6/6/11—Serving Your God Through Your Career

Today's Draw: Ace of Stones from the Haindl Tarot. How do you serve God and mankind through the job you do every day? Have you ever even considered your mundane tasks sacred? Do you view your life as an expression of God moving through you?

Traditionally, the Ace of Stones can be thought of representing new opportunities in the material world, renewed health or a fresh start in the areas of health, career or money. But the Haindl Tarot adds a new dimension to that with the eagle (representing spirit) touching the stone (representing earthly concerns). Also we see a rainbow in the background, representing blessings. So the interpretation of this card is to bring a sense of the divine to your everyday actions, as well as your self care. 

Last night I went to a kirtan. A kirtan is like a concert, but it features sacred chants and everyone in the audience sings along. As the singer, Snatam Kaur, was introducing the band members, she said the keyboard player "gives such good service" to his playing. I interpreted that as meaning two things. The first is that when he's there, he's present and gives his all to his job. And the second is that he performs for God. 

This notion of using our career or our job as service came to many years back and it took me some time to settle on how I serve. I work in advertising and grew up in an environment that didn't place much value on the profession. Certainly there are a number of ways to view my career and advertising folk have generated and received some bad energy, I suppose. There are a lot of sharks in my career, for example. But I will say I've never come across anyone who acts or thinks unethically when it comes to the creative aspects of the industry. Most of the sharkiness is on the business side of advertising and even there the reputation is exaggerated.

Anyway, what I determined when I thought through the "service to mankind and higher power" aspect was that (in my case) I helped smaller businesses get noticed and find their place at the table to compete with larger businesses. By helping smaller businesses thrive, market domination is reduced. And I also help consumers realize the benefits of working with these smaller businesses...or even make them aware that alternatives exist. Now more than ever, I think people can understand the importance of healthy commerce. And that's what I help support. Only on rare occasions do I ever work for the #1 business in their field. That's mostly by circumstance, but also because I'd rather help the smaller guy. 

To me, there is a spiritual aspect, too, because often I'm working with the business owners or CEOs in some capacity. I'm helping lift someone else up to their highest expression. I'm helping others realize choices they have that they didn't know about before. I know that all sounds dramatic, but I really believe in all that. 

In the same way, we ALL serve both mankind and our higher power through the work we do every day. You just need to look at what you do a different way. And once you do, your whole attitude about it can change. Soccer moms are shaping the next generation of souls to serve this earth. Safeway checkers are helping to supply families with food and sustenance. Builders are supplying the world with shelter. Computer people are helping others get information quickly and reliably. And so on. Those are just examples, because all those people do so much more. So look at what you do through God's eyes or mankind's eyes. It will change your outlook on your daily chores. 

Another aspect of this is to look at others that way, too. I remember one Christmas Day I stopped into a Starbucks because I saw it was open. I bought a cup of coffee and as the Barista handed me my drink, I said "thank you so much for giving your Christmas day so that people like me can enjoy a nice cup of Chai." She told me I was the first person that day who had thanked her and she got a tiny bit emotional because someone SAW what she had sacrificed for her job that day and had the presence of mind to thank her. So try looking at all the people who serve you—whether they're checkers, the weather forecaster on TV or the people who built the car you drive—and see the divinity and service in what they do. 

As you shift your thoughts about how we all serve in this world, not only do you feel more sacred in your job, you walk through a more sacred world.