How to Plant “Peace Seeds” This Earth Day
As the world whirs around us with conflict, climate change, and seemingly endless crises, how can we NOT feel angry, depressed, or detached?
Sadly, whether we realize it or not, our emotional energy oozes out of us like puss from a pimple then takes on a life of its own. It’s classic. Think: boss reprimands employee – employee yells at kid – kid bullies a classmate – classmate insults younger sibling… and on and on. You get it. With millions of us off-gassing our angst every day, it’s little wonder we’re roiling in a soup of chronic negativity.
But the same dynamic takes place when we feel joy and love; whatever we embed in our own soil grows deep roots and spreads. So how about celebrating Earth Day 2022 by planting seeds of love and peace instead of anger and fear?
It’s not a new suggestion. There’s plenty of teachings about choosing good over evil. Take the Cherokee fable of two wolves. A chief tells his grandson that we each have a pair of Canis lupus inside us. One is malevolent, filled with anger, envy, greed, false pride, and lies. The other is virtuous, brimming with joy, peace, love, hope, and compassion. The grandson thinks a minute then asks, “So, which wolf wins?” The old Cherokee simply replies, “The one you feed.”
Then there’s the metaphor of the stick, where one end represente hate, the other signifies love. No matter how much we break off the negative side, we’ll still have two ends, so we must focus on the good side.
My favorite tale, though, comes from my role model, Peace Pilgrim, about when she spoke at a big anti-war rally in Berkley, CA. It was the 1960’s and she had become a rock-star for peace. Cheers exploded when she asked the standing-room-only crowd if the Vietnam war made them angry. “Would you like to shake our congressmen, or worse?” Again, shouts filled the auditorium. She issued a long, loud laugh and waited until all eyes were on her. “So, you would act the same way as those who make you angry? That is not the way of peace.”
Startled confusion and curiosity spread across the sea of people. “Oh I know,” she continued, “it is easy to respond to anger with anger. It’s the way of our world now. But when you fight evil with evil, it just gets stronger. Then you are fighting just for the sake of fighting.”
Her words seem even truer now in our divided country than when she spoke them more than 50 years ago. And so does the rest of her sentiments: “The real way to world peace is when enough of us find inner peace. And that only happens when we embrace our higher emotions of love and compassion.”
Planting Our Highest Good
Every day brings temptations to share negative energy: a car cuts us off, our dog makes a mess, the vote doesn’t go our way, the headlines are terrifying. But Peace Pilgrim and so many other spiritual teachers tell us the hope for ourselves and our planet lies in love. It’s time to give their wisdom a try before we are all swallowed in the invasive spread of hate, violence, and apathy.
Instead, let’s plant Earth Day seeds of inner peace and love. Here is a simple way to start:
Sit or lie comfortably. Close your eyes and imagine walking down a path with gorgeous spring blossoms: pink cherry, white pear, brilliant forsythia. Each step, each scent, fills you with relaxation. When the path opens up to a large garden plot, the vision infuses you with joy. Row after row of spectacular tulips, daffodils, and crocuses dance in a delicious breeze.
At the end of the plot, you see a square of rich tilled soil waiting just for you. Here is where you can plant your Peace Seeds. Start with five seeds, signifying a different source of positivity in your life. Take several moments to let yourself feel each one of the following before gently placing the accompanying seed in the soil:
A Person: picture someone you love, who deeply cares about you and makes you feel safe, special and adored. Then plant your “Person” seed.
A Place: see yourself somewhere you’re always comfortable, serene, and joyful. Then plant your “Place” seed.
An Activity: imagine yourself enjoying a favorite hobby or endeavor. Then plant your “Activity” seed.
A Food: recall, smell, and savor a beloved dish or treat. Then plant your “Food” seed.
Your Gift to Others: celebrate one trait, talent, or personal gift you bring to the world just by being you. Then plant your “Gift” seed.
If you prefer, you can follow the above practice in a guided YouTube meditation.
Once your seeds are planted, you can mentally return to your plot to nourish and help them grow. Especially when anger or fear threaten, before you react, let your garden beckon.