2nd Stepping Stone Gratitude
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The Physical
The physical aspect of the Second Stepping Stone is the Saegoah finding three native wild plants of each major group (Herb, Shrub, & Tree) that you are attracted to; and harvest seeds from that plant and grow each in their own pot so that they can be maintained within your home until they are a two years of age. Do not grow the same plant that you've grown in the First Stepping Stone, as this deprives you from learning new valuable lessons.
Prior to harvesting the seeds of your desired plant. Learn as much as you can about it's requirements. It may need to be transferred to larger pots as it grows, it may require lots of water or barely any. Some plants need direct sunlight while others prefer shade.
You will then learn how vastly different each of these groups can be from one another and begin to learn and appreciate the diversity of plant life that surrounds you. Learn what species utilize these plants and what potential use you can have from them, whether for consumption, medicinal, or attracting diversity of life to your home (i.e. butterflies, toads, frogs, humming birds, song birds, etc.).
Do not get discouraged if the plant you grew dies, it has returned to the earth and have given its gift of fertility to it, allowing the cycle to begin again. Remember, there are no mistakes - only lessons. So make it a lesson to take with you when you begin the cycle again. By continuing on this journey of caring for the primary life form, you will gain much wisdom and appreciation.
At the end of the two years, plant each of these plants in the ground outside where they can flourish. Try to avoid areas that do not have the conditions your plants require. The original plant you are growing from the first stepping stone is to remain in your home until a later stepping stone is reached.
Having an outdoor space is absolutely not necessary for you to plant your plants. When it comes time to do so, a yard seems a mandatory thing, when it really isn’t the case.
One option is to ask someone who has a yard if they would like to have your plant.
Another is to sell it at a market, i.e. Farmer’s Market, for a small price. A free give away sign wouldn’t be a bad idea either, but would likely get less experienced individuals that may not be good care takers or lead well experienced people to think your plant is somehow diseased or inferior (if you are moving that might be a good thing to add to the sign and lead more experienced people to take it off your hands).
A third option is to guerrilla garden. Guerrilla gardening is when you plant your vegetation in rebellious areas such as parks, alleys, vacant lots – pretty much anywhere soil isn’t used. There are a surprising amount of methods to accomplish this that can be found through online research.
Prior to harvesting the seeds of your desired plant. Learn as much as you can about it's requirements. It may need to be transferred to larger pots as it grows, it may require lots of water or barely any. Some plants need direct sunlight while others prefer shade.
You will then learn how vastly different each of these groups can be from one another and begin to learn and appreciate the diversity of plant life that surrounds you. Learn what species utilize these plants and what potential use you can have from them, whether for consumption, medicinal, or attracting diversity of life to your home (i.e. butterflies, toads, frogs, humming birds, song birds, etc.).
Do not get discouraged if the plant you grew dies, it has returned to the earth and have given its gift of fertility to it, allowing the cycle to begin again. Remember, there are no mistakes - only lessons. So make it a lesson to take with you when you begin the cycle again. By continuing on this journey of caring for the primary life form, you will gain much wisdom and appreciation.
At the end of the two years, plant each of these plants in the ground outside where they can flourish. Try to avoid areas that do not have the conditions your plants require. The original plant you are growing from the first stepping stone is to remain in your home until a later stepping stone is reached.
Having an outdoor space is absolutely not necessary for you to plant your plants. When it comes time to do so, a yard seems a mandatory thing, when it really isn’t the case.
One option is to ask someone who has a yard if they would like to have your plant.
Another is to sell it at a market, i.e. Farmer’s Market, for a small price. A free give away sign wouldn’t be a bad idea either, but would likely get less experienced individuals that may not be good care takers or lead well experienced people to think your plant is somehow diseased or inferior (if you are moving that might be a good thing to add to the sign and lead more experienced people to take it off your hands).
A third option is to guerrilla garden. Guerrilla gardening is when you plant your vegetation in rebellious areas such as parks, alleys, vacant lots – pretty much anywhere soil isn’t used. There are a surprising amount of methods to accomplish this that can be found through online research.
The Psychological
The psychological aspect of the second stepping stone is Gratitude. To begin, list off as many things as you can that you are grateful for. Then think of different ways to express that gratitude. The simplest way is to write a letter and give it to whom you are grateful for. For non-human things, you can provide support for what you are grateful for that will protect or sustain it/them. This can be done through volunteering or expressed in your own way.
A way of continuing the act of gratefulness is to make a routine of taking a moment to acknowledge what you are grateful for. Whether it be pausing briefly, a gesture, spoken word or phrase, giving a symbolic gift to a symbolic image (i.e. photo or figurine), or helping out whom or what ever you are grateful to. The more simple acts can be done daily, or weekly, while the more involved acts can be done monthly or annually, on which ever day is more appropriate for you.
Start a Gratitude Journal in which every day or so you write three things you are grateful for, or you can mentally take note of three things you are grateful for each day. Which ever you prefer.
End Result
The end of the stepping stone is reached when you have:
- A mature house plant grown from seed collected from a native variety in your region that is healthy and vibrant
- A mature native herb, shrub & tree grown from seed (need not be planted outside yet)
- Sincerity, and Gratitude
It may take weeks, months or years before completing the second stepping stone. But once complete, the other stepping stones will come to you easier through your experience. If you skip past a stepping stone to the next, you will have a harder time achieving the next one and each following that due to not having a foundation to build on, and not fully understanding the message. Reading ahead may also cause confusion as to what is being taught, losing the value of the lesson.
- A mature house plant grown from seed collected from a native variety in your region that is healthy and vibrant
- A mature native herb, shrub & tree grown from seed (need not be planted outside yet)
- Sincerity, and Gratitude
It may take weeks, months or years before completing the second stepping stone. But once complete, the other stepping stones will come to you easier through your experience. If you skip past a stepping stone to the next, you will have a harder time achieving the next one and each following that due to not having a foundation to build on, and not fully understanding the message. Reading ahead may also cause confusion as to what is being taught, losing the value of the lesson.