Pursue a Different Career

As Dr. Frederick Lenz point out in his writings and talks about American Buddhism, the practice that integrates meditation, mindfulness and spiritual practice with a full, rich and exciting life in the western world – a career can be used as a great contributor to a successful spiritual lifestyle. A career that challenges the mind can be useful in strengthening it, and thus, in experiencing higher meditations.  According to Rama “The purpose of work is to make enough money to exclude the abrasiveness, to shelter yourself, to live happily and successfully in a material world.” 

With money you can also assist others, to you can pay for your spiritual practice or just to have fun. Essentially career is a Buddhist practice. Working occupies a large part of our waking moments and if we don’t use those 8 hours to work towards our spiritual goals, we’re missing out on a big opportunity and are doing ourselves quite a disservice. And this does not mean that we need to work for a charity, but rather, work at a career that will make us happy and balanced, make us wise, one that develops our concentrative and meditative powers. For example, Rama liked computer science because, similar to the teachings of monks in Tibetan monasteries, it requires holding many concepts in the mind at once, thereby strengthening it.

How to do it

     If your career is one that lowers your personal power, drains your energy, or just simply doesn’t provide you with enough financial means to allow you to live a balanced life, then it’s time to change. The first step is to just make a decision that you will change it. Once you did that, get started right away. Make a plan about what new skills you will learn, what job you want to get and just go for it. Learn the new skills needed, practice consistently, put your heart, desire and full attention into it and you’ll find that in no time you’re gainfully employed in your new career. 

Rama talked about the career many times, as one of the most important aspect of a meaningful life. One of his talks about it you can find here: Ramatalks.com