Your Thoughts are Like Seeds
I trust you have been recognizing the power of your thoughts. If so, you are learning how important it is to be aware of what you are thinking. Your thoughts are the architect of your outer life. They determine everything! Our thoughts are like seeds. When you plant bean seeds in your garden what do you expect to grow? Not corn! You expect bean seeds because that is what you planted!
I see thoughts as seeds, planted into the Universe. Once the seeds are planted I wait for the evidence of the seeds I have planted, the crop of my thoughts. Many times I plant certain thoughts into the Universe and I see a different crop than I wanted! How can this happen? Well, most likely I have planted bean seed when I wanted tomatoes. And this makes me very unhappy! I say things like “This is not fair! I planned on having tomatoes when I planted that bean seed.” But the Universe is consistent. When I plant bean seeds it makes sure I get beans!
How can I translate this idea to my thought life? Here is an example. I have a need to get a job so I begin to think about what kind of job I want. Very quickly my unconscious thoughts take over, telling me what kind of job I would be able to get. My old thoughts start ruling out a lot of possibilities. There are thoughts that say “You’re too old to expect to have much choice.” Or “Your job experience is really lacking in that area…don’t even try!” Almost immediately the possible job list gets really short and the thought I cast out into the Universe is something like this. “Well, I know there is not much chance of me getting a very good job, so I’ll just settle for whatever I can find!”
Secretly, I hope for much more than that, but I have sown the seed of “I’ll settle…”and soon enough some possibilities appear. I have taken action on that belief and gone to apply at the places that will employ anyone that is breathing! And I get an offer! Am I happy about that? No! I am incensed! This job is bare minimum and pays that, too! “I am better than this!” I say. “I can’t believe that there are not more jobs out there that I would enjoy doing and pay better!” And so I become a victim of my thoughts, my actions and the results. I have sown seed into the Universe and I have the crop.
With this knowledge and understanding I can begin to have influence over my results by sowing the seeds for the crop I really want. But in sowing the seed I set myself some new challenges. Let’s say that I sow the seed of making more money than I ever have before. In order to do this, I find that I will have more responsibility than I have ever had. I will probably be managing other people. This makes me uncomfortable, because I don’t like to make people unhappy, and as a manager I would be the one to ask them to do jobs they don’t want to do, etc. They probably won’t like me! I want to be liked! These are my old thoughts pushing back in to control my decision.
There will be many times in sowing new seed when we will be making courageous decisions. We will be in uncharted territory. We will be sowing seed for watermelons! And we will be finding what it takes to grow watermelons! Heat, moisture, and time! Sowing new seed is necessary work for becoming the new person you want to become.
When you harvest the crop, you’ll know that your persistence was worth it. It also makes it somewhat easier to sow more new seed, for growth of this kind requires that new seed be sown regularly, until it becomes as “routine” as your old cycle of thinking. The difference in this new thinking is that you have made a choice about your thoughts and taken action on that choice. You know what you are thinking and why. And you know what results to expect. You are certainly gardeners of the soul!
Next blog: 5 Impossible Things!
I trust you have been recognizing the power of your thoughts. If so, you are learning how important it is to be aware of what you are thinking. Your thoughts are the architect of your outer life. They determine everything! Our thoughts are like seeds. When you plant bean seeds in your garden what do you expect to grow? Not corn! You expect bean seeds because that is what you planted!
I see thoughts as seeds, planted into the Universe. Once the seeds are planted I wait for the evidence of the seeds I have planted, the crop of my thoughts. Many times I plant certain thoughts into the Universe and I see a different crop than I wanted! How can this happen? Well, most likely I have planted bean seed when I wanted tomatoes. And this makes me very unhappy! I say things like “This is not fair! I planned on having tomatoes when I planted that bean seed.” But the Universe is consistent. When I plant bean seeds it makes sure I get beans!
How can I translate this idea to my thought life? Here is an example. I have a need to get a job so I begin to think about what kind of job I want. Very quickly my unconscious thoughts take over, telling me what kind of job I would be able to get. My old thoughts start ruling out a lot of possibilities. There are thoughts that say “You’re too old to expect to have much choice.” Or “Your job experience is really lacking in that area…don’t even try!” Almost immediately the possible job list gets really short and the thought I cast out into the Universe is something like this. “Well, I know there is not much chance of me getting a very good job, so I’ll just settle for whatever I can find!”
Secretly, I hope for much more than that, but I have sown the seed of “I’ll settle…”and soon enough some possibilities appear. I have taken action on that belief and gone to apply at the places that will employ anyone that is breathing! And I get an offer! Am I happy about that? No! I am incensed! This job is bare minimum and pays that, too! “I am better than this!” I say. “I can’t believe that there are not more jobs out there that I would enjoy doing and pay better!” And so I become a victim of my thoughts, my actions and the results. I have sown seed into the Universe and I have the crop.
With this knowledge and understanding I can begin to have influence over my results by sowing the seeds for the crop I really want. But in sowing the seed I set myself some new challenges. Let’s say that I sow the seed of making more money than I ever have before. In order to do this, I find that I will have more responsibility than I have ever had. I will probably be managing other people. This makes me uncomfortable, because I don’t like to make people unhappy, and as a manager I would be the one to ask them to do jobs they don’t want to do, etc. They probably won’t like me! I want to be liked! These are my old thoughts pushing back in to control my decision.
There will be many times in sowing new seed when we will be making courageous decisions. We will be in uncharted territory. We will be sowing seed for watermelons! And we will be finding what it takes to grow watermelons! Heat, moisture, and time! Sowing new seed is necessary work for becoming the new person you want to become.
When you harvest the crop, you’ll know that your persistence was worth it. It also makes it somewhat easier to sow more new seed, for growth of this kind requires that new seed be sown regularly, until it becomes as “routine” as your old cycle of thinking. The difference in this new thinking is that you have made a choice about your thoughts and taken action on that choice. You know what you are thinking and why. And you know what results to expect. You are certainly gardeners of the soul!
Next blog: 5 Impossible Things!
Posts
Hi Pat,
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed your article. Another thing about seeds is that to yield a harvest you don't just plant 2 or 3 seeds and expect a harvest. You must plant many more seeds than you even expect to take root and grow. You also just don't plant 2 or 3 and sit and watch them. You continue to plant and plant and plant. I love the analogies!
Thank you for your insights!
Robin
Oh so true is everything you wrote!!! Once you plant the seeds you must also take action, gotta keep those weeds out of the garden and you might even need to water it. One way I stay watered is to connect with great people like you Pat. Thanks for your wisdom.
ReplyDeleteLove, Janet
Yes, (as you know) I am going to be embarking on a new adventure. I find myself sometimes thinking old thoughts. But, I quickly remind myself of the accompliments I have made and remember the wonderful examples of friends who have shown me ways I can be better. Thank you for reminding me again.
ReplyDeleteI've never "gardened" too much nor planted too many plants from seed. Except once - I'll never forget my 4 yr old nephew and I planted zinna seeds together. I watered and cared for them and was amazed when they came up plentiful. My nephew was so excited. I understand now... from this memory, I took the time, energy and care to plant the seeds, responsibility to mindfully and intentionally be aware of the growth and of course sharing it with my nephew and having fun to see the results! I think I've been planting fear and anxious seeds and expecting calm results. I'll be consciously changing .. planting the calm ones to harvest calm ones!
ReplyDelete