In Support of Dandelions
Dandelions are poking up their sunshine blossoms in my front strip of grass between the sidewalk and road. These harbingers of spring have been a topic of consternation with my neighbors for years. One neighbor many years ago was so frustrated with our dandelion patch that he took it upon himself to spray pesticides on it when we were not home. The reason I know, is that he proudly told us what he had done to solve this “problem”. Since then we have tried various non toxic methods to rid our lawn of these beautiful flowers to make peace with our neighbors. To no avail, these tenacious yellow powerhouses return again and again. Now we just try to mow up the blossoms before they go to seed to prevent the spread to our neighbors’ lawns. The truth is there is nothing wrong with dandelions. In fact dandelions are the first food source for honey bees in the spring. Not only that, dandelions are an incredibly nutritious and medicinal herb. The leaves can be eaten raw in salads, the roots can be roasted for a delicious tea and you can make dandelion wine out of the blossoms! It has always been curious to me where people get the idea that some plants are good and others are weeds (fun fact, many plants considered “weeds” are medicinal herbs).
Perspective is the darnedest thing, for some, dandelions are the scourge of a well manicured lawn, while for others, they are delightful yellow flowers that provide food for man and beast. We “see” the world through our perspectives which are created by personal preferences, attitudes, values and life experiences. Perspectives are not a problem until you run into someone with a differing perspective or your perspective is causing you suffering. Furthermore, our perspectives are a creation of the innumerable lenses that filter how we experience the world. Our lenses come from our experiences in life, if we have a bad experience, our lens will be tainted to view all such events negatively, conversely with positive experiences.
When conflicts arise with others or within yourself it is often helpful to shift your perspective, seeing things from a different point of view. Opening yourself up to experience life differently often expands our view point and helps create understanding and compassion for others and ourselves. Perspective is a choice, you can choose a perspective that opens up endless possibilities to find joy, happiness and positive action or a perspective that leads to negativity, hopelessness and feeling stuck.
Sometimes it is helpful to take a step back and look at the situation from a higher perspective. As Michael Singer says “relax behind your inner disturbance.” Creating some space will allow new insight to reveal itself. Yoga Nidra and Hypnotherapy are two great modalities to tap into your Higher Self. From the seat of Higher Self, your awareness of the bigger picture often unfolds showing you the path to a healthier more sustainable perspective.
Feeling stuck? Need a shift in perspective? Come to Yoga Nidra Wednesdays 7 pm on Zoom.
