Here’s a thought I’d like to share…
The grass is always greener where you water it. ~David Kantra
When my husband said this. I thought it was brilliant! He comes up with the best stuff (and I’m okay with my partiality here)!
The truth of it seemed so obvious, yet the reality of it is often so elusive to our ego-infested minds. We get indignant when we perceive we’ve been wronged. We go about our days with indignation written all over us, explaining to anyone who will listen how “right” we are and how we were wronged, and then moan about continuing to feel stressed out by it. On the other hand, we connect with a friend, feel happy and joyful, greet each passerby with a smile, and then get amazed at how friendly and open people are. Aren’t we funny creatures? We get what we give. We see what we look for. We grow what we plant. “The grass is always greener where you water it.”
There’s a Cherokee legend that illustrates this concept beautifully. It’s called The Wolves Within and goes like this:
An old Grandfather said to his grandson who came to him with anger at a friend who had done him an injustice, “Let me tell you a story. I too, at times, have felt a great hate for those that have taken so much, with no sorrow for what they do. But hate wears you down and does not hurt your enemy. It is like taking poison and wishing your enemy would die. I have struggled with these feelings many times.” He continued, “It is as if there are two wolves inside me. One is good and does no harm. He lives in harmony with all around him and does not take offense when no offense was intended. He will only fight when it is right to do so and in the right way.
But the other wolf, ah! He is full of anger. The littlest thing will set him into a fit of temper. He fights everyone, all the time, for no reason. He cannot think because his anger and hate are so great. It is helpless anger, for his anger will change nothing. Sometimes, it is hard to live with these two wolves inside me, for both of them try to dominate my spirit.” The boy looked intently into his Grandfather’s eyes and asked, “Which one wins, Grandfather?” The Grandfather smiled and quietly said, “The one I feed.”
In yoga, as in life, we grow only the seeds we plant. When our practice is infused with gratitude, kindness, and an openness to learning, what we get out of our practice is the realization of the numerous things for which we are grateful, a compassion for our particular experiences, and countless opportunities to learn — about ourselves (mind, body, spirit), others, and the journey we all share.
When you set out to water the grass, be sure that’s the grass you actually want to make greener. We are each responsible for knowing what we want to plant, then for knowing what we’re actually planting, and lastly for deciding how we’ve chosen to water the seeds we’ve planted.
Wishing you the green, green grass of OM* — just couldn’t resist that one!
Om is the essence that unites all of us at our most intuitive level. It is the sound of life.
Namasté Augusta