Plant healthy seeds this Spring by Lexie Wolf
“As we set intentions, we delicately hold in our hands both our needs and those of our Human Family” – Mahada Thomas
This weekend in Women’s Circle, we'll celebrate the Spring Equinox with a meaningful ritual centered around seeds. We have entered the season of emergence, a beautiful time to think about what we are planting or would like to plant in our lives.
Seeds are a useful metaphor for understanding the relationship between our present actions and future outcomes - including the concept of 'karma' in Yoga philosophy. Every thought, word or deed is a seed – it sprouts a consequence for ourselves and often others. Some of those seeds eventually bear fruit, shaping our lives and those of us around us.
‘Karmic’ seeds are those that bind us, keeping us in the past or in repeating patterns that aren’t helpful. They can be individual or collective. They’re often planted unconsciously, of course. They are ways of seeing or moving through the world that keep us stuck.
Ever had an a-ha moment when you realized that you’ve put yourself in a cage that you don’t actually have to be in? I have. Maybe opening the cage took years, maybe it is still in progress. But the process begins with the light of awareness, of consciousness. Change is possible but only if we can see what needs to be changed.
Karma has a much less famous cousin, ‘kriya.’ Thoughts, words, and deeds that foster growth, healing, and freedom are called kriya. Whereas karmic action binds us and keeps us in a rut, kriyic action describes action that moves us forward. Here, just like with karma, there is power in the smallest of seeds. Even the smallest thoughts, words, or actions can carry the potential to move us in the direction of growth and evolution.
Life is in constant motion, and change is inevitable. With clarity and awareness, we can align our thoughts, words, and actions to steer the flow of change positively for ourselves and others.
We each hold a handful of small, powerful seeds in every present moment.
