For our work, “spirituality” refers to the quest for self-transcendence and the attendant feeling of interconnectedness with all things in the universe. By design, the spirituality that provides the foundation for the spiritual leadership paradigm lies at the heart of all the world’s spiritual and religious traditions, all of which have some version of the Golden Rule and require going inward to find a source of strength for hope/faith in a vision of loving and serving others. This going inward to embrace self-transcendence, the transformation from ego-centered to other-centered while striving to maintain a state of being or consciousness from moment-to-moment, forms the essence of the spiritual journey.
The practice of spiritual leadership requires a commitment to the spiritual journey through dedication to an inner life or spiritual practice to enable one to step beyond self- interests to connect with and serve something greater that promotes the common good. This connection to something greater can include being a member of an organization that serves key stakeholders through a culture based in altruistic values. Or, depending on one’s beliefs, the connection to something greater than oneself can include an ultimate, sacred, and divine Nondual force, Higher Power, Being, or God that provides people with purpose and meaning, altruistic spiritual values, rules to live by, and a source of strength and comfort during experiences of adversity.
Such a practice must speak to the feeling one has about the fundamental meaning of who they are, what they are doing, and the contributions they are making It includes personal practices such as meditation, prayer, religious practices, yoga, journaling, walking in nature, etc. and organizational contexts (e.g., rooms for inner silence and reflection) to help individuals be more self-aware and conscious from moment-to-moment and draw strength from their beliefs, be that a Nondual Being, Higher Power, God (theistic or pantheistic), philosophical teachings, or orderly humanistic social system (e.g., family, tribe, nation state)
Next Time: Spiritual Leadership and the Spiritual Journey – Part 2 The Journey of the Fool
