paying clients etc'. Rather than creating a business out of what you love and are passionate about.
There are a number of clients that I work with, who came from the 'I'll be happy when.....' ideology, and others who started their business due to parental pressure or societies and communites expectations.
Reaching middle age, they have the house, money, partner, external success and status, they just don't feel they're living a life of purpose.
In fact, they feel they have been living someone else's life, someone they no longer recognise.
No wonder they feel unmotivated, detached and devoid of excitement.
They have been chasing their 'I'll be happy when', their entire life. The problem is that often this voice prodding is not even your own, but someone else you're fulfilling your dream for.
The potential and true path that needs to be followed is inside you. This is what the buddhists sitting in their temple connect to when they are barely an adult. It is however the stongest and most effective ways to connect with your mission and purpose.
Let go of some the outside world opinions and focus inwards.You're only using a quarter of your potential.
Just imagine what you could achieve if only you used all of it without limitations?
Uri Geller, an Israeli illusionist, well known internationally as a magician, television personality, and self-proclaimed psychic, wrote the following in his 'Mind-Power Book'
Our minds are capable of remarkable, incredible feats, yet we don't use it to it's full capacity. In fact, most of us only use about 10 per cent of our brains , if that. The other 90 percent is full of untapped potential and undiscovered abilities"
This points to the fact that our minds are only operating in a limited way instead of at full stretch.
The simplicity of Thailand, the way people look inwards, grounding themselves with who they are, is an incredible way to live a true authentic existence.
I believe we can learn so much from this.
The people in Thailand are not chasing for the 'I'll be happy when I get the car, job, house, business, marriage'. They're already happy and secure, knowing who they are without needing external validation that is so rife in westernised society.
I saw this phrase outside a department store whilst travelling around East Asia, 'Listen carefully to what you love, because this never goes out of fashion'.
Essentially, the Eastern Philosophies invite you to create your business using your potential and aligning it with your true and authentic self. If used to its full capacity, I would imagine the possibilities for you would be endless.