First, if you haven’t listened to Episode 11: the Introduction, go back quick and do so. It’ll give you a much better idea of what this series will be all about. The book is 7 parts, and this is part 1, but the introduction will be really helpful first. Again, that’s episode 11. I’ll be doing these episodes every few weeks, so keep an eye out for The 7 Laws episodes if you’re planning to follow along and join the conversation.
As the podcast intro mentions, I believe strongly in the importance of nurturing our entire mind, body, and spirit connection, in order to run a healthy business & live a balanced life.
So I’ve decided to dive into my favorite bits of wisdom I’ve leaned on and learned from and share them with you here.
I really believe that more business podcasts need a dose of ALL the pieces that make up the entrepreneurial journey, not just the how-to business stuff. After all, we’re human beings. And human beings are fascinating, complex beings.
So, here we go! Part One of Deepak Chopra’s 7 Spiritual Laws of Success: The Law of Pure Potentiality.
I’m not interested in highlighting particular spiritual viewpoints for any reason other than they are things that have helped me on my journey. If it doesn’t resonate with you, cool. I hope some of this does, but like anything in life, useful lessons hit everyone in different ways at different times. So in the spirit of approaching this business thing in a holistic way, let’s dive into the less-visited side of a healthy entrepreneurial mindset.
Also in EP 11, I mention a link to the book so you can read ahead, take notes, follow along, etc. The book is called The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success by Deepak Chopra. You can grab a copy for Kindle or paperback at jennings.photo/seven if you’d like to follow along during these episodes. It’s an amazon affiliate link, so I get a tiny kickback if you use the link, which helps to support this show. That’s jennings.photo/seven for a copy, I think they’re around 7 or 8 bucks. And that’s jennings.photo/s-e-v-e-n not the number 7.
The end of each chapter offers a short list of actionable steps in order to practice and integrate things. For the purpose of our exploration of this here on the podcast, I’m going to do the following each episode:
- I’ll begin by going over the actionable steps
- I’ll reference places in the chapter that help to shed more light on the concepts & practice
- I’ll ask you to think about one way you can move forward in a positive-vibe kind of way in your personal or professional life. That’s the piece that will help you the most!
Okay, let’s dig into the juicy parts of this first chapter, The Law of Pure Potentiality. For me, this Law is the most esoteric one to digest, and understand. Why not start this journey together with a bang, huh?
I will say again, if you’re into exploring this holistic view of personal growth in order to be more well-rounded in business and life, I encourage you to pick up a copy of this book. It’s very small, but very profound. Since I won’t be reading entire chapters, just highlighting actionable concepts to chew on, I think it’s important if this stuff resonates to dig in and revisit on your own. I have a link in the show notes, or head to jennings.photo/seven for my Amazon affiliate link, or just go to a bookstore.
Chapter 1: The Law of Pure Potentiality by Deepak Chopra
Here are the actionable steps:
The author suggests the taking the following steps to put the Law of Pure Potentiality into effect in your own life:
(1) “I will get in touch with the field of pure potentiality by taking time each day to be silent, to just Be. I will also sit alone in silent meditation at least twice a day for approximately thirty minutes in the morning and thirty minutes in the evening.”
Depending on your personal traditions, there are a lot of different ways to think of pure potentiality. Some might say the soul. Others might say energy. Doesn’t really matter what words you use, it’s just a concept that helps give shape to the teaching and lessons here.
“The first spiritual law of success is the Law of Pure Potentiality. This law is based on the fact that we are, in our essential state, pure consciousness. Pure consciousness is pure potentiality; it is the field of all possibilities and infinite creativity. Pure consciousness is our spiritual essence. Being infinite and unbounded, it is also pure joy.”
“The experience of the Self, or “self-referral,” means that our internal reference point is our own spirit, and not the objects of our experience. The opposite of self-referral is object-referral. In object-referral we are always influenced by objects outside the Self, which include situations, circumstances, people, and things. In object-referral we are constantly seeking the approval of others. Our thinking and our behavior are always in anticipation of a response. It is therefore fear-based.“
There’s more to this, but I like the idea of self referral as a practice to connect with the energy that creates worlds, the stuff that makes us…us. How often is the version of you, the experience you have each day, in an object referral state? Basically circumstances and situations and dictate your view of yourself.
That’s the essential difference between object-referral and self-referral. In self-referral, you experience your true being, which is unfearful of any challenge, has respect for all people, and feels beneath no one. Self-power is therefore true power.
The next actionable step from The Law of Pure Potentiality we’ll talk about is:
(2) I will practice non-judgment. I will begin my day with the statement, “Today, I shall judge nothing that occurs,” and throughout the day I will remind myself not to judge.”
“There is a prayer in A Course in Miracles that states, “Today I shall judge nothing that occurs.” Non-judgment creates silence in your mind. It is a good idea, therefore, to begin your day with that statement. And throughout the day, remind yourself of that statement each time you catch yourself judging. If practicing this procedure for the whole day seems too difficult, then you may simply say to yourself, “For the next two hours, I won’t judge anything,” or “For the next hour, I will experience non-judgment.” Then you can extend it gradually.”
Sometimes simple learning to be aware of your own habits of judgement can be shocking. I know it was for me. It’s wired in there, for sure. But despite how tiny and simple is sounds, it’s incredibly powerful. And a wonderful way to learn more about your own ego.
The final actionable step from The Law of Pure Potentiality we’ll talk about is:
(3) “I will take time each day to commune with nature and to silently witness the intelligence within every living thing. I will sit silently and watch a sunset, or listen to the sound of the ocean or a stream, or simply smell the scent of a flower. In the ecstasy of my own silence, and by communing with nature, I will enjoy the life throb of ages, the field of pure potentiality and unbounded creativity.”
“Through silence, through meditation, and through non-judgment, you will access the first law, the Law of Pure Potentiality. Once you start doing that, you can add a fourth component to this practice, and that is regularly spending time in direct communion with nature. Spending time in nature enables you to sense the harmonious interaction of all the elements and forces of life, and gives you a sense of unity with all of life. Whether it be a stream, a forest, a mountain, a lake, or the seashore, that connection with nature’s intelligence will also help you access the field of pure potentiality. You must learn to get in touch with the innermost essence of your being. This true essence is beyond the ego. It is fearless; it is free; it is immune to criticism; it does not fear any challenge. It is beneath no one, superior to no one, and full of magic, mystery, and enchantment.“
And those are the actionable piece of this first chapter, the Law of Pure Potentiality. They ask for silence and self-referral over object-referral by using meditation; the practice and awareness of non-judgment; and finally, spending time in nature.
Before we wrap up, I want to be sure to ask you: What is something you can start today that resonates with you that you think will help your grow or bring more positive energy into your personal or professional life?
Perhaps it’s practicing non-judgement for an entire work meeting, or taking a walk instead of watching tv. Whatever it is, and amazing if you can spend a couple of weeks on all three of these, I hope it brings more light into your life.
If you’d like to jump in on our exploration of this text over the next several months (like I said, roughly a new chapter every 6 weeks) first start at the introduction episode to the 7 Laws (#11) and grab a copy of this profound and life-changing book of wisdom at jennings.photo/seven that jennings.photo/s-e-v-e-n
Remember, in all you want to achieve, consistency is key.
