“Every time we practice mindful living, we plant healthy seeds and strengthen the healthy seeds already in us. To succeed, we need to cultivate a good reserve of refreshing seeds.”
(Thich Nhat Hanh)
As a mindful leader, what are the healthy seeds I want to plant? Where do I plant healthy seeds? How do I manifest these seeds?
Our work environment is an ecosystem, and the master gardeners in the ecosystem are mindful leaders.
What are some healthy seeds you want to plant as a mindful leader?
- Goodness
- Trustworthiness
- Vulnerability
- Humility
- Respect
- Understanding
- Compassion
- Integrity
Where are these seeds planted? In a leader’s consciousness – one’s heart and mind. Now, you will have other seeds planted in your consciousness, the unhealthy seeds of anger, resentment, self-righteousness, attachment, and possessiveness.
How does a leader manifest these seeds? Whatever situation you are in creates conditions that are favorable for one or more of your seeds. These conditions are buried in your unconscious mind. As an example, when someone is not truthful with you, the seed of anger or betrayal may manifest itself. It creates energy that everyone can feel and sense, which negatively impacts the ecosystem. If a leader stays with that energy for a few minutes, new seeds of anger or betrayal are produced and deposited in the unconscious mind to be nourished and called upon in the future.
A mindful leader plants healthy seeds. If a mindful leader is conscious of the unhealthy seed that wants to manifest itself and instead chooses the healthy seeds of integrity and compassion, then more healthy seeds are planted. The ecosystem will be nourished by this energy which is ultimately felt by everyone in that system.
The journey for a mindful leader is to engage in mindful practices that will consistently cultivate a good stock of healthy seeds. This entails a deep self-awareness of one’s values, learning to accept oneself non-judgmentally, learning how to pause and breathe in choosing a response rather than being reactive, and to practice, practice, and practice.
Are you a leader that sows unhealthy seeds or a mindful leader that is conscious of choosing healthy seeds to sow?
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