People have different definitions of growth and satisfaction when it comes to their profession. Some of the common expectations include more money, promotions, being respected and valued as an expert, being in a workplace with happy and understanding co-workers, a flexible work schedule or working for yourself.  The good news is that practicing Sahaja meditation can help you get quite a few of these benefits if not all.

To start with, a surprising number of practitioners have reported that their colleagues noticed distinct changes in them when they started meditating.  They’d commonly hear, “Something’s really different about you and it’s all good”.

Of course, this wasn’t always as flattering as it appears to be – when pressed further, they would say that the practitioner appeared to have become a lot more patient than before. Or, that they were expecting a serious negative reaction for reporting a problem, but were pleasantly surprised to see none at all.

Beyond just the obvious changes, Sahaja brings about a change in your attitude towards life. No, you aren’t going to get better at negotiating a pay raise or turn into a star performer overnight to win all the awards there are to be won. But there’s a sort of gravitas you begin to develop at your workplace that people notice and respect. Your sense of balance in everything you say or do becomes valuable to them, many times you may become their first resort when they’re facing problems.

Because you understand yourself fairly well through your meditation and introspection, you find that you’ll understand all problems better in general and will be more likely to find solutions than others. Your colleagues are drawn to you and your team work improves.

As for entrepreneurs and business owners – people who work for themselves – Sahaja is a godsend. Sahaja focuses on self-mastery and being in charge of yourself from day one. This self-mastery aids your stewardship of your business or organization. You’ll find your decision making is surprisingly on target most of the time.

Sahaja meditation can bolster your creativity and passion for your work, too. When you’re passionate, there’s a good chance that people are going to be more driven towards what you do, rather than when or how you do your work. Hello work flexibility. Goodbye 9 to 5. You will be of much more value to your business or organization. So, how does all this happen? What exactly does Sahaja do that impacts your career and profession?

Few people realize that soft skills and emotional intelligence are key to rising up the ladder. Whether you’re working for an organization or looking to expanding your own business exponentially, your practice of Sahaja meditation will be at the center of your emotional intelligence and communication skills. Getting along with people and accomplishing work efficiently will go a long way towards your overall career success.

Jeff Raum, a talented and accomplished artist and Sahaja practitioner, recalls a time early in his career when he was living in Manhattan and surviving paycheck to paycheck. Jeff attributes Sahaja meditation to transforming his career, explaining, “When my attention was on higher things, my day-to-day work seemed to be taken care of.” Jeff found a synchronicity and things began falling into place. New opportunities arose and he found balance and success effortlessly. Like Jeff, many other Sahaja practitioners attest to the impact Sahaja has had on their career and professional lives.

Here are just some of the ways Sahaja meditation can help you grow professionally.

Increased motivation.

Motivation is a key component to our success. Without motivation, you wouldn’t likely be exploring avenues to improve your career. Regular Sahaja meditation gives us the fuel necessary to actively pursue our goals. Research shows that meditation helps us “bounce back from tiredness quickly” and “take shorter recharge breaks.” Meditation increases the neurotransmitter dopamine that not only helps us stay motivated but also releases endorphins, those feel-good chemicals responsible for boosting mood, giving us feelings of pleasure and joy.

Enhanced self-awareness.

With regular Sahaja meditation, you will find you are more aware of your values, personality traits, and what drives you. You are better able to fine-tune your goals and the steps you will take to meet your goals. When our goals are aligned with our values, we are more likely to accomplish them. Persistent practice helps us continually get to know ourselves and fine tune our goals and actions.

Increased mindfulness.

There has been a large amount of research that confirms the positive impact of meditation on mindfulness. Mindfulness enables us to stay present in the moment, observing what is happening in real time. When we are mindful, we are more aware of what is going on around us and inside us. We are separate from our thoughts and thus able to act more responsibly. Mindfulness helps us respond appropriately to situations in the workplace, which is a valuable skill. Ever catch yourself “going through the motions” and missing key details? Mindfulness helps keep us focused on what matters.

Improved productivity.

Many practitioners who meditate regularly report feeling driven to be better than they were yesterday, last month or last year. Rather than competing with others, they are in a sense competing with themselves, which turns out to be a much more fruitful pursuit. Instead of wasting time wondering how you measure up to everyone else, you’ll be focused on your own personal and professional growth.

Improved emotional intelligence.

People who are emotionally intelligent fair very well in the business world than do those who don’t pay attention to the human element of their careers. Strong leaders have strong emotional intelligence and tend to perform better than their less involved counterparts. Just as meditation improves self-awareness, meditation also improves emotional intelligence, tuning us into our own emotions and others. We can better understand and manage what goes on inside ourselves or how others may be acting, creating better responses and fostering better communication.

Sahaja meditation can be an important component in your growth as a professional. Read more about how Sahaja meditation helps busy professionals.

Hear more from Jeff Raum in this short video.