ModestoView

Serving Civic Pride Since 1997

ZenView – Planting A Seed


ZenView
By Mary Layton

Planting a Seed

If it wasn’t for farmers planting seeds we wouldn’t have all the beautiful almond and walnut orchards we enjoy today. And the fruits of their labor are shipped around the world. It is a big part of California’s economy, supplying jobs, livelihoods for thousands of families, these seeds planted for the generations to come. Birds and squirrels add to this bounty, their designs often hidden from our eyes and understanding. I find little walnut seedlings throughout my yard all year long. What an amazing drive of nature to preserve life!

A lot of things go into planting a seed well and then raising it to its full potential. You have to have knowledge and foresight. You have to be consistent in your caring for it, make sure it has good soil, enough water and sun. Protect it from pests and weeds. And an impassioned love for the work involved is absolutely essential for growing things well. Without the drive that love engages, one would be hard pressed to keep up the discipline, responsibility and commitment growing living things requires.

I believe the same is true for teachers. They also try to plant a “seed” when planning a lesson. For example: There’s a certain idea that you want to give a student, project a specific feeling that will propel him to learn a particular thing. Without him or her noticing it you slip in that seed; it may come in the form of a question, a remark or through pointing out something.

The farmer plants his seed into the soil, the teacher plants a new idea into the student: a relationship is formed from the act. Attentiveness, good timing and consistency bring good results. Like most students in the beginning of learning T’ai Chi, I also wanted to learn everything as fast as possible. It took a long time to understand that ‘fast’ was the wrong approach. Growing and learning to the new learner is such serious business. Sometimes you think you know everything when you actually barely have scratched the surface. This discovery may be discouraging to some. I found it was much better to learn things more slowly because things take better root that way. Progress is more thorough.

I have been teaching T’ai Chi for the past 30 years and have seen many people come and go. A new crop of students will show up, stay for a while and leave again. But for those who stay there is the reward of improving and going to the next level. Some of those students have become teachers and so the cycle of life continues. The fruits of the lesson continue on for the next generations. For more info go to : taichi4modesto.com or call (209) 572-4518