Making space for growth
What are your feelings about weeds? Do you ignore them? Yank them obsessively? Get lost in online message threads about them? None of the above?
I have weeds on the mind lately. We inherited a beautiful flowerbed in front of the house with thoughtful perennial plantings and well-established bulbs, and I try to be a good steward. Unfortunately, my experience and knowledge about flowers is pretty limited, and every day when coming and going I confront an increasingly chaotic plot with more and more mystery stalks sprouting and spreading.
Regarding weeding and gardening in general, I'm usually pretty hands off. Why mess with nature? Unexpected and charming things can show up. Plus it's good for the bees! Recently, though, I've been getting worried that invasives will crowd out the beautiful blooms that were lovingly cultivated over the years in this little plot. Given the limited space and resources, pulling weeds means that more desirable things can flourish.
This presents a bit of a challenge to my general disposition. Not only do I prefer to go with the flow, I value the beauty of chance over anything planned or designed. I'm comfortable claiming this particular approach, and yet I also acknowledge that it has led to some missed opportunities and undeveloped projects and ideas. And a flowerbed in disarray.
Many of my clients struggle with what seems to be the opposite challenge; they have difficulty relinquishing control and being open to life's whims and whispers. Still, in some ways it's the same challenge: how to make space for growth. Ideas, goals, and relationships can get stifled by inflexible expectations and demands, where there's no room for inspiration and magic. And they can also get stifled by too many invasive, resource-hogging minutiae.
On the spectrum of surrender and control, design and disorder, where do you feel most comfortable? Are there areas in your life that might flourish with a bit more space? Maybe there are some time-consuming distractions you could weed out. Or plans that might be loosened up a bit to let in some seeds of inspiration.
In my group healing sessions we make space for both inspiration and resolve by opening, clearing, and charging the seven chakras. Feeling stuck and congested or a little too loose and unfocused? Join me to recover a deep sense of clarity and wholeness.
