Why the metaphor of planting seeds is a dangerous one?

When we tell someone: “You have planted a seed” without mentioning all the factors that actually contribute to the growth of the seed, we meet the danger of neglecting the importance and the role of the soil for example.

A seed needs to be met by the generosity of the Earth to grow. When receiving a precious gift from someone, we need to nurture what we have been given.

Actual growth takes time and depends on the interaction of many factors. Not only we need to choose the seeds to plant, we need to know if the field is suitable for growth. We need to understand the depth for planting the seed, how much water or sunlight the seeds might need, how early or late we are in the season…But, we are never only planting seeds. We are also the earth receiving the seeds, we are the weather, we are the gardner, we are the seed itself.

This is the complexity we navigate all the time, in the mundane and in the extraordinary; in the imaginative and real, in the spiritual and in the terrain. To embrace the complexity of the seed’s metaphor, and life, we need to enter a dialogue on responsible participation. Let me bring few examples:

When we hire a talent, are we making sure the culture is conducive of their blossoming? Or is only extracting “value” from them?
When we tell someone “let’s talk” are we actually making the space for them to talk and express themselves?
When we receive from a friend their book or work of art, do we make the time and space to receive and welcome their gift or just put them on a side (and maybe even forget to look at them)?
When we tell someone “keep up the good work” do we actually care to see if they need anything to keep up?
When someone asks for feedback are we actually providing the “feeding” for their learning or just comments on what we prefer/like or don’t?

I can go on and on…my question to you is to reflect not only on which seeds you have planted but also on whether you are participating to the growth of the seeds (the one you planted and those you have received). What is the quality of your participation?

For participation to happen we need attention, care (even devotion) and patience. For attention to exist we must slow down and, understand the rhythm of the seed, of the gardner, of the field... For care and devotion to exist there must be the connection and the acceptance of the seed to be and become what it wants to become (inclusion). Patience, will show its fruits as we practice it without engineering OGM seeds that all look the same and are planted only to provide for our needs.

The seed I am planting are few lines from a new poem “REAL”

“… Participation denied by isolation

The extinction of REAL

In the dark moment of deprivation

Returning to be REAL

In the responsible eye of attention

The vital patience of Nature

Being REAL..."

Will you participate to its growth into your heart? Will you water the seed with the ink of your ART?

If you’re interested to learn more about our knowledge and experience and would like to discuss how we could support through our consultancy, workshops, and talks, drop us a line at fateme@rnewb.com.

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