When we look at a giant sequoia tree, it is hard to imagine that it grew from a tiny seed no bigger than a flake of oatmeal. Conversely, to hold such a small thing as a seed in your hand and comprehend that contained within it is the blueprint for an entire forest of trees that will surpass the human lifespan by centuries is enough to stun the mind into silence. As small as that seed is, we are somehow even smaller.And yet, we are grown seeds in our own right, originating in our mothers' wombs in a form too small to be seen with the naked eye, imbued with the same miraculous life force as sequoias. We drop our own seeds, in the form of children or creative projects that go on after we pass from the earth and a part of us continues on with them.
The environment in which they grow also influences seeds. A tree on a windswept mountain will have longer branches in the direction the wind blows. A houseplant will grow toward the window where the light comes in. The kind of plant grown is in the seed, but the shape it takes is due to its environment. Similarly, we are the products of both our genetic material and the kind of nurturing we received growing up. At the same time, we are always in the process of growth. Now it is up to us to provide the right surroundings for ourselves.
A lovely ritual to perform as an act of self-love is to plant a bulb or a seed in a pot and allow it to be a symbol of your intention to nurture yourself. Remember that you were once smaller than that small seed. Honor how amazing you have been to get as far as you have. Plant a piece of paper in the soil stating your intention to provide yourself with everything you need now to continue to grow strong and beautiful. Each time you water the seed, or talk to it, or move it to a more beneficial location, you are honoring and fostering your own expansion.
