Inner Farming

           In the book, One Straw Revolution, the Japanese farmer gives a powerful strategy to avoid the growth of weeds in the farm. He observes the timing of the growth of weeds. Weeds, too, have a season. The farmer sows the seeds for his crop and allow them to germinate just before the seeds of weeds sprout. Since the weeds do not find a favorable environment (strong competition from crops) they remain dormant.  So Masanobu Fukuoka avoids the use of herbicides to overcome weeds. Instead he uses Time to his advantage - the right time to plant his field.

          If weeds are like negative thoughts and crops the desired positive thoughts, then one has to overcrowd the mind field with positive thoughts. As we discussed earlier, for this the intellect is our only help. For this, Discipline is required. We had started with water therapy as a discipline for growing positive thoughts in us. Next,  we should use eating habits as a means of disciplining the mind. Not only do we get immense physical health benefits, ultimately we get to exercise a powerful control over the mind.

       Mind is the soil which allows the growth of both weeds and good crops. Undisciplined minds are like the uncultured farm where all sorts of weeds grow with very little yield of desired crops. Depression and all other psychological problems are the results of prolonged cultivation of negative thoughts. We might have scientific  proof of genetic influence over the diseases of the mind, but we should not forget that we have will power or freewill that no other being enjoys in this world. Prevention is better than cure. These psychological problems can be cured by growing positive crops in a timely manner along with constant watching out for weeds to be curbed away.

       Using anti-depressants and medications is similar to using herbicides to thwart weeds. It poisons the entire soil and is not a permanent solution. To avoid depression and psychological problems one has to grow positive thoughts.

Garden of Life

       The fostering of positive thoughts is the fundamental aspect of Pancha Bhoota healing. The physical health benefits it offers is only a side package like the beauty of flowers in a farm. The real benefit of the farm is the fruit the we enjoy in the end. Similarly, the real benefit of Pancha Bhoota healing is the fruit of freedom of the mind.

      Since this section is about Earth as an element of healing, we will discuss how through eating habits we can gain control over the mind.      

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