Cultivate Your Own Garden

There is a saying in the practice of qigong: “Your qi follows your mind.” What you focus your mind on, increases. What you think about matters. 

In this age of unrelenting and seemingly unending depressing, upsetting, demoralizing, and frightening events and news, it is challenging to find anything to focus on that is life-affirming

Humans have struggled with their unruly and undisciplined minds for time immemorial. And now we live in the new reality of having access to news and information 24/7, with the vast majority of us accessing that vast sea of information via devices that are brilliantly and effectively designed to capture and hold our mind’s attention on someone’s else agenda. 

The challenge of finding any measure of control over our minds is more daunting and complex than ever before. 

But you must try.

Because allowing your mind to only focus on the negative, or on what others want you to focus on, directly influences the quality of energy you are cultivating in your being. 

Your body is a garden. What you choose to ingest - food, information, thoughts - provides the nutrients, and is the fertilizer. Just as every garden is unique in the combination of types of plants, so each body needs its unique ratio of nutrients. 

How do you cultivate your garden?  What you choose to watch, listen to, and read is the fertilizer. You don’t have control over the events unfolding in the world, but you do have control over how much time and attention you give them. 

How much “bad news” fertilizer you can add to your garden and be able to transform it into something useful and productive?
Everyone has a different answer to this question. Some can dive deep and come out stronger and more resilient. Others tip into overwhelming much sooner. 

Ingest the news wisely, using it as potent fertilizer to inspire you to spend your time, energy, and/or money creating the world you want to live in. Take in what you can - know and respect your limits - compost it, transform it and let something positive emerge.

News is a health care issue. Take care of yourself, and cultivate a rich and healthy garden.