The relation of meditation with project management referring the slokas from the Bhagavad Gita

Meditation is a practice that involves focusing one's attention on a single object, thought, or sensation, and observing it with awareness and detachment. Meditation can have various benefits for one's physical, mental, and spiritual well-being, such as reducing stress, enhancing concentration, improving mood, and fostering a sense of connection with oneself and others.

Project management is the process of planning, executing, monitoring, and closing a specific project that has a defined scope, time frame, budget, and quality standards. Project management can involve various challenges and complexities, such as managing multiple stakeholders, dealing with uncertainties and risks, resolving conflicts, and ensuring effective communication.

How can meditation help project managers to perform their duties better? One possible answer can be found in the Bhagavad Gita (BG), an ancient Indian scripture that contains the teachings of Lord Krishna to Arjuna on the battlefield of Kurukshetra. The BG is not only a religious text but also a source of wisdom on various aspects of life and work.

One of the key concepts in the BG is yoga (not to be confused with physical exercises), which means "union" or "balance". Yoga is the state of being in harmony with oneself and one's environment. It is also the skill or technique to achieve this state. The BG describes different types of yoga for different types of people according to their nature and temperament. One such type is karma yoga (the yoga of action), which is relevant for project managers.

Karma yoga is the practice of performing one's duty without attachment to the outcome or fruits of one's actions. It is based on the principle that one has control over one's actions but not over their results. Therefore, one should focus on doing one's best without being attached to success or failure. This way, one can avoid stress and anxiety caused by expectations or fears.

One sloka (verse) from the BG that summarizes this concept is:

yogastha kuru karmani

sangam tyaktva dhananjaya

siddhyasiddhyoh samo bhutva

samatvam yoga ucyate

This can be translated as:

Be steadfast in yoga (balance), O Arjuna.

Perform your duty (action) and abandon all attachment

to success or failure.

Such evenness of mind (equanimity) is called yoga.

How can this sloka help project managers? Here are some possible implications:

• Project managers should perform their duty as per their role and responsibility without being attached to whether their project will be successful or not.
• Project managers should focus on doing their best to plan and execute their project while being detached from the outcome.
• Project managers should maintain a balance between achieving goals and remaining detached from them.
• Project managers should stay calm and level-headed in the face of challenges and uncertainties.
• Project managers should make decisions based on rationality rather than emotions.

To achieve this state of mind (yoga), meditation can be a useful tool. Meditation can help project managers to:

• Develop concentration and clarity
• Reduce stress and anxiety
• Enhance creativity and problem-solving skills
• Improve mood and motivation
• Foster empathy and collaboration

Therefore, meditation can be seen as a way to practice karma yoga for project managers. By meditating regularly,

project managers can cultivate a balanced mindset that enables them to perform their duty effectively while being detached from its outcome.

In conclusion,

Meditation is a practice that can benefit project managers in various ways by helping them develop

concentration,

clarity,

creativity,

and collaboration skills.

The Bhagavad Gita provides guidance on how to perform one's duty without attachment by practicing karma yoga,

which involves focusing on doing one's best while being detached from success or failure.

One sloka from the BG that summarizes this concept is:

yogastha kuru karmani

sangam tyaktva dhananjaya

siddhyasiddhyoh samo bhutva

samatvam yoga ucyate

This means:

Be steadfast in balance,

O Arjuna.

Perform your action

and abandon all attachment

to success or failure.

Such evenness of mind

is called balance.