ENTREPRENEURS OFTEN PRAY OR MEDITATE

DOES MEDITATION HELP FUEL
ENTREPRENEURIAL SUCCESS? 

USA (RNS) - Entrepreneurs behave just like most Americans when it comes to religion - but with one spiritual twist.  They’re significantly more likely to pray several times a day or to meditate, said sociologist Kevin Dougherty, a co-author of the Baylor Religion Survey.  The survey can’t answer whether the stress of a start-up drives folks to their knees or to the lotus position, Dougherty said.  But either way, 34 % of entrepreneurs say they frequently look up to the Lord, compared with 27 % of non-entrepreneurs. Nearly as many (32 %) say they look inward in meditation, while just 22 % of non-entrepreneurs say they practice any of the eight forms of meditation - including Christian, Jewish and Buddhist variations - listed on the survey.  Christian meditation was reported by 18 % of entrepreneurs.  Leah Rampy of McLean, Va., who ran her own company as an executive leadership coach, said her prayers were often that “the spirit would work through me.”

Mindful meditation was cited by 17 % of entrepreneurs.  Wendy Woods, a consultant based in Toronto, shares with her corporate clients how “meditation helps me push away fear and bring in calm and creativity.”  Buddhist meditation worked for Ray Yeh, of Ukiah, Calif., who created and ran a software sales company for 20 years.  Psychologist Kenneth Pargament, from the Institute for Spirituality and Health at the Texas Medical Center in Houston, explained, “Entrepreneurs have a strong sense they can take matters into their own hands.  But they also face risk, unpredictability and uncertainty. Prayer and meditation can be important resources for people who are trying to achieve a lot and yet still face the reality that there is only so much they can control.”

Entrepreneurs are significantly more likely to pray several times a day or to meditate than most Americans, according to this survey - which listed eight forms of meditation - including Christian, Jewish and Buddhist variations.  Questions on entrepreneurs were a part of the survey underwritten by Baylor’s sociology department, the National Study of Religion and Entrepreneurial Behavior and the National Science Foundation.  This is a good start, then people should find a sadhu, a saintly person, and from such a person they can learn about Krsna and purify their lives. 

WHAT DO THE VEDIC TEACHINGS TELL US?  

A devotee is called satam, honest, truthful. This is fundamental to spiritual life. We have to be honest, truthful. If you’re not truthful, you cannot have a peaceful mind. If you are not honest, you cannot meditate. It is not possible. There is a saying, “Oh, what a web we weave when at first we choose to deceive.” That is our material existence. It is based on deception, it is based on falsity that I am this body. That is a false premise. And then to support that, so much work, effort. We’re busy trying to cover our tracks here and there to support this idea. Such existence will not endure. When we’re basing our life on such a false premise, it puts us in so much difficulty. We weave a web, a karmic web. How will we get out? It is very difficult. The answer is satam prasangan, by associating with honest people. And honest here means devotees, devotees of Krsna.  In the association of these people, this talk about Krishna is always going on. ... So this Hari-katha, talk about Krishna, it is rasayana-katha, like rejuvenating elixir.

Śrīla Bhakti Vedanta Tripurari Mahārāja :
“What Is Sraddha?”
Sri Caitanya Sanga - Vol. I, No. 24 (San Francisco - July, 1996)
http://www.swami.org/pages/sanga/1999/1999_24.php