Is There Room for Spirituality at the Leadership Table? Part 1

I sat on a cushion on the flagstone floor in my best attempt at a lotus position. The elder monk spoke in what I assumed was Thai, while the younger monk translated in English.

I poured out my woes amid sniffles and tears, explaining how my thinking had become entangled and caught in a negative spiral. I couldn’t see a way out of it and I wanted to find peace of mind.

Ironically, it was during a holiday in Thailand with my family, that I had spotted the Facebook post about the Sunyata centre. In the post, a group of monks walked in unison at The Cliffs of Moher. Their saffron robes contrasting against the rocky landscape, they looked peaceful and calm.  

Embracing Meditation

When I came back, I made my way up to the monastery in the hills of Broadford. I signed up for beginner’s mediation classes, facilitated by a young Australian monk, whose name later I learnt to be Ajahn Dhammadharo. 

At this point, I had just built up the courage to request a talk with the monks in private and was escorted over to their humble cottage. The two monks were there, with the young Ajahn translating on behalf of his elder. The advice emerged as simply “Meditate and all will be well”. Where to start? He suggested by simply by counting my breath, “In and out, just count.  If you lose your concentration, you must go back to the start and begin again!” This sounds too simplistic I thought. How is counting going to fix all that is wrong with my life?!  

Finding Transformation

In the weeks that followed I joined morning and sometimes evening ‘puja’ or prayer. I listened to the Dhamma talks and tried to chant along to the strange Pali scriptures, doing my best to chime in with the soothing tones ringing through the meditation hall. Sitting in silence, I attempted to put into practice the advice of the wise teacher. ‘How is the counting going?’ the Ajahn asked one evening. ‘Good’, I said, even though I had yet to count to 50 without having to start all over again.

As the days turned into weeks, I found myself wanting to be at the monastery all of the time. I baked banana bread in the evening, and would leave my house in Shannon at 5.30 am in time to get there for morning prayer. I began to find things that I knew the monastery needed, furniture, beds and various items that I felt would be of use. Each day I sat, I counted, I cried and unbeknownst to myself, something wonderful was happening. I was beginning to focus more on giving to others, and less about my own troubled mind.  

Monks at the Sunyata Centre: Showcasing the Power of Spirituality in Leadership. Image: Sunyata Centre

A Touching Farewell

Finally, the day came when the monks would leave Ireland and go back to their monastery in Thailand. I had bought some little gifts for them to take on their journey; some leatherbound journals for the Ajahn and his superior. And for the other monks a small card with the ancient Irish blessing ‘May the road rise to meet you, may the wind be always at your back. May the sun shine warm upon your face, the rains fall soft upon your fields, and until we meet again may God hold you in the palm of his hand’.

My final request to go and present the gifts in person was granted. We sat again, in the humble cottage and as I began to express my gratitude, tears began to fall. This time they were tears of overwhelming gratitude and joy. I tried to thank the Ajahn, but words failed me.  

In response to my muffled ‘thank you’s, he told me that I was the only one who had stayed on from the beginner group and that my disposition had completely changed from when he first saw me. Continuing, he asked if I knew what a ‘Devi’ was, to which I replied ‘No’. Smiling, he explained that it’s a floating, fairy-like female energy that buzzes about the monastery. He likened this image to how he saw me now, and I graciously took this as confirmation that I had indeed experienced transformation during my time there. Perhaps ‘the counting’ worked afterall.

Reflections and Integration

The monks went on their way and I returned to the monastery one morning. I was asked to go to the monk’s cottage and take out the laundry. As I entered the quiet, still cottage and walked around each room, I noticed how the monks had left it. Each bed had placed neatly upon it, one modest blanket folded perfectly. There was very little else left apart from the beautiful stillness that pervaded. 

With deep gratitude I gathered the blankets and brought them to where they belonged. Since then, I have had a chance to reflect on this experience and try my best to integrate it into my life, my work and my teachings.  

Join the Discussion on Spirituality in Leadership

Join me next week to continue the discussion on spirituality and leadership and to explore some of the essential components of today’s authentic leader. Like to talk more about spirituality in leadership? Email me directly denise@obrienlearningsolutions.ie or book a call to discuss further.