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Menstuff® has compiled information and books on the
issue of Yoga for Men. Author, CPA, MBA and yoga instructor
Bruce Van Horn founded Yoga for Business, Inc., a company
devoted to organizational and individual wellness. He
presents a daily Yoga Workout routine that provides a
complete physical, mental and spiritual workout. He is the
author of Yoga
for Prostate Health and Yoga
for Men, designed for all levels of experience with
yoga.. He has renamed (Asanas) positions in Yoga using terms
from business to help you identify with the movement and
focus your attention. He is the Chair of the Advisory Board
for the Center for Complimentary Medicine at the Cancer
Institute of New Jersey. Bruce also leads a volunteer yoga
program designed for cancer patients and healthcare workers
at Beth Israel Medical Center. He lives outside New York
with his wife Michelle who is a Reiki Master. Bruce has two
daughters who have asked that he refrain from headstands at
the town pool. His website is www.yogaforbusiness.com
The
Benefits of Yoga at Home and the Office Improving Sexual Preformance
with Tantra Yoga The ancient Yogic tradition of India viewed sexuality as an important path toward spiritual healing and body-mind-spirit integration. Unlike western religious tradition, which viewed sexual desire at odds with spirituality. This had the unfortunate consequence of creating societies that have institutionalized feelings of shame and guilt, to such an extent that people have to become intoxicated with alcohol or drugs in order to feel free to pursue their desire. Eastern philosophy, on the other hand, celebrated the magnificence of creation and developed a science for understanding how to get the most out of this joyful, healing, spiritual experience. In Tantra, energy is viewed as the source of life. Sexual energy is divine energy. Men can learn to channel that energy and extend arousal before they ejaculate. In fact trained yogic masters can maintain their state of arousal for upwards of an hour. There are a few exercises, which along with some small dietary modifications, that can have a profound effect on your sexual performance: Physical Exercises: These exercises include breathing, contractions and holding certain positions. The key to really letting go is developing a state of discipline and concentration, so that you can stay in the meditative state throughout the sexual experience. 1) The Moola Bandha; Benefits include improved prostate functioning, and enhanced sexual performance) Chair: If you are able to, sit upright in your chair. Take a few deep breaths and then on the exhalation, begin to contract your sphincter muscle, this is the muscle that controls the flow of urine. Try ten long inhalations and exhalations and tighten the sphincter on the exhalation. Floor: Get down on your hands and knees. Imagine a square block between your arms and thighs so that the arms and thighs are perpendicular to the floor and ceiling. On the inhalation, press your chest forward and arch your pelvis back. On the exhalation, make your chest concave and tilt your pelvis forward. At that point engage and lift the anus and prostate muscles. The alternating motion looks like arching waves. Remember to be gentle with your neck. Continue for sixty seconds with four-second inhalations and eight second exhalations. 2) The Plank; (Benefits include improved sexual stamina during intercourse) Assume a push-up position on the floor supporting the weight of your torso with your hands. Press out through your heels and engage your abdominal muscles so your back doesn’t sway. Over time, attempt to build stamina by holding the position for 30-60 seconds. Follow the pattern of breathing described above in the Moola Bandha Floor Exercise. 3) The Cobra (Benefits include improved sexual stamina during intercourse) Lying face down on the floor with hands at your sides, inhale and feel the pressure on your hands as you lift your chest forward while keeping your pelvis and the tops of your feet on the floor. Keep your shoulders down, your shoulder blades together, your belly button and lower abdomen on the floor and your legs outstretched. Keep your chest open and lifted. Push away from the floor as you draw your elbows back. Like a cobra open your heart center. Hold this position for 30-60 seconds and follow the breathing described above in the Moola Bandha Floor Exercise. Psycho-Spiritual Exercises: Sexual union can be achieved even without orgasm. Many men think that the objective of sex is an orgasm, but healing and spiritual union are the real goals to be achieved. I have developed a meditation on unconditional love, which can make the sexual experience less tense and decrease the pressure to perform. The most rewarding sexual act is to give completely of yourself to your lover without any expectation of anything in return. The meditation's focus is on “How can I give how can I serve”. When you are focused on how to please you partner, you take the pressure off yourself to perform and the universe orchestrates a synchronistic flow of loving energy, allowing you to escape into the timelessness of creation. By giving completely you receive fully and the experience can only strengthen your love for each other. Here is an exercise, which will help you focus on giving. If you are able, you should sit upright in a comfortable chair and close your eyes. Start to follow your breath. (Four-second inhalation, eight-second exhalation) Imagine a green ball of light glowing from your heart chakra warming and expanding your feelings of love. Recall the feelings of being loved, whether by a parent, a spouse, a child, a pet or anyone who has cared for you or touched you in some way. Repeat the mantra “Love Light Joy” now with each inhalation and exhalation. Now begin visualize your lover. Feel the love that this person has given you. Send loving kindness and visualize their heart chakra’s glowing. Linger here just a moment longer. And when you are ready you can open your eyes and begin to share in your expanded feelings. There Are Also a Number of Ways to Take Your Foreplay to Higher Ground. A Fe of Them Are Listed Below: Healing Massage: Gentle stroking is an excellent way to focus on giving. Allow your partner the pleasure of receiving and yourself the pleasure of giving. I have found it much more rewarding to be the giver, as the energy comes back to you. You may want to switch off so that you each experience both giving and receiving. Tactile stimulation is very healing, both physically and spiritually and healing massages are a beneficial part of a couples energy exchanges. Reiki/Energy Channeling: Reiki or energy healing practiced before intercourse can also heighten the sexual experience. Reiki is an Eastern healing art whereby one-partner channels spirit to the other. In this way the receiver can enter a deep state of relaxation similar to that experienced after meditation. Two simple Reiki exercises are recommended. In the first position stand behind your partner and place your hand on their crown chakra. Hold this position for two minutes with the intention of sending loving healing energy. Reverse receiver and giver. In the second position face each other with your right hand on your partner’s heart chakra and their right hand should be on your heart chakra. Look into each other’s eyes and send loving kindness. Dietary Changes: Reducing consumption of meat will lower testosterone levels, aiding in the fight against prostate cancer. In addition studies have shown that meat consumption increases aggressiveness. For maximum benefits to your Yoga practice and meditation I recommend reducing meat consumption and substituting fish, especially fatty fish such as salmon, and soy products. And of course don’t forget your greens. If you feel good, and you are in good health, your sexual performance will be enhanced. Accepting and Loving Yourself Many urologists are convinced that masturbation three or four times per week might help in reducing the number of cases of prostate cancer. Men with diets rich in fat and red meat have elevated their testosterone levels. In addition watching sporting events further increases the levels of adrenaline and testosterone. Men who are not sexually active are at higher risk for developing prostate cancer due to the build up of testosterone and adrenaline. Therefore it is a healthy practice that could help save lives. In addition a visit to the massage therapist would also be advisable as tactile stimulation is very healing. It has also been shown that for both men and women,
tactile stimulation can be healing. So sex is not only good
for your relationship but also good for your health and a
vehicle to commune at a higher spiritual level. Evaluating Our Belief Systems
& Change Management Our attitudes and belief systems reveal a great deal about our social upbringing and values. Yoga encourages us to re-evaluate our belief systems and attempt to discover which attitudes are not serving our greater good. It involves correcting attitudes that are stress producing and changing habits that manifest stress in your life. A yogi believes in constant change and cycles of life. If we could start to view our role as co creators of our world and continue to fulfill this role, than embracing change and letting go of short-term focus are possible to achieve. These concepts cannot be assimilated by mere contemplation or an intellectual exercise. Only direct experiential spiritual practices such as meditation can convey these truths. Change Management I was crossing the G.W. Bridge coming into New York one day this past spring. Commuters waiting on a tollbooth clerk blocked me from the Ezpass lane. I noticed that the clerk wasn’t overly grateful that the motorist had chosen her over the competing technology. I began to think of the clients/customers that had held me back from progressing and at that moment I was really able to empathize with her. I had been there myself, locked into serving clients/customers that were resisting change and uncertain of my future. How we can overcome resistance to change? I believe that technology can help us to outsource repetitive tasks and refocus on creative business building. I first became involved with technology or lack thereof about 18 years ago. At the time, I had just graduated and was armed with my M.B.A. and CPA and was expecting to become a small business consultant. I soon became aware that I was going to be a financial janitor instead. During my first day I was horrified to find the secretarial staff pasting together large spreadsheets of data. They spent a whole day creating a consolidated financial statement. And so I decided on my first day in accounting that I would like to play a part in changing the nature of the profession. What I had done in my practice is to view each of my clients/customer from a Business-plan prospective. That is I took a big picture view of what my responsibility was in helping the client in building their business. This helped me think through the tasks that need to be done in order to accomplish long-term goals. By thinking in a Business-plan prospective you can develop new and potentially expansive business models in which you can participate. As a CPA, I made a transition successfully incubating a number of technology internet companies through my own client/customer base. Technology now offers us the opportunity to automate traditional services. We need to become the “knowledge workers” that the market is demanding. How can we make an effective transition? What skills are necessary? I would like to share with you some of my insights from my own transformation that can help you chart a more appropriate course for you firm as we enter the new millennium. Effective change management requires:
Does Any of This Sound Familiar? You’re spending too much time administering services for your clients/customers. Due to the commodity nature of the services you must price those services at market value and your profitability is further reduced because your clients/customers may be slow to pay. You sometimes take on clients/customers that don’t pay or don’t follow your advice or both. You need to be constantly hiring staff because of turnover and poor quality. Since the work you perform is not stimulating, talented individuals leave quickly. You are concerned that technology may reduce or eliminate some of your sources or revenue. You find it difficult to manage technology, marketing, and the requirements of your industry. We all want to break away from the role of “janitor” and move toward “entrepreneur”. The former involves the past the latter involves the future. Here are some tools you can use in moving your focus forward. In any discussion that deals with implementing technology, overcoming the resistance to change represents the greatest obstacle. Ask the drivers who insist on waiting on line to visit a tollbooth clerk. The fear of change results in inertia. If we can get beyond our fears, we can learn to accept a higher degree of uncertainty and risk. By accepting uncertainty in a given situation, we open ourselves to a life of constant change. The only certainty is that things are going to change. For example, all business organizations must constantly reinvent themselves for if they stagnate they perish. If you review the top ten corporations on a fortune 500 list in 1980 and compare it to those in the year 2000, what do you think has happened? The companies at the top of the list in 1980 are no longer the leaders in 2000. Critics argue that we need to be secure and reduce risk. Our response is to say that life is about change. Change is more real than security (ask the companies that used to be top on the list). The sooner you can learn to adopt and accept uncertainty and change, the more secure you will feel and the more willing you will be to embrace technological solutions. How do we free up time to make changes in our business/personal life? To become the “knowledge workers” that Bill Gates refers to in his latest book requires that we make an investment in ourselves. It means letting go of customers or clients that will not serve our long-term interests. Often times it is scary to let go of work that is paying our bills, but this is exactly what I did in the eighties when inexpensive software flooded the market. Although pushing our clients to embrace technology meant the loss of certain services, those of us that embraced the change were able to offer value added services. The best way to free up time is to always have an inventory of time dedicated to long-term planning. What I do is to always allocate ten percent of my revenues for new business development and technology. By not living above one’s means and spending very prudently, one has the freedom to pursue opportunities as they arise. Running faster on the treadmill is not the answer and only will make one’s transition more difficult to deal with later. We are a gifted life form. A human being means not being a human doer but a cocreator. Our being involves honoring creation. One way to begin freeing up time is to “dump the dogs”. You know who they are. They’re the ones who demand the most, but want to pay the least. You may know some family members and acquaintances that fall into that category. These types of clients/customers burden your business and drain your energy. It is a very liberating and empowering feeling to tell a customer or client “You know Jim, you don’t really trust me because …, and you don’t respect me because you haven’t paid your bill since …. Since trust and respect are the basis of a relationship and we have neither, how can we continue to do business? You begin to own your power; you are pulling the strings now. Owning your power means not living above your means and giving yourself the breathing room to step away for unproductive relationships. When you follow this suggestion I have noticed that several things can happen: 1) You find out that the client/customer has a brain tumor. This is not a joke, it really happened to me. This starts a dialogue where you are able to understand what is really going on with the client/customer. In my case the dialogue led to a better understanding and the client survived her medical ordeal and became an appreciative responsive paying client. 2) The client/customer apologizes for his behavior and tells you that he is in therapy addressing this issue, which has prevented him from having successful relationships with women. The client/customer becomes your best client/customer. You double his billings, he never complains and his payments are prompt. 3) The client/customer is very hurt by your accusations and tries to make you feel responsible. You will definitely lose these clients and for good reason be glad that they are gone. When you set out to “dump the dogs, you will probably find that instead of losing 10% of your clients/customers you actually only lose 5% and the other 5% are now paying twice what they were paying before. It is called owning your own power, and it a very helpful way to begin breaking down the barriers and belief systems you have constructed which may no longer be serving your best interest. “Dumping the dogs” might also mean letting go of employees who do not share your vision. These employees and that of society might be better served if they were redirected to another path. This can be accomplished in a loving and compassionate manner as will be described later in the section on “Bringing Love into the Workplace”. When should we use new technology?
We have to start owning our own power and loving ourselves. The biggest obstacle is the fear that holds you back. Maybe you can’t trust the End Run Company, perhaps they are holding you back from progressing in your career. In that case you have a decision to make. The most progressive companies will reward employees that come up with solutions to improve efficiency. The rewards will be not to let go of those employees but put them in a position of even greater authority somewhere else in the organization. These organizations will survive and thrive. These are the organizations you should be a part of. Here is a tool you might want to try to help you confront your fears. In my Yoga for Business program I have developed a position called “A Firm Footing in a Changing Marketplace”. Many of the positions in yoga are metaphors for a state of mind. In one of the exercises you completed earlier, you were asked to balance on one foot. If you lost your balance you caught yourself with the other foot. And then switched feet. That is why it is important for all of us to be in balance. We need to be able to support each other. This is called the “Tree Pose” and at the end of the CD is the Tree Meditation, which you can use to feel more balanced and secure in times of change. This exercise, if practiced daily, will help you to incorporate the belief that you can be flexible to changes in your environment and you will always land on your feet. This exercise is also useful in balancing left and right brain functions, a topic that will be addressed shortly. What are some strategies for effective change management? Problems are opportunities: Effective business development requires a focus on problem solving and identifying solutions to client problems. This requires thinking “outside of the box”. Often time’s solutions include applying technology in a new innovative way to a process. The Internet is one such tool that can improve business functions, expand the marketplace for goods and services, and improve customer service. Devote attention to solving problems in your own business and bring that understanding to your client’s businesses. Often times before I meet with an employee I will do a short meditation focused on how can I help this person achieve his or her goals and evolve their skills. I also engage in the same type of mental exercise before I meet with clients. Focus on really listening to the clients and discovering what their goals and interests are; let go of the need to have a predetermined solution. For prospective clients I let go of the need to close a sale and focus instead on trying to provide what the client needs. Clients and prospective clients can sense when you are really interested in helping them solve problems and when you are focused on selling. In this way your relationships can extend beyond the product life cycle and you can develop creative responses to clients needs, which may become new product offerings. Note: At the end of the CD is a meditation called the “loving kindness meditation”. This exercise will help you become more effective in dealing with employees and customers. Remember to stay focused on the solution and the process. If you are only focused on the outcome or an exit strategy, you are not in the process. However if you remain committed and focused on the solution, the desired outcome will evolve. Develop a broad mission statement with a number of specific goals to be accomplished. This will help the client stay focused when considering new projects or spending plans. I had the opportunity to work with a Russian technology client in building the largest portal in Russia. Our mission was to use technology to allow Russians to participate in the global economy through a portal with a distinctive and genuine Russian focus. Some of our goals were to allow Russian global communication through our sophisticated email service (mail.ru) allowing Russian businesses to purchase goods and services at market prices. We also wanted to allow technology workers to outsource their services, and to help build an e-commerce infrastructure in Russia. Staying focused on these “big picture goals” helped us avoid pursuing activities that were motivated by an exit strategy. Being focused on the solution means being prepared to change direction at and moment and not mean being rigidly attached to the trail. Sometimes there are obstacles in our way. We can find alternative pathways as long as the summit of the mountain remains our goal. Forcing solutions on problems will always create new problems somewhere down the road. There are a number of fatal errors that companies sometimes make such as:
Successful entrepreneurs are persistent and don’t look on obstacles as failure. They keep trying different approaches until they are successful. Nature uses the same principles in evolution. If nature hadn’t been persistent, we wouldn’t be here. How can we develop entrepreneurial skills? In the company of the future we will all need to be entrepreneurs. This will require us to be willing to both create and destroy. This is what keeps your body in equilibrium. Part of you is dying and another part is being born. The dictionary defines an entrepreneur as someone who organizes, operates and assumes the risk for a business enterprise. Most business people have no problem with organizing and operating but have a general aversion to risk. We fear change. When we can accept change as a constant we can feel more comfortable stepping into a world of uncertainty. Taking that step requires a leap faith, but beyond the doorway are limitless possibilities. Leonardo DaVinci, one of the most amazing men to ever live, who was not only was a great artist but also solved the problems of aeronautical engineering hundreds of years ago. When he was asked what the key to his success was he gave the following response;
Business people are especially focused on left-brain, which is the area of the mind that focuses on technical and analytical thinking. The tree pose discussed earlier is an excellent exercise for developing these balancing skills. We each have a bias for using one of our senses and subjugating the rest. We need to bring the rest of our senses into the equation and trust our gut reactions. I use all my assets. I spend time in silence each day. Through mediation and focused concentration we can improve our synchronicity: meet the right people at the right time, be prepared when opportunity presents itself, and find what we are here to do. If a client or customer of yours was running a business, and not fully utilizing their assets they would probably go out of business. As a concerned business associate you would make sure they leveraged all their assets to achieve their business goals. Many of us are not using all our potential; we are running on one brain hemisphere and only using one or two senses. We rarely if ever engage in quiet contemplative thoughts. It is important to consider all the technologies that will alleviate you from certain mundane chores. The time freed up can be re-allocated to creative business building. You will be very empowered by upgrading your skill and repositioning yourself for success in the new economy. But above all imagine how secure you can feel knowing
that you are staying ahead of the changing marketplace. By
embracing technology you will remain a competitive and vital
force in your industry. The concept of spiritual capitalism is demonstrated by effective business organizations, which maximize benefits for the organization, their customers and the community as a whole. This requires a long-term focus, which is difficult to achieve in many public companies that are driven by short term profitability reporting. If all our attention and focus is on serving our customers than long-term share price maximization will be achieved. The emphasis on short-term profitability can hurt organizations in numerous ways such as:
For capitalism to be most effective we need to move away from the focus on short-term profitability and refocus on fundamental business building. Decisions must be made using the “How can I serve, how can I help” yardstick. We can start to apply these concepts at the individual level of the manager and employee and develop a code of ethics that can be applied for organizational decision-making. If our form of capitalism evolved to this level, then we could avoid activist governmental regulation and the costs associated therewith. Governmental regulation is often needed when capitalism is deprived of spirituality. Unfortunately government regulation creates yet another bureaucracy with its related inefficiencies. In addition to Government regulation, there is the potential for labor union organization. When businesses don’t respect their employees and treat them fairly, a union will step in. Once again another bureaucracy seizes power and will further burden the efficient functioning of the organization. Furthermore litigation industries are springing up to compensate victims of corporate greed. This litigation and the industry it has formed have had a corrosive effect on our political and social institutions. The model of spiritual capitalism suggests that market distortions such as the third party payer system in the healthcare industry, leads to inefficiency. In the healthcare industry, pharmaceutical companies have exploited the market distortions by only focusing on one narrow segment of the healthcare solution to the exclusion of all others. Such an approach can only keep increasing costs. There is also a legitimate concern that the industry may prevent total solutions from emerging as that might jeopardize their ongoing business model of providing continuing treatment. Only by empowering the ultimate consumer, elevating patient’s needs over the company ’s finances, and integrating the Body-Mind-Spirit approach can we effectively solve our healthcare dilemma. The healthcare industry is obsessed with defeating death. If we could learn to accept death we could make more humane decisions on costly and invasive life sustaining procedures. In Yoga we learn to become comfortable with the transition that is referred to as death by going into the meditative state. Once there, we learn that it isn’t all that bad, in fact its quite nice. Once our fear of death has been challenged and defeated, the rest of the fears start to fall by the wayside. The irony is that by preparing to die, we can live our lives more fully. Just as we prepare for life with education we should prepare for our transition with meditation. Other industries such as Fast food, Beer and Wine and Entertainment prey upon our addictive impulses. These companies not only generate negative Karma but they set themselves up for potentially costly litigation. If these companies would invest more in encouraging their consumers to use their products responsibly and offer alternatives to the unhealthy fare, it could be a win-win situation for everyone. The key is to understand what the consumer is actually buying and offer complimentary products. The laws of nature are much more efficient and effective than the laws of man. Whenever possible we should design systems that mirror the brilliance of nature. Sometimes this requires a leap of faith or change in on our belief systems, which is sometimes easier said than done. Bruce’s Poem: Porker’s on the Hill Porkers on the hill Give em a handful Promise to diet but they never do And each year the tax code expands On April 15th of next year But your cries of despair will never be heard When we try to micromanage the behavior of individuals by creating a complex tax code we create inefficiencies. Companies which focus on reducing taxes by building up debt is just one of the problems. The tax advantage of capital gains over dividends is another. By what divine edict do we discriminate? It should not be left to men to make these judgments but to the market. Our accounting system needs to be updated to reflect the realities of the new economy. The focus needs to move away from the past and toward the present and future. A system should be developed to be simple and informative. Independent regulatory boards that are beholden to special interests will not be able to do the job. A unified independent approach is required and the government may have to step in. If we do not take action we risk losing investor confidence and the integrity and stability of our capitalistic model could be in jeopardy. The loyalty of the CPA firm will never be with the shareholders as long as management is paying the fees. The system must be rebuilt. As important as developing an adequate model of financial reporting, is instilling certain ethics in our financial and corporate professionals. I suggest a Spiritual Accounting Index that reflects: 1) Human Resource Value Developing these will give investors an enlightened approach to stock purchasing and analysis. The key to restoring confidence in our shaky financial markets is to return to principled business practice. The concepts of Yoga for Business advocate a spiritual approach to service as the ultimate goal and mission of the organization. Our current business leaders need to begin implementing change at the highest level of the organizations including the Board of Directors and the Top Executives. Shareholder groups are currently demanding change and the Yoga for Business approach should be part of the restructured business model. In the next chapter we will discuss how to evaluate
whether our belief systems are helpful in promoting positive
changes in our organizations. The pace of change in corporate America has quickened due to the revolution in information and communications technology. In addition, the pace of consolidation of companies within industries has increased. This is causing tremendous turbulence and upheaval in the American corporate workplace. Change in an organization starts at the individual level. The human resource departments at many companies devote substantial resources to developing and retaining talent. Unfortunately many of the initiatives that are presented are doomed to failure. This is because the leadership of the organization has not embraced the belief systems, which the human resource department is promoting. The resulting cynicism and mistrust impairs productivity and morale. Furthermore, the individual differences among employees are not honored in this, “One Size Fits All Approach” to employee motivation and change management. The key to success is to help employees understand who they are, and what are their strengths. Once defined, we can begin to develop a program that motivates the individual, and design tools to help employees enjoy the process of change and growth. For example, consider the exercise of meditation to promote a clear mind. Annie is very analytical. She might be best suited for a guided visualization that talks to her thinking mind. A physically active man such as Oscar might need program that lets him transmute his anger such as Power Yoga. Manny who tends to fall asleep when sitting still may be drawn to Sufi dancing or chanting or a walking meditation. A recent article in the Wall Street Journal entitled, “Psychotherapists Enter the Workplace to Aid Dysfunctional Staffs”, highlights this new trend in corporate America as management consultants trained as psychotherapists are making their way into corporate offices. According to the article, “people’s ambitions, dreams, and egos are all involved in work, yet they are supposed to act as if none of this affects their own or their company’s performance. The result is a lot of unacknowledged emotional static that hurts productivity.” The Yoga for Business Philosophy takes the analysis one step further by trying to understand the spiritual significance of why we are in each other’ s lives and what we are here to learn from the experience. We may even go so far as to advocate a “Spiritual Termination,” which if done with love and compassion can be an opportunity for both the company and the employee to grow. A case study has just been presented using three characters; Manny Problemas from Marketing, Oscar Fodder from Operations, and Annie Thracks from Accounting. We have followed the experiences of these three hapless employees as their Human Resource department embarked on yet another motivational program. The “Yoga for Business” consultants have been called in to help the End Run Company Improve Performance. While the program is well designed and powerful, we ask the question… ”Can effective change occur if top management doesn’t practice what it preaches?”: 1. It is possible that once a belief system reaches a critical mass, change will occur. 2. Our goal is to empower the workforce with skills that will not only improve the company’s bottom line, but can enhance personal lives. 3. Consequently there will be a groundswell of support for change in corporate stewardship. The characters presented have certain archetypal characteristics based upon the ancient science of Ayurveda. In the appendix specific details of the characteristics, both physical, emotional and financial, that correspond to each character, are listed. Only by honoring the differences that make us unique can we develop a motivational program that speaks to the entire workforce. You may find that your personality spans a number of these characters or perhaps you can identify strongly with just one. Additional tools that may be lacking in your belief systems will be presented and you will be asked to consider expanding your horizon. By demonstrating dysfunctional responses using humor you may feel less threatened when certain belief systems are challenged. Try to be open to consider change in a more objective manner. The dysfunction in companies creates injury and harm to employees and ultimately to the customers who are not being served effectively. Dysfunction occurs due to management’s embrace of the following leadership traits: autocratic, egotistical, and obsessive. If the problems are not addressed and corrected the very survival of the organization could be in jeopardy. As a CPA, MBA and Yoga Instructor, I’ve always lectured clients on how to maximize the use of their assets to be competitive. In most companies, the greatest asset is their human capital. However, our current financial accounting models ignore this most important element of a business. The result is that we have not devoted adequate resources to our employees and the valuation of our companies has been distorted. Often times, as in the case of the End Run company, more emphasis is placed on creating attractive financial statements than on substantial and fundamental reform of the organization. In such cases the use of accounting fiction and accounting creativity runs counter to the values we hold dearly such as trust and honesty. Sometimes this action is born of desperation such as when the vision of the company is not coming to fruition. Instead of altering the vision and accepting changing market conditions, the executives try to rewrite the rules. This creates an irreconcilable conflict for principled employees and sets the stage for moral decay. The decline in values increases the risk of employees and executives profiting personally and putting themselves ahead of other employees, shareholders and the mission of the organization. The end result is a downward spiral. Even if all of the other Yogic principles are followed, without integrity, the organization cannot survive. By combining what I’ve learned about Yoga and business, I’ve developed a program that has integrated the two and demystified this ancient eastern philosophy. The concepts of Yoga and business are congruent. This is because they are both based upon an organic interpretation of the “organization” and “human being” as changing and not static. The only certainty is change and the business organizations that understand these principles have the greatest longevity. If it were not for evolution, we would not be here. Most change is gradual; however some change has been revolutionary such as the rise of mammals after the extinction of the dinosaurs by a catastrophic asteroid collision. For business and society gradual change is preferable and more stable. By highlighting the dysfunction in a humorous manner and then presenting alternatives, we honor the pain being experienced in the workforce. By approaching conflict from this perspective we can connect at a deeper level of understanding. Today there is a growing skepticism towards motivational
personalities and the corporate culture. By poking fun at
ourselves we wanted to expose our vulnerability and
humanity. We don't propose a magic cure, but we are offering
a number of tools you can use to reclaim your power, but in
a light hearted and loving way. Four Step Program for Individual &
Organizational Wellness Step One: Discovering the Inner Comic How is everyone tonight? Has anyone ever made a career change? I had this mid life crises and I went from being a Creative CPA to a yoga instructor/author/ comedian wannabe. My friends would say, “Why can’t you be like a normal person and get a mistress or a sportscar. Better yet buy a really expensive house with a huge mortgage that will get your mind focused.” Now not only can’t I afford a mistress, but I can’t even make the monthly payments on the station wagon. I can’t even get my old job back at Anderson all the clients are gone. You see I got the downsizing blues. Moral of the Story: We can’t live life without experiencing some form of pain; it is part of the human experience. Pain gives meaning to our life’s journey and can lead us back to the path of growth and the pursuit of our life’s purpose. Humor can help us to honor the pain and acknowledge it. Unfortunately, most of us repress our pain and emotions, anesthetizing ourselves with addictions such as alcohol, drugs, food, nicotine, sex, money, material possessions, work, relationships, etc. In my own life I went through a series of addictions. You name the addiction…I had it. In fact, I was even addicted to my therapist. Many psychiatrists, psychologists and pharmaceutical companies think we should all be taking daily doses of Prozac; but again, this is just another addiction causing the power to be taken from you. What we really need is to get in touch with our true feelings, which is what the addiction is preventing us from doing in the first place. Yoga practice allows us to evaluate our emotions and feelings from a balanced, objective place. Overcoming our addictions is one of the spiritual lessons we come to experience in this life. Will we have the courage to admit that we have these addictions, and will we have the courage to take the action necessary? Many of us never get the courage to face our addictions and we continue to blame others for our failings. This pattern of behavior was taught to us in early childhood. We learned by fear that if we placed the blame on others we could escape punishment. I recall a time when I was five years old. I had colored the solar system on the living-room wall in crayon. When my mother asked me who did it, I told her that it was my one-year-old sister. When my mother began to praise my sister’s genius, I quickly admitted that it was my creation. I was given a bucket and a sponge and I remember scrubbing all day long. Many parents are quick to react to such behavior with a physical and verbal assault. This conditions the child to avoid accepting responsibility. The results are that we have organizations full of individual who have been socialized to lie and blame others for their shortcomings. Our legal, healthcare, and educational systems have further contributed to removing the burden of personal responsibility to the detriment of the individual and society as a whole. I have found that many people facing life-challenging illnesses are willing to accept responsibility for their actions and dispense with the denial process because it is obviously no longer serving their best interests. In working as a yoga therapist with cancer patients, I have found it very important to begin to unlock the energy blockages in the body because all of our experiences get manifested in our physiology. Therefore, I consider the use of humor to be the first step for healing and healthy living. So as a first exercise construct your own comedy act. You may want to take a few painful experiences from your work life and exaggerate them. Humor is often about creating absurdity out of the stuff of everyday life. Sometimes our lives are absurd. In these cases you will not have to be as creative. I have provided about half a page for your act. Please fill in your name. I suggest you may want to share your act with a friend or co-worker. Sharing can be especially healing because it allows us to better understand each other’s challenges and past journey. However, do not feel obligated to share. We also will be running a contest for the best Inner Comic. Please send your submissions to www.yogaforbusiness.com. _______________’s Comedy Act: Your Name You know if my life were a movie it would be called_________________________(visit the www.fandango.com site under Hot Movies and choose from a genre). Your life may fall into one of these categories; Action, Comedy, Drama, Suspense, Romance, Family, Sci-fi or Art House. Once you have chosen your category, you can search through an alphabetical listing of movies in your category to find the one that best fits your life. (Go ahead and complain like my Jewish Grandmother) Not only do I have a _____________________ but a _____________________and a _________ ___________________________________ and a ____________________ _________________________________ (Now write your story. Exaggerate and be absurd with your own faults as well as others in your life.) Use additional paper if needed. __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ (Now see if you can touch upon the more painful experiences with humor)_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ (End by telling what the sequel to your movie will be called)______________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Step Two: Discovering the Inner Artist Our artist has illustrated three characters I have created; Annie, Manny and Oscar based upon certain archetype characteristics. The characters perform the Yoga positions that are supposed to focus their minds on productive thoughts while the company’s executives violate all of the principles they are teaching in the class. I use the characters to honor the difficulties you may encounter as well as to lighten up the subject matter. This should be fun and lighthearted not heavy and painful. The characters allow us to explore some of our traits and behaviors that are similar and possibly uncover some of the limitations we impose on ourselves. Expressing ourselves through art has also been part of the human experience for tens of thousands of years. With the assistance of our talented artist, I have created illustrations, in our case study, of some painful experiences faces by our three characters; Annie, Manny and Oscar. On the right sidebar I would like you to honor your experience by creating an illustration. Please try not to be judgmental of your artistic ability. Just focus on re-creating the painful experience and add absurdity to create some space between you and the experience. Once the pain has been uncovered, the more difficult process of forgiveness can begin. Through Yoga and exercises in detachment you can start to experience your life from a place of greater understanding and tolerance. In this way you can create the space to begin to understand the challenges and limitations of those who may have hurt you in the past. You may also be able to begin looking at how you may be contributing to the melodrama in your life and how you can avoid it in the future. Step Three: Discovering Your Inner Musician There is an underlying vibration throughout the Universe that dates back to the original “Big Bang” some 8-12 billion years ago. There is also a vibration that runs through our physiology that is related to our heartbeat and breathing. Even our thoughts have a sound associated with them. Therefore, everything has its own theme music, no matter how silent it appears. When our thoughts are out of kilter they throw off our normally relaxed patterns of breathing, and heartbeat. Our talented Musician, Michael DiGirolamo, has created a musical combination for the meditations in the accompanying CD that will help you move from patterns of thought that tend to disrupt the system, to patterns of thought that lead to relaxation, focus and healing. We have included a Tree Meditation and a Loving Kindness Meditation. The Tree Meditation focuses on balance and the Loving Kindness Meditation focuses on service. You may want to use these meditations in the morning to maintain a sense of balance during the day. As an exercise in breathing and in vibration awareness, I suggest you purchase a basic c chord harmonica. The harmonica is a great instrument because we can make sounds both on the inhalation and exhalation. What I suggest is that you work toward a four second inhalation and an eight second exhalation. This is a very healing interval. By getting six breaths per minute you are training your entire physiology to slow down and assume a healthier beat and rhythm. To make the exercise even more interesting, you can vary your position on the harmonica using higher notes and lower notes. You can even shake the harmonica in your mouth to create interesting sounds. I recommend practicing the musical exercise at least five minutes a day until you feel comfortable with breathing intervals. Or feel free to continue to use the harmonica. It is a wonderful instrument, which I have found to be very healin Step Four: Loving Your Self While it is true that as human beings we all need to experience some pain on our journey, there comes a point in time when we no longer need to inflict suffering upon ourselves. Self-love involves understanding that you are complete and whole and not lacking in any regard. You are a microcosm of the universe. A hologram of creation is inside each of us. We all have great power, but we have been afraid to uncover it. The uncovering takes great courage because what I am asking you to do is to step into the silence. This involves tuning out the problems of the world we ultimately wish to solve. Only by creating this distance can you be effective. In music, the silence gives the notes meaning. In your life, the silence can do the same. To be effective you must make a commitment now to yourself and your well being to immerse yourself fully in this program. Allocate the time required, which is about an hour each day. I suggest you try the program for a month. I am confident that once you experience the positive changes, you will make it a lifelong pursuit and wonder how you ever survived without it. There are many forces that don’t want you to uncover your inner power because it will mean that they will lose power over you. Some of the greatest offenders are family members, organized religion, the healthcare industry, business organizations, the media and the government. Unlocking your personal power is one of the great gifts of Yoga practice. Yoga practice requires discipline, and time. It is so
much easier to embark on this path when we have the time and
our health is good. Yet we often do not, and wait for a
crises or breakdown before we take action. The key to
developing the discipline is to practice self-love. You have
to love yourself enough to give yourself this time. Restoring Faith in Our Institutions Means Restoring Faith in Ourselves In a recent article in the Wall Street Journal entitled "Invisible Hand Works Because of Invisible Handshake”, trust was considered the pillar in upholding our capitalist system. It is no accident that the founders of our country included these words on our currency. However trust can only be effective when we live our lives in service to a higher authority. The concept of spiritual capitalism is demonstrated by effective business organizations, which maximize benefits for their customers, their company and the community as a whole. This requires a long-term focus, which is difficult to achieve in many public companies that are driven by short term profitability reporting. If all our attention and focus is on serving our customers then long-term share price maximization can be achieved. For capitalism to be most effective we need to move away from the focus on short-term profitability and refocus on fundamental business building. Decisions must be made using the “How can I serve, how can I help” yardstick. We can start to apply these concepts at the individual level of the manager and employee and develop a code of ethics that can be applied for organizational decision-making. If our form of capitalism evolved to this level, then we could avoid activist governmental regulation and the costs associated therewith. Governmental regulation is often needed when capitalism is deprived of spirituality. Unfortunately government regulation creates yet another bureaucracy with its related inefficiencies. In industries such and the accounting industry and the healthcare industry, we need to redesign the system so that the service provider's interest is aligned with that of the customer. In the healthcare industry the third party payer system is ruining the quality of care and in the accounting industry the interest of the auditors are not in line with their customers, the investors because they are being paid by industry...Well DUH. Who thought up this one anyway? The laws of nature are much more efficient and effective than the laws of man. Whenever possible we should design systems that mirror the brilliance of nature. Sometimes this requires a leap of faith or change in on our belief systems. No matter how sophisticated the systems we devise, those with ill intent can find a way to defeat such systems. A better approach would be to change the belief systems of those who are gaming the system. Currently our belief systems have embraced Materialism over Spiritualism and the result has been a series of plagues; healthcare, terrorism, accounting scandals, religious scandals and violence, wildlife mismanagement, litigation, etc. The founders of our country were very wealthy men. They were willing to give up all their wealth and material possessions, even their lives, for a principle. Are we honoring their spirit and sacrifice when we do business with countries that violate basic human rights because of the economic consequences? When we start to sacrifice our values where does it end? In the playground? In the doctor’s office? In our companies? In the Church? Or in the oval office? The question is who is your Lord? Who is your master? Who are you serving? Money? Cars? Impressing Neighbors? Or the true Spirit? We have made our celebrities into kings and queens, and these unhappy rulers retain power by peddling materialism to further their own gain. Our corporate organizations resemble the courts of the feudal era; the only thing we lack is the jester. Perhaps all corporations should hire a chief humor officer. Currently the engine of capitalism is pulled by material consumption and fear-based motivation. While we have been very productive we have also have produced a nation of obesity and chronic disease, while we continue to spend more and more on healthcare. The shift away from materialism toward personal freedom will not be easy. There will be many in government, business, religious institutions and the media that will fight against it because they will lose power over us. Ultimately it is up to all of us to start to own our own power and develop a relationship with God or spirit, which needs to be part of our every day lives. The source of life I tap into is forgiving, loving non-judgmental and compassionate. Perhaps if the right wing would be willing to empower the individual with direct communion with the divine, the left wing could become more comfortable with public expressions of spirituality. In the beginning I was a voice in the wilderness, a mild mannered CPA working for Anderson on the Enron account who had a midlife crises and morphed into a Yoga Guru/Author because my wife wouldn't let me have an affair or purchase a sports car. I should have just bought an expensive house, that would have kept my mind focused. But in all seriousness, I didn’t work for Anderson but I had similar experiences in the corporate world, which led me down this path including a manager committing suicide and the untimely death of my father. In yoga we believe that all suffering is self-created. Like Dr. Bernie Siegel I have done a great deal of work with cancer patients. We have learned that people facing life-challenging illnesses are more likely to start facing the denial process and more willing to change the belief systems, which are no longer serving them. We use these same principles to help companies that are starting to address market-challenging situations. For the individual the greatest challenge is to face our mortality. Meditation helps us to overcome this fear as the meditative process exposes the truth. Once this fear crumbles the rest fall by the wayside and fundamental change can occur. So if you are interested in changing our institutions, the first place to start is the self by going within. Take a healing interval by following your breath and focusing on how to change your life and how we can change the world. Then we can begin to send a message to those in power who are running our institutions. The technology of the Internet can empower us to
challenge the established order. One way to do this is to
send this to the people you know that are in need of
empowerment, and then suggest they do the same with others.
We all have so much power, but we have been afraid to use
it. It's time to stop being afraid. It's time we start
owning our own power and helping others own theirs. Spiritual Development Many people often ask how we can believe in an intelligent Universe when our history is littered with instances of inequity, and strife. When we experience these horrible events it is understandable that we may begin to question the randomness of the universe. This illusion can be pierced through Yoga and spiritual practice. Almost every group of peoples at one time or another has been a victim of oppression. The Holocaust is viewed as a dreadful event in the annals of human history, in which twelve million souls perished but what if those souls were self sacrificed in order to raise the general level of consciousness of humanity? Perhaps these souls were also addressing some of their own Karma in the process. This was a horrific event; did it succeed in raising the awareness of the danger of hate and violence? Have we evolved into a more peaceful world order as a result of these sacrifices? After September 11, it may seem as f we have taken some steps backward. Being in a state of elevated consciousness allows us to recognize that the departed souls helped to elevate our consciousness and raise awareness to the hate certain groups foment. They have protected us against even worse disasters and continue to protect us from afar. The battle against hate can only be won by changing the hearts and belief systems of those who embrace anger. A few years ago I was at the Wailing Wall for Shabbat service. I sat down and began to meditate as I touched the wall. As a descendant of Abraham, Moses and Jesus I felt a profound sadness for the suffering of my people. As the commotion began to calm I got into a very deep state and lost all connection to self. The message I got from spirit was that there are no holy places, all places are holy, there are no holy days, all days are holy. We are whole, in fact we are holograms of the universe. Spirit cannot be tied into a location in space or a moment in time. This misconception is the source of all of our self-inflicted pain and can only be overcome from liberation from limited thinking. Then I also realized that spirit has a very profound sense of humor and a great deal of patience. What appears to many as a tragic cosmic joke is in reality just a transition in our education and spiritual development. I was later told that, as the nigh wore on groups of religious leaders had been stopping to observe me. When I regained consciousness almost two hours had lapsed, it was dark and the grounds were quiet. I had no concept of the passing of time. I will always cherish that experience as a major awakening for me. Slavery, was yet another crime against humanity that caused much pain and suffering amongst the peoples of Africa. Is it possible that millions of souls involved in this barbaric and brutal captivity were sacrificed to create a nation of diversity? Isn’t America inspiring in its diversity and tolerance of different ethnic and religious persuasions as a result? While we may not comprehend the methods of the Universe, it’s possible these horrible events occurred for much higher reasons. We have all been victims at one point or another in our lives. The key to leading an enlightened life is to avoid he “victim trap” Victimization is the most crippling form of ignorance because it tells us that we are helpless and insignificant. We have become a nation of victims. Being a victim excuses us from responsibility for our actions and gives ammunition to those who are prejudging us. The “victim trap” will also retard spiritual evolution and the healing process. Yoga can help us by letting us view the event as a spiritual lesson, which can be your greatest teacher in life. If you can control your emotions you will see that this is an opportunity to grow and evolve. The alternative is experiencing the same Karmic episodes again in you next incarnation. Forgiveness is another important concept to be learned by the Yoga student. It holds the key to unlocking your potential to grow and expand in your spiritual journey. Often times in my meditation I will end it by praying for someone who has hurt me or treated me unfairly. I forgive them and send them love. It is a very freeing and liberating experience. Furthermore, I believe that the energy you send can have profound affects on their behavior. For spiritual practice to be effective we need to move away from the melodrama of the daily news. This doesn’t mean you should be ignorant to what is going on outside in the world, but your emotional attachment to it must be diminished. Focus on news sources that offer objective coverage of events without sensationalism. When negativity and sensationalism are used to sell a story, it produces negative Karma. Clouding the mind with disturbing images will also interfere with meditation. Empowering oneself means limiting the power the media has over your life. Only through the introduction of spirit can we have a more loving and compassionate world. The ultimate purpose of Yoga is to promote spiritual development. Sometimes you have to give it up in order to save it. The Buddha once said, “This life of ours is as transient as autumn clouds. To watch the birth and death of beings is like watching the movement of a dance. A lifetime is like a flash of lightning in the sky, like a torrent flowing down a steep mountain. We have stopped for a while to love to share, but this moment is transient, ephemeral. If we share with light heartedness and love then this moment will have been worthwhile” When we can view the movement of our life from a place of detachment, we can enjoy the process and begin to see the larger picture. Finding your purpose in life and achieving your Dharma should be your ultimate objective. It is after all why your spirit has made the journey; there was a lesson to be learned. Through mediation and regular Yoga practice you can begin
to understand your Karma and design a program to transmute
any Karmic debts. In addition at a very subtle level you
will begin to experience your Dharma and a path will unfold
which will lead you toward enlightenment. Understanding the Space Time Illusion We have been deceived by our senses into believing that we live in a material world. For example there is a whole eco-system residing under our covers and we don’t see it. If we did we might not want to go to sleep. Our senses tell us that objects are material but physicists know they are made mostly of energy. We are currently witnessing a major evolution in our understanding of life and science is beginning to confirm what the ancient mystics have been saying for thousands of years. The great physicists of modern times now tell us that time may be circular and not linear as we had once thought. The universe is a series of expansions and contractions of mind-boggling proportions. Physicists are also telling us that we may be in a few dimensions at one time. That is our physical bodies are like the images on a television screen. In fact you are really not material, but a projection o energy and information coming from a quantum field. The key is to understand how the broadcasting process of your spirit. Scientists have been studying areas in our universe called black holes. These are extremely large areas where normal laws of physics do not apply. Light cannot escape from these regions and all notions of time/space are turned upside down. It is possible that these unique areas may be windows to other dimensions of reality. Since we are made of the same stuff of the universe, stardust the elements of the black holes are inside us. When we go into deep states of transcendence during meditation we are really entering a unique dimension that is a natural part of us, as much as it is a natural part of the universe. But what is the darkness, the silence we experience during meditation? I like to think of it as the womb of creation itself. The unlimited possibilities that exist for the expression of universal intelligence. For example, in music the silence gives the notes their meaning. There are infinite possibilities for the way the notes are arranged. When the sound ends it doesn’t die, but merely returns from where it came. Without the silence, the music or tones would have no meaning. In life, the silence of meditation helps reveal the
meaning of our existence. So the most important thing you
can do each day is to meditate and you will create the music
of your life. Meditation Meditation is a mental process, which involves focusing one’s attention to detach one’s awareness from the objects of the senses. The meditation can either be objectless or focused. For beginners it is recommended that they focus on an object. In this section we will gain an understanding of what the meditative state is and practices for attaining meditative awareness. Here is one of the images that Ram Dass uses in one of his audiotapes to describe the essence of the meditative state: Have you ever been walking along the beach when you got lost in the totality of the moment? The feeling of the sand on your feet, the warmth of the sun on your shoulders, the gentle movement of hairs on your arm as a breeze picked up. You weren't thinking, "they’re looking at me, or concerned about yourself. You had surrendered to the moment and your every step was gentle and deliberate. Your breathing had also slowed and you were aware of a heightened sense of smell, if fact all your senses were more focused, |
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