Meditating in the corporate boardroom
The author defines "Mindfulness" as the ability to see what's going on our heads without getting into it. He defines mindfulness as means of being aware of our experiences, observing without judgment and responding from place of clarity, compassion rather than fear, and insecurity and corporate greed. In short, he proposes mediation as a way to lower stress, increase mental focus, and alleviates depression among workers. He cites many examples where companies like Aetna have saved health-care costs to the ways Patagonia has combined leadership in its market with a pervasively mindful outlook.
Steve Jobs was America's mainstream meditating CEO and a disciple of Zen Buddhism. He was a keen student of Vedanta philosophy of Hinduism, According to the author, mediation is now practiced widely in corporate America. He recalls that Steve Jobs' business approach was not a fringe movement when he addressed Apple Fest in 1981. Meditation was not a new age movement but an increasingly a prominent part of the cultural landscape of corporate America. Mediation is a powerful tool, says the author, and Zen, a school of Mahayana Buddhism translates into deep absorption in a meditative state and control of the mind. It emphasizes insight into the nature and the personal expression, and deemphasizes knowledge and favors direct understanding through concentration and achieving peace through a meditative state. In chapter 7, the author discusses that many companies are embracing social responsibility for improving conditions of workers and health benefits and boosting morale of the workforce through meditation. He takes us inside the leading companies like Google, General Mills, Aetna, and Patagonia and show how meditation is transforming workplaces. This is a powerful alternative message for profit-oriented corporate America
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