Dried Up

The potting soil that i used in January to pot up rooted cuttings was too dry. Almost all the cuttings have dried up and died, which so disappointing that i don't even want to write about it.

Now i'm ready to plant the next round of cuttings, and i'm fretting over a potting soil recipe.

I added about 1/4 vermiculite to the last potting soil, and that was not sufficient to keep the soil damp enough. Now i've bought a bag of perlite, also for water retention, and i'm crossing my fingers that the new mixture will work.

Sometimes our meditation practice dries up. It seems like it's not going anywhere, and we lose interest. How can we retain interest in this practice that we know is good for us?

Some people switch to a different form of meditation. Some people give it up altogether. I rely on my spiritual friends to keep me in the vicinity; at least i sit for 20 minutes every day with them. I'm also signing up for a retreat because retreats usually inspire me.

It can take a bit of creativity to find the "recipe" that's right for you. Add some loving-kindness practice or some gratitude practice to get the juices flowing. Do mindful movement or walking meditation instead of sitting meditation.

The key is to bring mindfulness to this very moment. Even this very unsatisfactory moment.

Photo from livinggreenmag.com