TLDR: How can the suttas and teachings aid us in our meditation journey? Paul shares his initial struggles and how the Buddha’s discourse to Mahanama immensely helped him with his mindfulness and mental state.
My Past — An On-and-off Meditator With Wavering Interest in Buddhism:
Even since learning about Buddhism and trying to study and practice it, I used to think the only practices to cultivate the mind were sitting meditation with eyes closed and walking back and forth slowly.
Since my first attempts to practice meditation back in 2009, I found it a very peaceful experience but also often beset by drowsiness. Furthermore, not long after completing the sitting meditation, after getting on with the activities of the rest of the day, the peaceful state was quickly lost and I didn’t feel noticeably different than if I had not meditated.
Even after years of doing regular sitting meditation on and off and going on several multi-day meditation retreats, this problem persisted. It wasn’t hard to do sitting meditation, even for days at a time at a meditation retreat. I didn’t feel like it was having an effect for long after getting up off the meditation cushion.
Even though I found the Buddha’s teachings to be very wise and studied them in much depth, not seeing much benefit from the practices made me ambivalent and wavering about Buddhism as a whole.
Turning point: The Buddha’s Discourse to Mahanama the Sakyan
This problem persisted through many years until around the time I came to learn about one of the Buddha’s discourses with Mahanama the Sakyan, one of the Buddha’s foremost lay followers.
In AN 11.12, Mahanama asks the Buddha: “…we spend our life in various ways. Which of these should we practice?”
In addition to specifying the cultivation of the 5 spiritual powers that should be cultivated to support awakening, the Buddha gives Mahanama six topics that should be recollected: The Buddha, Dhamma, Sangha, ethics, generosity, and devas.
The Buddha then tells Mahanama he should develop these recollections “…while walking, standing, sitting, lying down, while working, and while at home with your children.”
This stood out to me. These things can be done not just while doing sitting meditation or walking slowly back-and-forth for walking meditation but at any time and anywhere.
What are the effects the Buddha lists of practising like this?
“When a noble disciple recollects the Realized One their mind is not full of greed, hate, and delusion. At that time their mind is unswerving, based on the Realized One. A noble disciple whose mind is unswerving finds inspiration in the meaning and the teaching and finds joy connected with the teaching. When they’re joyful, rapture springs up. When the mind is full of rapture, the body becomes tranquil. When the body is tranquil, they feel bliss. And when they’re blissful, the mind becomes immersed in samādhi.” – AN 11.12
Exploring The Practice More By Finding Modern Teachers Who Practise in This Way
As I was learning more about his practice, I began to discover Thai Forest Teachers who practice using ‘Buddho’, ‘Dhammo’, ‘Sangho’, or similar phrases anytime and anywhere they could. For example, Venerable Ajahn Maha Boowa practised using ‘Buddho’ even while doing chores. Venerable Ajahn Anan Akiñcano teaches us to “always keep ‘Buddho’ in the heart, whether standing, sitting, walking, lying down, or whatever else we might be doing.” Ch’an Master Sheng Yen teaches the practice of reciting the Buddha’s name at any time and in any place to purify the mind.
The most common method in the Thai Forest Tradition seems to be “Buddho”. However, I usually prefer “Buddho, Dhammo, Sangho” because the longer phrase is easier for me to focus on.
How It Helped
Following the practice:
Walking anywhere: “Buddho, Dhammo, Sangho”.
Sitting on the bus or MRT: “Buddho, Dhammo, Sangho”.
Eating alone: “Buddho, Dhammo, Sangho”.
Working at a task that doesn’t require full concentration: “Buddho, Dhammo, Sangho”.
While talking break at work: “Buddho, Dhammo, Sangho”.
Doing walking meditation back and forth: “Buddho, Dhammo, Sangho”.
Pretty much any activity becomes an opportunity to practice and purify the mind.
Practising as such now for over a year, my mind has become so much more tranquil and clear than all the years in the past when just doing sitting or walking meditation based on breathing, mindfulness of the body, or metta. It is even better than when I went on several multi-day meditation retreats because it is so much more stable.
At night, I can fall asleep so much faster. During the day, I am more clear-headed, more aware of unhealthy thought patterns, and much more easily able to let go and be free of cravings for unhealthy food, unhealthy thought patterns, and other unwholesome activities. It’s been especially helpful in the moments and at the times of day when my mind is the most stressed and prone to greed, hatred, and delusion arising.
It also greatly strengthened my faith in Buddhism. Any time becomes a time when one can feel a connection to the Buddha, contemplate his positive qualities, and help cultivate a calm, clear mind, and compassionate mind.
Even if I don’t feel tranquil at some particular point while engaging in this practice, it is still helpful because it gives my mind something positive to focus on. This practice provides a refuge when feeling overwhelmed by negative emotional states.
Unexpectedly, I’m able to maintain a regular sitting meditation practice much better now than in all the years in the past because I’ve developed the habit of mindfulness much more strongly by practising throughout the day.
Wise Steps:
It may help to combine this practice with mindfulness of breathing, mala/prayer beads, or mindfulness of the body (for example, when feeling stress, tension, or strong emotions or doing an activity such as walking or eating).
Finding a rhythm such as one syllable per step or one syllable for the in-breath and one for the out-breath can make the practice simple and enjoyable.
See the Related Resources section below for more detailed teachings on practising in this way.
Related Resources on Mindfulness of the Buddha in Any Circumstance
TLDR: Can networking take a refreshing turn? (Especially in the Buddhist world?) Salvi shares her experiences on how walking and talking without the usual formalities, fosters genuine connections on the move.
This reflection is on a recent Buddhist Net-walking session for 20-40 years professionals that started in Nov 2023. Follow the community updates right here. Or join the next session here.
When we think of networking events, it’s often a mental slideshow of stiff suits, formal nods, and those awkward card exchanges.
But imagine if networking threw away the rulebook, embracing movement, fresh air, and an active spirit. That’s precisely what unfolded at a recent event—an innovative networking & walking session. At first, I was intrigued yet slightly skeptical about this dynamic approach to connecting.
The not-so-awkward session
Initially, the concept of networking on the move seemed akin to rubbing your belly while patting your head—daunting and perhaps a tad clumsy.
I envisioned a parade of professionals awkwardly navigating conversations, fearing stumbling—both verbally and literally. But the reality was far more exhilarating than I anticipated.
As we gathered at the starting point, anticipation mingled with skepticism. Could coherent conversations coexist with walking strides? Would I fumble my words? Who knows? But it was a challenge I was eager to embrace.
Walking & the lack of name cards.
The commencement of our networking journey felt like embarking on a quest for connections in a vibrant dimension.
Here, there were no static tables or uncomfortable glances—our canvas was the landscape, and our pace synchronized with the rhythm of our steps.
Conversations were a whirlwind of interactions, akin to a puzzle constantly rearranging itself. Groups formed and dissolved seamlessly, creating an environment where any corporate nomad would feel at home.
It dawned on me that this wasn’t just about superficial chitchat or exchanging “business cards” (since none of us had any). It was a moving fiesta of networking in its truest form!
Deep conversations
Amid this whirlwind of connections, there was one conversation that stood out—a tête-à-tête about Buddhism within our group and their exposure to its different traditions in Singapore versus other countries was both eye-opening and comforting.
We delved into the nuances of Buddhism, discussing how in Singapore, with its rich cultural tapestry, the various traditions coexist harmoniously.
My conversation partners shared their journey of exploring different branches of Buddhism and the comforting realisation that it’s common not to know which specific tradition one identifies with, especially in a multicultural context like Singapore.
This dialogue illuminated the beauty of embracing diverse traditions and finding peace in shared experiences within a complex spiritual journey. It was a gentle reminder that in a world of multifaceted identities, it’s absolutely fine not to have all the answers.
During the stroll, I unexpectedly met a fellow countrywoman whose mother is in the same industry as me in a different country. It was a serendipitous moment—never did I imagine forming a new business connection while casually walking.
Treasure maps & Diversity
Reflecting on this unconventional networking experience, it was more than just polite exchanges; it was a space for sharing perspectives, learning from diverse experiences, and discovering common ground.This unique networking affair felt like uncovering a treasure map to genuine connections. It was beyond the mere exchange of contact details, evolving into a platform for sharing ideas, stories, and the occasional amusing anecdote—all while accumulating steps that would rival any Fitbit enthusiast’s count.
The End Comes Quick
The only downside was that the stroll ended too soon. However, with the evening still young, some of us extended the networking over dinner—a perfect conclusion to an enriching day.
Here’s to networking with a twist—where conversations walk, talks wander, and “business cards” change hands as naturally as the passing scenery. Who knew networking could be as liberating as a leisurely stroll in the park?
As I bid adieu to this innovative networking escapade, I couldn’t help but cherish the idea that connections, like life, flourish when you’re on the move—exploring, engaging, and occasionally evading a wayward pigeon or two.
Next time you gear up for a networking event, consider swapping the stuffy conference room for comfy sneakers. Who knows, amidst the twists and turns of a networking trail, you might stumble upon your next big idea.
Ready for Buddhist netwalking for professionals 20-40 years? Sign up now
TLDR: Jia Yee shares on why she started her start-up and how it ended. She explores 3 Buddhist values Gratitude, Fighting Spirit, and Faith
As a writer, I often come across stories of entrepreneurs who have weathered the highs and lows of building a business. But my recent conversation with Jia Yee, a startup founder, inspired me.
Jia Yee shared her unique journey of building her startup from scratch, pouring her heart and soul into it, and eventually walking away as the business matured. What struck me the most was how she found solace and strength in Buddhism, which became a key pillar of support in overcoming the loss of walking away.
Interestingly, the birth of her startup was rooted in death.
From cancer to a start-up
“My startup was my second job in my life. I left my first job after my mom passed away from cancer and I needed that physical and mental break to just really not do anything” Jia Yee shared.
Jia Yee took a break from her first job and started a project “Strength Behind Cancer” which aimed to interview cancer survivors on their stories. She was curious to understand what her mum was going through and sought out stories to honour her mother’s memory. She continued tirelessly tracking interviewees who would share their stories.
During her search for stories, Jia Yee eventually encountered a woman who was in remission from two different forms of cancer. After their interview, the lady could tell that Jia Yee had become disheartened from her mission.
‘Jia Yee, if this is not giving you joy, you don’t have to feel obliged in doing it’ the lady said. After that, Jia Yee realised that each time she conversed with a patient, it evoked memories of her mother’s passing. The pain it brought to Jia Yee was not obvious to her. However, it was obvious to her interviewees.
That comment sparked a deep thought in Jia Yee, “Oh, my mom wouldn’t want me to be milling around. My parents have always been very open about life, they would just want me to be happy and not like, you know, super successful.”
She pondered if she was content with her life, with the conclusion being a negative one.
Inquiring what would bring her joy, she had an immediate response. This then resulted in the inception of her own business.
This is not a sexy story, but we were cleaners as well
Jia Yee found that her greatest joy was in doing projects in the arts scene and quickly found a partner to start a company. Their offering?
A full-service end-to-end creative agency. They would cover conceptualisation to execution across different mediums. Their goal was to put Singaporean design on the international map and shine a light on Singapore’s creatives.
They pitched hard to potential clients but faced a prolonged period of a dry pipeline. This brought anxiety to the founders if they had the right service offering. Then a breakthrough came.
They were cleaning the office when they found out that they had won the contract.
(What happened right before we received the email)
“This is not a sexy story, but we were cleaners as well.” Jia Yee chuckled. As a startup with no projects at the start, they had to do EVERYTHING themselves and cleaning was no exception.
Singapore Tourism Board (STB) awarded them a contract to profile 12 Singapore creatives in Tokyo! Jia Yee was overjoyed.
“For an organisation that’s so much bigger than us, that award gave us validation that we were doing something right!” Jia Yee beamed as she recalled.
This contract kickstarted subsequent projects by exposing their business to more people in the network. It also made future clients trust them more as they, by appearance were two twenty-somethings pitching projects in board rooms.
Their business eventually grew big enough to support creatives (who often do not have stable incomes) in the hardest of times like Covid. That was something recalled with great joy, being able to help an industry that was hit hardest during the lockdowns.
The end begins
After six years of operations, Jia Yee realised she and her business partner had different opinions concerning how the firm should be conducted and what the outlook of the company should be.
As the divergent tension developed further, Jia Yee felt that the best thing to do, when no common ground could be found, was to step down.
“There’s always a time, right time and right place. Maybe that time has concluded and perhaps it’s time for me to move on.” Jia Yee shared.
“If I hung on, cling on, what would it lead to?” She queried.
As she prepared to wind down her share of the business and planned for the exit, she felt a wave of grief. It was as if the baby she had given birth to was now to be given away.
How did she go from grief to peace? I asked. With calm eyes, she shared more.
Coping with the end
Jia Yee said that it centred around three Buddhist concepts: Gratitude, Right Effort, Faith
Gratitude
“Giving thanks. Twice.” Jia Yee smiled. Saying goodbye often entails leaving behind something or experiencing a loss. Hence, gratitude is necessary to remind us of what we have gained and learnt in our journey.
Jia Yee shared that recollecting the good times that she had while running the firm lifted up her mood. Giving thanks for the opportunity to help the arts scene during covid through grants and engaging subcontractors who were in need stood out to her.
She also embodied the essence of metta, by wishing her firm (like we would with people) to be well and happy.
By lifting up her mood and switching her narrative from loss to gain, she smoothened the edges of pain.
Beijing Skyline. Jia Yee’s gratitude for the place’s work brought her into
“6 years wasted could put him (Siddartha) in a tailspin…. But he knew that there must be a way out of this… Raising his fighting spirit to carry on.”
Jia Yee could resonate with the struggles others faced when facing a setback. Even the Buddha had his setbacks when seeking enlightenment.
“When we stab ourselves with our bad moods, we are the ones harming ourselves.“- Thanissaro Bhikkhu.
Jia Yee mentioned that the talk encouraged her to take the leap and work on making her exit from the firm possible. In the face of difficulty, she had to bite her tongue and work through the painful admin of exit.
Tokyo event, with Jia Yee pictured, and hosting guests from the Singapore embassy in Tokyo
Faith
“Faith was carrying me throughout the entire process.” The Buddhist practice of mindfulness, peace, and wisdom stuck with Jia Yee through the process. She started to attend DAYWA, a Dhamma practice group for working professionals, on a weekly basis for guided meditation.
A facilitator asked her ‘What suffering brought her to DAYWA’ which struck Jia Yee as it was in the midst of suffering that she turned to the Dhamma.
That realisation that suffering is to be faced and understood, made her commit to showing up for the weekly sessions.
“Before attending DAYWA, I didn’t really understand the concept of peace. But after consistently meditating with the group, I think I do now” She smiled.
These 3 pillars: Gratitude, Fighting Spirit, and Faith were vital in her farewell process.
Advice to other founders
Jia Yee really felt at peace when I was taking this shot; this was a while after her exit
“Any advice for founders out there?” I quizzed.
She smiled and shared the following points
Always learn from others’ experiences: Not doing so is a blessing missed
Differentiate between good and bad stress. Good stress should not affect your self-confidence and esteem.
Know the balance in your life: Life is not about work. Asking yourself ‘Am I balanced?’ is a key question to keep in mind
Find your spiritual nourishment: Find something that gives your mental energy; this can come from reading or just by sitting quietly
Find like-minded people with the same values: Find those that share your joy and experiences
Conclusion
Running a startup is not as glamorous as most magazines/newsletters might show. It takes hard work and also the wisdom to know when to say goodbye.
By relying on our fighting spirit, gratitude, and faith, founders can garner the strength to let go of what they put their life into.
That’s probably how a person can say goodbye to something very dear to them.
TLDR: As employees, we probably all know the practical reasons and benefits of Quiet Quitting. You don’t invest more time or effort than you are required to, and you have more time to explore other passions or priorities outside of work. In this article, we explore the impact of Quiet Quitting from other lenses, such as the Coaching lens and the Buddhist lens.
What is Quiet Quitting ?
Quiet quitting doesn’t actually refer to quitting a job—it means completing one’s minimum work requirements without going above and beyond or bringing work home after hours.
Corporations and individuals are struggling to adapt to these phenomena in this ‘post-covid’ world. The idea of Work and our attitudes towards it have shifted, prompting many individuals also to adopt their own coping mechanisms such as ‘Quiet Quitting’.
Cost of Quiet Quitting
From my personal experience as a career and leadership Coach, I have heard all sorts of reasons why people ‘Quiet Quit’. Some employees cite burnout as a key reason, and others think that ‘going above and beyond’ is simply not worth it.
One of my coachees has put in many late nights and volunteered to lead extra projects at work, for the sake of pushing for a promotion.
After a year of doing all these, the management decided to restructure, and it meant her promotion just wasn’t on the table anymore.
My first question to my client is ‘Why don’t you just quit for real?’. It is important to understand what’s holding us back from throwing the letter and to grasp what is the cost of staying but not being fully engaged in the current job.
There are of course many different circumstances of ‘Quiet Quitting’, where individuals argue they are still fulfilling the minimum expectations of the job. There are some employees who still fulfil basic tasks mindlessly, often not putting in much effort nor being very efficient.
They tend to say things like “since I can’t change the stupid processes, I will just follow lor.”
There are other employees whose work does not resonate with their personal values and purpose. Hence they often cannot find meaning or fulfillment in their work, and tend to look outside of their day job for it.
Also, some individuals are already plateauing in their role, therefore not finding their work challenging anymore.
Without a sense of challenge, it is hard to feel any sense of professional growth or achievement. They might just ‘cruise along and maintain status quo’.
The cost of Quiet Quitting is also detrimental to the employer, who struggles to get a productive workforce, and the team, who has to deal with a mentally checked-out individual.
It might affect the team dynamics negatively, where other team members have to pick up the slack. When the employee has lost motivation, there might also be a ripple effect on the overall energy of the team.
In extreme cases, the Quiet Quitter is resentful, perhaps due to perceived unfairness or stuckness, and can demonstrate strong negative emotions at work.
But what about the Quiet Quitter? What are the unseen costs to the individual?
The unseen costs of quiet quitting.
While Quiet Quitting might seem to be a plus for the employee who can slack off and get to what interests them, as a career coach, I am aware of the detrimental side effects to both the individual and his/her/their relationships.
When we spend 8 hours of our time every day on something that does not resonate with us, it is hard to find joy and fulfilment. Even if we tell ourselves it is just for a paycheck, it is hard not to feel stuck.
“What is the cost of doing this, to yourself?” I might ask the Quiet Quitter. “If you had only 1 month to live, would you be doing this?”.
Sometimes I would ask my coachees, ‘How do YOU feel going to work every day?’ I have not had a single client who said he/she was truly ‘Happy’ or even ‘At peace’.
As most of us reading this probably still hold onto a sense of ‘Self’ [1] to some degree, this unhappiness stems from not being resonant with your true ‘Self’ at work. It is hard to feel satisfaction at work when you are not being your true/best ‘Self’.
When we think about this from a Buddhist perspective, are we really being kind [2] to ourselves, and colleagues around us? Is there still ‘Suffering’[3] , even if we have mentally checked out?
If we are being kind to ourselves, our colleagues, our family and our friends, what do we want for ourselves and others? As Buddhists, do we not want to radiate kindness, love, and freedom to all beings around us?
My coachees often say they want clarity in life. Sometimes clarity appears when we explore metaphors and visualizations.
“When you say you want to feel free of ill-will, what image comes to mind?” One of my coachees, Mr S from California said to me last week, “If only I could pick up my surfboard again and feel the sun on my back, fearlessly riding the waves in the ocean.”
Another coachee in Switzerland told me, “I want to put down my very heavy backpack. I have been carrying my husband and three kids in it for the last six months, climbing up the Swiss Alps. I just wish to put it down by the lake and the kids can come out and play happily.”
We might not be a hundred percent clear of what exactly we want, but we know exactly what we don’t want. Try asking ourselves, “How do we want to Feel?” instead.
We might want to feel the warmth of the sun, the carefreeness of surfing, the achievement of riding the big waves, the lightness of not carrying everyone or the joy of having fun together.
What’s next?
The purpose of this article is not to judge whether ‘Quiet Quitting’ is right or wrong, nor to tell you what to do next. It is simply to bring awareness to your situation and what you are feeling.
Some questions to help your contemplation if you noticed you are Quiet Quitting:
On a scale of 1 to 10 how engaged are you at work? (1 being your soul has left the building, 10 being super engaged and flourishing)
What’s stopping you from being fully engaged?
How much is this job aligned to your Values?
What are the benefits you can get from this job? (monetary and non-monetary such as knowledge, experience, network etc)
How could you reframe your perspective or reshape your role?
What is the cost of staying in your current job? (any negative emotions, physical tension/pain etc)
If money is not a consideration, what options are possible for you next?
As we contemplate, do bear in mind that our jobs are impermanent, our emotions are impermanent, and the economic crisis is impermanent. And we probably will be talking about another new trend a couple of months from now. 🙂
