In the Lesson 9 contemplative practice, I connected deeply with the analogy of human growth and see growth. Having a toddler, the experience of pregnancy, growing my own small seed, is still fresh in my mind. The similarities came up frequently during the course of this practice. Watching the Youtube video of the germinating seeds, I remember the obsessive tracking of my baby’s size, growth, and development. The process is slow and tedious. It requires patience. And more than that it takes great dedication to cultivation. I was methodical and rigid about my food, water, and exercise habits – striving to ensure my baby was only exposed to the best in-womb environment. Growing plants, in a traditional sense, should be the same. We’ve heard and read about organic farmers this quarter that have the same thoughtful dedication to their plants, tending to their needs and caring for them to maximize growth and nutrition. It’s this care and investment in tradition that is so necessary and valuable to creating a successful society – in any arena.
