‘Then Jesus said, ‘‘The kingdom of God is as if someone would scatter seed on the ground, and would sleep and rise night and day, and the seed would sprout and grow, he does not know how…’ (Mk 4:26–27). Using the image of a growing seed, this guided meditation explores what might be growing in our spiritual life.
Find a comfortable position and settle yourself slowly. When you are ready, begin to centre yourself by becoming aware of your breathing or by watching a candle flame. Notice any stiffness or discomfort and try to ease it by moving or by stretching the muscles. When you are quiet and beginning to feel at peace move gently into the prayer.
Imagine that you have been given a seed – it can be any sort of seed, small or large – but really take time seeing it. Hold it in your hands and feel it, roll it around and notice all the details and just spend time watching it and becoming aware of your feelings about it.
When you are ready, find somewhere to plant it. Again take time finding this place, choosing somewhere that will be the best possible location to nurture your seed and enable it to grow. When you have chosen the place spend as much time as you need preparing the ground and digging the hole. Really take the time you need to plant it well and then cover the seed.
In your imagination let your seed begin to grow. It is important that this stage takes all the time you need, be aware that it will be a slow process and it is precisely the waiting for the growth that is so important. Watching as the roots begin to grow then the shoot and the rest of the plant. Try not to limit it in any way or reject what comes up; instead just let it grow and notice the colour, shape, and development of it and notice too, your feelings as it grows.
When your plant has taken a life of its own spend some time with it and talk about the plant and your feelings about it with Christ. Really explore what is going on for you and notice particularly how you felt about the waiting and the whole growth process. What has this told you about yourself?
End by writing or drawing up this time of prayer, allowing it to deepen in you as you remember it.
Is there anything that you want to change or to build into your life as a result of this time of prayer?
Photo credit: Pierre Laïly on Flickr