The Cycle of Life: Lessons from a Seed
I have been afraid of death because I don’t understand death. Until I read about the Buddha’s teachings and what Thầy - Zen Master Thích Nhất Hạnh wrote about this topic, I feared less. I slowly, very slowly, understand a little about death and the Interdependent Co-Arising that Thầy shared. Such wisdom cannot be consumed by only reading and trying to conceptualize. Rather, it must be experienced by opening our hearts and practicing deep reflection.
In a moment, it reminded me of the time I got myself a pocketful of flower seeds and started growing them on my little balcony. Yes, the seeds. Looking tiny from the outside and appearing dead to the naked eye. They are tough, dry, and showing no signs of life. Then one day, without any warning, deep in the ground, when all conditions aligned, one seed grew into a little tree, and then after just a few months, it blossomed.
What happens to the other seeds that didn’t grow that time? Can I say that these seeds were not born, or are dead?
I can’t say anything because some seeds take a few days to manifest. Others take years or hundreds of years to begin their journey.
‘For a practitioner, it’s very important to touch his or her own nature of impermanence and non-self. If he is successful, he will touch the nature of nirvana and attain non-fear. Now he can ride on the waves of birth and death, smiling serenely’ - Thích Nhất Hạnh.
Years ago, I always imagined someone would take my hands and point the way for me, showing me the reasons for my being - the ‘why I existed’. Until recently, I learned that to go on this journey of self-discovery, I can only rely on myself. Myself becomes the torch, lighting up the dark tunnel. Go mining, keep mining. Using my own hands, my own attempts, effort, endurance, faith, and trust to discover my own treasure. Like what Paulo Coelho wrote in ‘The Alchemist’: To fulfill one’s Personal Legend.
A wise friend once told me: ‘When you work on something you love, the world looks more beautiful.’
He’s right.
The world is beautiful, that's why I’m alive.
I’m alive because the world is beautiful, because I choose to do something that I love.
[REFLECTION PROMPTS]
Ask yourself, what makes me feel alive?
What am I afraid of losing the most?
Spend time reflecting on the life cycle of a tree and write down your own insights.