Introduction For Seed Meditation, I meditate everyday from sunrise to sunset, holding a seed in the palm of my hand, for the duration it takes to germinate. It is a ten day practice and each day is defined by a different theme, proposed as alchemical allegories for processes of spiritual maturation. I have written this book as a practical guide for anyone wishing to practice Seed Meditation themselves. It expands on the ten themes and the spiritual processes embodied therein. The book is enclosed in an envelope along with ten different bean seeds and a handmade seed germination dish so you can do this practice on your own. Seed Meditation is part of a creative practice I call ecomorphic meditations, wherein I observe the relationships, stories, and processes—the phenomenology and ontology—of the more-than-human world as a guide for inner and collective evolution. In Seed Meditation, I recognize myself as being both the germinating seed and the earth that supports life. Attention is devoted to the perseverance, patience, and gentleness inherent in the profound yet subtle transformation of germination. To expand my awareness of the germinating seed, I found it necessary to consider the many environmental elements that support the presence of life. Each element relates to the germinating seed at the center of Seed Meditation. The seed assumes the role of teacher, supporting and directing our own evolutionary unfolding. For each day of the meditation, I wear a different color representing an elemental theme. The colors and related images of the themes are Black/Space, Brown/ Earth, Blue/Water, Green/Germination, Pink/Blossom, Purple/Wound, Yellow/ Midday Sun, Orange/Setting Sun, Red/Rising Sun, and White/Light. I have described each thematic spiritual process as beginning with an internal emotional condition brought on by an encounter with the external world. The conditions described are fear, doubt, shame, control, desire, grief, ambition, anger, pride and illusion. These conditions stimulate us into experiences of pleasure and pain, which in turn generate a profound impulse for attachment. The presence of these attachments when we refuse to release them is often felt as an anxiety. Anxiety is an alert system that informs us we need to move on from one or more of these conditions. There are no shortcuts in the process of moving through— they all require effort, willingness, and attentiveness. We enable transformation of these conditions when we surrender and commit ourselves to corrective attitudes. We can’t choose our feelings, but we can choose our attitudes. In this book, the attitudes are the states of mind that guide us through the process of spiritual maturation. They hold us and support us to stay on the path. The attitudes have described in this book include courage, sincerity, trust, yielding, curiosity, playfulness, modesty, appreciation, gentleness, kindness, patience, generosity,
Made with FlippingBook Digital Publishing Software