Practical Spirituality is about applied daily practices that we can utilize in order to ground ourselves in a solid spiritual foundation.
The term ethics derives from the Ancient Greek word ἠθικός ethikos, which is derived from the word ἦθος ethos (habit, “custom”) link
I once had the good fortune of having a conversation with a therapist who, in very general terms, had noticed that some clients seemed to view personal ethics very differently than they did a business relationship.
Specifically, folks seemed to have a much greater concern for their behavior within personal relationships than within a business interaction. It seemed that the business relationships seemed to have a certain ‘ethos’ within which it was fine to have an looser view of what constituted ethical relationships.
The example, the ethic, or habit, of segregation was widely accepted in the early 20th century in the United States. It’s a bit hard to believe now but according to the 1847 Virginia Criminal Code: “Any white person who shall assemble with slaves, [or] free negroes . . . for the purpose of instructing them to read or write, . . . shall be punished by confinement in the jail.” link
That’s not the case now. But the notion of the Other continues. A question of what is acceptable when it’s ‘not me.’
People are different. We can use our differences as an opportunity to share and learn or we can use our differences as an excuse to build walls between us…
Othering involves zeroing in on a difference and using that difference to dismantle a sense of similarity or connectedness between people. Othering sets the stage for discrimination or persecution by reducing empathy and preventing genuine dialogue. – Clint Curle Us vs. Them
In basic terms, we and our world, are composed of more than what we refer to as the physical matter. Science, in the modern age, tells us that we and our world are made of energy; that there is really no solid ‘ matter.’ Furthermore, since we share this sea of energy with everyone else, we are fundamentally interrelated.
In a Spiritual, interrelated world, we are intimately connected to everyone. How we act and re-act matters. – Curt Perkins Practical Spirituality
The spiritual practice here would be to remember that the idea of business is an artificially created separation in the relationships of human beings.
It is a gift to be of service to others.
In the process of giving we enable ourselves to receive.
If we allow ourselves to help another succeed, we receive that assistance in return.
This is the natural flow of Life. It respects that we are all interrelated.
If we inhibit this exchange with dishonesty or gamesmanship, the result stifles our natural ability to give and receive.
