ABSTRACT:
The pandemic has had different impacts on everyone’s life. Many dreams had to be put on hold and even situations that had been unthinkable in our lives came up, which have prevented us from growing. These circumstances can be compared to the expression “holy cows”, an animal that is protected and revered in India. Without realizing it, many of us have acquired our own sacred cows in our lives, for this reason, it is important to identify them so that in this way, we can combat the barriers that impede our intellectual, emotional, and spiritual growth, as well as our professional development.
The pandemic that started in China in December 2019 had an impact on the way of living to which we were used to. For instance, the pandemic put many people’s dreams on hold, and circumstances that we thought of as unthinkable happened. We could compare these circumstances with the expression of “holy cows”.
In India, the holy cow is protected and revered by the population. This animal constitutes part of the spiritual life in the country and it is seen as much more than a source of food due to its contribution to families. For the general population, the cow is considered a true symbol of life1, so no one can sacrifice it or put it to death.
The cow is untouchable in Indian culture, and it cannot be abused in any way. The cow has been granted the status of a mother, she provides milk like a mother for her children.
Within Hindu beliefs, the animal is considered a god who provides for the sustenance of humanity. In some places, people take care of cows as if they were human beings or more. In India, there are even shelters to take care of them.
In the Occidental mindset, the idea of taking care of these animals in this way may sound outlandish to some. Let’s analyze how this principle has been taking part in our environment. In the business world, stagnating initiatives and in the personal sphere, affecting our lives, since they have become holy cows; anchors that have prevented making decisions, or advancing in the achievement of our goals, anchors that have limited our future2.
We all internalize ideas that we put into practice, ideas that after a while of practicing them become habits, and these in turn become a lifestyle or a way of operating. It’s time for a change! Without realizing, many of us have acquired our own holy cows either as customs, beliefs, personal or collective attitudes that have been transmitted, and then shared as business doctrines that lead others to think and act in the same way they were taught, regardless of impact, cannot be touched or altered3.
In the midst of this pandemic, everyone thinks about changing the world, but “Nobody thinks about changing himself”, as the writer Aleksey Tolstoy said. The change should start with our own habits. It is time to release our holy cows.
The expression of holy cows is commonly identified with animals in India, but now let’s focus on the holy cows in our lives. Imagine a place where cows are considered holy and cannot be touched. Imagine a cow lying in the middle of the street and nobody can touch it. It cannot be moved in the slightest way, even if it implies obstructing vehicular movement or making passersby uncomfortable. This image leads us to think that, without realizing it, we can have holy cows in our lives. Holy cows that could be places, hobbies, people, relationships, circumstances, things, processes, cultural aspects, etc., that we carry inside or we practice, that impede our intellectual, emotional and spiritual growth, as well as our professional development.
Without realizing it, the holy cows prevent you from taking off into your true future. Today I invite you to rebuild it! Start by paying attention to everything that is hindering your growth and development and that for some reason you do not see it, you do not realize it or you simply do not want to get away from it. This is the time to sacrifice your holy cows that have been an untouchable burden in your life, use time wisely and realize that, as Mandela said, “It is always the right time to do things right” And today more than ever!
I invite you to analyze everything that consumes your time and energy, such as electronic games, cell phones, the internet, or other addictions that have become untouchable in your daily life. Perhaps your holy cows have been relationships with people who have been an anchor in your life, people who have distracted you from your ideals, goals, and dreams. Perhaps your holy cows have been co-workers opposed to change, people with ideas such as “We’ve always done it that way here.”
Conclusion
It is time to release your holy cows. It is time to awaken that leader in you and reach the highest peak of your life. It is time for you to go towards the conquest of a better future. Moses, a great leader said: God wants you to be the head and not the tail. Do you feel that in the middle of this pandemic you have stagnated? This is the best time to make a radical change in your life. You have all the potential to do it! Are you willing to reinvent yourself? Are you willing to rebuild your future? Large companies in the world have emerged in times of crisis. Great men and women have come back in times of adversity and you can do it too. This is the best moment!
- Redacción Sol de México, Sol de México https://www.elsoldemexico.com.mx/mundo/por-que-la-vaca-es-sagrada-en-la-india-3348004.html 9/21/20
- ExceLence Management, https://excelencemanagement.wordpress.com/2017/05/22/las-vacas-sagradas-en-la-empresa-que-son-y-como-la-cultura-puede-con-ellas/. Publicado el 22/05/2017
- Barda, Aida https://coachdelaprofesional.com/vacas-sagradas/ 9/21/20
Doctor Rivera is the Director of the Department of Spiritual Care at Health Facts Now. He has a Doctorate in Educational Research from the Universidad Técnica Particular de Loja, Ecuador. He graduated from MDiv at Andrews University in Michigan. He completed his Clinical Residency at Rubí Hospital in West Virginia. His Bachelor’s Degree in Education and Theology at CORPUA in Medellín, Colombia. Doctor Rivera has had the privilege of serving in his area of spiritual care in different capacities in Ecuador for more than 15 years, where he also acted as principal of the Gedeon School, as well as Director of Educational Projects in his native country, Ecuador. He was invited as a Lecturer and later appointed as Manager of IDEASI (Institute for Educational Development and Comprehensive Health Advice), where he carried out various initiatives focused on the personal and professional development of directors of educational institutions, teachers, and students in collaboration with the Department of Education of Puerto Rico. Later, he had the privilege of serving as a Chaplain in the United States Army. Currently, he serves in Massachusetts and Connecticut in the hospice system. He has focused on the development and promotion of talents, motivation, self-help, and health care in general. His passion is to promote the humans well-being, and their overall health of individuals to help them to reach their full potential in the pursuit of their goals.