Love at Work
Every so often I find myself “in love” with someone I work with. Now let me explain: I am not talking about a love that needs to express itself sexually or in intimate partnership. I’m talking about the love that comes with the recognition of an “essence connection” that holds the promise of destiny unfolding. It is the feeling that somehow this other person and I have a gift that we need to share with each other, a gift that, once exchanged, will leave us and others transformed.
I get this type of “in love” feeling with Sounds True authors, with business partners, and with co-workers (at the moment, I am in love with a dozen or so such people, just to give you the idea about what I mean here). I usually know I am in love when someone or something has captured my imagination – I daydream and swim in the feelings evoked. Internally, my code language for this experience is the recognition that I have “karma” with someone. What I mean by having karma is that we have work to do together, that something is wanting to be exchanged, something is wanting to be born through a joining of forces.
I wanted to toss out this topic of “Love at Work” because it is so often considered taboo to talk about Big Feelings in the workplace. And yet, it makes sense that if we are creative in our jobs and if we are bringing forth our soul’s gifts, we will of course encounter big feelings of love (and many other types of big feelings, by the way) at work. So I would like to break open this taboo and welcome eros, which is the life force itself, into the workplace, and proclaim that we can welcome these feelings of intense love in a way that is respectful, life-giving, and follows all necessary HR guidelines!
When we invite love into the workplace, our work world begins to sing with the fullness of life. Meetings become a chance to connect with people we love; new projects become a way that we can combine energies with others to magnify the potential of our individual gifts. We become available for real partnership, which for me only happens through a heart-level exchange. We also begin to acknowledge what I consider to be the real fuel for work life – relationships with other people which are overbrimming with shared heart in the context of a shared purpose.
June 8th, 2009 at 6:34 pm
Great post, Tami. It reminds me of a quote that I tag on to the end of most of my emails (in my signature):
“There is an almost sensual longing for communion with others who have a larger vision. The immense fulfillment of the friendships between those engaged in furthering the evolution of consciousness has a quality almost impossible to describe.”
—Pierre Teilhard de Chardin
Even though I can see the type of love you describe being applicable to many situations beyond the lofty ideals of “consciousness raisers,” it is that “sensual longing for communion” that I see being a very universal experience. Thanks!
June 9th, 2009 at 7:09 am
“Eventually” Love is All There Is. You See the essence in EveryOne.
From the One Heart.
In OneLove,
doreen
June 9th, 2009 at 10:16 am
I love that you’re sharing that its good for business to express Big Feelings in the workplace. For if we love what we do and create with that love our creations bloom.
June 9th, 2009 at 2:07 pm
the word needs to enter the workplace, on several levels, and for many reasons … it is time
June 12th, 2009 at 7:34 am
Dear j s,
where can I find You? Thank You for using words to reach for the depth of understanding on Love, Universal Love!
In OneLove,
doreen
July 17th, 2009 at 4:51 pm
I grew up the son of a NYC firefighter, and the brotherhood that I witnessed between my Dad and the others both in his house and across the five boroughs is something that I did not, until reading your post, Tami, realize how highly I valued and sought in my own work life. Those were men [this was before the time women were on the job] that loved each other and had no problem expressing it. Obviously putting your life on the line as they did speaks of a profound level of service and love for others, but imagine if every company were filled with people who’d sacrifice anything for each other for noble purposes…I guess the question is how do we bring that level of commitment to our co-workers if we work in the Dilbert Zone creating widgets? I suppose it involves seeing the divinity in everyone, regardless of the surface level of what the business may be engaged in.
Thanks Tami for bringing this up. I too find myself constantly “falling in love” with people at work, regardless of gender, and in awe and gratitude that for reasons I may never fathom our paths have crossed for a time.
July 21st, 2009 at 5:21 pm
Unfortunately, I have found all too frequently ‘big feelings’ at work in the workplace, but they originate in our Kleshas; greed, fear, ignorance, etc., and manifest as anger, small-mindedness, oppression. But fortunately I have had the opportunity to work in environments where Ego falls away, and amazing productive environments emerge. There is a huge need for more practitioners who can facilitate raising consciousness within American businesses. I salute organizations like Sounds True who have leaders who emulated to best of those traits.
July 23rd, 2009 at 6:10 pm
Yes, Tami, I so agree with you. Love and other Big Feelings belong in the workplace and everywhere else. I so totally understand what you are talking about as I also get those feelings about people and projects I am involved with. It is so wonderful when we can feel that way because it brings a universal dimension to everything we do. This is what is healing our planet. Thanks for the post! - Krysta
July 24th, 2009 at 12:13 am
What delightful coincidence Tami. My Working for Good blog post on Monday was on the Principle of Love (http://www.workingforgood.com/blog/?p=126).
And I am finding myself finding and attracting “lovers at work” every day. It is profoundly energizing for all involved and making it explicit, as you suggest, transcends the grasping often accompanying sexuality and intimacy, and opens the gates for eros to flow. I love it!
Until soon,
Jeff
July 26th, 2009 at 1:16 pm
Tami,
I found your site just a month ago and I commend you on your interviews. You have such a gentle way of communicating with those you interview and your questions make both your interviewees and listeners think beyond. So often those interviewing, talk over the guest speaker during an interview but I am continually amazed at how your thought provoking
questions expand the train of thought for both the speaker and for us I hope you will continue to blog and share and interview such amazing people. I,for one, am thrilled to have found your site.
Thanks,
Terri
July 28th, 2009 at 11:41 am
I was touched by your comments about the work place being a place to express love, and community. I just made a HUGE sign for myself that says “find a job that brings you JOY, for without JOY you cannot survive” and was job-hunting at companies I thought I could relate to. Your blog touched me, and I will most likely be sending my resume! If I cannot join your team, I know I will be guided to a work place that offers the same opportunity to grow and BE. Sounds True is part of the new business reality that will be ushered in for the Age of Aquarius, for sure!
July 30th, 2009 at 7:00 pm
Agreed. I see this happening more and more as the shift continues. Great post!
August 13th, 2009 at 12:40 am
Tami - I find your sentiments to be both compelling and inspiring. Sounds True appears to be the type of company that others should aspire to become. How many corporate leaders can say that they are “in-love” their employees, even if they feel it? I commend you on running a successful business from the heart.
August 18th, 2009 at 1:04 pm
Thanks Tami.
I was just writing yesterday about someone who I had “karma” with — having that feeling you describe as, “we have work to do together, that something is wanting to be exchanged, something is wanting to be born through a joining of forces.” I am often blown away by these experiences. Thank you for acknowledging how natural they are and for opening up the taboo of eros in the workplace!
August 24th, 2009 at 3:10 am
So that explains why I’m madly in love with so many people. This was a perfectly perfect blog. I want to tape it on my friend’s foreheads so that I can read it whenever I want.
August 25th, 2009 at 6:04 pm
From one to another I read though all your recent posts on your blog.
Just wanted to say I love your honesty, and insight; it all sounds and feel very true to me. I can feel the love at work through the internet…
September 18th, 2009 at 3:27 am
Great site…keep up the good work. I read a lot of blogs on a daily basis and for the most part, people lack substance but, I just wanted to make a quick comment to say I’m glad I found your blog. Thanks,
A definite great read…:)
-Bill-Bartmann
September 23rd, 2009 at 2:47 pm
Tami–I went to the ST website to register for Clarissa Pinkola Estes’ upcoming “Mother Night” course, having just heard your powerful “Insights from the Edge” podcast interview with her. What a double bonus to find the blog, a quite delicious sharing of deep and heartfelt questions, most especially: how to welcome Love into the workplace. I’m in the midst of writing a book about a group of high-level corporate women leaders and their year-long struggle to regain (or perhaps feel for the first time!) a sense of deep Self and authenticity. They fall in love with each other over the course of a year, but then often find it difficult to sustain after leaving the group. You set a beautiful standard for one leader can take a wholehearted stand for love and encourage others to take that next step. Many thanks!
October 2nd, 2009 at 5:19 pm
My partner of 29 years recently died in April of this year and after having spent two days by her bedside while she was dying I came away with this awesome endless sense of compassion that just keeps expanding and growing and has caused me to show more love and concern and caring for people I deal with all day long in my job. I drive for a living and have actually stopped twice on a green light in order to allow someone who ran a red light to pass in front of me instead of hitting me. One day as I was swimming at the pool where I live I looked up to see the clouds as we often did when we would go to the pool and I saw the letters HELLO spelled in the clouds. I know that we are eternal beings moving into form and out of form . We are all created from the same substance and when we see the other we see ourselves reflected in them. We all have a reason and a purpose for being here to learn and to grow and to help each other along the journey of life. All I can do now is learn and grow and be grateful and thankful for the beautiful years we spent together as lovers and soulmates. One doesn’t find that very often in this crazy mixed up world we live in .Thanks I really enjoy reading your articles sometimes it is difficult to find people who know how to live above the daily mundane stories and issues of life and soar with the eagles. Lucy shortshortnumb1@aol.com