By: Vadivu Govind
At some of my workshops, I give each participant a saga seed as a memento. I invite them to imbue it with whatever meaning they want. To me, the bright scarlet represents Love and all the Heart Qualities I think workplaces need more of. And my wish is for the seeds from our time together during the workshops to be nourished over time.
I used to collect these seeds when I was a little girl. Then stopped over time. Then one day in the past year, I saw some seeds scattered under a tree. Perhaps because I was working with the spirit of love in my work, the red drew me like a magnet.
I got excited, and started collecting them again. If I was going to give them away to my workshop participants, I needed a big supply though. So I started to look out for them more. They were really hard to come by. I didn’t think I would find much more.
Then one day, there it stood - A saga tree with its ground resplendent with red seeds. Of all places, it was on the grounds of a client of mine.
I used to collect these seeds when I was a little girl. Then stopped over time. Then one day in the past year, I saw some seeds scattered under a tree. Perhaps because I was working with the spirit of love in my work, the red drew me like a magnet.
I got excited, and started collecting them again. If I was going to give them away to my workshop participants, I needed a big supply though. So I started to look out for them more. They were really hard to come by. I didn’t think I would find much more.
Then one day, there it stood - A saga tree with its ground resplendent with red seeds. Of all places, it was on the grounds of a client of mine.
People walked by without paying attention to these seeds which, to me, were like gold strewn on the floor. You know the feeling of finding something when you don’t expect to find it… incredible and indescribable!
My most precious find was this below – a pod with the seeds still intact. On the day I picked it up, I used it as a teaching tool with my client. We spoke of symbolism and the power of objects that evoke the senses to illustrate a point in a world where things have become flat and virtual.
The seeds were still clinging gently to the pod, not ready to fall off yet. It reminded me of times preceding transition in our life, before we feel prepared to fly off and do what we are called to.
My most precious find was this below – a pod with the seeds still intact. On the day I picked it up, I used it as a teaching tool with my client. We spoke of symbolism and the power of objects that evoke the senses to illustrate a point in a world where things have become flat and virtual.
The seeds were still clinging gently to the pod, not ready to fall off yet. It reminded me of times preceding transition in our life, before we feel prepared to fly off and do what we are called to.
But those were on my client’s premises and I didn’t have access often…
So I asked some friends about where to find the elusive saga seed tree. One said she had the tree! My hopes went up. But then she said it was not the season was for the seeds to fall. Sigh….I had to wait…
Months went by. The next time I saw this friend, she presented me with a whole bottle of seeds! She had collected them from her tree and kept them for a long time and finally found them! I saw her generosity and thoughtfulness in remembering what I had asked for. I was touched.
Another friend gave me seeds from the Job’s Tears plant, which are mixed with the saga seeds in the bottle below. The sagas had an unexpected new friend! And they looked lovely together – red and pale purple. They reminded of the sudden emergence of kindred spirits in our lives who complement us beautifully.
So I asked some friends about where to find the elusive saga seed tree. One said she had the tree! My hopes went up. But then she said it was not the season was for the seeds to fall. Sigh….I had to wait…
Months went by. The next time I saw this friend, she presented me with a whole bottle of seeds! She had collected them from her tree and kept them for a long time and finally found them! I saw her generosity and thoughtfulness in remembering what I had asked for. I was touched.
Another friend gave me seeds from the Job’s Tears plant, which are mixed with the saga seeds in the bottle below. The sagas had an unexpected new friend! And they looked lovely together – red and pale purple. They reminded of the sudden emergence of kindred spirits in our lives who complement us beautifully.
Then at one of my facilitation sessions, I ran an exercise where the participants used many of the seeds. The participants were meant to return the seeds to me but one participant mistook that the seeds could be kept by her. This was bittersweet for me. I was happy she was happy and going to put them to good use for a project to promote organic gardening. But oh…that was painful to lose a large number of seeds suddenly. I learned to let go. Just as we can suddenly come into abundance of what we desire, we can lose it just as suddenly.
Gosh – the seeds certainly had a way of suddenly appearing and disappearing from my life!
Then, without me asking for it, my mum who returned from a holiday in Cambodia gave me a necklace handmade with these beads. The seeds were even travelling from afar to me! When we put out a call for something we need and it is meant to be ours, it can travel to us from places we could never have imagined of.
Gosh – the seeds certainly had a way of suddenly appearing and disappearing from my life!
Then, without me asking for it, my mum who returned from a holiday in Cambodia gave me a necklace handmade with these beads. The seeds were even travelling from afar to me! When we put out a call for something we need and it is meant to be ours, it can travel to us from places we could never have imagined of.
Then one day, I stumbled upon a saga tree near my house. Where did that come from? A few days later, I found another near my place. I had never noticed them before. But they had been there all along, near me. And I had looked for them far and wide…
The seeds have taught me about seasons in life where we give, receive, seek, find, surrender, wait, are surprised, ask for what we need, hold things lightly for we may lose them, and come home to find something we have gone searching for. And this serendipitous journey with them has gently affirmed my mission to scatter seeds of love through my work.
What messages have you received from nature? What motifs circle your life?
Vadivu Govind is helping to build more humane and joyful workplaces in Singapore. She is the founding director of Joy Works.
Images: Joy Works
The seeds have taught me about seasons in life where we give, receive, seek, find, surrender, wait, are surprised, ask for what we need, hold things lightly for we may lose them, and come home to find something we have gone searching for. And this serendipitous journey with them has gently affirmed my mission to scatter seeds of love through my work.
What messages have you received from nature? What motifs circle your life?
Vadivu Govind is helping to build more humane and joyful workplaces in Singapore. She is the founding director of Joy Works.
Images: Joy Works