When I worked in India for a year, our office manager suggested we have an office puja. The program that I managed was going through a difficult time and our local staff believed that a puja, or prayer and blessing, for the office would help. I was skeptical, but wanted to be supportive. So a few days later, I found myself sitting on the floor with a Hindu priest and our entire office staff.
The priest conducted an elaborate ceremony around a small pot with burning incense. He added bits of fruit, yogurt and other items around a small pot of burning incense. Ocassionally, we were invited to add fruits and to recite calls for health and success as the priest chanted a lengthy prayer.
I don't know whether the ceremony made a difference, though our program did improve through the rest of the year. But I was struck by the great power of integrating prayer with work.
In India, religion seems to permeate every aspect of life. So it is not surprising to see faith in the office. During times of stress, I would see staff invoke their faith to remain calm, to ask for divine intervention, or to seek solace. In all cases, faith brought spiritual balance to an intense work environment.
Just as important, we had fun! The prayer service created a sense of community that we desperately needed at the time. We joined together in faith and forged a common bond that helped us through tough times. And that common bond dramatically improved office morale and productivity. We were no longer working just for ourselves, but for something higher.
Sometimes I think every office could use a puja. Admittedly, that prospect is not likely in the U.S. But we can incorporate prayer into our work life. As one example, a friend started praying at work and now steps outside for a few minutes each day with colleagues to pray for guidance and wisdom. This prayer has helped forge closer relationships with friends at work and with God - and, in these stressful economic times, we could all use more of both.
