They say when the student is ready, the teacher appears, and I am most certainly ready and willing to wake up at work. Those close to me know I am a book-a-holic and I purchased AWAKE AT WORK over a year ago, perhaps I was awakening to my need to wake up at work. Truth be told, I deeply desire to be awake in all aspects of daily living: at home, at work, in relationships, and at play.
Work has always been an important part of my life and I place a high value on doing my best and making right living a top priority. No doubt this is why I am where I am today, owner of the Sacred Treehouse and co-owner of the Therapeutic Oasis. Both are committed to compassionate care and inspiring others to live according to their values.
If you have interest in applying mindfulness to YOUR work, whether in a role you serve in a job or career, or one you serve at home, then I highly recommend this book as a guide to waking up to the truth and reality of life, living, and being human in our many roles. I must say it is not for everyone- but if you have a daily meditation practice and are motivated to contemplate on a slogan each day, or week, or even once a month- I believe it can be a tool to serve in awakening in a role that many of us spend a bulk of our waking hours doing for the better part of our life.
Author Michael Carrol sets out teaching four primary slogans that are the basis of the practice of awakening at work and can b practiced and fruitful in and of themselves.
What is a slogan? How can it help?
The thirty-five slogans shared by the author are adapted from the Tibetan Buddhist practice of Logong, where practitioners memorize, recite, and place reminders to allow daily events to evoke the wisdom form these slogans to be used as guidance in living more mindfully. Slogans are not instructions, but rather inspiration and an invitation to strengthen our mindfulness practice and remain open and curious to the many ways we resist reality at work and prompt us to see ourselves and our situation more clearly.
There are four main slogans that are as follows:
- Balance the two efforts
- Be authentic
- Cultivate li(natural goodness).
- Work is a mess.
He then continues offering additional slogans to choose at your leisure to practice regularly, even choosing randomly, to look for ways at work it applies to you. Keeping a journal, making notecards, and even memorizing all the slogans and reciting them are ways to allow the slogans to come to you in daily life.
I found the book to be a gift, at a time that I needed inspiration to dive inward at work and bring greater wisdom, compassion, and love to all those I serve and in all that I do.
With Love and Gratitude,
Patty and The Sacred Treehouse Faculty
Need support in overcoming obstacles? Just email me us at [email protected] to set up individualized mindfulness coaching or join our upcoming classes of MBSR or MSC for guided practices in a supportive community.
Patty Thomas Shutt, founder of Sacred Treehouse, is a licensed psychologist and co-owner of Therapeutic Oasis of the Palm Beaches . Dr. Shutt is passionate about helping others discover the benefits of mindfulness and meditation. She offers Beginner Meditation & Advanced Meditation classes at Sacred Treehouse, in addition to Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction, Mindful Self-Compassion and various book studies throughout the year.