Shifting from having to being

In 1976, an interesting book[1] by psychologist Erich Fromm touched the subject, trying to stimulate readers to understand the consequences of focusing on having instead of being.

The surge and growth of materialism has stimulated intense rebellions and a new way of seeing the world. Not new in the sense that never has happened before; it is new in terms of occurrence as nowadays people are questioning what they are doing and why they are doing it.

And the consequences are clear when we see or hear about climate change or the effects of greed in humanity.

But the desire of having makes us keep on increasing and accumulating possessions. What is the solution? More protests? More laws?

Maybe, reflecting and refocusing could be a shift point in our civilization. For instance, instead of valuing people who attained things like big cars or jewelry, let's value people who ARE.

We could start from ourselves and value more the experience of being well, happy and peaceful, instead of valuing having the last cell phone in the market.

We could start by being an example to others and inspiring them to focus their energy in being instead of just having.

Then, one day we will be able to give more importance to what we really are…

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[1] To have or to be? 1976, by Harper and Row.

BEING is so magical...

There are 4 main verbs in relation to spirituality: TO BE, TO BE (I will explain…), TO HAVE and TO DO. The idea is all your states - profession, family situation, socioeconomic position - come from who you really are, and everything you have and do is aligned with that.

So the most important verb is TO BE. Do you know how to conjugate it?

• I am... Who are you really? If you identify with your profession, age, gender, whether you are a mother or single, that means your identity will fluctuate when you retire and cannot practice, or when you change your age, even if you have a gender identity crisis or worse, when your children leave your house or get married. Reply “who are you really?” and that is the beginning of a fundamental change.
• I am, my state, is what I am... In many languages, TO BE splits in two: to be works with the essence of the person - the former example - and to be works in relation to a person’s state, which means my job, roles and responsibilities come from my internal qualities and values, from my unique perception of the world. There is no state without me really being.
• I have what is aligned with who I am... All my possessions, physical or subtle, are directly related to me; through my clothes, the way I handle the cell phone or even my sense of having in relation to my relationships, they must be directly aligned with my values, qualities and my spirituality.
• I do what I am… I only do what is related to me, my values ​​and principles, everything that corresponds to the being that I am. It is my call in practice, the best of who I am placed in action.

When I conjugate accurately the 4 verbs, huge changes will happen in life and I will experience the true magic of simply BEING.

This is a series of posts on MAGIC…

Leadership gives a different meaning to possessions – Reason 66

Most of the time, possessions come from a simple formula:  Do I want this or need this?  Can I afford it?  If I can, then I GET IT!  If not, well, I keep it on the wish-list.

For a leader, his or her possessions are acquired by a different approach.  First of all, leaders manage their needs with a big picture in their minds as they include the needs of the people who are relying on them.

In fact, leaders will often put others’ needs before their own in a natural and graceful way.  Magically, a leader will feel satisfied by seeing others fulfilling their own needs.

What about the want part of the formula?  It is normally rooted in desire and to supress a desire is not an easy thing to do, but leaders first of all will check if it is really a good thing to want that and then, they will transform the want into this is necessary for me to be a better instrument.

Next time you, leader, look into the list of the things you have, check how instrumental they have been to give others the chance to see the best of you.

(Excerpt from the book 82 Reasons to be a Leader)