TEJINDER KAUR BASRA shares findings from the panel discussion she moderated during the Global Spirituality Mahotsav with SULEKHA KUMBHARE, SWAMI ATMARPIT RAKSHITJI, MARK MILTON, and Dr. DILSHAH SINGH ANAND on work as a source of happiness in society.
Work is the foundation upon which communities are built, the catalyst for innovation and progress, and the bedrock of social cohesion. The true value of work lies not in its economic output but in its ability to enrich our lives and uplift our communities. What actionable insights can we glean from this perspective? And how we must recognize the interconnectedness of our work with the greater fabric of society and strive to align our professional pursuits with the values and aspirations of our communities.
Each panelist shared their life story in brief and their own perspectives to life and work. Their personal experiences and the influence of their spiritual practices on their work gave a glimpse of their life’s purpose. They also shared how they integrate their spiritual practices into their professional lives to find greater meaning and fulfillment. A few examples were shared as tips for the audience to implement.
Ms. Sulekha’s life story is one of inspiration, deeply influenced by her politician father’s dedication to serving the underprivileged. Following in his footsteps, she established the International Dragon Palace Temple in Kamptee, a suburb of Nagpur, India, in collaboration with Noriko Ogawa of Japan, renowned for promoting peace, humanity, and friendship globally. Through this initiative, she has created schools and institutions catering to economically disadvantaged children and youth. She is also actively engaged in women’s empowerment initiatives in rural areas near Kamptee.
Sulekha attributes her personal transformation from fiery to calm and composed to the practice of Vipassana, which is also offered at the temple. She emphasized the importance of giving back to society, recognizing that personal development must be accompanied by a commitment to serving others.
Swami Atmarpit Rakshitji is a committed renunciate, who has dedicated his life to spiritual growth and selfless service under his guru’s guidance. As the editor-in-chief of the monthly magazine, Sadguru Echoes, he actively contributes to his organiation’s activities and teachings. He attributed the beginnings of his spiritual journey to his guru, instilled in him during his youth.
Swamiji stressed the significance of having a higher purpose in life, urging individuals to strive to fulfill their potential with sincerity and dedication. He promoted the idea of selfless work. And he shared an acronym for “work” he devised to demonstrate how individuals can discover meaning in their lives: W for worry-free, O for organized planning, R for maintaining relationships and work-life balance, and K for following a spiritually enlightened master who inspires contributions towards societal betterment.
Mark Milton focused on active listening in our relationships with others, reminding us that it cannot only be intellectual but has to be with compassion and empathy. He explained that during conversation our mind is usually thinking of how to answer or offer an opinion, so we don’t actually listen to others. We need to bring our awareness to creating another space to stay present, called presencing. According to him, meditation is the best approach, in his case Vipassana. He said that the issues of global warming, wars, etc. are mirroring our relationships together, and when we bring love into our hearts we will manifest it in the world, too. He called this relational consciousness.
Dilshahji started his life with very meager means of living, and survived because of the emotional support of his wife. He has now built the MCI group of companies, having offices in almost all ports in India and abroad. He draws fulfillment from running a school for underprivileged children.
