Every morning I browse my psychology feed and see if there is any interesting news to share with you guys. Today I discovered an interesting study about how washing your hands can actually minimize feelings of guilt and shame.
The study was published in the journal Current Directions of Psychological Science.
When participants were asked to think of a moral wrong-doing of their own, they felt less guilty after using an antiseptic hand wipe. They were also less likely to volunteer to do a good act to make up for their wrong-doing. This suggests that cleaning our hands may actually rid ourselves of some of the blame we feel after doing something wrong.
Even when participants were asked only to imagine themselves as “clean and fresh,” they tended to judge themselves as more moral than others.
This literal “mental cleansing” has been found to alleviate other mental discomfort as well:
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“Cleansing works for other mental discomforts, such as post-decision doubt. To resolve this doubt, people who opted for one of two similar jams felt better about their choice after making the decision, a well-known tendency called choice justification. But if people were given a hand wipe to use, they no longer justified their choice: They had wiped off their doubt. Using soap showed similar results after a bad luck streak in gambling: After washing, participants started to bet higher stakes, suggesting they had ‘washed away’ their bad luck.”
It may sound a little ridiculous, but our minds can work in really mysterious ways sometimes. These examples of “mental cleansing” eerily parallel the common notion of baptism being able to wash away “original sin.” So perhaps this metaphor of “washing away” sins, guilt, and bad luck is somehow wired into our collective unconscious? Just a thought…I’m not sure what practical value this study has, but it’s something I found too fascinating not to share.
How does our spiritual identity affect our actions and how we shape our world?
Modus Operandi
When I think of the “spirit” of something I think of its modus operandi; what is its “method of operating?” What makes it function? What drives it to work?
When I think of the spirit of a human being, I ask myself, “What does that being live for?” What makes him or her get up every morning? What makes his or her life worth living? What source of energy does that person draw upon to do what they do?
Unspoken Values
Evolution and biology can describe the reasons behind a lot of basic instincts and behavior, but they don’t answer a whole lot about the values we hold implicitly through our traditions, customs, culture, and art.
We all go through rituals that define our existence. It could be watching TV, going to church, reading books, meditating, playing sports, doing your job, eating, videogames, working out at the gym, writing, taking care of your kids… you get the point – if you do it periodically then it is a ritual – and these habits implicitly tell us what we value out of life.
But how often do you ask yourself, “Why do I do the things I do?”
It can seem like a stupid question because we take these things for granted. Maybe you do them because you have always done them and that is just who you are. I hear people give me that response a lot, but that is circular reasoning; saying those things only reinforces who we are, even if that modus operandi isn’t doing ourselves much justice.
Backbone = Identity
I wouldn’t say that our actions define ourselves (although that might be a behaviorist approach to identity), but I do think how we define ourselves plays a significant role in our actions.
Buddism and many Eastern philosophies put a strong emphasis on the “nature of self” as a spiritual guide. They also recognize that how we think of our self determines certain values we hold about our world. For example, many schools of Buddhism recognize a non-dualistic nature between self/other (that we are all interconnected and no one is separate), thus compassion and loving-kindness become logical moral values to hold in our relationships with friends, family, neighbors, coworkers other acquaintances, and nature itself.
Some of the big questions regarding anybody’s life are,
- “How do I fit into the world at large?”
- “What purpose do I serve in life?”
- “How can I improve conditions for myself and others?”
Only you can answer these questions with your own reason and experience, but let it be known that your answers have a profound impact on how you live your life. Thus, I would argue these questions are worth contemplating through daily introspection, meditation, or prayer.
Getting Off The Soapbox For A Moment
Before I conclude this post let me just clear up a few things that often get misunderstood when I write about spirituality. I do not intend to change anyone’s values or how they live their life. What I am suggesting is that we take the time to question why we live the way we do. It is a deep question, directed towards you, but not one that I can provide the answers for.
I think when we try to make a change or improvement in our lives we often take the most basic questions for granted. But often those fundamental questions are the catalysts for the biggest improvements one can make in their life.
I write in order to get people thinking and re-evaluating that world which we take for granted. I want to bring into light implicit assumptions and beliefs, and get individuals to think critically about these ideas they have grown up with all their life. Through doing this individuals can grow a stronger backbone, become more dedicated to what they actually love to do, and drop actions which have become “no good” habits of familiarity that we have wrongly identified to.
But – because we are all diverse individuals with separate interests and talents – it is up to each from their own individual perspective to decide what is right and wrong for them. There is no objective good for everyone; our traditions, culture, art, and tastes (our “pursuit of happiness”) should be particular to our personality. We should not take anything as given just because we have grown up with it or some higher authority has “bestowed” it upon us. Even the values I hold implicitly in my writings should be doubted and questioned.
A Healthy Backbone Builds New Elements, Gets Rid Of Old
A spiritual backbone gives you a center to stand on but it is not necessarily fixed in one place. Just like your spine is built of various bone elements, your spiritual spine too is mobile and multi-faceted. The only thing different is your spiritual spine never stops growing and evolving in new ways (whether you are conscious of it or not).
Your relationship with the world is never fixed, it is always changing; new aspects are constantly arising and fading into the ever-expanding shape of time. From a day-to-day basis things may seem to be moving slow, but when you reflect on months or years they can seem like eternities apart. The world is actually a really exciting and dynamic place if we keep our eyes open to it. Not many things remain the same over extended periods of time. Isn’t that what evolution is all about?
The only thing worse than not having a spiritual backbone at all is having a concrete one, which refuses to change in the face of new evidence and experience. Extreme fundamentalists from all religions share this illness, like when biblical literalism takes precedence over scientifically-gathered facts.
Man is not omniscient nor infallible, that is why God forgives and, most importantly, why we should forgive ourselves. All actions and creations of men, including the Bible, are not perfect. This is why spirituality in all of its form is a never-ending process and not a goal-seeking one.
Living In Congruence
When our unspoken values become spoken we are more conscious of the driving forces in our world. Now we know why we get up every morning and we are proud to live out our lives in congruences with those values.
This requires a higher level of consciousness. No longer is our modus operandi like a puppet on strings, but now we are the puppet masters. We understand the reason behind our rituals; we don’t just live them out obediently but with a sense of joy, flow, and engagement. There is purpose behind every action. We embody what we believe and we act in accordance. As Gandhi once said, we “Become the change we wish to see in the world.” Within that cycle, within every action, we are constantly being born and re-born into a different world.
So don’t stay static, never be afraid to re-align your spiritual backbone, and keep living the life you want to live (as you see fit). The world depends on your moral courage and aptitude.
With the holidays looming near, now is a better time than any to exercise our good will. Whether it is buying mom a Nintendo Wii or helping an old lady cross the street, there are countless ways we can accumulate good karma.
Often, we think of doing something nice as a rarity. Most people don’t seem to do it often and we reciprocate by not doing anything either. It is only during these strange times of holiday cheer that we begin to feel comfortable enough to actively spread love and happiness. Let us maintain this positive momentum for the following 364 days of the year as well. For any time of the year, here are some ideas that I find most important to consider whenever we are giving gifts or doing someone else a favor:
1. Have Their Interests In Mind
This may seem obvious but sometimes we can get caught in the trap of buying something that we would enjoy, while ignoring the interests of the person who we are giving the gift too. Of course, it is not always easy to know what someone else may want. We can try to overcome this by putting our self in someone’s shoes, or asking like-minded people what a good present might be. If you are trying to find something for a 6 year old boy, then you can ask other 6 year old boys. Similarly, if you know someone who is an avid golfer, then you can ask other avid golfers what a good brand of new clubs might be.
2. Let It Be From The Good Of Your Heart
All too often, and especially during the holiday season, we do “nice” things for people out of necessity or obligation. It is this kind of mentality that can ruin what would otherwise be a joyful celebration. It is much nicer and much more fun if we actually do others favors out of the goodness of our heart, and not out of some unhealthy and ill-defined obligation. Find the desire in yourself to make others happy, and by acting on these desires, you will find that you too will become much more happier and satisfied.
3. Make It Meaningful
If you excel at the first two intentions then this one often comes naturally, but it is worth pointing out anyway: make your favors and gifts as meaningful as possible. There is usually no extra financial burden to doing something with a little bit of meaning, something that shows you put in the time and thought into making a good gesture. A meaningful gift is one that will evoke a strong sense of appreciation in the recipient. Something that brightens the person’s day and makes life worth living. You also want to avoid gifts purely based on novelty or “quick highs,” and instead focus on things that will continue to have value over time.
4. Don’t Expect Anything In Return
If you expect something in return for your favors then you are limiting the magic of your actions. A true act of kindness is not dependent on any reciprocation. The act of giving in itself is all that is needed to experience pleasure and happiness. If we expect something in return, but we don’t get it, we may conclude that our actions were for nothing, but that isn’t the goal of giving to others, is it? It is probably for the best that we diminish any expectations we may have in getting something in return for our efforts. This doesn’t mean we should be shocked if someone reciprocates a good deed, but it shouldn’t be dependent on our ability to exercise kindness.
5. Feel Proud Of What You’ve Done
Often we get immediate gratification after doing something kind for another. It simply feels good to make others feel good. But some like to suppress these feelings. Perhaps it is because they define altruism through “self-sacrifice,” and therefore, much like the story of Jesus dying for our sins, they feel that an act of kindness must be at the expense of our own life, happiness or well-being. I wish to dispel this notion. It is of utmost importance that we feel good when providing for others. If we can exercise this will, if we allow ourselves to feel good for our good deeds, then we are more motivated to continue these actions of kindness in the future. Be proud of your noble efforts! Be selfishly generous.
Final Words
I hope this post provides some good food for thought for the next time you are intending to help another. All acts out of kindness are commendable, but if we can accept some of these ideas, and raise our consciousness regarding what it means to be giving, then we can bring our kindness to the next level.
“You must be the change you wish to see in the world.” – Gandhi
Earlier this week I posted an article entitled, “Business-Minded Spirituality.” My plan wasn’t to prove that businesses are inherently good-intentioned, only that one can have a successful business while still keeping their morals and values intact.
Businesses themselves are tremendously powerful vehicles for change, but they don’t just fall from the sky. They start within the mind of a single individual – with an idea, a thought, or an intention. The individual who acts upon these ideas changes his world, whether it is for better or worse.
A better self means a better world, no matter how small or large our impact might be. This is a powerful insight. If we can recognize our personal growth as part of the growth of a greater whole, we can begin to align ourselves with this greater sense of purpose being. Instnatly, we become more inspired and motivated to improve life conditions for our self and others.
Please take a moment to reflect on your own goals of self-improvement. Ask: “In what ways do these goals benefit the world as a whole?” If you cannot find any reasons – you may want to re-assess your intentions, or see if you can reframe your goals in a bigger way.
If all you want out of life is money, sex, and fame – but you neglect the interests of others – then you probably won’t get any of these things. Some still do, but often at the expense of happiness and integrity.
What I am trying to describe is a viewpoint – a way of looking at ourselves and how we fit into this larger ecosystem. If we closely examine the events in our world, we often find just how interconnected and interdependent we really are. Although our ego would rather see itself as separate and distinct; it becomes more empowered when it sees itself in a grander scheme. But this is not just a motivational tool, it is a reflection of reality.
I challenge my readers to reframe their goals within a context of “world improvement,” in order to foresee the greater implications of their actions.
When I reflect back on my own list of goals, a couple of things become immediately apparent to me. Take for example my goal to “Graduate From College.” On the surface this is nothing but a self-serving goal. Certainly by graduating I am not directly affecting any other person’s future. But what I learn through college allows me to become better equipped to serve society at large at some point in the future. I can use that knowledge for more than just personal gain, and the same can be said about a business that follows a code of ethics.
I challenge you to reframe your goals without this new and broader context. You will find that it strengthens your intentions to achieve those goals, by aligning your will to a so-called “higher power” (and I say this at risk of sounding too religious or mystical).
Our current models of self-improvement will eventually be outperformed by the one’s that also take into account world improvement. As I mentioned, you can adopt this mindset with the simple question, “How do my goals serve the greater whole of humanity?” Knowing this answer, you will become more affirmed in your values, goals, and aspirations.
At first the idea of business and spirituality together may seem contradictory. We are often told that businesses are only driven by the incentive to make more money, while spirituality entails abandoning this attachment to external goods and material wealth. With this attitude hanging over our head, how can a spiritual person ever expect to become a successful businessman? Under what conditions can one sell and still be righteous?
To start, is there any place in this world that is outside of economic reality? Even the poorest of spiritual beggars must have some desire for clothing, food and shelter if he or she wants to survive. They need to “exchange” things for food, even if it is just a warm smile or a lesson in compassion.
On the other hand, some of these spiritually-driven individuals make a virtue out of living from the bare minimum, a notion that the late Indian mystic Osho disagreed with strongly. Osho taught that material poverty was not a genuine spiritual value. Often referring to himself as the “rich man’s guru.” According to one excerpt from Wikipedia:
- “Osho had himself photographed wearing sumptuous clothing and hand-made watches, and while in Oregon drove a different Rolls-Royce each day – his followers reportedly wanted to buy him 365 of them, one for each day of the year. Publicity shots of the Rolls-Royces (93 in the end) were sent to the press. As a conscious display, they may have reflected both his enjoyment of wealth and his desire to provoke American sensibilities, much as he had enjoyed offending Indian sensibilities earlier.”
Although a complex character who loved to provoke others, Osho made it clear that he never mistook material wealth for spiritual gain. Money to him was just a tool. He says,
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“Money is a means. If you are happy and you have money, you will become more happy. If you are unhappy and you have money, you will become more unhappy – because what will you do with your money? Your money will enhance your pattern, whatsoever it is.”
Although he was rarely one to hide his wealth, money did not define Osho. In fact many of the royalties he received from his work were often donated to local communes, including the 90+ Rolls Royces.
In some ways Osho’s teachings can even be seen to resemble the moral philosophy of Ayn Rand, who once said, “The purpose of morality is to teach you, not to suffer and die, but to enjoy yourself and live.” Osho was definitely one to enjoy himself and live. He saw no virtue in prolonging any kind of suffering, starting with his own. His way of life quickly became a quintessence of how one can take responsibility for themselves and enjoy life without any signs of guilt or fear.
It is not money that is the root of all evil, but human greed itself that causes humans to do heinous acts for material and superficial gains. Money however can still be used as a tool for good, and even the acquisition of money, as long as the means are just, can often benefit society at large. The remainder of this article will touch upon business incentives that I feel also align themselves congruently with spiritual and moral imperatives.
The Incentive To Provide Goods For Others
First and foremost the purpose of a business is to provide goods for others. The owner may have the intentions of striking it rich, but if he neglects the needs and wants of society then he will have a tougher time selling his products. Sure, he or she may find ways to exploit the system and trick others into buying something they don’t really desire, but this can be incredibly difficult to do and even if the business does succeed, they won’t last long because their reputation will be quickly tarnished (this is assuming governments don’t come in and bail them out for their mismanagement).
Businesses are almost always better off if they try to provide something of value. Just look at individuals like Bill Gates from Microsoft and Sam Walton, the founder of Wal-Mart. Both of these companies have drastically helped to increase the standard of living of others. Nowadays almost everyone has experienced the luxury of a computer, as well as the low prices provided by enterprises like Wal-Mart. Be honest, in what ways have these corporate conglomerates benefited you?
Businesses must know the demands of others if they want to continue to exist. Providing valuable goods to others at an affordable rate is a great way to benefit society at large. Often these endeavors can result in an alleviation of suffering, which is a primary objective to any spiritual practice. In the right hands, more money can mean a greater capacity to do good for others, especially when it is managed in productive ways. This is an aspect of business that should be celebrated more often.
The Incentive To Treat Customers Right
My economics teacher in high school once said that if someone has a bad experience with a company they are likely to tell the story to – on average – about 7 other people. I wasn’t able to confirm this statistic (if anyone can help me that would be great!) but I think she was touching on a crucial point: businesses must treat customers at some sort of satisfactory level if they want their customers to keep coming back. If a business gets enough of a bad reputation, people will stop going, and the company will no longer be favorable in the public eye. Especially in industries where there is a lot of competition, it is in the company’s best interest to win over their customers hearts and minds.
It doesn’t cost much to treat your customers with loyalty, care, and a bit of compassion – so if you are running a business it is in only in your own rational self-interest to make it assured that your customer’s needs are being met, and they they enjoy pleasant experiences with your company. This doesn’t just mean in the value of your product, but also in the value of your customer service and the overall human-to-human experience. This means their must be a certain culture to your company: What kind of friend are you to your clients? Are you being genuine, superficial, or are you acting as if you just don’t give a fuck at all? People aren’t dumb – they can usually tell the difference!
The Incentive To Treat Employees Right
Sure, many people believe that many modern economies have resulted in what is know as “wage slavery.” In this sense many say companies can get away with exploiting their workers, despite the fact that workers voluntarily choose where they work in a free society. Despite this, businesses have plenty of good incentives to treat their workers with the best possible care.
For example, building a sense of community or family around the workplace is a fantastic way to increase productivity. If people love where they work then they are much more motivated to do a great job. Of course, not all jobs are equally enjoyable, so it is up to the business owner to be creative when trying to build a more friendly atmosphere for his employees. One real world example is the offices at Google, one of the biggest companies in the world. Sure looks like fun to work there!
Choosing The Right Values
Achieving the above objectives requires a company to have good and productive values. Although this isn’t all that it takes to build a great business, it is important to have a sense of love, compassion, and family within the internal structure of your company. That is what keeps it together and makes up its core. You want your employees to be able to feed energy off of each other. This builds a self-perpetuating drive and motivation to do good for the company, which should try and be seen as a greater whole.
Understand that by doing good for the company you are also doing good for society at large. The key is to work for (or build) a company that you honestly believe is doing good for the world. The rest of your attitude will come naturally to you. You will want to improve the company because it simultaneously improves humanity too.
Last Thoughts On Business-Minded Spirituality
This framework for business is part of what I am beginning to call “Business-Minded Spirituality.” As an ardent proponent of capitalism and free markets, but also a deeply spiritual person, I strive to persuade you that businesses are not just evil and greedy money-making machines, but amazing tools that can be utilized to transform our world in a positive direction. For those that are already awakened spiritually, continue your learning by getting into the realm of business. For those that are more business-oriented, add a spiritual element to your company to help make it grow in new and expansive directions. I hope to be discussing these concepts more in the near future.
Some of you may have already adapted a business-minded and spiritual attitude. What type of things do you do to build a spiritual sense around your company? Which techniques do you find most effective for improving upon your business?
Farewell Video
Let me now leave you with a video of Osho himself, discussing the concept of “Selling Bliss:”
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