Planting Seeds for a Better World

“The earth yields resources to be shared, conserved and used sustainably….... In the freedom of the seed lies the hope and potential for a better world; and in each of us lie the seeds of our deepest and highest humanity, which comes from returning to our membership of the earth family” – Vandana Shiva, scientist and advocate for environmental justice.

My name is Rajesh Dave. I am from Gujarat, India and I have been associated with farmers empowerment as well as rural development for the last 35 years. I have always thought that the role of seeds in agriculture is of immense significance. Let us explore a little more about seeds.

A seed is a miniature undeveloped plant with food reserves, all enclosed within a protective seed coat. Seeds are the means of reproduction for all flowering plants. Every seed is capable of growing into a new plant under proper environmental conditions such as the right temperature, moisture and sunlight. Most seeds consist of three parts. These are the embryo, endosperm and seed coat. The embryo is a tiny plant that has a root, stem and one or more leaves. The endosperm is the nutritive tissue of the seed, often a combination of starch, oil and protein. A seed's strength or health depends on its purity, germinability and its ability to withstand the vagaries of the weather as well as its capacity to survive against attacks from insects, pests and viruses. Seeds are an amazing gift from nature to the universe as they help to sustain the cycles of life. Nature's gift in its original form without human intervention is the need of the hour. Seeds in their original form, as nature intended, without any distortion through science or technology will be a boon to sustain the world.

A beautiful analogy can be drawn between a seed and a thought. It is said that we create the world through our thoughts. Thoughts are therefore like seeds. Pure and positive thoughts have the capacity to create a light and happy atmosphere around us. In the same way, pure and healthy seeds make our life full of abundance in terms of healthy crops and plenty of food. So the key issue is that whether we have planted a thought or a seed, it is essential to be aware of its quality in order for the outcome to be beneficial.

In my experience, seeds contain both physical and metaphysical energy. In order to protect the seeds from external, harmful elements, we can treat or soak the seeds in various organic solutions or nutrient baths which helps to protect them physically. In India, farmers often use Beejamrit, a natural organic solution, to treat the seeds in order to encourage their germination and make them hardier. However a seed also contains a life force or metaphysical energy which can be ‘treated’ with meditation or positive and pure thoughts.

This understanding is the basis of what the Agriculture and Rural Development wing of the Brahma Kumaris have called ‘sustainable yogic agriculture’. In India, thousands of farmers have been inspired to move away from using harmful chemicals and adopt this method of charging and treating their seeds with a combination of Beejamrit and Raj Yoga Meditation. The results are quite impressive and significant both in terms of the effect on the crop yield as well as on the improved mental health of the farmers. Human lives can be influenced positively by both pure natural foods and pure and positive thoughts. In this way we plant the seeds of a better world.

To find out more about sustainable yogic agriculture please visit the Brahma Kumaris Environment website.
Brother BK Rajesh Dave, Agriculture engineer, trainer and speaker, Gujarat India.