You see it all the time in the corporate world- business owners sacrificing integrity, compassion, and well-being for profit. This type of mindset is birthed from a deep, unconscious fear that there’s not enough in the world, therefore, "I need to get mine".

I have a friend, which I’ll call Luke, who works for a company, which I’ll call the Death Star, and their main focus is profit regardless of the consequences. They view their customers, employees, and any other human being as dollar signs and as a means to an end.

The Death Star does not have any intention of forming true and value providing relationships. They don’t care about how their actions effect the environment. And, they certainly don’t care about adding quality to the lives of others. Their mission statement may go something like this, "Our mission is to profit, grow the Death Star, and give our stockholders a positive return on their investment." Exciting, isn’t it?

The Death Star grows its business by acquiring dilapidated businesses, dismantling it piece by piece, lay-off its workers, manipulate stock and accounting records, and fool their idiot and money-hungry stockholders in thinking that they are doing good because they make money.

Who in the world would 1) be so blinded to fall for the thinking that positive cash flow equals making a difference and 2) who would support and participate in a business that pollutes the world by adding fear, lack, and negativity?

Unfortunately, billions of people do and I use to be one of them in my more distant past. Are you one of those billions who owns or works for a company where they will sacrifice integrity, compassion, and well-being for profit? How can you tell? Ask yourself this, "Do I consider my values, integrity, and loving kindness above all else? Or, am I concerned with making a buck and buying the cheaper the item?"

When the Death Star comes into my awareness every now and then, I’m continually amazed that people are willing to work for that company and that businesses are foolish enough to be bought by them.

How and Why does this happen?

It happens because you are not in touch with your Big Heart. Money, possessions, social status, etc. have become a misplaced sense of fulfillment and security. When one or many of those externals run out–which they do quite often–fear, scarcity, and desire become your state of consciousness; therefore, the continual need of grasping and accumulating become your life’s purpose.

Your Big Heart is the integration of deep insight, wisdom, and compassion that leads to a full functioning life. It’s a deep knowing that you are not separate from other human beings and Life. You do not need to trample on others to be successful. You do not have to make your life a journey of "more is better" and "I need more". You do not need to worry about if there’s enough for you. When your Big Heart is fully integrated and shining like a bright star, abundance/sufficiency is your natural state because you are connected to the Totality of Life.

Big Heart in business

John owns a small moving company that serves mid-size business. They have been steadily growing for five years and finally landed in the "big time" with its first multi-million dollar client.

John understood the importance of his client’s move (it would put them in the "big time", too) and wanted to make sure that he and his company would make a positive impact for them. So, in order to provide the best value possible, he hired more staff, bought a new fleet of trucks, and began allocating management and resources to accommodate for the big move.

John’s company was buzzing with anticipation and excitement. It felt like he was Santa Claus and his staff were the elves preparing for Christmas Day with only a week remaining.

A few days before the "big move" John received a heart-stopping phone call. His client filed chapter 13 bankruptcy and could not honor their multi-million dollar contract. John has been preparing for this move for months and invested hundreds of thousands of dollars to make it a success. His first thoughts were, "This is going to put me under. We’re going to have to file bankruptcy, too!" It was like Christmas has been canceled and they are stuck with all of the presents.

Then, something unique happened to John. He shifted his attention away from his thoughts and allowed them to be; he listened to the "nothing-ness". An idea arose into his consciousness and he immediately called a staff meeting.

He told his staff he had good news: "Today, our client filed for bankruptcy and will not be honoring our contract anymore", as he said those words, he could see and feel the despair and disappointment. One staff member said, "Great, we’re going to go under then and get laid off. I thought you said we had good news?"

John continued and told his staff: "The good news is that our moving company is going to honor our part of the contract and move the client anyway."

He then asked his staff to put aside any fear of job loss or anger toward the client, and really think about what one loving human being would do to the other. John reminded his staff that before this bankruptcy they had an authentic relationship with this client. Then, John said something his staff would never forget, "What if we move the company anyway and have fun doing it because we care about our client and it will help them grow?"

Full of inspiration and heart, John and his moving company staff successfully moved their client despite of a broken contract. They did the move with heart, integrity, and enjoyment and handed their client the bill to get in line with the rest of the creditors without any expectation of a return.

Two years later, John received a phone call from the client saying that they are coming out of bankruptcy and will honor their multi-million dollar contract. The client told John that because of the strategic move, they were able to allocate more resources and grow as a value providing and profitable company.

Once the news hit the business world of this great accomplishment, John’s business grew like a wildfire. John allowed his Big Heart to flow into the world and because of his Big Heart, abundance and love naturally flowed back to him multiplied by ten.

The starting point for unveiling your Big Heart is to ask the right question and then be the space for the answer to arise- as John did in the story above. If you can do those two things, then Right Thought and Right Action will flow in and through you and manifest as wisdom and compassion.

How to unveil your Big Heart

Big Heart is not something you need to attract or build skills to realize and make stronger. Your Big Heart is here, now, waiting for your attention. Once you give it attention, you give it love to nourish and grow.

How do you give your Big Heart attention? You understand and cultivate your Big Heart and then give it the space to be and fill your life.

Who is Big Heart?

"I am Big Heart and I’m the feeling of the universe. I am everything and as big as Big Mind–infinite, vast, and the foundation for the manifestation of all life.

"But I’m different than Big Mind; I feel. I have compassion, empathy, and joy. I’m the one who is full functioning and embraces good and evil. There are times when I suffer and when other human beings suffer. I let that be okay and give love to others. I can see through the egoic self and tap in to the deeper levels of Being and presence.

"I play in the world and all of its games, but I know my true nature and I’m the essence of form. I am the light of consciousness and I’m the human being. I suffer, get angry, fear, and I play the role of victim. However, I’m also aware that I’m free and nirvana at the same time. I’m completely aware and alert that I couldn’t have success, peace, love, and happiness if I didn’t experience failure, anger, hate, and sadness.

"All emotions are a manifestation of me, Big Heart. What’s different about me, Big Heart, is that I’m appropriate and wise with my thoughts and actions according to the situation. For every situation and circumstance, I am present and open to what is. And out of my presence, wise and appropriate action will follow. Sometimes it’s appropriate to be angry, sad, and desire, then other times, it’s not.

"I am full functioning; therefore, my primary relationship is with the unconditional, unmanifested mind. I’m not run by patterns and conditioning, for I choose my patterns and conditioning to act out. I am not separate from life- I am life.

"The problem the world has gotten itself into is believing that human beings are separate entities from other human beings and from their environment. If I, Big Heart, am realized and unveiled, we’ll have a functional world without any loss of spice and passion. I am Big Heart."

What you read above was a voice dialogue session of integrating Big Heart into your life. I’m not going to go into how voice dialogue works and its benefits, except for this tiny statement: Voice dialogue is a method of self observation or inquiry so you can become aware of the aspects of the One Self and become full functioning.

Here’s the exercise I recommend you try:

1. Sit still for a few minutes and follow your breath in and out.
2. Identify with Big Heart. Simply say, out loud, "I am Big Heart."
3. Speak as Big Heart in the first person. Refer to yourself in third person. For example, "I am Big Heart and I’m the feeling for Nick’s life (Nick is my name)."

   Who are you? (Answer as, "I am Big Heart") Now that you are Big Heart, let me ask you a question: "What is your function as Big Heart? What are you like?"

   As long as you are identified with Big Heart, there are no wrong answers. Trust and voice out loud what comes up. Use the above dialogue in this section to spark the Big Heart in you.

What would Big Heart do

Big Heart is already a part of you. What you must do is give it the space to exist. Out of the space or your presence is where Big Heart will manifest. I recommend that when you’re confronted with daily decisions or negative emotions, that you pause and be still for a moment. Ask this question silently, "What would Big Heart do?"

Do not answer the question. Silence your thoughts and allow the question to be. Be the alert space and presence of this moment. Anchor your attention into the aliveness of your body. Trust that whatever needs to happen in this moment will be wise and appropriate. Sometimes no thought or action will be required. Letting the situation be as it is could be the most wise and appropriate action. Other times, an idea to put into action will arise or a thought to voice may come, too. That’s fine and have faith to carry out those intentions.

When John and his moving company tuned-in to Big Heart, an idea and action came into his awareness. He trusted and followed his heart without expecting a future return. His attention was completely centered in the moment allowing his Big Heart to flow out in the universe.

Most companies and people, like the Death Star, do things to achieve some future state. The goal is to always get somewhere and overcome something because here and now is not good enough. Pleasure and "push button convenience" with disregard of the impact is the solution according to the Death Star way of consciousness. That’s a recipe for dysfunction and if continued, will eventually be the end of the human race.

Big Heart is aware of the future, but its attention is on what is right now. That’s true love. And when the future comes, which will be another now moment, the result will take care of itself and will be aligned with integrity, compassion, harmony, and full functioning–as you saw with the honored multi-million dollar contract.

Whether you are a business owner trying to grow its company or an employee climbing the ladder of success, you do not have to compromise integrity and compassion to profit and feel secure. What you could do is integrate deep levels of insight, wisdom, and compassion, thus unveil your Big Heart and have full functioning. The requirement is for you to understand "who is Big Heart" in your own life and ask the question, "What would Big Heart do?" Then, allow yourself to be the still, no thought space of the awakened presence.

I love you,
- Big Heart