Have you ever considered attending a spiritual retreat?

As a business executive, feeling pressure is an inevitable part of the job. You might even feel, at times, that stress and anxiety can get the better of you. But it doesn’t have to be this way. 

Spiritual retreats can teach you how to manage yourself through difficult times. Helping you make better choices, reduce daily pressure, and increase your performance and well-being.

No matter how successful you are, it’s important to take time away from your daily business life and focus on yourself. 

Why should executives consider spiritual retreats? Spiritual retreats help to recharge your batteries. By offering a calm and relaxing environment, they allow you to tap into greater reserves of creativity and inspiration. 

Benefits of spiritual retreats for executives

Spiritual retreats provide executives the chance to relax, recharge, reflect, and refocus. And while the benefits can be unique to the individual, some are universal to entrepreneurs, executives, and CEOs alike.

Reconnect with the inner self

Executives often feel overwhelmed and exhausted from their work demands and everyday stress. 

Executives can practice mindfulness meditation at spiritual retreats and emotionally reconnect with themselves. These techniques can make you feel more relaxed, peaceful, and content. A well-balanced body and mind will be beneficial in all aspects of life after the retreat has ended.

Sense of peace 

A spiritual practice is the foundation of a meaningful life, says Oprah Winfrey. Spiritual retreats focus on these spiritual practices. 

Mindfulness meditation, for example, allows executives to cultivate inner peace. Yoga, on the other hand, can promote physical relaxation and mental clarity. 

These practices can teach you to accept whatever arises in your mind without judgment or resistance – creating a sense of inner peace. 

Improve your ability to focus 

When you’re trying to lead a team, you must be able to focus on the task at hand. Unfortunately, many leaders need help to focus. This is where meditation can help. 

An eight-week mindfulness meditation program can improve performance, attention, and focus. 

Bill Gates, the founder of Microsoft, says meditation is one of his most impactful practices. He uses it to improve his focus and attention span. 

Reduce stress and anxiety 

Group discussions provide a supportive environment. They allow executives to talk with peers about their challenges and experiences. People in similar positions are well-placed to understand the unique issues they face.

Undoubtedly, talking about problems can help relieve the stress and anxiety associated with them.

Improve communication skills 

Good communication skills are essential for any leader. Mindfulness meditation has been proven to improve communication skills. A recent study found that participants developed enhanced communication skills following an eight-week mindfulness meditation program. 

Enhance creativity 

Indeed, I have previously written that mindfulness is a key ingredient for successful leadership. It helps stimulate creative problem-solving and mental clarity to think outside the box. 

Jeff Weiner, a former Yahoo executive, finds practicing mindfulness meditation helps him develop innovative solutions and ideas.

Improve decision-making skills 

Spiritual wellness retreats help you gain greater insight into your decision-making processes. Which enables you to understand yourself better and make more informed choices. 

Russell Simmons, a Def Jam Records co-founder, believes nothing has been more important in his career than meditation.

Develop a stronger connection with employees and create a more positive work environment

Are you looking to foster a stronger connection with your employees and cultivate a more positive work environment? Consider attending a spiritual wellness retreat.

Andrew Chert, CEO of Panda Express, believes spiritual meditation teaches us to push past our cognitive and habitual thinking. Allowing us to see the perspective of others and come to new understandings. 

Choosing the right spiritual wellness retreat

Ready to find a spiritual retreat? Keep the following considerations in mind when choosing the right spiritual wellness retreat.

• Location: Decide if you’d prefer a location close to home or that’s more exotic and remote. 
• Type of Retreat: Determine if you want a structured retreat with daily activities or something more open-ended and relaxed.
• Length of Time: Consider your available time and whether you can travel for an extended period.
• Focus: Think about which spiritual practice is most relevant to you. Techniques range from yoga, meditation, mindfulness, or anything else.

Spiritual retreat suggestions

Now you have an idea of what to look for in a spiritual wellness retreat, here are some great suggestions to get you on the path to relaxation and rejuvenation!

• Kripalu Center for Yoga & Health
  Located in the beautiful Berkshires region of Massachusetts, Kripalu offers various programs, including yoga workshops, meditation classes, silent retreats, nature walks, and more.
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• Awaken My Heart 
  This Costa Rica-based retreat focuses on restoring balance through yoga and meditation practices. Additionally, they also offer special activities such as surfing lessons and zip-lining excursions as part of their program.
• The Sacred Pathway 
  Founded in Arizona by Tibetan Master Dzigar Kongtrul Rinpoche, The Sacred Pathway offers teachings on Buddhism and meditation. You will learn about compassionate communication skills and living in harmony with yourself and others.
• Himalayan Institute 
  A traditional ashram set against the backdrop of the Himalayas at the foothills of Mt. Everest offers luxurious accommodations. This retreat provides various programs ranging from reiki healing sessions to Ayurvedic treatments and yoga classes. 

Regardless of the spiritual wellness retreat you choose, remember that it should be a time for yourself. A time to reset your mind and spirit so you can return feeling rejuvenated and ready to take on whatever life throws at you!

The final verdict

If you’re looking for a way to jump-start your productivity and creativity or want to learn how to relax and destress, consider attending a spiritual retreat. These types of retreats offer many benefits that can help executives in their personal and professional lives.

You will have the opportunity to unplug from technology and clear your mind. You’ll also gain insights into yourself that you may never have considered before.

Do you ever find yourself wondering why some people seem to be naturally more successful at work than you are? Do you struggle to understand how they achieve the things they do? If I were to hazard a guess, I would say they are driven by their passions. People who are driven, or even just guided by their passions are more likely to be engaged and happy – not to mention more successful overall. In fact, one of Deepak Chopra’s seven spiritual laws of success, the law of pure potentiality, urges people to pursue their passions in order to find true success.

It works on the basis that successful people are drawn to the things that they are good at.

If you have not yet discovered Chopra’s principles, I strongly recommend you take a look and consider using these principles as a guide in establishing your professional career.

Below I’ve prepared an adaptation of the seven spiritual laws that can be used by executives and other professional workers in their pursuit of success.

What are the 7 spiritual laws of success?

The seven spiritual laws of success are a set of principles that can help guide your business – or yourself individually in your professional career – and encourage you to work in a way that reflects and supports your own values or those of your business.

The principles are based on the combined wisdom of many different cultures and traditions worldwide. They focus on helping individuals and organizations create a work environment where people feel valued for their contributions and are given opportunities to grow spiritually and professionally.

The principles assume that your mind is like a magnet that attracts experiences that match its thoughts and beliefs. When you go out into the world with fear and limitation, you attract those things that elicit fear and limitation. When you go out with love and faith, you attract things that develop love and faith.

Let’s take a look at the seven principles individually to see how they can be applied in a professional environment.

The 7 spiritual laws explained

1. The law of pure potentiality

We all want to be better leaders. We want to be the kind of leader that people follow because they believe in us, not just because we’re the boss. But what is it that makes a great leader?

It’s a complicated question, but there’s one thing we know for sure: great leaders don’t just get lucky. They likely already know how to use their spirituality to their advantage to become better leaders.

Great leadership starts with pure potentiality—the Law of Pure Potentiality, which states that you can have anything you want if you believe in yourself enough. This first law is first and foremost about being aware of yourself. Think of this as the “know thyself” rule. It will be difficult to achieve success if you don’t know where you are starting from.

That’s why it’s essential to take time out to get to know yourself, not just in a superficial way. You need to dig deeper and understand what makes you tick—what motivates you, what makes it hard for you, and what’s holding you back.

Once you understand yourself and believe in your potential, you can then inspire others to do the same. If others can see your potential, they’re more likely to follow your lead.

This law works so particularly well for growing your leadership capabilities.

2. The law of giving and receiving

The Law of Giving and Receiving is also one of the seven spiritual laws of success that can help you become a better leader. The premise is when you give to others, they will want to give back. When you make other people feel good about themselves and their work, they will be more inspired to do their best for you.

By treating your employees with respect and appreciation, they’ll be motivated to return the favor by working hard for you. The Law of Giving and Receiving will help your company grow in ways that are mutually beneficial for everyone involved.

3. The law of karma: cause and effect

The Law of Karma suggests that everything happens for a reason, and the universe always delivers what you deserve. There are consequences for every action you take—even if it’s not immediately obvious.

Sometimes karma is hard to grasp, especially when it feels like things aren’t going your way. But if you keep working hard and doing good, eventually everything will work out—and as a result, so will your business! This law is important because it teaches us how to live our lives. It encourages us to think about how our actions affect others and make sure we’re not hurting or exploiting them.

This law can be applied to business in various ways, but the most obvious is the way in which your company conducts business. Business should be conducted in an ethical and socially responsible way. Don’t break the law, don’t exploit consumers or employees, and be honest and transparent with all parties engaged in the company’s activities.

If you conduct your business in a responsible and ethical way, the law of karma states that this good energy will return to you.

4. The law of least effort: intentional action, unintentional results

At first glance, it might seem like leadership is about taking charge—giving orders and direction. But that’s not necessarily true. True leadership is about inspiring others to be better than they thought they could be.

And what does that mean? It means creating an environment where people want to work hard and do their best work. You don’t have to force or threaten them; you have to give them something worth working for.

Rather than giving your staff strict rules and procedures to follow, instead, give them fewer if you want them to accomplish a better job and be happier at work. The more regulations there are, the more difficult it is for people to work effectively—and they will accomplish less.

It is human nature to take the path of least resistance, to choose less work and more reward. Instead of complicated processes, allow your staff to find their way through instinct. Sure there might be some mistakes, but it is through our mistakes that our best lessons are learned.

5. The law of detachment

In business, we’re all trying to get ahead. Who hasn’t felt the pressure to do more, be more, and have more? We’re always looking for the next step in our career or the next big thing that will make us stand out. But what if there was another way? What if we could detach from all this pressure and just be ourselves?

That’s what the Law of Detachment is about: letting go of what you think you need to be successful in business to focus on what matters. It shouldn’t be about how much money you make or how many employees report to you. It should be about how well your team works together and the result they achieve.

When we let go of our attachment to success, we open ourselves up to new opportunities and ideas. This leads to better leadership and better results for everyone involved!

6. The law of intention and desire

The Law of Intention and Desire states that if you want something badly enough, you can make it happen. If you want your company to succeed, you need to put your intention behind it—and then use all of your resources (including your desire) to make it happen.

As a leader, you need to be clear about where you’re headed and why if you want your team to succeed. They’ll follow you there if they understand why it matters.

7. The law of Dharma: act according to your inner dharma

The Law of Dharma is the belief that you should act according to your inner nature. In other words, if you’re feeling inspired or motivated, it’s probably a good idea to follow through with that inspiration and motivation.

But remember that not all actions are equal—you might have an inner calling to do something that doesn’t feel good at first, but if it’s truly aligned with who you are, then it will ultimately be worth it.

In business, this might look like taking uncomfortable risks that will ultimately align with your goals and values. If you’re inspired by an idea for a new product or service, don’t let fear stop you from pushing forward!

Final thoughts

When you think about spirituality in business, it might seem like an abstract concept—but it’s not! Leadership that embraces spirituality is about the values that drive your company and your decisions as a leader.

It all starts with you. When you properly align your energy, the universe will reflect that back to you. The seven spiritual laws of success, when leveraged correctly, can help you achieve your objectives.

Did you know that spiritual leadership has been proven to deliver positive outcomes for employees? And it’s not just at work, it’s in their private lives too. But when we talk about spirituality in leadership, what comes to mind? For me, it’s values. The values that guide us as individuals and the values that also guide our organizations.

They are our motivators, the things that inspire us to do what we do. And when we’re inspired, it shows in our work. It shows in how we treat others. It shows in how we serve our customers and our community.

Essentially spiritual leadership is about being authentic and living in alignment with your values. At its core, it’s about leading from a place of inner strength and wisdom. But it is also about inspiring others to connect with their own sense of purpose and power.

So if you’re thinking about what kind of leader you want to be, think about what values you want to live by. And then inspire others to do the same.

The science behind the success of spiritual business leaders

Employees who work for spiritual leaders are more likely to report higher levels of job satisfaction. On top of that, they report higher levels of life satisfaction as well.

A recent study by the International Journal of Entrepreneurship found a meaningful workplace helped make employees feel valued, purposeful, and driven at work. And often, a meaningful workplace was associated with spiritual leadership.

There is a direct correlation between leader and employee relationships and job satisfaction. And spiritual leaders were found to have better relationships with their employees.

Employees who perceive their leaders to be spiritual were more likely to report higher levels of job commitment and more likely to say that their leader was effective.

Essentially, these studies identified three intriguing possibilities as to why spiritual leaders inspire their employees:

• An individual’s spirituality can affect their leadership style: A spiritual person may be more likely to lead in a way that emphasizes collaboration, respect for others, and concern for the common good.
• Spirituality-based leadership style is associated with positive outcomes for employees: If you work for a spiritual leader, you may be more likely to be satisfied with your job and to feel that your leader is effective.
• These positive outcomes, in turn, lead to higher levels of life satisfaction: If you are more satisfied with your job and feel that your leader is effective, you may also be more likely to report higher levels of life satisfaction.

What spiritual leadership is not

Being a leader, I have often found that there is a lot of confusion about what spiritual leadership is and what it is not. I have also found that many people believe that being a spiritual leader means being a religious leader.

This could not be further from the truth. Spiritual leadership doesn’t have anything to do with religion. It is about creating an environment where people can thrive, regardless of their beliefs.

Nor is spiritual leadership about being perfect – we all have flaws, and we all make mistakes. The key is to learn from those mistakes and always strive to be the best we can be.

And lastly, spiritual leadership is not about being a guru or an expert on everything. It is about being open to new ideas and new perspectives. It is about being willing to learn from others and sharing your own knowledge with them.

Principles of spiritual leadership that will cultivate an environment of success in the workplace

While the definition of spirituality may differ from person to person, there are some underlying principles that are essential for cultivating an environment of success in the workplace.

Accountability

Accountability is a core component of any organization that aims for success. It ensures that everyone is aware of the goals that need to be achieved and that they are held accountable for meeting those goals. This, in turn, fosters a sense of responsibility and ownership, and it motivates employees to do their best work.
Accountability promotes transparency and open communication, as employees feel comfortable sharing information when they know it will be used to hold them accountable.

Integrity

Integrity is another essential principle of spiritual leadership. It means being honest and ethical in all aspects of your work. It also means being authentic and true to yourself.

When you are a leader with integrity, people will trust you and respect you. They will also be more likely to follow your lead and support your decisions.

Service

The principle of service is about putting others first. It means that you are always looking for ways to help others, whether it is through your work or in your personal life. When you live your life in service to others, you inspire them to do the same.

When everyone is focused on helping others, it creates a positive and productive environment.

Compassion

Compassion is about caring for others and showing empathy for their situation. It means being kind and understanding, even when others are not.

When you are a compassionate leader, people will feel appreciated and valued. They will also be more likely to trust and respect you.

Respect

Respect is about treating others with dignity and consideration. It means valuing their opinions and ideas, even if you do not agree with them.

When you are a leader who respects others, they will be more likely to trust and respect you. They will also be more likely to follow your lead and support your decisions.

How to be a more spiritual leader in your workplace

If you are interested in becoming a more spiritual leader in your workplace, I’ve put together a few tips on how you can get started.

Show compassion and understanding

A spiritual leader empowers others by modeling tolerant and compassionate behavior. When employees feel understood and valued, they are more likely to be engaged and productive.

Communicate openly and honestly

Spiritual leaders are transparent about their own values and beliefs, and they encourage open dialogue about difficult topics. This builds trust and respect between leaders and followers.

When employees feel like they can openly share their thoughts and feelings, they are more likely to be engaged and productive.

Encourage employees to find their own path

One of the most important things a spiritual leader can do is encourage employees to find their own path.

When employees feel like they can be themselves, they are more likely to be engaged and productive.

Help employees find meaning in their work

Another important role of a spiritual leader is to help employees find meaning in their work. This means helping them see how their work fits into the bigger picture. It also means supporting them as they explore their own values and beliefs.

When employees feel like their work has a purpose, they are more likely to be engaged and productive.

The bottom line

Spiritual leadership is about creating an environment where people can be their best selves. It is being true to your values and principles, and it is about constantly striving to be better. When we do these things, we inspire others to do the same. And that is what leadership is all about.

Do you set goals for your business, projects, or personal development? It should not be any different when it comes to your spirituality. Your spiritual energy is an important part of your professional success. Although realizing the connection between spirituality and business can sometimes be a little too abstract. That’s why I put together a few spiritual goals, examples, and action items to help get you on your way.

Before we get started, let’s take on how to effectively set spiritual goals.

Setting spiritual goals

The benefits of setting spiritual goals – and achieving them – go beyond the direct tangible results. By including spirituality in the workplace, you not only increase your own productivity but also business profitability, employee loyalty, customer retention, and brand reputation.

So, if you’re trying to find your purpose and want to lead a more meaningful life. A life rich with spiritual energy that will allow you to achieve business success, you should consider focusing on your own spiritual goals. Regardless of whether you adhere to a religion, spirituality is a part of who you are and not just something you believe in.

By setting appropriate spiritual goals, you allow yourself the possibility of greater efficiency and self-awareness. You give yourself the ability to break bad habits, view things more clearly and from a different perspective and understand your action-reaction cycle while making decisions. All of these things are extremely important in harnessing your own spiritual energy and can lead to greater business success.

When setting spiritual goals, I recommend you follow the same process that you use to set goals for your business and personal development.

How to get started with spiritual goals

Make sure your spiritual objectives at work are reasonable, attainable, time-bound, positive, and shareable with your co-workers. This will get you started on the right foot, and you will be better placed to be successful in achieving your goals. Remember, when setting spiritual goals, make sure they are positive and of course, don’t be too hard on yourself.

The process of setting spiritual goals consists of 6 steps:

1. Analyze your spiritual values and beliefs

To get started, you must first analyze your values and beliefs. It is important to note that spiritual values should not pertain to money or material things. Nor should they be about power or being famous either.

Spiritual values are human and non-material. They are driven by compassion and wisdom.

To help get you started, Larry Cullidord in “Psychology Today” and Dr Saju Skaria on Linkedin listed the following spiritual values:

After looking at this list, you might be asking yourself how these values apply to business. Isn´t business fundamentally concerned with earning money?

Yes, it is, but by doing so in a spiritual way and exercising spiritual values, you earn money in an honest, ethical way. Businesses should serve humanity and not the other way around.

Find a quiet place, close your eyes, and reflect on your own values and those of your company.

Which values are most important for you, for your team, or for your colleagues?

What would you like to have written on your grave?

If your company were a person, which human spiritual values would it have?

2. Define your purpose and who you want to become

Having defined your values, you can now investigate what your motivation is. Your motivation will essentially be your purpose or your driving force. That’s why it is so important to establish at the onset. Without a strong driving force, you are more likely to flail along the way and abandon your goals. Goals that are embedded with strong foundations are more likely to stand the test of time.

With your purpose in mind, you can research the spiritual options that apply to your circumstances. Consider options that serve both your purpose and your overall values.

Think about how you want to benefit from spirituality. Do you want to become a better person or a better leader?

Are you looking to define spiritual objectives for your business or your department?

Do you want to understand the meaning of life? Do you want to become a calmer, more stress-resilient person?

3. Visualize the results

Now, visualize yourself a year from now. By visualizing your goals, you make them more tangible and also more achievable. After all, “you can’t be what you can’t see”.

By visualizing your goals, you better position yourself to be able to achieve them.

Consider what kind of spiritual person you want to be. Be as specific as possible.

Then, choose your strategy.

Do you want to follow the religious path to spirituality? Or maybe you want to connect to the deeper “inner you”?

4. Choose your favorite spiritual practice

There is an unlimited list of potential spiritual practices, and fundamentally which one you choose is a very personal decision. It will also depend on whether your spiritual goals and objectives are related to your personal development, your team or your company.

If you prefer to immerse in spirituality on your own, then maybe a morning prayer or meditation before going to work is the best option for you.

If, on the other hand, you prefer to be with a group of people, then maybe you should consider community religious services, volunteering in a local charity, or mindfulness activities organized by your company.

I personally enjoy the combination of individual and group activities. I pray in the morning before heading for the office, participate in the religious activities of my congregation and enjoy mindfulness classes at work.

5. Develop a plan

To develop an effective plan, you first need to summarize the conclusions of the first four steps. You will list all your values, spiritual goals and objectives and selected spiritual practices.

You now need to set your timeframe and specify how long you expect it will take you to achieve your new spiritual goals.

Annual goals are great, but it might be easier to start with smaller monthly goals and work up to the larger annual goals. For example, this month I would like to practice more empathy at work on a daily basis.

The plan should include a list of actions that you will undertake to reach your spiritual goals.

6. Act

In this last, but perhaps the most important step, you take your plan and turn it into action. After all, it’s one thing to write down what you want, but another to actually start doing.

As Peter Reason said: “Action without reflection is meaningless activity. Reflection without action is mere academia.”

It’s okay to start small: just one action in the first week will get you on your way. Then, slowly build on that. You will become a new spiritual person in no time.

Examples of spiritual goals

Spiritual Goal 1 – Be Grateful

Be more appreciative of your privileges. Be grateful for what you have and be grateful for the things in your life that offer you joy. Grateful people are more likely to experience happy feelings, appreciate pleasant experiences, boost their health, and cope better with adversity.

And gratitude in the workplace can lead to deeper connections amongst co-workers as well as your own relationship with the work you’re doing each and every day.

Example Goal: For ten minutes at the end of each day I will take the time to journal all of the things in the day that I am grateful for.

Spiritual Goal 2 – Be Inclusive

Promote diversity, and equity and cultivate inclusion. In the workplace, diversity and inclusion represent embracing and welcoming people from all backgrounds of life.

In terms of business, having a wide range of viewpoints on a subject can lead to greater problem-solving abilities and improved employee engagement and productivity.

Example Goal: Each week I will talk to my employees on a rotating basis to hear their pain points. I will keep a journal of these conversations to follow up with conversations to address said pain points.

Spiritual Goal 3 – Boost Empathy

Boost your empathy at work. By perceiving what other people may be feeling, you are better placed to make well-thought-out decisions. Empathy generates a new level of understanding and compassion for your co-workers or customers.

Empathy at work generates more proactive support and punitiveness as well as enhanced efficiency.

And empathetic bosses lead to more empathetic employees. After all, employees are unlikely to display empathy if they don’t feel their bosses have empathy for them. Empathy starts at the top.

Example Goal: Each day I will make a conscious effort to practice active listening: make eye contact, listen intently, not interrupt with my own thoughts, and not offer to fix others’ problems. When I have successfully taken part in a conversation where I actively listened, I will add it to my journal. I aim to engage in daily active listening.

Spiritual Goal 4 – Break Bad Habits

Break your bad habits. Identify what triggers them and try to change the patterns. Let go of things you don’t want and become mentally stronger. It’s normal to have habits, and generally, there’s nothing wrong with them. But keep in mind, that some can be helpful and others more destructive.

On the one hand, making a “to-do list” every week or setting the tone for a productive day by performing a routine first thing in the morning like jogging, yoga or meditation, can be extremely beneficial habits. But drinking too much coffee, not finishing your work task in time (procrastinating), showing up late for meetings or drinking alcohol every night, on the other hand, are not.

Distractions from bad habits can disrupt your workflow and can negatively impact your ability to manage your time. If you have a problem with distractions, identify the main cause and rectify it. For example, if you constantly check your mobile phone, turn the phone off.

To change your bad habits, you need to create good habits that will replace them. This may become an overwhelming task if you try to do too much all at once. To make it easier to succeed, break big goals down into smaller goals. Take smaller steps toward your goals instead of a giant leap. For example, if turning your phone off for a couple of hours is difficult, start with at least 5 minutes a day.

Example Goal: I will reduce my reliance on caffeine by first reducing my intake to one a day, then three a week, with the aim of only one a week by the end of the month.

Spiritual Goal 5 – Practice Self-Refection

Personal or self-reflection or even introspection refers to how you think about yourself. Consider your actions and decisions as a spiritual practice every day. Make an impartial assessment of what you could have done better. Keep a clear head and avoid getting caught up in the day’s events or feelings. In other words, self-reflection is the act of taking the time to contemplate, assess, and give serious consideration to your own ideas and actions.

Finding out why you’re doing what you’re doing is an important part of the process of self-exploration. Introspection, or self-reflection, is an essential psychological practice that helps you learn and benefit from your mistakes. People have around 50,000 thoughts daily, more than half of those are negative and over 90% are repetitions from the day before. It’s impossible to grow and develop if you don’t spend time and effort refocusing your thoughts on the good through introspection. Learning more about our own values and understanding our own reasons for our actions allows us to break away from the distractions of our fast-paced daily lives.

Example Goal: At the end of each day, I will use a journal to write down my thoughts on my actions throughout the day. I will identify the actions that I want to change, identify my triggers and develop an action plan to change my response.

Using spiritual goals to become a better business leader

If you want to flourish spiritually, emotionally, and mentally start with the spiritual goals I have covered in this article. Both you and your business will benefit.

Spiritual people are better leaders. If you read my blog, you already know this. But what do you do after you come to accept this realization? You will likely be confronted with a series of questions on how you can move from the theory of spirituality to its practical application through spiritual activities. You know you want to become more spiritual, but what spiritual practices will allow you to tap into your greater spiritual potential.

But before we dive into spiritual activities, let’s quickly cover why spiritual practices are important to you as a business leader. It’s simple. Spiritual leaders and employees are more productive, create more cohesive teams and are more stress-resilient. And it has been proven time and time again by various research.

For more information on how spirituality and your spiritual energy are an integral part of your business success, I have written a post on what is spirituality in business.

Now, let’s move on to spiritual practices and how we can harness the power of spiritual activities to achieve our spiritual goals. I have even put together a spiritual practice list to help you achieve your goals.

What are spiritual practices?

Spiritual practices are activities that increase and harness your spiritual energy. During spiritual practice, you either connect with the Higher Power (whom religious people call G-d) or with your inner self.  Spiritual practices can be performed alone or in a community. Prayer and meditation are the two most common practices, but they are not the only ones.

In the past, spiritual practices were the domain of religious people, who devoted their private time to following their spiritual routines. There was hardly any space for spirituality in the secular business environment. But recently, I have observed that this is gradually changing. Various companies, either religious or non-religious, are showing a growing interest in the implementation of spiritual practices in their business activities. The inclusion of prayer rooms, meditation and mindfulness, and team-building activities dedicated to the search for one’s purpose have become a new standard across the corporate world.

What are the benefits of spiritual practices?

People involved in spiritual practices tend to make better decisions, are more emotionally stable, and are better team players. If spiritual activities are performed in a team, it can also improve team efficiency. It helps by clarifying the purpose of the company and the contribution of each person.

As I mentioned, prayer and meditation are the two most common and most researched spiritual practices.

For example, in one of the most notable workplace-related studies on meditation, the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology discovered participants, that were taught to meditate over a series of months, were more likely to feel happiness, gratitude, hope, amusement, and awe.

And over time, the new positive emotions translated into enhanced levels of attention, self-acceptance, physical health, and better relationships.

A comparable study at the University of Washington also found that employees that had taken part in meditation training had improved concentration and memory. They also reported fewer negative emotions.

Similarly, studies that focused on the benefits of prayer also showed similar benefits to meditation. Finding participants could calm their nervous system by shutting down their fight or flight response. Participants were found to be less reactive to negative emotions and less angry.

Spiritual practices you can use every day

Now that we have established the benefits, we are ready to answer how we can harness the power of spiritual energy through spiritual activities. My spiritual activities list will start with the most common practices and then delve into the less researched, but equally beneficial activities.

The list of possible spiritual practices is unlimited, so I will focus on the most popular ones (but not only) among businesspeople. All of these activities can be practiced individually, in a spiritual community or together with your business team. Most importantly, to fully benefit from them, I recommend you incorporate them into your daily business routine.

1. Prayer

Prayer is the connection to the source of your spiritual energy. Whether it is G-d or any other force (external or internal) which is the foundation of your faith. Above all, prayer is probably the most common spiritual practice among businesspeople.

If you are already practicing prayer daily, then prayer in the office can be particularly beneficial to help you achieve your spiritual goals. After all, spirituality does not end when we enter the office. And if you want to be more spiritual at work, prayer can be a great way to help you achieve your goals.

2. Meditation

Meditation is the practice of internally focusing the mind. You can either focus on an object, a thought, or an activity – for example, breathing. By focusing your mind, you can achieve mental clarity, emotional calmness and stability.

Contrary to popular belief, meditation can be as simple as paying attention to your breath. Meditation has been shown to increase awareness, happiness, memory, self-control, academic achievement, and many other cognitive advantages. Taking the time to meditate will provide you with a clear mind that better places you to achieve your spiritual goals.

Meditation does not need to take a long time. It can take as little as 5 minutes a day – or less if you are pushed for time. When you meditate, focus your thoughts on your breathing. Begin with two minutes each day and gradually increase to five, seven, or ten.

2. Mindfulness

What Is Mindfulness: Here are 5 Keys to Answer the Question

Mindfulness is being aware of the present moment, both the internal and the external experience, in a non-judgmental way.

You can practice mindfulness through meditation. Through mindfulness meditation, you shift your mind to calmly think about a current experience (like a sudden emotion) and not the distressing everyday work-related clutter. By focusing your mind on the present moment in this way you bring about a raised state of self-awareness, focus, and attention.

4. Spiritual team activities

Teams that bond on a higher level work better together and exhibit greater respect and cohesion. Strong positive values can translate into healthier team morale demonstrated through greater trust and gratitude amongst team members.

Team activities that include volunteering can be particularly helpful spiritual team activities. Not only do they boost team morale, but they also feed the spiritual energy of each individual team member. For example, volunteer at a soup kitchen for the day or take part in a tree-planting activity.

5. Religious services

There is a growing pool of research that links regular attendance at religious services to better overall health and wellbeing. Of course, you can’t attend religious services while you are at work but attending religious services outside of work will indirectly benefit you at work.

You could even consider spiritually inspiring motivational speakers to attend staff events at work that can speak to your employees on a more holistic level.

6. Expressing gratitude

As businesspeople, we tend to have a good, above-average level of life which contrasts significantly with the harsh life experiences of our forefathers. It is extremely important to reflect on our fortunate circumstances. Expressing gratitude daily for the things we are grateful for is a great way to reflect on what we have and to bring awareness to the things that make us happy and successful.

By being more grateful, you are enabled to connect with and enjoy positive emotions and good experiences. This translates into improved health and a better ability to handle adversity.

7. Serving others

By serving others, you can realize your own life satisfaction. You can also build important self-confidence skills.

Serving others is as simple as being helpful to others. You can do this in or out of the office. Commit to completing one good deed each week. You can donate your time, knowledge or expertise to others that can benefit from what you have or know. In the office, this might be taking part in a mentorship program.

Alternatively, as mentioned above, you can volunteer for a local charity. This can be done individually or as part of a team-building event.

8. Immersing in nature

Connecting with nature allows you to identify with the world on a spiritual level. You will enjoy more positive emotions and greater concentration. It can also help you manage your mental health. People with greater connectedness to nature exhibit lower levels of depression and anxiety.

To connect with nature, you can simply take a walk in the park or a hike in a nearby national reserve. Free yourself from the restrictions of corporate life by switching off and immersing yourself in nature. For example, if you work close to a park or garden, take a lunchtime stroll.

9. Yoga

By practicing yoga, you train yourself to concentrate on your breathing and how to stay calm. You also learn to maintain calm while engaging in difficult poses. As a result, you retrain your brain to deal with feelings of stress and anxiety much more effectively.

When establishing your yoga routine, consistency is the key. Schedule just 10-15 minutes a day to get started. You can practice yoga at your office, gym, yoga studio, or even in a hotel room when you are traveling for business purposes.

10. Spiritual Education

To become truly spiritual, you need to learn how to create a connection with a higher force or the “inner you”.

There are many excellent books and YouTube videos on the market that can help you become more spiritual. If you are religious, start reading your holy book: the Christian bible, the Jewish Torah or the Muslim Quran. Similarly, you can find many books on Buddhism and business spirituality too. These books will help you develop a strong connection to your spirit with the guidance of renowned spiritual masters.

Reading books in the office might be difficult, but you can always apply the lessons from the books you have read in the evening in your daily activities.

11. Journaling

I recommend keeping a journal of your spiritual goals, including the actions you will take to help you reach them. Write down your spiritual practices and make sure you include your expected result. And remember, if you cannot envision the outcome, it is not likely going to make for an achievable goal.

Set a specific time aside each day to write in your journal.

How to implement spiritual practices in your business life

To be effective and ongoing, you need to convert spiritual practices into a habit. And any habit needs rituals. If you want to grow stronger muscles, you need to exercise regularly. The same applies to spirituality. Therefore, you need to get involved in regular spiritual practices to steadily grow your spiritual energy.

They can be as simple as a 5-minute prayer in the morning. Or a 10-minute daily meditation. You can practice meditation or prayer from practically anywhere. You can meditate or pray while you are commuting in a car or on a train or even at your work desk. Choose a time of day, such as morning, midday, or afternoon, find a peaceful place, sit comfortably, and start…

You can also attend regular religious services at least once a week. Or you can start your self-reflection process by journaling each day at the same hour.

Maintaining your energy levels is essential for success, especially in business, and this includes your spiritual energy levels.

In part 1 of this article, I discussed spiritual energy in general and how it can be used in the business world.

In this article, however, I want to talk about how you can increase your spiritual energy levels and how you can harness this energy to improve business and career outcomes.

Let’s take a look at some proven ways to increase your spiritual energy levels.

How to increase spiritual energy levels

1. Be Grateful

It is simple, the more grateful you are, the more spiritual energy you have.

There are likely many things in your life to be grateful for. Do you have a good job and a beautiful family? Are you in good health? You need to stop taking these things for granted and practice being grateful for them.

Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life… It turns denial into acceptance, chaos into order, confusion into clarity… It turns problems into gifts, failures into success, and mistakes into important events. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today and creates a vision for tomorrow.  (Melody Beattie).

You can also focus on the beauty of simple things. Enjoy the view of the sunrise when you leave for work each morning. When at the office, appreciate your ability to see, talk and think. When you are at home, be grateful for the miracle of life and your family members.

There is a surprising correlation between the feeling of gratitude and mental health. Therefore, foster your internal sense of gratitude to increase your spiritual level and protect yourself from anxiety and depression.

2. Pray

You do not have to be religious to pray. Prayers do not have to be addressed to God. They may simply contain an earnest wish.

Prayer is probably the most powerful way to increase spiritual energy. It is like opening a door to a higher force or the inner “you”. Through the act of prayer, you attract the energy you desire.

I am religious myself, and one of my life objectives is to increase my spirituality and make a positive contribution to the world. I believe that you increase your spiritual energy by following God’s commandments and praying. The more you pray, the stronger the link to the higher force. And the more your spiritual energy levels will grow.

3. Reflect on Yourself

Spiritual energy comes from two main sources: a higher force and your inner self (the soul). That is why it is essential to find time and space for personal reflection. Self-awareness is the basis of solid spirituality.

Talk to your inner self and search for calmness and positive thoughts. Clarify your dreams and imagine your future. Set up your life objectives. Look for the meaning of existence. This is one of the best ways to find personal happiness.

It does not mean that you should not be critical of your actions. Self-reflection is an effective way to learn from your mistakes. But you can increase your spiritual energy if you think positively about yourself. You can talk to yourself by closing your eyes and freeing your thoughts, or alternatively, through journaling.

When you journal, follow all the rules I have listed above. Don’t overthink it. Just put down the words as they occur.

4. Meditation

You can only connect to your spiritual energy when your mind is calm and decluttered. That is precisely what meditation is for.

Meditation takes you away from your hectic surroundings. It allows you to focus on yourself instead. Meditation can be a good starting point for self-reflection or prayer.

It may take you some time before you learn to meditate effectively. But be patient if you are new to the meditation world.

5. Become Involved in Religious Activities

I am by no means suggesting you adopt a new religion. But I believe that religion can provide you with a helpful framework and excellent tools to increase your spirituality.

If you are already religious but non-practicing, then maybe you should consider returning to your congregation for the sake of your own spirituality.

Institutionalized religion is not just a great way to connect to God, but it also provides you with social support when you need it.

Praying together with your co-believers may amplify your spiritual energy in a way that is difficult to achieve on your own.

6. Get Involved in Charitable Activities

Part of being spiritual is about taking care of the needs of others. My readers generally have good jobs and reasonable (or high) incomes. Approximately one billion people in the world live in extreme poverty. But we do not need to travel to Africa or Asia to see it. There are people in need closer to your home than you might think.

One of the best ways to grow your spiritual energy is to make the world a better place. You can start by helping people in your community or poor children in third-world countries.  

Even small, regular contributions will have a big effect on your spirituality.

7. Be Good to People Close To You

Studies show that spiritual people are kind to those around them. Kindness is very spiritual. Small gestures to friends, coworkers or absolute strangers send very powerful spiritual messages.

Obviously, it is very challenging to be nice to people who are rude to you. But do not forget that your objective is to create positive vibrations and increase your spiritual power rather than argue or fight.

Although it is difficult, please try to rationalize why rude people are behaving in this way. Maybe they are having a bad day, are under work pressure, or have a health problem. If you find the behavior regularly repeats itself, it may indicate a toxic personality. The best thing you can do is to avoid such people.

8. Quit a Toxic Job and End a Toxic Relationship

Often, spiritual energy is drained by one’s life partner, friends or the work environment. If you are treated disrespectfully, the inner “you” suffers, and your spirituality may end up at rock bottom.

Dishonesty, unfairness or even abuse are practices that do a lot of harm to one’s self-esteem.

You should not tolerate it in your personal life or your professional life. If your attempts fail and the situation becomes unbearable, leave the toxic environment.

People who did so report that they recovered their true selves and their energy increased significantly. They also say that such bad experiences should be treated as valuable life lessons for the future.

9. Control Your Thoughts

Thoughts are a powerful tool to increase spiritual energy. It is important to be conscious of our thoughts, values, and beliefs. The wonderful (and scary) thing is that our thoughts are our road map to our spirituality and our future.

What you focus on grows, what you think about expands, and what you dwell upon determines your destiny. – Robin S. Sharma

10. Set Your Spiritual Goals

Set spiritual goals for yourself as you would for your business, projects, and personal development. By having goals, you will be well-positioned to increase spiritual energy.

Start by analyzing your values and beliefs. Then do some research on the spiritual options that may fit you. First, think about how you want to benefit from spirituality. Then consider, do you want to become a better person or a better leader. Are you looking to define spiritual objectives for your business or your department? Do you want to understand the meaning of life? Do you want to become a calmer, more stress-resilient person? 

There are so many options.

Then visualize yourself a year from now. What kind of spiritual person do you want to be? Then, choose your strategy. Do you want to follow the religious path to spirituality? Or maybe you want to connect to the deeper “inner you”. 

It is okay to start small. You can try just one action the first week and then slowly build on that. You will become a new person soon!

11. Follow Spiritual Rituals

Any habit needs rituals. If you want to grow stronger muscles, you need to exercise regularly. The same applies to spirituality. You need regular spiritual rituals to steadily grow your spiritual energy.

They can be as simple as a 5-minute prayer in the morning. Or a 10-minute meditation.

You can attend regular religious services once a week. Or you can start your self-reflection process by journaling each day at the same hour.

12. Read Spiritual Books

We hope that this post has been a good inspiration for you. However, to really become spiritual, you need to learn how to create a connection with a higher force and the “inner you”.

There is a wide selection of books available that can help you become more spiritual.

If you are religious, start reading your holy book. For example, the Christian bible, the Jewish Torah or the Muslim Quran. There are plenty of books on Buddhism, too.

There are also plenty of books on business spirituality. We will soon write another post suggesting some specific titles.