Discover how Buddhist monks unknowingly schooled me on business, money, and the power of presence. A witty, soulful reflection on turning spirituality into practical financial wisdom.
The Silence That Cost Me Nothing, But Gave Me Everything
Have you ever sat in a Himalayan monastery at 5 a.m., the kind where even your thoughts echo because it’s so silent?
No wi-fi. No marketing funnel. No clinking coins.
Just the sound of butter lamps being lit, one by one, like tiny IPOs of inner peace.
And it was here—broke, barefoot, and borderline hangry—I received the most profound business lesson of my life… from a monk who hadn’t touched money in 30 years.
From Madcap Marketing to Monk Mode
Three years ago, I ran a campaign for a high-end luxury brand. The kind that sells creams for ₹12,000 and calls it “hydrating elixir.” I was swimming in metrics, conversions, and cortisol.
Until one day, my body said nope. Breakdown, burnout, blackout—trifecta of urban spiritual bankruptcy.
I did what any derailed overachiever would do—I ran to the hills. Dharamshala, to be precise. To be quiet. To “find myself.” (Cliché, I know.)
That’s where I met Lama Tenzin.
He wasn’t flashy. No “monk who sold Ferrari” vibes. Just a weathered maroon robe, cracked feet, and the kind of eyes that have seen lifetimes pass like Instagram stories.
“Why do you work so hard?” he asked, sipping butter tea with the elegance of a Zen shareholder.
“Money. Freedom. Impact,” I blurted, like a LinkedIn profile.
He smiled. That peaceful, terrifying monk smile that feels like it knows your browser history.
“Then why do you seem so poor inside?”
Damn.
No rebuttal. Just a full-body pause.
That conversation turned into a 10-day unintentional MBA-in-reverse. He didn’t teach marketing. He taught minding. He didn’t talk revenue. He talked rhythm.
And every evening, I’d scribble monk-wisdom into my travel journal like a man trying to capture the Himalayas in bullet points.
The Currency of Clarity
What I learned from those monks was this: money is not evil, but attachment to its illusion is.
They don’t hate wealth—they just don’t let it become their guru. They practice non-grasping, a sort of inner unsubscribe button from societal FOMO.
One monk told me:
“If your heart isn’t still, no amount in your account will feel like enough.”
Read that again, investor of chaos.
Meditation, for them, wasn’t an app. It was a system reboot. The ultimate CRM—Conscious Revenue Management. Track your mind, clean your cache, upgrade your awareness.
They taught me:
- Wealth is generated through presence, not panic.
- A calm mind is a better strategist than a caffeinated one.
- You can build empires without being emotionally bankrupt.
It wasn’t anti-business. It was conscious business.
How to Use Monk Lessons in Monday Meetings
Let’s be honest—most of us are not going to become monks. We still need to pay rent, grow brands, and pretend we understand GST.
But what we can do is:
Practice the Meditation of Money:
Take 10 minutes daily to sit with your financial anxiety. Not fix it. Just sit. Watch what comes up. You’ll be surprised how much noise is running your decisions.
De-attach from performance obsession:
Your last campaign’s ROI doesn’t define you. Stop measuring self-worth in dashboards. Build emotional dividends.
Brew business with stillness:
Before a major decision—pitch, launch, or hire—pause. Take a breath. Let the answer arise from clarity, not chaos.
Bring Dharma to Data:
Integrate value-driven intent into your offers. Sell things that solve, not seduce. Make your customers feel seen, not sold to.
Not Just Profit, But Peace
I still love the game of business. I still run ads. But now, I run them with stillness inside. My clients notice it. My sleep appreciates it.
So next time you’re tempted to hustle harder, remember—there are monks out there sitting in silence, outperforming half of Wall Street… in peace per share.
And that’s a dividend worth chasing.
Until next time, breathe deep, sell with soul, and don’t forget—your bank balance can grow, but only if your awareness grows faster.
Namaste and Nifty gains.
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