Plant Happy Seeds and Weed Everything Else Out!

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Plant happy seeds and weed everything else out is what I have learnt to do with Ed and Deb Shapiro – look at the photo on their blog, aren't they beautiful!

They say in their article on Huffpost "Your mind is like a garden so plant happy seeds", and let me tell you folks, from the time I my eyes fell upon this Pulling Weeds Meditation, it took hold of  my imagination.

It is the most simple and effective meditation technique I have ever used and it requires no effort.

Pulling Weeds Meditation

Find a comfortable and upright place to sit. Take a few deep breaths, then watch the flow of your breath as it enters and leaves.

Now bring your focus to your heart, and as you breathe in feel as if your heart is opening and softening; as you breathe out, release any tension or resistance.

Now visualize yourself walking in a beautiful but overgrown garden. All sorts of colorful flowers surround you, but among them are numerous weeds.

You find a place to sit amidst the plants and with awareness you mindfully begin to remove the weeds. Each one represents a negative aspect of yourself or your life. Name it as you remove it, and watch it leave your mind as you discard.

The more weeds you remove the lighter you feel, as if a weight is being removed from you. As you do this, the flowers are growing stronger and brighter.

Stay here as long as you like. You may not have time to pull up all the weeds, so before you leave promise that you will be back again to remove some more.

When you are ready, silently repeat three times, "May I be happy, may my mind be like a beautiful garden." Take a deep breath and let it go. Then fill the rest of your day with kindness and smiles.