Article archive / December 2022
Originally published: . Volume 13, No. 12. Source pages: 14.
Spirituality at Work: 10 Ways to Balance your Life on the Job by Gregory F.A. Pierce
Judith Miranti, PhD Director of Counseling at Xavier Past President of National Association for Spirituality, Ethics, and Religious Values in Counseling
Pierce has done a great job of defining ten disciplines needed to nourish our spiritual lives as we attempt to balance work, family, relationships, etc. It is not your typical pious treatise on spirituality but rather a laymen’s attempt to find meaning and purpose in our everyday lives in the workplace.
The disciplines are not esoteric or monastic but down-to-earth practical activities and behaviors that serve to nourish and enhance our spirit. He talks about finding sacred objects, (which can be a family portrait, a piece of art work, a souvenir, etc.), living with imperfection, assuring quality, giving thanks and congratulations, building support and community, dealing with others as you would have them deal with you, deciding what is enough-and sticking to it, balancing work, personal, family, church and community responsibilities, working to make “the system” work and engaging in ongoing personal and professional development.
The book begins with a saying that was carved in a plaque that hung over the door to the office of psychoanalyst Carl Jung “Bidden or not bidden, God is present”. The divine reality can be encountered in tangible ways in the workplace. Studies have shown that increased productivity and a spirit of collaboration are evident when employers, managers, white collar workers, professionals, CEOs recognize the importance of the universal search for something greater than ourselves. You will find this book inspiring and life-enhancing. It is a recommended read which offers a provocative and unusual guide for developing our spirituality on the job.
This article is part of a historical newspaper archive. Read the original issue for its original layout, photographs and graphics.