Careers for Single Mothers - Articles

Spirituality at the United Nations 
Judith H. Ryan from Spirituality.com 

A growing awareness of the effectiveness of a spiritual view on global issues is being cultivated at the United Nations and is helping staff find solutions to their work.

According to Nancy Roof, who helped convene an ongoing meeting on this new dimension to the UN work, "The Spiritual Caucus is committed to supporting and strengthening the spiritual principles and purposes of the United Nations and raising awareness of spirituality at work within the United Nations system."

Roof explained that the caucus is open to all organizations that share their purpose, and to the staff of the UN and its missions around the world. "Primarily we are using meditation and reflective silence in support of the charter of the United Nations and its spiritual work," she said. "We have shared conversations after meditation, about how to enhance spiritual principles in global affairs and how to enact politically engaged spirituality."

In part, the preamble to the UN charter asks members "to practice tolerance and live together in peace with one another as good neighbors, and to unite our strength to maintain international peace and security" (see link below).

We recognize the interdependence and interconnectedness of life.
Roof said of her group, "We recognize the interdependence and interconnectedness of life and seek to enhance the love, wisdom and compassionate strength of the human spirit; we encourage transparent and collaborative efforts that support our oneness and diversity; and we explore insights, awareness, and information that serve to expand our collective knowledge and wisdom."

As an individual staffer, Jennifer Borchers, who works for the director of external audit, Philippines, appreciates the spiritual principles at work in the UN. She said, "Just think—for thousands of years, tribes and countries have gone to war with each other and there was no organized effort to help them stop fighting and live in peace. It is truly an honor to be part of this grand experiment of humanity to create peace worldwide."

UN staff members have an opportunity to take part in a variety of UN Staff Recreation Council (UNSRC) activities. Jennifer is the current president of the Society for Enlightenment and Transformation, a UNSRC staff club. "We invite speakers to address members and other interested United Nations' staff on a variety of spiritual topics to enlighten, transform and inspire staff," said Jennifer.

Referring to her own initial invitation to participate in the Spiritual Caucus from the other co-founder Patrick McNamara, Jennifer said, "Most of the members of the Spiritual Caucus are staff from non-governmental agencies. Patrick informed me that the work of the Spiritual Caucus was based on the 'spiritual principles underlying the work of the United Nations.'"

My closet friends and I at the UN call ourselves 'light workers.'"
Jennifer explained how she and some of her friends try to bring spiritual qualities to the workplace. "My closest friends and I at the UN call ourselves 'light workers,'" she said. "That is, we consciously endeavor to express positive thoughts, words, and feelings, no matter how stressful and pressured the work environment may be. Many of us work in positions that are not directly involved in peacekeeping, such as auditing, but we know that if we can communicate our peaceful thoughts and words heart-to-heart to each person we meet, then we are doing our spiritual jobs as well."

She shared an instance where she felt a spiritual outlook had helped her. Her work contract at the UN was about to expire and she was concerned about her future. She had interviews with two areas: Law of the Sea, and Board of Auditors.

"Law of the Sea offered me a permanent post and a permanent contract, working with lawyers and quite a bit of stenographic work," said Jennifer. "The Board of Auditors offered me a three-month contract, which might or might not become permanent. It was a post that was occupied by someone away on a United Nations mission, who might or might not return. The work involved editing and formatting long documents, very little work with figures, and reporting to someone who had a meditation practice and came from the same country as I did."

"I applied the spiritual principle of love rather than fear."
As Jennifer explained it, "I applied the spiritual principle of love rather than fear. My heart wanted to take the second position—the spiritual principle to be motivated to have and do what you love. But everyone advised me to take the first position as it offered security." Jennifer said that all that advice was resting on what she called an "ego principle—avoid fear of insecurity."

"Only one person advised me to 'follow your heart, the security will follow.' I accepted the post in Board of Auditors," she said. "Not only did the security follow, and I was offered the post and a permanent contract, but the post came with two built-in promotions as it was upgraded by two levels in the following five years."

Jennifer sees her own individual meditations, and The Enlightenment Society's spiritual support, playing a role in the workplace atmosphere. "I really believe that 'thoughts are things,'" she explained. "Every thought of peace, love and harmony, creates positive energy. Every prayer for peace, love and harmony does the same and can be sent, literally, to where one desires—to the United Nations, or to a conflict area anywhere on the globe."