Ranga is a Business Analyst, Tester and IT Consultant at the Heartfulness Institute. He loves writing and he would like to explore the various dimensions of consciousness.

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Ranga Sai Teja D.

<h4>
 RANGA SAI TEJA D.
 challenges our perception of teamwork by looking at it as an evolutionary
 imperative, as well as a platform for differences, independence, and sharing
 a collective vision.
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 The moment the word “teamwork” is heard, it reminds us of colleagues working
 together in an office. However, this is a very limited perspective. I would
 like to share what I have learnt about teamwork from two different
 perspectives – from the book
 The Biology of Belief by Bruce H. Lipton and from the Japanese anime,
 One Piece.



 In The Biology of Belief, Dr. Lipton describes the evolution of
 single-celled organisms into multicellular organisms that arose because of the
 limitation of the cell membrane at storing information in single-celled
 beings. This limitation led to the need for collaboration and teamwork between
 cells, which helped them multiply their capacities to learn and store
 information. And so they overcame their limitation.



 This chain of integration has continued for millennia, leading to the current
 state of evolution of various organisms and species. In fact, the beauty of
 evolution has been based on collaboration among cells. Slowly, in the process,
 certain cells developed specialist expertise, leading to the creation of
 organs that would help the organism to thrive.



 Now, imagine how spectacular it is when three trillion cells work together.
 Isn’t that wonderful? Such is a human being! When seen from the perspective of
 a microbiologist, a human is a conglomeration of many millions of cells
 working together as a single being. This being uses mechanisms similar to an
 organization or a nation, with various tasks under different departments for
 the development of the organization or the nation.



 For example, just as a nation has a border-security force for protection
 against external attack, and a police force to maintain law and order within
 society, our body has white blood cells to protect us from antigens, and the
 skin works as a border security force to protect us from external influences,
 like heat, rain, and dust. Similarly, there are many cells that are experts in
 their own fields, which together form various organs that work for the body as
 a whole. To further the beauty of evolution, most of these species have also
 learned to live and move together in groups and communities, forming various
 ecosystems. And these ecosystems have come together as one world on planet
 Earth.


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 <img decoding="async" width="700" height="590" alt="Beauty_of_teamwork2" class="lazyload has-img-center"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/Beauty_of_teamwork2_700x590_9ad193c181.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-10T06:30:08.322Z" />
 </figure>
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 The most important thing is to give our best as
 individuals, for
 our evolution, while striving together for the combined higher
 cause.
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 The most important thing is to give our best as individuals, for our
 evolution, while striving together for the combined higher cause. Here, I
 would like to share the conversation between two characters from the Japanese
 anime, One Piece. Dr. Chopper, who has joined the group recently, is
 wondering whether he has boarded the wrong pirate ship, joining the wrong
 team. He asks Zoro, the first mate, the first person to join the agonists of
 the team.



 They start talking about why each one joined the crew. Chopper remarks that
 the crew seems so wild compared to him. Zoro then starts talking about how
 everyone has different goals, but their goal to be the best in what they do
 unites them.



 The following conversation ensues:


Chopper: You’re the oldest member of the crew, right?


 Zoro: It’s not like there’s much difference between the older members and the
 newer ones.



 Chopper: Why did you join him [the captain]? I’ve only just joined the crew.
 And everyone looks kinda wild and independent, to me. Especially you, Zoro.



 Zoro: That’s true. In my case, things just happened to turn out like this or
 something like that anyway. The rest of the crew are like me, too. Our true
 objectives are different from his.



 Luffy [agonist]: We’re all trying to accomplish our own goals. Jeez … someone
 once said that from the outside we don’t appear to have any teamwork, since
 everyone is independent from the captain. That’s a problem.


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 <img decoding="async" width="700" height="590" alt="" class="lazyload has-img-center"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/Beauty_of_teamwork3_700x590_37d9187b2c.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-10T06:31:32.639Z" />
 </figure>
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Chopper: I think so, too.


 Zoro: But what does teamwork really mean anyway? Is it just about rescuing and
 protecting each other? There are people who believe that. But to me, that just
 sounds like kids playing around. Everyone should do what they can with their
 lives on the line, and then say to the next guy, “I did what I could. Now it’s
 your turn. If you don’t finish it … I’ll come and kick you!” Isn’t that how
 teamwork first comes about? When I look at it that way, I think it’s okay to
 have
 nakama [friends] that are wild and independent. That’s just how I
 think.



 This is the beauty of teamwork and the spectacular magnificence of
 collaboration and evolution.


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<h4 class="has-text-align-center">
 Original photographs by C. ANANTHA PADMANABAN
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