Also there is an essay on the concept of Wishes or Weeds by Julie Freidell, a Yogini. Enjoy!
Music by Facing West
Essay by Julie Freidell
What do you see when you come across a field scattered with dandelions?
Do you feel the urge to pick one from the ground and make a wish as you blow away all the white feathery seeds?
Or do you see a field filled with a ton of weeds?
In yoga class the other night, my teacher paraphrased a quote that she heard about dandelions and how some people see wishes while others see weeds and how that translates to our perspective on life.
Then she went on to ask, “So, are you a wishes person or a weeds person?”
“Well, which one am I?” I wondered.
I thought back to my childhood and how much I used to love picking dandelions as a little girl. That vivid image of making wishes came right back to me.
My friends and I used to pick those little yellow buttercups, too. We would hold them under eachothers chins to check and see if the other person liked butter.
I remembered how I would gather these weeds from the yard, along with the tiny pine cones, mint leaves and berries to make a pretend soup.
I never saw these tiny treasures as weeds. They were all part of my imaginative games while playing outside.
I was definitely a wishes kid.
But what about now? Wishes or weeds?
If I’m really honest with myself (and you), I would have to admit, I’m pretty good at seeing the weeds these days.
I used to always be the optimistic one who would just see the “wishes” or the positive outcomes in life but over the past several years, I’ve misplaced some of that positivity.
What happened? What changed?
(anxiety, worries, responsibilities, stress, big mistakes, betrayal, bad stuff happening in the world, insert more excuses of negative thinking here.)
Maybe seeing weeds once in awhile isn’t a bad thing but I’m tired of seeing so many weeds. I’m tired of that perspective on life. I need the magic, the lightness and the playfulness of making wishes with dandelions.
In my heart, I know I am a wishes girl. When I can get my ego out of the way and let go of my unreasonable worries, I’m free to be my optimistic, happy self.
I want to see hard times as lessons, challenges and opportunities where I once saw failure, set backs and losses.
Life is too short to always see the weeds.
Everyday there are opportunities to change your perspective. To see the good in people, to learn from mistakes, to be kind to others and ourselves and to have a positive outlook on our situation.
If you find yourself being a weeds person, I challenge you to keep working towards being a wishes person, too. Changing your perspective each day, even in small situations, will make you feel lighter and happier.
Today, my hope is for you to find a wish in your day where weeds often appear.
Just for fun: Facts about Dandelions
The common dandelion is part of the daisy family.
The more technical name for a dandelion is Taraxacum Officinale.
Widely used for medicinal purposes, the root being the most potent and powerful part of the plant.
Dandelion root is cultivated by growing dandelions as a crop in large quantities.
Dandelion can be used as a tea, taken as an herb, tonic or tincture.
It is especially beneficial for the urinary organs and mainly used medicinally for liver and kidney disorders.
Promotes digestion and is therefore helpful for occasional constipation.
The juice of the stalk can be used on warts.
Dandelion is beneficial for eczema and other ailments that erupt on the skin.
*This information from “facts about dandelions” was derived from the website www.botanical.com.
More about Juile Freidell
"My name is Julie and I’m a mom, wife, yogini & health enthusiast (among many other things) and I’m passionate about pursuing and living a more simplified life."
More About Facing West
Facing West is a band fronted by sisters Caitlin & Sidney . Hailing out of the mountains overlooking Denver Colorado at eight-thousand feet, these singing/songwriting teen sisters have been gaining recognition for their original music, pumped up with strong lyrics and engaging live performances. They've been performing together for years and launched their project Facing West in 2014. The two deliver powerfully crisp blood harmonies and provide accompaniment on a variety of instruments including acoustic guitars, mandolin, banjo and more. .
Singing oneness!
