Seeds - Reflections from Retreat

"Your heart is full of fertile seeds, waiting to sprout."
- Morihei Ueshiba

Seeds are appearing as frequent metaphors to me these days. In things that I read, in Sunday sermons and in nature around me as spring finally begins to unfold.

On Maundy Thursday I walked the labyrinth at the convent where I was on retreat for Easter. On the path I found a seed pod, with two little seeds in at. I thought of the saying "two peas in a pod" and then felt that the two seeds represented God and me, and God with me.

The above picture was painted using watercolor crayons, which I enjoy using - I seem to have more control of where I want to put the color with them. The basin and the towel are traditional symbols of Maundy Thursday services and the foot washing. At the time, I was reflecting on our servant faith and who are we called to be a servant to. The church needs more "basin and towel" spirituality. Springing forth from the pitcher are the seeds I was surrounded by all weekend - the two seeds in one pod, waiting to burst and grow. Not one lone seed, but two together - the Divine and I.

The silence of my weekend retreat was like fertile soil for a seed, nourishing and planting something that will flower at a later time. Peace washed over me like water and filled me with prayer. I feel myself in the season of spring, waiting, watching and pondering.

What is longing to grow within you right now?

"All the buried seeds crack open in the dark the instant they surrender to a process they can't see." - Mark Nepo, The Book of Awakening * o

Seeds - Reflections from Retreat