Business owners urged to adopt spiritual principles
Using spiritual principles in business is really just about using common sense, says Elisabeth Fayt, the successful owner of RNR Wellness The Spa in Calgary.
“What you put out there will come back to you. In my business, kindness and compassion are among our key rules,” says Fayt. “Negative talk is simply not allowed behind the scenes. Even though the pace can get hectic at times, this code of conduct fosters a safe and peaceful environment, which then projects out to the client.
“Spiritual radiance can also be referred to as spiritual magnetism. When you follow spiritual principles in the workplace, you become a magnet for genuine, long-lasting success …. Love is a powerful force, and is what the workplace needs to be truly successful.”
The spa, in the basement level of the downtown Palliser Hotel, offers a peaceful environment for clients.
Outside, the busy life of the core moves at sometimes breakneck speed. And, for many, it doesn’t seem possible to build a successful business in a world that is often cutthroat with many unspiritual qualities coming to light as people compete to make a buck.
But Fayt is a follower of the principles taught by Indian yogi and guru Paramahansa Yogananda, who brought Eastern teachings to the West in the first half of the 20th century.
And she uses those spiritual teachings in her business.
“If we ask the question, what is spiritualizing business, I would have to say it’s using spiritual principles in the material world,” she says. “Or we could say expressing spiritual qualities in the business world, and it’s practical because it is the main key to helping us create long-term success. Without using spiritual principles, you can have short-term success, you can have ups and downs, successes and failures, but for long-term success we need to express those divine qualities.”
She lists some of those divine qualities as fearlessness, charity and modesty. Fearlessness is having a complete faith that a divine source is guiding, sustaining and protecting you. Charity is about giving. Not just giving $100 to a cause or some money to a beggar on the street, but using the gifts you’ve been given to the best of your ability and making the most difference possible. For example, the spa has what it calls its Big Give as it gives away thousands of dollars in gift cards to people in need.
The third quality of modesty, or humility, is the willingness to look within to see what needs to be changed within ourselves. We tend to have knee-jerk reactions when things go wrong and blame others or blame circumstances.
Three tips business owners can use right away are taking a retreat, being positive and praying.
“Those are three spiritual qualities, and if you use those in your business everything changes,” explains Fayt.
A retreat is the real meaning of the Sabbath. Take a break from things and take the time for introspection.
Being positive is reaching for the higher thought, no matter what.
And praying is how you “spiritualize” your business.
About a year ago, Fayt’s business was booming but it was also short-staffed. She wondered where she was going to find people. On a retreat, she came up with a prayer asking God to help her. The next day the resumes appeared and within a week she had three solid people.
“I know the power of prayer. If you knew the power of prayer, you would use it. It’s effective. It’s practical and you can spiritualize your business,” she says.
There is no separation between spirituality and business, although the common sentiment in society often shows the opposite.
“God has placed you in that business to express these divine qualities. You’re at work eight, 10, 12, sometimes 15 hours a day. When do you expect to express those?” asks Fayt.
“Spirituality is not going to a place to express it. It’s bringing God into your daily life. Expressing those divine qualities exactly where he has placed you .... The workplace is the perfect arena to practise spiritual qualities. Spirituality is not something we work on for an hour a week, rather it means to bring God right into the environment where He has placed us. That is where our learning needs to take place.”