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| What Kind of Seeds Are We Planting? |
| Columns - Wellness | |
| Written by John Newport, PhD | |
| Tuesday, 04 March 2008 | |
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Winter is rapidly approaching and the days are getting shorter. As I
gaze out my window on Washington’s Olympic Peninsula, a stone’s throw
from the Canadian border, I find myself day-dreaming of the coming
Spring and the warmer, sunnier days that will ultimately return. In
keeping with my Springtime fantasies, I’ve decided to focus this
issue’s column on the topic “What Seeds Are We Planting?” As always,
please feel free to share these thoughts with any clients or colleagues
who may benefit from this message.
I recently read a fascinating book by Zen master Thich Nhat Hanh, titled, Peace is Every Step. One of the key concepts the author develops is the importance of planting the “right seeds” through our everyday thoughts and actions. He goes on to explain that our consciousness exists on two levels: as seeds and as manifestations of these seeds. These seeds, in turn, are planted by our thoughts and actions. Every time a seed in our consciousness has a chance to manifest itself, it produces new seeds of the same kind. For example, suppose that we allow something to upset us, and get caught up in anger for the next 10 minutes. Our chances of responding to similar situations with anger are significantly increased, as new seeds of anger have embedded themselves in our unconsciousness throughout these 10 minutes. Conversely, when we choose to smile, or demonstrate kindness to someone else, new seeds of smiling, joy and kindness are planted in our unconsciousness. Knowing that we are constantly planting seeds that will take root in our consciousness, it behooves us to carefully choose our thoughts and actions. Whenever we practice living in the present moment, with full awareness of the consequences of our thoughts and actions, we are planting healthy seeds that serve to strengthen us. By doing so, we set the stage for future thoughts and actions that will be beneficial to both ourselves and those around us. In addition, as the Zen master points out, we all need to plant and nurture a reserve of seeds that are beautiful, healthy and strong, to help us through life’s more difficult moments. Relevance to our recovery If you are in recovery from alcoholism or drug addiction, you may have grown up in a household where one or both parents were caught up in the throes of addiction. If this was the case, you probably acquired a number of “negative seeds” from your parents in the form of intense self-criticism, dishonesty, grandiosity, and a sinking feeling that you would never “fit in.” As you began your own career of drinking and/or drug use, you not only continued to lay the groundwork for these seeds to spring forward into full manifestation, you also added your own negative seeds in the form of rebelliousness, shame and self-loathing, as consequences of your addictive behavior. By doing so, you accelerated your downward spiral into a seemingly bottomless pit of hopelessness and despair. Now that you have entered recovery, each day presents new opportunities to plant and nurture the healthy seeds of love, acceptance and profound appreciation of life’s many gifts. As we grow in our recovery, we realize that we always have a choice regarding our thoughts and actions. Consequently, we consciously choose to plant those seeds that will contribute to our own growth, while simultaneously benefiting those around us. A personal example Earlier today I attempted to email a packet of handouts to the sponsor of a conference where I am scheduled to give a keynote presentation. Despite numerous attempts, my messages kept bouncing back with the notice “failure to deliver.” I even tried sending these documents through my wife’s computer, to no avail. Not being particularly well versed in high tech matters, my tendency in the past would have been to launch into a vicious cycle of panic, blaming, despair and raging. In short, inviting a whole garden of negative seeds, planted through my past experiences, to spring forth into full manifestation — with the net result of alienating myself from those around me, while making myself completely miserable. Instead, I consciously chose to attempt to plant some positive seeds by focusing my awareness on my thoughts and actions, together with their consequences. After spending over an hour in various attempts at email transmission, I called the conference sponsor, explained the problem, and asked if she could share with me her personal email address. I then sent my attachments to the new email address and voila — they instantly went through! Feeling relieved that I had been able to resolve this problem (as opposed to wallowing in resentment), I rewarded myself by soaking up some solar rays. (A smart move, as sunlight has become an increasingly precious commodity in our neck of the woods at this time of year!) Do I “have it down” in terms of always planting the “right seeds” through my thoughts and actions? By no means. However, I am learning, and whenever I am able to consciously focus on planting positive seeds, I invariably find that my actions are more effective, and I also end up having a much better time. Until next time — to your health! References Hahn, Thich Nhat (1991), Peace is Every Step: The Path of Mindfulness in Everyday Life. New York, New York: Bantam Books. Hahn, Thich Nhat (2007), The Art of Power. New York, New York: Harper Collins.              |
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