work as practice

charlesb posted this at integral naked in the discussion about work as practice

Work is one of the three main channels for the realization of human potentials. What Michael observed about it supports the notion i found to be true, that at best, work is a barometer of consciousness. If we take some simple task, one well known and beyond reach of the learning curve, say washing a dish. And the dish falls from our hand and breaks! If that little shock causes us to examine carefully just where we were at in our head at the moment, its possible to see that ‘we’ were off some where else, probably indulging ourselves in some form of negativity.

It’s most useful for me to see work in terms of karmayoga. The rules for which are quite simple: Do each thing for its own sake, in its own time, without consideration of reward. Work does not, however, happen in a vacuum. It’s inextricably tied to the giving and receiving of affection, and understanding –the other two main channels of realization. This means that the more the task is loved the better is the possible outcome, and the greater is our capacity to understand it in fuller context. In practice it matters little which of these three serve as entrance, and the highest levels they prove not to be separate at all.

so i gather:
channels for the realization of human potential
1. work
2. giving and receiving of affection
3. gving and receiving of understanding

work:
~a barometer of consciousness
~simple task -->little shock -->examination -->new insight
~Do each thing for its own sake, in its own time, without consideration of reward
~the more the task is loved the better is the possible outcome, and the greater is our capacity to understand it in fuller context.