Like Tilling the Soil of the Heart

Thank you all for always reading my articles.
Thank you.
And for those of you who are new here,
thank you for finding me.

In this post, I will write about how I felt like I was "tilling the soil"
while I was doing some self-reflection and self-care.

I will extract and delve deeper into the "Steps to Trust" diagram
that I included in my previous post,
"The Importance of Having the Courage to Believe."

What is the soil of the heart?

You might not immediately grasp what is meant by the soil of the heart.
This
"Steps to Trust"diagram is
"To gain trust, it is important to have an attitude of trying to understand the other person's position and state."
"Accepting -> Forgiving -> Acknowledging -> Affirming"
while gradually
getting used to self-acceptance and self-affirmation.
I created this diagram with some explanations to make it easier to visualize the steps to trusting yourself and others.

However, I felt that some people might think, "I sort of understand, but it sounds difficult, I don't think I can do it, and if I could, I wouldn't be struggling."

So, when I thought about whether I could convey this more easily by using a metaphor,

the expression "soil of the heart"felt just right, so I will explain it by turning it into a story.

Before I begin, I have a request: as I write this,
please try not to search for meanings or logic,
but rather read it while visualizing it.
I feel it will be easier to understand if you set your analytical mind aside for a moment
and read it with your imagination and senses.

I am standing in front of a field right now.
It is overgrown with weeds,
and rocks are scattered everywhere.
The soil is hard, and it is a neglected field where I cannot grow the crops I want to grow.
Even if I give it water, it is not in a state where it can circulate.

For now, let's remove the weeds and rocks.
I started removing the weeds and rocks little by little.
But there was so much that it felt endless.
So, I decided to try using a weed killer.

Visibly, the weeds began to decrease.
However, deep-rooted weeds grew back again.
And even though I could remove the small pebbles,
the large rocks were too heavy to carry away.

As I steadily pulled out the weeds little by little,
and moved the rocks to maintain the field,
"Can't I eat these weeds?"
"Can't I make them into herbal tea?"
The thought suddenly crossed my mind.

I tried looking it up.
Then, I found out that some of the weeds
were actually herbs.
Types that could be used in cooking,
types that could be used as tea leaves,
types that repel insects.

Even though they looked like weeds,
they weren't just nuisances.
In fact, they could become my help and strength.

I even tried using the large rocks
as makeshift stools.
When I thought about their purpose,
and utilized them like vessels or art objects,
they actually had their uses.

I began to see the full picture of the field.
However, the soil was still hard,
and I couldn't say it was soil that could grow crops.
Using a shovel or a hoe,
I began to loosen the soil little by little.

Gradually, the soil became softer.
The maintenance of the weeds and rocks was also coming together,
and it reached a point where I could grow crops without the weeds stealing the nutrients.

Once that happened, I needed water and fertilizer.
I had some water and fertilizer,
but I didn't have an abundance of them.

That was because I had shared them with my neighbors
when they asked me for help because they were in trouble.

Even though I had little, I tried to grow the soil while using what I had,
but it wasn't going very well.

While I was clearing away the weeds and stones,
I discovered a small amount of
spring water bubbling up.
With this water, the crops might
grow even better.

And so, I began to draw water little by little,
and eventually, I was able to store it.

Little by little, the water began to reach the field.
The true feelingshonne of the crops I had planted
took root and were able to obtain nutrients.

Then, before long, small sprouts appeared in the field.
They were small, but warm and strong.
It took time, but finally,
the small sprouts had budded.
I felt moved with happiness and joy.

I didn't want this field, which I had cultivated with such care,
to be ruined.
So, to keep animals from damaging it,
I built a fence around the field.
To keep insects from eating the crops,
I spread insecticide.

I will continue to face this field and these crops
with care and nurture them.

Just as I thought that,
a neighbor came to ask for help,
saying they were in trouble.
They must have found out about the spring water
and came to ask me to share it.

The person I was until now
would have shared it.
But now I understand that this water is precious
and not something that can be
easily obtained.

Furthermore, I knew that this neighbor,
when I had shared water before because they couldn't grow their own crops,
did not use that water for their field,
but instead drank it all up
with their friends as drinking water.

That is precisely why I firmly
and clearly refused.
They showed their dissatisfaction,
but they left the spot.
I heard through the grapevine that
even now, that neighbor
is going around asking others for favors,
taking advantage of their kindness.

That neighbor is
of no concern to me.
I will continue to till my field with care.
I will watch over the sprouted young leaves
so that they can grow steadily and bear fruit.

Explanation of the Story

Thank you for reading this far.
I will now explain
what the words in the story
represent.

Field, State of the Soil

This is a metaphor forthe state of one's heart and emotions.
It expresses a state of being desolate
due to various issues and entanglements.

Weeds and Stones

This is a metaphor forpreconceptions and fixed ideas.
It expresses the

prejudices, traumas, and painful pasts that have taken rootthroughout one's life.

By changing the level of abstraction and viewing things from a different perspective,one may realize
the insights and lessons
that can be gained from those events,and realize that one was trapped by unnecessary prejudices and fixed ideas
.

Water and Fertilizer

Water isself-affirmation and self-acceptance.
Fertilizer isvalues and beliefs.
Things you want to cherishare the metaphors used.
The spring water represents the process of
discovering one's own strengths, virtues, and charms that were previously unnoticed or unseen
while carefully facing oneself.

Crops and Young Leaves

This is a metaphor for how, when the heart is under too much strain
and there is no room left,
it is difficult for one's own feelings and thoughts to grow.
The true feelings you want to cherishbecome visible, and as they gradually take root,

your own feelings and thoughts grow.
Even if it takes time, you can find your true self and the things you want to cherish
is what is being expressed.

Fence and Insecticide

This is a metaphor for the
boundaries and sense of distance between oneself and others.
I will not let anyone step further than this.
I will not let unnecessary relationships draw near.
It expresses the
self-defense built to prevent being trampled.

Neighbor

This expresses that if you
cheaply sell your kindness and affection to others, your own energy
will be completely exhausted. It contains the thought that you should stop giving to just anyone,

choose how you associate and interact with others, and
at times, it is okay to reject and filter people.

Conclusion

How was it?
I tried to write this while incorporating elements of psychology and coaching,
while expressing it as clearly as possible.
I would be grateful if even a little of my feelings and thoughts
reached you.

I would be happy if this could serve as encouragement or a light for someone's heart.

Thank you for reading.
If you would like, likes, follows, and comments
would be very encouraging.