The tiny seed knew that in order to grow, it needed to be dropped in dirt, covered with darkness, and struggle to reach the light.

~Sandra Kring

 

Just as a seed grows into a plant, every thought manifests into our reality. The laws that govern nature are the same that direct our thoughts. Sowing the seeds of thoughts to manifest the worlds we imagine, we are gardeners of our lives.

If we sow seeds of negative thoughts and expect our lives to be bountiful, it is like planting a cactus and expecting an artichoke to grow.

It is within our power to choose what we cultivate.

Recently I received a message from a reader, let’s call her Anna, who had to clear her yard of invasive weeds that were unhealthy for her dog. Anyone who has had to remove weeds knows how demanding the job is.

Anna was able to find humor and joy in this tedious task.

“In a bit of frustration one day, I took my small meditation bench outside and used that as my seat as I was weeding. It brought humor to the moment when I realized I was “zen gardening.” As I uprooted foxtails, burrs, and stork bills, I thought about how deeply rooted these things get given just a tiny amount of time and how they thrive in a tough environment. It made me think; this is how negative thoughts multiply.

This whole experience made me think of the essence of The Let Go, how to find a way to get the things that are in the way removed and to focus on the positive outcome.

I have reminded myself several times that the purpose of doing this de-weeding is primarily for the wellbeing of the dogs. Still, it’s been lovely to benefit from understanding that doing it also impacts how to face a challenge, rearrange priorities, choose love and safety, and make it happen.

The project is not complete, but it’s had a lot of progress. Which feels like a metaphor for the journey of life itself.”

I could not have stated it better. The thoughts we hold are the most impactful single action we can take in our lives. They are the seeds that create every aspect of who we are.

Two thoughts struck me. She was doing this for her dog’s health, which brought a higher purpose to the task through love and service.

And secondly, her correlation between the weeds and negative thoughts.

When we design a garden, we choose the layout and consider the strength of the sun, the composition of the soil, and which plants will live in harmony.

Just as we design our gardens, we have the ability to design our lives.

The choices we make are reflections of our thoughts. The simplicity of changing our focus is all it takes. The key to a good gardener is to tend to what we want and eliminate what we don’t. If left untended, those weeds can eventually overwhelm the design.

When the weeds of negative thoughts begin to return, that’s where the work begins. Systematically removing them as they sprout will support our positive intentions to flourish.

What we put attention to will grow. Negative thoughts take space in our minds, just as weeds take space in our gardens.

With awareness, diligence, and mindfulness, we can clear what is not desired, creating room for beauty to grow.

Over time the weeds will diminish, and in their place, the productive and positive thoughts that we have cultivated will remain.

Shifting how we see life begins with sowing the seeds of thoughts we wish to manifest. Are you ready to watch the garden of your desire grow?

Don’t judge each day by the harvest you reap but by the seeds that you plant.

 ~Robert Louis Stevenson