Planting Spiritual Seeds

with Linda Stern

Good morning- I’m Linda Stern. I love our gatherings here at Interfaith where we can speak from our hearts, our collective hearts, person to person. 

I won’t offer you intellectual knowledge that is written or said from here or there.  Actually, I always feel slightly uncomfortable doing that because for me it’s driven from the head and inauthentic. You can just go read all of that. You see, I am driven from the heart and that method is authentic for me.  So I share my heart and my experiential knowledge. At one time, I thought I should learn how to drive from the head, but it never felt like me, never felt natural. So, I don’t anymore. 

But what I can offer you…. are moments from my heart.  Moments and ideas that I have found by listening quietly to my own inner voice which is guided by the Divine Love of Holy Mother and Holy Father. 

Today I am speaking about seeking to live simply and compassionately and JOYFULLY from our hearts in a world that is anything but simple and most times nothing close to compassionate.  But I feel we are born to do this here and now. Even if the world we live in at this time seems dark, we need to keep the vision of Love and Light alive and not get caught with the dark way of looking at life. 

So how can we be joyful or compassionate or loving in our world, this modern world?  Well, meditation can help, singing, walking, talking to people we respect- being quiet by ourselves.

Although it may be difficult; trusting that the multiverse is unfolding exactly the way it needs to- no matter what- and that all of us have a role in healing what is hurt.... is paramount. After all, in the deeper sense that’s what we are here for. What an opportunity to Be that and to Be love and compassion, the best way we know.

How can we be that or bring that to our world? Well....what are your gifts? I’m sure they are many. What I do is this; I plant seeds of love and compassion with our children, our grandchildren and all children that we are blessed to have connections with, with all that I come into connection with actually,  no matter what the age.  

Parents are the ultimate gardeners- planting seeds that may seem to take a lifetime to blossom. But mostly we know they are blossoming every single moment. This is the same as the Divine Holy Mother who has planted seeds in all of us here on Earth and across the Multiverse. Patiently watering us and facing us towards the sun so that we may realize that we are all Divine Sparks of Love and that this is a sacred place.

As a parent, grandparent, and mentor it has been important to plant seeds like: 

We all are intimately connected in a web of Beingness to everything.  We are connected not only to all humans but to everything that exists in the Multiverse. It is something that is found in mystical and ancient spiritual paths and in the deeper parts of modern spirituality.  As we deeply love others, we love ourselves.  As we deeply love ourselves, we love others. We are all one Being. 

As a parent, grandparent, and mentor it has been important to plant seeds like:

Exploring different views in the world as exciting and wonderful. To be open to the approaches of others as to what happens with exploring. Deep looking. Exploring is fun and joyous.  It has been a joy to look at everything from the perspective of Oneness and to share that with children.  My 2-month-old grandson is at the place where he is seeing objects and he sees them with such joy and amazing!  What is this amazing thing here at the end of my arm??  He doesn’t even realize that his hand is him- just like everything out there that seems to be another something or other is actually us.  Children hold such wisdom and knowledge in their approach to life. And to let that fly unfettered and teach US! Wow! that’s a gift.  Sharing that there is no one way of doing or being in life, in the world, in the multiverse and that ALL of this is sacred- now that is a notion that is a blessing to share. 

As a parent, grandparent, and mentor it has been important to plant seeds like:

To listen to each other with patience and compassion and joy respecting each of our feelings and thoughts as precious and valued.  Even if we don’t agree, we can listen compassionately.  To create a caring, loving and peaceful world, we need to be caring, loving and peaceful.  And to really, really look at everything deeply, be it a crayon or the concepts we are speaking about is so important.  Children have such amazing insights without the pain of the world and connections to acculturated thoughts.  They come up with such delightful ways of approaching opportunities.  I do not call them problems; they are situations and opportunities.  My children embrace that and are that and help me sometimes by reminding me of that. Opportunities. 

Isn’t it wonderful how children let go of notions so freely?  There is not the attachment to ego and what’s “right” and the past and the pain that we have built up in our lives. I thank them for the reminder of that concept all the time. And yet they have a grasp of important ideals in life like love and compassion and they teach us great wisdom.  Perhaps they are the ones planting the seeds!! 

There was a lot a seed-planting going on last Saturday at the Womxn’s March.  Perhaps the children there will lead us into a world filled with grace.  Their parents were undoubtedly introducing them to deep examining and listening to others’ viewpoints.   And I really hope that the children saw the special gift of the three eagles that soared above us as we walked the route.  Eagles who were sharing their strength with us. 

So, in a nutshell-there it is! I am a gardener and I plant seeds!  I plant seeds of love and compassion in the hearts of the children that I am blessed to know.  Encouraging them to listen compassionately and explore deeply and to express their Love and wisdom freely and to BE JOY. 

And I’ll end with words from Michael Franti- 

Hold to your children,

hold to your children, 

hold to your children. 

Let em know, let em know, let em know.

Blessings and Thank You.

QUESTIONS for Compassionate Conversation

In the light of the political atmosphere that exists in our country where we want and need to protect ourselves, each other, and Earth, what actions can we embrace that involve non-attachment and openness?

Do you think that deep and compassionate listening and letting go of notions can accomplish political change?

How can compassionate listening or deep examining help to unite our country?

What has been important to you as a parent or mentor to pass on to children?