The human ego has been much-maligned throughout history. Christianity tells us that the seven deadly sins are based on the pursuit of selfish motives or ego. Buddhism reminds us that ego's attachments are the cause for our suffering. From the Course in Miracles we learn that the ego's projection of being separated from God causes us shame, guilt and pain. Contemporary writers such as Deepak Chopra and Eckhart Tolle seek to enlighten us about the pitfalls of eco-centric ways of thinking and acting. None of us likes an egocentric or egomaniac person. But why do we have an ego? Is it really all bad? In Latin language the word ego simply means "I", myself. When we are born we do not yet have a sense of identity. We learn what is other than I through separation and distinction. This is a necessary stage of human development. Later in life, a well-balanced ego helps us to strive and achieve our goals and dreams. It is only when the ego is out of control that it becomes a problem. The ego is then like a fearful child that projects the worst, lives in the past or the future, criticizes and condemns and is rarely ever satisfied. Basically, it wants to protect us from harm, but often doesn't know how to go about it.

Summer time: a time to enjoy the gifts of the season, to interact and play, and a time to tend to the garden - verbatim and figuratively speaking.

Whether you are a gardener or not, have you considered the garden of your soul? That metaphor relates to our self-care and the loving awareness that helps us to distinguish weeds from things we want to grow. We plant seeds with every thought, every action, even every non-action. Some seeds germinate quickly, others take more time to root and unfold. Seeds of negativity, such as resentment, living in the past, envy and doubt develop into 'weeds' that are often hard to eliminate. The most persistent weeds are the ones with deep roots and survival strategies. They grow underground, in the depths of our unconscious/subconscious mind. Awareness is the tool that exposes these pernicious weeds and stops them from propagating in the garden of our soul.

What are you planting today?

What are the 'weeds' in your life? Its's a matter of perspective.

Today I happily pulled weeds in my garden. The rain of the last few days have softened the soil and made it so much easier to pull weeds out with their roots.

Gardening has always been a meditatiive activity for me. Therapy for the soul, I call it. My work allows me to interact in meaningful ways with others, and sometimes I just need quiet space to restore my soul.