Conference Sketches

By Terry Weller

The First Canadian Conference on Spirituality in the Workplace

In the year 998 the life of Johne Smythe was short, narrow of scope and unpredictable. His pervasive life view was one of tenaciously existing on the uncontrollable prongs of fate. He was subject constantly to the whims of an intractable universe.

Crops might fail, kingdoms surrender, disease could cripple his family. His water supply might fail, his land might remain his or be taken by a previously unknown power. Rain might not fall, hail might – frost could come late this year. Hunger and homelessness loomed in the wings daily.

His solution for dealing with the unknown was to partake of the unknown. His religious activity from faith to prayer to symbolic gestures was a part of his life and of his work. It was his shield, his comfort and his emotional nourishment. His personal mystery and hope in exchange for the ever present mystery and fear presented by the world around him.

The John Smith of 1998 is the product of 10 centuries of dramatic world change. Physically his life will be considerably longer. His access to information is infinite, and yet often his scope, too, is narrow. His universe was shaped by the separation of church and state, the Renaissance, the Age of Reason and Science, the Industrial Revolution and the technological wave of electronics. He sees no need for religion or superstition in any form.

He works on a contract in a downsized office full of electronic wonders he doesn’t quite understand. His hours are long and pressured because of corporate streamlining. He appears confident of his future except when he awakens in a sweat of cold reality at three a.m.

Occasionally the totally unexpected occurs in his life. His wife, a secretary, no longer performs typing in a medical office. The doctors now transmit their notes electronically to India at the end of the day and receive finished transcripts electronically in the morning. It appears the global economy has now affected the service industry as well as manufacturing. How do you compete or grapple with the miraculous?

John Smith does not spend time conjuring crops from a mysterious universe as Johne Smythe did. Yet his need for surety, purpose, belonging and some sense of personal effect is just as strong and, when left to his own energies – just as elusive.

However, John Smith, for a myriad of social and personal reasons, cannot fall to his knees in prayer in the work place, grieve openly the everyday losses or give thanks to his divinity. Nor can he seek solace openly from his equally needy co-workers. It is not done in the modern, superstitions free, late 20th century.

Our workplaces, like the farms of old, are under pressure from a personally uncontrollable universe. Yet, reason does not permitted us to use our instinctual ability to meet the mystery with mystery in concert with those around us.

It was this dilemma which brought more than 250 participants and presenters to Canada’s first Spirituality in the Workplace Conference held at the University of Toronto in May of this year. The conference was attended by a cross section of society: corporate managers, ministers, counsellors, consultants, government workers, educators, medical personnel, doctors, psychiatric workers, etc. Among its endorsers and sponsors were major industries like Royal Bank, Bell and Aetna Life, small businesses and religious organizations of many different faiths.

Although the need for spirituality was not questioned, discussion struggled around defining spirituality and religion. It also looked at cooperation between these two sometimes seemingly opposite concepts (especially as they appear within New Age and New Religious Movement beliefs) as well as within the previously generally unaccepting Canadian workplace.

Corporation representatives spoke of improving bottom line, increasing morale, and having more ethical workplace practices.

Representatives of Religion noted the need for more tolerant acceptance of daily religious practices within the physical work areas to accommodate adherents’ needs.

Spiritual Instructors described increased personal satisfaction, improved interpersonal connections and communications, and greater zest and joy.

Holistic Health oriented teachers talked of improved personal well-being – mentally, physically, emotionally and spiritually.

While sitting there I thought of old Johne Smythe praying as he planted; trusting as the crops grew; and gratefully saying, “thank-you” as the harvest came in; or a thank-you in the form of unquestioning acceptance if they failed. He did not have to define his spirituality, he merely lived it by being one with the world around him and at home in the faith which was his birthright.

We are an advanced race. We require discussion, defining, demonstration and reason. For three days the hows and whys of spirituality in the workplace were discussed, debated, meditated on and prayed about at the conference.

Perhaps now in Canada, with most of the rhetoric in motion, we will simply let the natural happen. The need for spirituality is natural. The ability to express it is natural. The complications of social and ‘rational’ thinking are the bindings which keep us from doing so.

In the movie, “The Colour Purple” one of the sisters said, “I always see people going to church because they think they are going to find God there. They won’t you know. I think what really happens is they bring their God in there with them and kind of share him around.”

People already bring their sense of God to the workplace. They simply await permission to openly express it. For those whose sense of the spiritual exists only as an inner longing, they too require only permission to step into the sharing.

To my mind the only rule needed is, “Sharing, not forcing,” and the only guideline is “Honouring uniqueness while embracing Oneness.”

About the Writer

Terry Weller (I.C.A.D.C., M..S.C.) is a published writer, an ordained Interfaith Minister and a certified alcohol and drug counsellor. He has worked within communities, the prison systems and with industry through employee assistance programming. He currently devotes his time to personal writing, publishing and spiritual counselling.

Terry may be reached at: oquest@istar.ca