Early in my career, I came across the concept of the triple bottom line, a term coined by John Elkington in 1994 that expanded the conventional success metrics of business beyond the financial bottom line to also include environmental health and social wellbeing.
Thank you for sharing your insights; they truly resonate with me. Me as working in climate sector, my own understanding of the climate crisis is that our technological advances have outstripped our inner, spiritual growth as humans. Essentially, we've developed our external world, but neglected the inner one. This imbalance seems to be at the root of our struggles to build a truly sustainable and inclusive society. Without fully noticing, our inner thoughts and feelings drive our external actions, which in turn shape our world. This internal process could hold the key to new creative solutions for pressing challenges like climate change. While inner work may often be sidelined as intangible in our materialistic society, it actually offers very tangible benefits—such as greater clarity, enhanced empathy, as well as improved relations with both nature and humanity. It even has the power to fuel creativity and justice.
In my personal journey, I make it a point to journal, meditate, and reflect regularly. As you beautifully shared, I also take moments to imagine the societal impact if more of us were committed a little more to inner work. Such a cultural shift could elevate spiritual wisdom as much as technological advancements, thereby bridging the gap that exists today. I truly believe that inner work is more than self-improvement; it's a pathway to making more sustainable and inclusive decisions that resonate with our true selves and the world at large. This could well be the missing puzzle piece in the world we're striving to build.
Thanks for giving so much food for thoughts. Hope we can continue exchange!
Thank you Yerim! This is really great to hear some of your personal experience. It’s inspiring to hear and I think it shines a light on the path forward.
Thanks for the great article Tom. I resonate strongly with your ideas and have actually written my PhD about the need of an inner transformation for outer transformation and how the two might relate to each other. Yet, the "inner" can have so many connotations: mindsets, values, worldviews... To me, the notion of worldviews - which includes our comprehension of the nature of the universe and our metaphysical assumptions - is key in the context of sustainability. If you are ever curious about diving into this deeper and would like some literature suggestions, let me know.
Let me know if you have any questions or if you'd - at some point - like to have a conversation about it. I love exchanging and hearing new perspectives on this topic.
Thanks Jessica, this looks like the area of thought and mental process and behavioral development that I felt has been missing for far too long. Hope your work continues and flourishes and gets enough following in and outside academia to lead to some breakthroughs for humanity! I'm so happy that you are travelling along this path.
Love this, Jessica. Just subscribed to your Substack (in addition to Tom's :). I have long been interested in precisely your focus. As I state in on my own website for my upcoming podcast, wisetalkers.com, "Alongside my keen interest in personal growth and self-knowledge, I have always been fascinated by the process and mechanisms of sociopolitical change, with a special interest in how personal development relates to social / political / cultural development." I look forward to delving into your material!
Dear Tom, I found your article wonderful. It resonates strongly with who I am and I have shared it further on my LinkedIn page. I’d very much enjoy meeting you in person. Kind regards, François Tasmowski
I think the focus on materiality is a key reason why we don't talk or ignore spiritual issues or don't think about philosophical issues that affect our life. There was a kind of a shift during the pandemic, when businesess started to care about employees' mental health at the lockdown stage. Both companies and employees became more open to discussing mental wellbeing and work-life balance, and this trend should be encouraged. Life isn't centred around work, and business is no longer only about making profit, but having a positive impact on the environment and society. When people don't suffer under pressure to earn all the money in world, they'll have more time to rethink the way they live and pay more attention to the spiritual part of their life.
Thank you for writing this. We’re all in denial in some way about the role spirituality can have in shifting the conversation about environmental stewardship and sustainability to new heights that could offer new solutions, this is to our detriment, unfortunately. Philosophers like vine deloria Jr and Winona laDuke explore versions of this and reading them changed how I think about sustainability and spirituality.
Like you said, spirituality (and religion as well) is not the enemy of science or progress, we should seek to explore the uncomfortable even if it feels ridiculous, because quite frankly all other system are failing to form a constructive and coherent path towards sustainability and spirituality could be the missing puzzle piece.
Well yes, there's a wider question of what words we use and what meaning we attach to them. I've written in some articles about not wanting sustain the status quo, but equally sustainability can be seen as the ability to sustain a healthy society rather than keep it the same as it is now.
"What if spirituality is the missing pillar of a regenerative and thriving world?" - Yes :-)
Thanks, Tom. Even in my own family talking about things spiritual gets me labelled as 'a bit weird' or selfish or self-indulgent. So there's a long way to go! But to veer away from self-destruction we need to make it OK to go inside and explore the non-material world and not have it equated with religion. IMHO, it all started in the West with the Enlightenment in the 17th century, which put all faith in reason and heralded the tyranny of the brain/mind in human affairs, at the expense of the heart/spirit. We need to activate both sides of the human being.
You’re right, this goes further back than just business conversations as it’s often taboo even with friends and family. Thanks for sharing your thoughts here Scott!
As a person who has been intensely interested in personal growth/consciousness expansion/spiritual development for half a century – alongside conducting a career in business – I have always been interested in finding effective ways to 'speak to the skeptics' about the reality of our spiritual lives and the immense value in recognizing and pursuing self-knowledge. This essay is one of the very best efforts that I've ever read to accomplish just that - speak to a wider audience about spirituality, especially people who tend to dismiss it as woo-woo or perhaps simply reject anything 'spiritual' because of their understandable distaste for a strict religious upbringing. So many great quotable lines. Great work, Tom. I just became a new subscriber. (BTW, I discovered your post from an excellent newsletter I get, Dense Discovery by Kai Brach.)
Wow, thanks for this comment Ronald. You've made my day! This post seems to have resonated with a lot of people in a way that I never imagined it would, and I'm so pleased. And thanks for telling me how you found it. Always interesting to hear, and Dense Discovery is one of my favourites!
Love this Tom, I’m currently reading Rosalind Savage’s The Ocean in a Drop, which talks about these very same ideas. I believe we must have spirituality in business and in our lives if we have any hope of altering the disastrous course we are currently on.
Loved your article! It gave me hope as I realize that more and more people are becoming aware of the wonderfulness of spirituality. Thank you for that.
Does the modern world really cringe at the idea of spirituality? Or has someone/something simply told us this is true? Gallup says over 80% of people from the U.S. believe in God. Perhaps we can talk about this without all the hedging.
Perhaps both. It may well be that deep down a majority of people are open to the idea of spirituality but have been conditioned to cringe and feel embarrassed to talk about it openly. But maybe it is more of an illusion that a reality. After all, this article has turned out to be my most popular post!
Btw: Magick (yes, with a k ) , is real, becuz it is done with intention. This craft is one form of spirituality. It is about using one's own power in connection with the divine ( Nature).
Earth based spirituality, such as Indigenous peoples is similar.
It will take all 'races' : white, black, yellow & red.....to heal the Earth.
There are prophecies NOT in the Bible (religion) that tell of our 'free will' being used to choose one way or another to go forward with meaning or NOT. It is up to us, now.
This is a fascinating point of view that I'd never heard before. It makes a lot of sense to me, perhaps as I've recently been discovering my own spirituality... But I'm surprised it's not more commonly talked about, as it's also grounded in rational thought. Thank you for widening my awareness!
Met plezier gedeeld op linked in zodat het nog veel mensen mag raken. Dank je om voorbij jouw ongemakkelijkheid toch op te dagen via onder andere deze nieuwsbrief. Vergeef me dat ik dit in het Nederlands schrijf, het zelf vertalen zou ertoe zorgen dat ik niet schrijf, wat ik oprecht wil delen. De technologie van deze tijd laat het gelukkig toe om gemakkelijk een vertaling op de tekst te vinden :-).
Dear Tom,
Thank you for sharing your insights; they truly resonate with me. Me as working in climate sector, my own understanding of the climate crisis is that our technological advances have outstripped our inner, spiritual growth as humans. Essentially, we've developed our external world, but neglected the inner one. This imbalance seems to be at the root of our struggles to build a truly sustainable and inclusive society. Without fully noticing, our inner thoughts and feelings drive our external actions, which in turn shape our world. This internal process could hold the key to new creative solutions for pressing challenges like climate change. While inner work may often be sidelined as intangible in our materialistic society, it actually offers very tangible benefits—such as greater clarity, enhanced empathy, as well as improved relations with both nature and humanity. It even has the power to fuel creativity and justice.
In my personal journey, I make it a point to journal, meditate, and reflect regularly. As you beautifully shared, I also take moments to imagine the societal impact if more of us were committed a little more to inner work. Such a cultural shift could elevate spiritual wisdom as much as technological advancements, thereby bridging the gap that exists today. I truly believe that inner work is more than self-improvement; it's a pathway to making more sustainable and inclusive decisions that resonate with our true selves and the world at large. This could well be the missing puzzle piece in the world we're striving to build.
Thanks for giving so much food for thoughts. Hope we can continue exchange!
Thank you Yerim! This is really great to hear some of your personal experience. It’s inspiring to hear and I think it shines a light on the path forward.
Thanks for the great article Tom. I resonate strongly with your ideas and have actually written my PhD about the need of an inner transformation for outer transformation and how the two might relate to each other. Yet, the "inner" can have so many connotations: mindsets, values, worldviews... To me, the notion of worldviews - which includes our comprehension of the nature of the universe and our metaphysical assumptions - is key in the context of sustainability. If you are ever curious about diving into this deeper and would like some literature suggestions, let me know.
Hi Jessica, what an amazing PhD subject! Is it possible to read your thesis anywhere?
Hi Tom,
yes, it's available online.
Here is an overview of my research: https://www.jessicaboehme.com/research/
And the introduction in this one might be a good place to start: https://pub-data.leuphana.de/frontdoor/deliver/index/docId/1297/file/Dissertation_2023_Boehme_Inner.pdf
Let me know if you have any questions or if you'd - at some point - like to have a conversation about it. I love exchanging and hearing new perspectives on this topic.
Warmly,
Jes
Thanks Jessica, this looks like the area of thought and mental process and behavioral development that I felt has been missing for far too long. Hope your work continues and flourishes and gets enough following in and outside academia to lead to some breakthroughs for humanity! I'm so happy that you are travelling along this path.
Thank you, Robert!
Thank you!
Love this, Jessica. Just subscribed to your Substack (in addition to Tom's :). I have long been interested in precisely your focus. As I state in on my own website for my upcoming podcast, wisetalkers.com, "Alongside my keen interest in personal growth and self-knowledge, I have always been fascinated by the process and mechanisms of sociopolitical change, with a special interest in how personal development relates to social / political / cultural development." I look forward to delving into your material!
Thanks, Ronald. Your podcast sounds super interesting - will listen into it.
Thanks! I'll let you know when I've got the first one up.
Dear Tom, I found your article wonderful. It resonates strongly with who I am and I have shared it further on my LinkedIn page. I’d very much enjoy meeting you in person. Kind regards, François Tasmowski
Thank you so much Francois! I am glad to hear that it resonated with you and I appreciate you sharing it. Let’s keep in touch.
I think the focus on materiality is a key reason why we don't talk or ignore spiritual issues or don't think about philosophical issues that affect our life. There was a kind of a shift during the pandemic, when businesess started to care about employees' mental health at the lockdown stage. Both companies and employees became more open to discussing mental wellbeing and work-life balance, and this trend should be encouraged. Life isn't centred around work, and business is no longer only about making profit, but having a positive impact on the environment and society. When people don't suffer under pressure to earn all the money in world, they'll have more time to rethink the way they live and pay more attention to the spiritual part of their life.
Thank you for your insight Alex. I think you are right and I hope that this shift is one positive thing to come from the pandemic.
Thank you for writing this. We’re all in denial in some way about the role spirituality can have in shifting the conversation about environmental stewardship and sustainability to new heights that could offer new solutions, this is to our detriment, unfortunately. Philosophers like vine deloria Jr and Winona laDuke explore versions of this and reading them changed how I think about sustainability and spirituality.
Like you said, spirituality (and religion as well) is not the enemy of science or progress, we should seek to explore the uncomfortable even if it feels ridiculous, because quite frankly all other system are failing to form a constructive and coherent path towards sustainability and spirituality could be the missing puzzle piece.
Thank you for this heartfelt comment Kapari. I appreciate your voice here and also sharing some other interesting philosophers to explore.
I wonder, in the title of this article, whether 'sustainability' is the best word to use.
What about the concept of not wanting to sustain the current state of affairs, how we are living is a terrible mess.
What if spirituality is the missing pillar of a regenerative and thriving world?
Well yes, there's a wider question of what words we use and what meaning we attach to them. I've written in some articles about not wanting sustain the status quo, but equally sustainability can be seen as the ability to sustain a healthy society rather than keep it the same as it is now.
"What if spirituality is the missing pillar of a regenerative and thriving world?" - Yes :-)
Nice. Love it!
I also found your reference to Hermeticism and Mentalism thought-provoking.
Thanks, Tom. Even in my own family talking about things spiritual gets me labelled as 'a bit weird' or selfish or self-indulgent. So there's a long way to go! But to veer away from self-destruction we need to make it OK to go inside and explore the non-material world and not have it equated with religion. IMHO, it all started in the West with the Enlightenment in the 17th century, which put all faith in reason and heralded the tyranny of the brain/mind in human affairs, at the expense of the heart/spirit. We need to activate both sides of the human being.
You’re right, this goes further back than just business conversations as it’s often taboo even with friends and family. Thanks for sharing your thoughts here Scott!
As a person who has been intensely interested in personal growth/consciousness expansion/spiritual development for half a century – alongside conducting a career in business – I have always been interested in finding effective ways to 'speak to the skeptics' about the reality of our spiritual lives and the immense value in recognizing and pursuing self-knowledge. This essay is one of the very best efforts that I've ever read to accomplish just that - speak to a wider audience about spirituality, especially people who tend to dismiss it as woo-woo or perhaps simply reject anything 'spiritual' because of their understandable distaste for a strict religious upbringing. So many great quotable lines. Great work, Tom. I just became a new subscriber. (BTW, I discovered your post from an excellent newsletter I get, Dense Discovery by Kai Brach.)
Wow, thanks for this comment Ronald. You've made my day! This post seems to have resonated with a lot of people in a way that I never imagined it would, and I'm so pleased. And thanks for telling me how you found it. Always interesting to hear, and Dense Discovery is one of my favourites!
Love this Tom, I’m currently reading Rosalind Savage’s The Ocean in a Drop, which talks about these very same ideas. I believe we must have spirituality in business and in our lives if we have any hope of altering the disastrous course we are currently on.
Thanks Raoul, I'll take a look at that book. Hopefully see you soon!
Loved your article! It gave me hope as I realize that more and more people are becoming aware of the wonderfulness of spirituality. Thank you for that.
Thanks Jasmina. I’m glad it gave you some hope.
This is absolutely on-point. Nice one Tom for waving the flag of spirituality within the world of business.
I wonder, do you feel you're bringing enough spirituality into your work at Wholegrain?
Thanks Chris. And the honest answer to your question is that I don’t know. It’s something that I’m reflecting on.
Does the modern world really cringe at the idea of spirituality? Or has someone/something simply told us this is true? Gallup says over 80% of people from the U.S. believe in God. Perhaps we can talk about this without all the hedging.
Perhaps both. It may well be that deep down a majority of people are open to the idea of spirituality but have been conditioned to cringe and feel embarrassed to talk about it openly. But maybe it is more of an illusion that a reality. After all, this article has turned out to be my most popular post!
Btw: Magick (yes, with a k ) , is real, becuz it is done with intention. This craft is one form of spirituality. It is about using one's own power in connection with the divine ( Nature).
Earth based spirituality, such as Indigenous peoples is similar.
It will take all 'races' : white, black, yellow & red.....to heal the Earth.
There are prophecies NOT in the Bible (religion) that tell of our 'free will' being used to choose one way or another to go forward with meaning or NOT. It is up to us, now.
That's very interesting. Thanks for sharing this perspective Cynthia.
This is a fascinating point of view that I'd never heard before. It makes a lot of sense to me, perhaps as I've recently been discovering my own spirituality... But I'm surprised it's not more commonly talked about, as it's also grounded in rational thought. Thank you for widening my awareness!
Thanks Christine! Yes it does seem strange that it's not more commonly talked about. I hope that will change in the future.
Met plezier gedeeld op linked in zodat het nog veel mensen mag raken. Dank je om voorbij jouw ongemakkelijkheid toch op te dagen via onder andere deze nieuwsbrief. Vergeef me dat ik dit in het Nederlands schrijf, het zelf vertalen zou ertoe zorgen dat ik niet schrijf, wat ik oprecht wil delen. De technologie van deze tijd laat het gelukkig toe om gemakkelijk een vertaling op de tekst te vinden :-).
Thank you Annemie!