Just got in from my week in Jacksonville and preparing for my three days with the Dalai Lama here at Emory.
Working in the hospital with a variety of leaders crystalized some of my thinking about urgency. If there ever was a place that epitomized the modern spirit of urgency, it is a hospital. And no better example that the emergency room. I was working with about 25 leaders who are walking examples of how such addiction to urgency causes ceaseless distraction. I found myself amazed by the scattered minds of the people I was working with, and in several instances talked privately with some nurses and doctors about meditation. They were very receptive and seemed hungry to find a way to settle their minds. Indeed, "in country" with so much chaos and confusion, I tripled my time of sitting zazen and found it essential to providing what my rabbi friend called "non anxious presence". Funny thing in talking to management, I was able to persuade them of the "bottom line" advantage given when the people providing care in such sitz can be centered, mindful...this was not in the original scope of our contract! This has inspired me to do some more thinking and writing about this as it relates to work. The Dalai Lama has a book out on this specifically. Any others you know of?
I have just started reading The Mindful Leader by Michael Carroll. It looks promising.
Having this community on my hotel desk was a part of staying centered. Thank you for being here.
David aka PapaDoc