by Ada Porat | Nov 14, 2024 | Conscious living, Life skills, Mindfulness, Spirituality
Photo credit: Matt Collamer, Unsplash
As humans, we tend to get caught up in the battles in life. It is easy to develop tunnel vision or get blinded by our emotional attachment or resistance to what shows up. We’ve all been there, right! And yet, we can thrive, grow and flourish during times of conflict by understanding the deeper process that’s unfolding.
Every time we become absolutely zealous and charged about something, we actually dissociate from some part of our own being. We inhibit our own progress. Step back from the intense attachment or aversion, and it becomes clear that the person triggering us isn’t very different than us. Like us, they are trying on the 10,000 ways of being human, which includes a very colorful range of expression and thinking – all of them temporary.
Events that may feel overpowering in this moment do not define us either – they are simply temporary props on the stage of life, chapters on our journey of growth and becoming.
Clearly, it is not the people or events of our lives that define us; but our response to them. And when we learn how to respond appropriately, we can use the dissonance of life as a springboard to personal growth.
Whenever we experience anger, fear or disappointment, these uncomfortable emotions offer us a gift: they shine light on parts of ourselves that we’ve denied, pushed into the unconscious, or simply taken for granted. Discord actually helps us grow, because it’s in the to-and-fro of opposing viewpoints that change occurs.
Whenever we experience inner dissonance, it serves us well to remember the words of Master Yoda, “Fear is the path to the dark side. Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to suffering.”
There is another way forward, one that requires us to push beyond the illusionary strength of our fear: it demands the clarity of our hearts.
To progress, we cannot afford anger or impatience to cloud our judgement. We need to see beyond the immediate conflict and feel the deeper connection among all things. In so doing, we will find a better path forward.
Those who differ from us and stand on the other side of the fence are not simply adversaries. They are human beings and evolving souls as well. We are all bound together in the vast, intricate web of the galaxy, our fates intertwined.
The ones who see no path forward except through using brute force are not evil; they are operating at lower levels of understanding. Their rigid attachment to control as the only means of survival blinds them to other viewpoints. They can’t see that conflict borne from fear, anger and hatred is like grasping at sand and only deepens suffering.
Instead of reacting impulsively to dissonance and discord, such times require us to first still ourselves. Patience is needed now.
We know what we need to do. With steady hearts and calm minds, we need to remember that we are all connected. What happens to one, ultimately affects all of us.
The fear-based survival instinct can blind even the best of us, making us do things we’d have once thought unimaginable. It is not so much cruelty but misdirected survival that distorts thinking.
There is no future holding onto fear. We need to let go of fear and find a path forward where we all survive.
The universe hums to a symphony of spiritual laws that echo through the lives of those who listen with open hearts and awakened minds. These unseen forces guide us as we navigate the space between the sacred and the everyday.
The Sufi Poet Rumi expressed it very well:
“When I run after what I think I want, my days are a furnace of distress and anxiety;
If I sit in my own place of patience, what I need flows to me, and without any pain.
From this I understand that what I want also wants me, is looking for me and attracting me.
There is a great secret in this for anyone who can grasp it.”
–Rumi, 100 Bedtime Verses
Like a stone cast into still waters, every action we take sends ripples outward, shaping the destiny of the one who cast it. Mahatma Gandhi lived this truth with every breath, wielding non-violence as both shield and sword because he understood that the tender sapling of peace, once planted, will grow even in the harsh soil of oppression. Tested by imprisonment, hatred, and the weight of an empire’s cruelty, he remained unbowed, trusting that the seeds of love and justice would bloom in time.
At the heart of existence lies love, not brute force. Love is the pulse of creation itself. This is the Divine Love that Rupert Spira calls the everyday name of the Divine. It is the Presence that transcends ego, seeing Divinity in every living thing and calling forth that potential instead of fixating on and hating the shadow.
Saint Francis of Assisi embodied this Divine Presence, moving through the world as a servant to forgotten, broken and mistreated creatures. His love knew no hierarchy. He fed lepers, spoke to wildlife, and loved them all with the same tenderness, even as the world mocked his humility. His faith in Love’s power became his sanctuary, impervious to the storms of derision.
This Divine Presence of love exists in everyone, whether it’s hidden or acknowledged. It connects all of life with filaments of the Creator throughout time and space. When we understand this intrinsic interconnectedness of all life, we must choose compassion and forgiveness, because we know it’s the only doorway to healing for us as individuals and for our shared humanity. This non-violent clarity lets us stand steady and resolute so we can stitch together the torn fabric of a divided nation, knowing that healing can come only when all hands hold the needle.
Faith is here to guide us. It quietly whispers to those who trust in vision beyond sight.
Harriet Tubman lived by this law, her faith guiding her through dark forests and across the waters of the Underground Railroad. Every step she took, every life she saved, was rooted in an unshakable faith in the Divine guidance moving her forward. Fear nipped at her heels but she outran it, carried by her conviction that freedom is not just a dream, but a birthright for all.
And yet, freedom does not come only through holding on, but through letting go. Non-attachment teaches that peace is born not from grasping, but from surrendering. As we let go of old resentments and outdated dreams, we create space for something new to be born – and we can collectively create something better than the flawed constructs of the past.
These spiritual principles are not distant or abstract, they are the living breath of the Universe, calling us to harmony. We can find inspiration and a mirror reflecting our potential by looking at the shining examples of those who’ve gone before.
Together, we can do this! Let conflict and upheaval invite you to surrender to a Higher Power, trusting your heart’s wisdom to follow the path of non-violence, compassion and peace. Open your heart and consciousness to the deeper truths of existence, prompting you toward a more conscious life.
Unlearn the old. Surrender the ancient habits of fear, anger and hatred. It is time for us to grow beyond the ego and reflect our Source. Trust in the unseen hands that guide you, keep your heart open, and look to see the Creator Presence in everyone you meet. This could be a very good time for your soul!
©Copyright Ada Porat. This article may be freely distributed in whole or in part, provided there is no charge for it and this notice is attached. For more information, visit https://AdaPorat.com
by Ada Porat | Aug 19, 2024 | Conscious living, Cope with change, Empowering changes, Fear and anxiety, Life transitions, Mindfulness, Peace, Spirituality
Photo by Vyacheslav Shatskiy on Unsplash
Are you feeling strained, bombarded by paradox and mixed messages everywhere you turn? You’re not alone!
More than ever, the boundaries between light and shadow have become blurred. What is true and what is not? What should we choose and what decline? Welcome to the challenge of finding balance between paradoxical paradigms!
We have the capacity to navigate through this time, but we must learn how to do so effectively. Our future depends on it!
To thrive in a world awash with paradox, we need discernment to determine what is appropriate for us, because the solutions for loved ones or friends may not be optimal for us. We need to master how to cherry-pick optimal choices for each of us individually, even when the majority leans in a different direction.
Truth can be fluid, twisted, and modified. It looks different from different levels of consciousness, and so the truth for each of us is about what is appropriate for you or me at our individual place in consciousness; what is harmonious with our individual levels of learning and understanding right now.
There is no need to fear the confusing paradoxes and anomalies around us. Each one of us is continuously connected to our souls and beyond that, to the Creator energy that sustains and protects us. Whenever we consciously take in information, that Creator energy within empowers us to transmute what is not helpful, and to embrace what is.
Thriving in the paradoxical paradigm requires us to evolve into higher levels of being by leaning into our spiritual identity. It requires us to step out of the limiting box of group-think and tribal alliances. We make optimal choices when we bypass the ego noise and choose from our hearts. And so, we need to become inner-directed, self-regulating beings who receive our guidance and discernment from within to lead and keep us safe. We must funnel information through the true filter of our hearts to determine what is appropriate for each of us individually, and to select what resonates with our unique energy field.
The potential for spiritual evolution for everyone on the planet is enormous at this time. As cosmic radiation and photon light penetrate planet Earth traveling through the photon belt, everything is speeding up and evolving faster. We can tap into that energy by strengthening our heart connection with Spirit, evolving our consciousness and staying present with each moment. The path of spiritual evolution requires good spiritual hygiene – the ability to steer clear of traps and to nourish ourselves appropriately. Here are some thoughts on how to apply it in different areas of life.
Filter exposure
It is important to pay attention to the external environments we expose ourselves to. When we take back our power from externalized loci of control, we become self-regulating, empowered beings who navigate without fear. Technology is not our boss; it is merely a tool that can be used in service to our truth and level of consciousness.
Navigate from the heart
Navigation from the heart is the way forward. It will draw to us not only what is necessary for our individual journeys, but it will also guide us to higher levels of awareness and empowerment. This connection asks us to step away from outer chaos and to connect to the Source of truth within. It transforms us into inner-directed, self-regulating beings.Our heart connection is a powerful, sacred tool. Each one of us has the ability to focus inward and to access the wisdom within to guide us on our sacred journey of individuation. We’ve been given the freedom to choose; so let’s choose wisely. This inner wisdom is not to be squandered on defending our ego stance or judging others; it is a sacred tool to help us transform our choices, outlook and being.
Support your physical vehicle
Likewise, our physical bodies need optimal support to thrive. We may need to take our power back from substances or limiting habits that do not serve us. True power is not found in external substances, but in the limitless consciousness that we are, manifest in human form. Our bodies are uniquely resilient and calibrated to keep us safe. To function best, our bodies need to be guided by higher consciousness, aligned to our inner life Source and nourished with respect. When aligned this way, the body will find optimal ways to create the reality we focus on.
Mind your mind
Our thoughts become things, so let’s choose wisely. To let our light shine more brightly, we must maintain our balance within an ever-expanding universe, and replace judgment with curiosity. We can become curious about possibilities instead, and embrace that which brings peace, harmony and joy. This is a time to avoid the temptation to vilify, judge or criticize ourselves or others, for it serves no positive purpose. Instead, we need to catch ourselves when defaulting into old habits and bring back our focus to this present moment, where all possibilities exist. Over time, we will become what we focus on. That is why it is so important to discipline our minds and focus on things that are congruent with our level of consciousness and understanding – our survival and thriving absolutely depend on that.
Grow into maturity
Navigating these times calls for discipline and maturity as well. It takes commitment, repetition and discipline to bring our minds into alignment and keep focusing on our inner truth. Distractions are everywhere! Learning to manage our individual consciousness with maturity and self-discipline, is essential if we wish to effectively navigate the brave new world emerging around us. This is a core truth that needs to be practiced by everyone who wants to thrive in the coming years.
Choose where to focus
We also need to wield the power of focus effectively. We are on the cusp between two very different paradigms, the old and the new. Even as the old paradigm is being laid bare and seen for its limitations, new options are emerging. There is no need to continue entangling with the old, whether through judgment or resistance. It is helpful to remember that whenever we resist or fight something, we’re actually entangling our own energy with that field. And what we resist, persists! We need not obsess with destroying the old; the power of our aligned intention will simply continue to expand what we focus on, allowing old, abandoned constructs to shrivel up and die. Whatever we focus on, grows; whatever we withdraw our Life Force from, will drop away. Disciplined focus also banishes all fear. When our inner truth filter guides us, we become fearless. We can embrace the future, the new and the unknown without anxiety. We stand strong and navigate with confidence, because we filter, choose and navigate from the heart.
Align with true Power
The more we tap into the power of our alignment with the Life Force, the more effectively we’re able to focus that creative force in us on what we desire, align with and are harmonious with. As each of us, at our unique levels of consciousness, embrace this practice of alignment and discipline our focus to embrace what is desired now, the rich tapestry of our emergent world will thrive. The more aligned we are, the more access we have to channel our Higher wisdom and discernment. Over time, it brings mastery. Collectively and individually, this is how we create new habits, new structures and a new world.
Answer the call
We are called to become lighthouses for consciousness. The more light – representing higher levels of consciousness – we hold in our intentions, the quicker the old will drop away so the new can emerge. During times of external conflict and confusion, let’s choose to marinate our hearts in loving kindness and truth. Let’s sterilize all negativity as we breathe in peace, and breathe out all conflict, dissonance and pain. Let’s release what no longer serves, so we can remain perfectly aligned with our unfolding potential. We are the co-creators of our emerging new reality, so let’s stand in truth and trust the wisdom that guides us!
About the Author
©Copyright Ada Porat. For more information, visit https://adaporat.com. This article may be freely distributed in whole or in part, provided there is no charge for it and this notice is attached.
by Ada Porat | Jul 17, 2023 | Body Mind Spirit, Emotional healing, Life skills, Mindfulness, Personal growth
Photo Credit: Naira Babayan, Unsplash
Life includes a range of emotions, some pleasant and others challenging. We often feel the urge to resist or suppress challenging emotions, but doing so intensifies them over time.
Instead, mindfulness offers us practical ways to transform challenging emotions and enjoy inner peace. By developing this valuable skill, you can navigate difficult emotions with grace and enjoy greater emotional balance. Here’s how:
Become Aware of Your Emotions
Becoming aware of our emotions is the first step in effectively managing them. Check in with yourself during the day and become aware of the emotions you are experiencing. Recognize when challenging emotions surface so you can address them promptly before they escalate.
Identify The Emotion
By naming an unpleasant emotion, you can work with it more effectively. Does it feel like anger, stress, fear, overwhelm or anxiety? When you zero in and name the emotion, it brings more clarity to the way you feel.
Observe, Accept, and Detach
Simply observe the emotion without resistance or suppression. Recognize emotion as a natural part of the range of human experience. As an impartial observer, you can watch the emotion without losing yourself in it.
Externalize the Emotion
To externalize the emotion, visualize it as a color, shape, or tangible object. When you do that, it becomes more manageable and less overwhelming. You could visualize anger as a fiery red sphere, anxiety as a swirling cloud, or sadness as a heavy weight.
Consider the Source of the Emotion
Take a moment to reflect on possible triggers or causes for the emotion’s emergence. Understanding the source of the emotion can give you insight into how to avoid it in the future. Are you angry because you are hungry? Did someone’s actions trigger memories of old trauma that needs healing? When you understand how an emotion was triggered, it empowers you to do something positive about it.
Remember the Emotion’s Transient Nature
Emotions are transient, similar to clouds passing through the sky. Through patient observation, you’ll notice the emotion gradually losing intensity and dissolving, just as clouds dissipate in sunlight. You are not your emotions; you are eternal consciousness observing these transient emotions.
Return to Balanced Breathing
After processing a difficult emotion, you can regain calmness by focusing on your breath. Take a few deep breaths, keeping count on the inhalation and exhaling for the same count. Let your breath serve as an anchor, bringing you back to the present moment and restoring your inner sense of equilibrium.
When you handle emotions this way, you’ll access your emotional intelligence and restore inner peace, no matter what arises. Even more importantly, you’ll embody the presence of higher consciousness in which all forms of life can evolve.
©Copyright Ada Porat. This article may be freely distributed in whole or in part, provided there is no charge for it and this notice is attached. Ada Porat is an energy kinesiologist & pastoral counselor with extensive international teaching & clinical experience. She uses body/mind/spirit techniques to help clients make optimal life choices. For more information, visit https://AdaPorat.com
by Ada Porat | Dec 20, 2022 | Conscious living, Mindfulness, Peace, Spirituality
Photo credit: Sabine Schulte, Unsplash
Some people possess a very special quality: they embody the presence of now in their hearts. When we have a chance to sit close to such a person, we feel calm. They radiate an energy of peace that penetrates us deeply. It stills our wandering thoughts and quiets our worry.
Whenever we have a chance to walk alongside those souls who live in the eternal now, we can feel this subtle source of peace and joy. Through their presence, we are able to connect to that source as well. Their quiet consistency brings peace to the turbulence in the world around them, and they lead us by example to live in peace.
You too can live like this. You can shed your learned hurry and move through life as if there is no deadline to meet, no need to be somewhere else in this moment. You can move through life as if you are already where you need to be — as if you are arriving with every step. Each step can bring you closer to that perennial peace within —embodied in the presence of now.
When we choose to move through life like this, we lose our sense of isolation in the world. We are no longer separate individuals rushing about to avoid the bad and reach for good. Instead, we start feeling again our connection to the whole, like droplets remembering that they belong to the ocean. The drop of water does not need to do anything – it feels the embrace of the ocean and let itself be carried along by the current in each present moment.
That current is our spiritual core; the inner voice that whispers to us when we tune out the brassy loudness of the material world. To feel truly alive and at peace, it is essential to learn how to do that.
Perhaps you feel as if the opportunity for peace has passed you by; you said or did things that caused pain or separation between you and others. Perhaps you were not able to see truth clearly and judged from a place of fear or anger. It may feel as if it is too late to make amends; too much water has passed under the bridge.
Yet even the work of healing the past lies in the present moment. From this place of mindfulness, you can choose forgiveness and reconciliation to clear away misunderstandings, anger and sadness from the past. It is exactly in this moment, now, that the work of healing must be done to set your soul free.
No matter how difficult the challenges of the past have been, you are here now, reading these words. You are alive! Treasure the reality that you are alive in this moment, and embrace the opportunity for healing it offers. Sit down quietly and go within: meditate to look deep and sweep away the woundedness, prejudice and mistakes of the past. Accept the opportunity offered by the presence of now.
The present moment offers us a gift. It allows us to forgive, heal and return to peace. Life is present for you in this moment, waiting for you to choose what you will do with it, and in so doing, what quality of peace you will experience.
About the author
©Copyright Ada Porat. For more information, visit https://adaporat.com. This article may be freely distributed in whole or in part, provided there is no charge for it and this notice is attached.
by Ada Porat | Oct 26, 2022 | Conscious living, Mindfulness, Peace, Personal growth, Spirituality
Photo Credit: Elijah Hiett, Unsplash
I once had a client tell me: “Everything I’ve ever let go of had my claw marks all over it, and it hurt!” Sound familiar?
Many of us struggle with surrender or letting go because we see it as defeat or giving up. It scares us. We may equate surrender with quitting or failure, yet true surrender ultimately sets us free and empowers us.
True surrender asks us to open our hearts and look beyond our limited attachments. It invites us to let go of things that ultimately cause us pain, so we can embrace higher blessings. It is a transformative practice that we can nurture daily by bringing present moment awareness to our lives: How we think and act, what we choose, and where we place our focus.
Surrender happens in very practical ways of daily life. It’s not some abstract spiritual ideal for holy people, but rather the process of allowing Life Force to move through us and clear out what is no longer beneficial. It is an opportunity to open our hearts and to look beyond our fears, expectations, woundedness and disappointments to the freedom and peace that awaits when we let go of those lesser energies. Letting go is an invitation to reach beyond our limitations toward higher levels of being.
Surrender is neither defeat nor resignation. It activates our natural ability to let go of what now longer serves us. The process of surrender invites us to stop clinging and to view all our experiences with self-compassion. It calls us into a deeper relationship with the Creative Presence beyond our individual experiences.
The passing parade of everyday encounters offer us multiple opportunities for surrender. Do you feel put out by a last-minute change in schedule? Letting go of that can open your heart to receive an unexpected blessing you would have otherwise missed. Stuck in traffic? Letting go of impatience frees up your mind to give thanks for many other things that have worked out for you.
Surrender requires a change of focus. Instead of resorting to habitual knee-jerk reactions, we choose to become fully conscious of the bigger picture and choose a more appropriate response. We can let go of old beliefs and engage a broader perspective with more trust, deeper compassion for ourselves and others, and acceptance of what is.
Surrender also requires us to trust in the larger process. We are asked to stop clinging to our preconceived ideas about life, to let go and to let Higher consciousness guide us past our limiting attachments to something better. When we open to the process of surrender, we recognize that it is our desperate clinging to the known, that most often cause us pain. When we open our hearts to let go of that to which we cling, we find the grace to also embrace that which we resist. By letting go, we find personal growth and peace.
When struggling with letting go, it helps to remember that we’re simply letting go of old programs, limitations or feelings that have victimized and enslaved us for a long time. These old programs and coping mechanisms have simply blinded us to the higher truth of our real identity. We are letting go of what no longer serves us, to make room for what is more aligned with our path now!
The process of surrender is not complicated, but it does require self-discipline. It involves becoming aware of a reactive feeling as it arises within and staying with it; letting that feeling run its course without resisting, changing or trying to do anything else about it.
It’s helpful to remember that you are not your feelings; you exist beyond your feelings because you are able to observe them, so you are more than your feelings and cannot be swept away by them. From that perspective, you then simply observe what you are feeling – without resisting it, venting it, fearing it, condemning it, or moralizing about it. You are not judging the feeling because you recognize that it is just a feeling. You simply stay with the feeling and surrender all effort or desire to modify it in any way. You even let go of wanting to resist the feeling. It simply is what it is!
It is resistance that keeps our unwanted feelings going. A feeling that is not resisted will dissolve as the energy behind it dissipates. As soon as you find yourself no longer resisting or trying to avoid or modify the feeling, it will dissipate and shift to another feeling with a lighter sensation such as calm.
When you first start the process of surrender, you may notice how fear or guilt arise around the feelings you have, adding layers to the feeling. For example, you may notice some reaction that comes up in response to a feeling of fear you’re experiencing. You may be afraid of feeling fear, or you may judge your fear of feeling the fear. When this happens, just let go of the surrounding fear or judgment first, and then you’ll be able to let the core fear itself drain away.
To effectively surrender emotions you’d previously clung to or resisted unconsciously, it is helpful to stay fully present with your feelings. Ignore any thoughts, stories, or rationalizations that may arise in your mind. Renown psychiatrist Dr. David R. Hawkins used to say that thoughts are endless and self-reinforcing, so they only breed more thoughts. When you surrender all thoughts around a feeling, you will notice that old, entrenched feelings dissolve faster and with more ease.
You will also notice that all negative feelings are ultimately associated with the basic survival instinct. Feelings are merely survival programs that the mind believes are necessary for survival. By surrendering to the process and letting the feelings run their course, you are progressively winding down these outdated programs and you will experience more peace.
We are asked to surrender many times daily: in our work, love, relationships, and bodies. It takes great courage to let go and surrender to what is. It takes a firm commitment to open our hearts and hands, releasing what we’ve clung to. And yet, when we do this work, our hearts open to more peace, equanimity, and trust to enrich our lives.
When we stay present in each moment, we learn to recognize opportunities for surrender as calls for growth everywhere in life. It becomes a practical way of handling relationships, limitations and challenges. It also becomes a deeply personal journey of inner transformation. Instead of bemoaning our lot, we start to welcome every experience as a hand-picked opportunity for our ultimate learning and growth.
Living and letting go are intertwined. The more we surrender our resistance to unwanted difficulties, the more space we open up for all that’s beautiful, profound, and abundant. We attune to the sacred beauty of whatever is right in front of us at any given time.
About The Author:
©Copyright Ada Porat. For more information, visit https://adaporat.com. This article may be freely distributed in whole or in part, provided there is no charge for it and this notice is attached.
by Ada Porat | May 23, 2022 | Conscious living, Gratitude, Life Balance, Mindfulness, Personal growth
Photo Credit: Mike Erskine, Unsplash
Sometimes when I garden, I think of all the life lessons gardening has taught me and my heart overflows with joy. Perhaps I should write one of those books titled: “Everything I need to know about life, I learned in my garden!”
Jokes aside, gardening for me is a sacred conversation with all of life. It intimately connects me with the earth, nature, creatures of all shapes and sizes, and life beyond. It brings me back to my happy space as a co-creator and nurturer.
The act of gardening brings us fully present to ourselves, each moment, and the Presence of the Creator permeating everything around us. The rich diversity of the microcosm we call gardening, is simply a sliver of the abundant cosmos we get to live in and explore. And as we seek to establish balance and participation in a garden, we set in motion a core of harmony that ripples out to bless all sentient life with beauty, sustenance, and vitality.
Gardening gathers us home to Mother Nature and all the lessons she has to share with us. As we tend the diverse aspects of a garden, we also commune with Mother Nature, and in turn she blesses us with nutritious bounty and beauty.
As in all of life, gardens enjoy seasons of growth like spring and loss like fall; there are times of giving as the blooms of summer, and seasons of rest as the seed beneath the snow. All the seasons are ours to experience.
How we experience each changing season, is up to each of us: we alone choose our responses to life, our ability to begin again and grow even after we’ve been pruned back hard.
Gardens are not just happenings. They’re expressions of the gardener’s presence. The more wonderful the garden, the more skilled the gardener. Together, the symbiotic relationship of garden and gardener offers us clear reminders of the principles we need to tend through the seasons of life.
As seasons revolve, periods of death and loss are followed by the rebirth of new life and vitality. Each plant grows, blooms and bears fruit, and then declines as a reminder of the sacred cycle of life and death. When the season of bounty is done, spent plants are recycled by composting them, and room is created for new shoots to emerge from the bountiful earth.
Like all of creation, gardening starts with a vision. It also requires effort and persistence to translate the vision into reality. Choices need to be made: our inner garden grows best when we plant seeds of faith, hope, love, compassion, forgiveness and trust. And then, we need to faithfully tend those seeds as they grow into their full potential.
To effectively cultivate our inner garden, we must care deeply for this life that’s ours and nurture it. We need to identify and remove weeds from our lives so they will not choke out the beauty of the life we’re cultivating. Likewise, we need to differentiate between what’s good and what’s unnecessary, so we can prune back behaviors and actions that interfere with our inner growth and harmony. Pruning, though painful, creates space for what we wish to bring forth.
Gardens are protected by healthy boundaries. When boundaries are defined, the tender plants are protected from predators while beneficial insects are invited to perform their service of pollination.
Gardening is inherently responsive and proactive. It teaches us the importance of spotting pesky invaders or the start of disease right away. Ignoring a few warning signs today can quickly escalate to a disastrous outcome or total crop loss. We need to remain vigilant, eliminate negative thoughts and maintain good emotional hygiene for a balanced life.
And when harm has been done, gardening also teaches us to forgive trespassers – both the intruders who hurt and damage what’s been painstakingly cultivated, and forgiving ourselves when we make mistakes or fail to live up to our own ideals.
Finally, gardening teaches us about the value of community. Plants are drawn to companions that comprise a supportive community. Tomatoes grow well alongside basil or peppers, but don’t thrive next to cabbage or broccoli. This does not make either plant type bad; it merely indicates a harmonic symbiosis which, when honored, results in more optimal outcomes. Likewise, we need the enrichment and support of a harmonious community to reach our full potential.
There’s no garden as prolific as the one that love grew, whether in nature or in our hearts. Love is at the core of all abundance, goodness and bounty. Author Daphne Rose Kingma expressed it this way:
“For it is in loving, as well as in being loved, that we become most truly ourselves. No matter what we do, say, accomplish, or become, it is our capacity to love that ultimately defines us. In the end, nothing we do or say in this lifetime will matter as much as the way we have loved one another.”
Even though the world is full of suffering, it’s also full of empowerment and opportunity. When we stop to reflect on the inner garden we’re tending – our inner being – we see this.
And so, we tend the verdant garden of our hearts so we can transition from fear to faith; from lack to abundance, and from defensiveness to blessing. It takes courage to step away from a busy schedule and to sit, tending our heart and soul. Yet all masters knew how important that is: even Gandhi took one day a week to sit in silence, tending the garden of his heart so he could be the change he sought in the world.
It is in quietude and contemplation that we recognize the stillness of the Creator Presence and our connection to all. That awareness can foster in us compassion for the woundedness of the world, so we commit to the awakening and care of our world.
Centuries ago, the Buddha taught: “To live in joy and love even among those who hate; to live in joy and health, even among the afflicted; to live in joy and peace, even among the troubled; quiet your mind and tend the heart, and free yourself from fears and confusion and attachment, and know the sweet joy of living in the Way.”
What is your bountiful gift to the world that only you can bring? Listen closely, push beyond discomfort to cultivate your seeds of potential, and grow them with love and joy!
About The Author:
©Copyright Ada Porat. For more information, visit http://adaporat.com. This article may be freely distributed in whole or in part, provided there is no charge for it and this notice is attached.
