Weeding by hand is an endless task in a tropical garden where herbicides are not used and burning is not carried out to clear the land. It forces us to slow down. It is the first task that participants undertake when they come to the Garden of L.E.A.H. — to experience the simple life of growing food, building a mud shelter, and living together in a mindful way.

As the sun and temperature rise in the quiet morning, some questions guide us to be attentive as we pull weeds from the soil: How often do we notice the call of the birds? Are we too absorbed in our thoughts to be aware? How present are we in each moment? How do we feel as we continue with this physical task while the heat increases and our clothes get wet with perspiration? 

After another day has passed and we adjust to the pace, one might also start to pay attention to the imprints of time: How patient and resilient are we in the face of these persistent weeds growing in the garden? What are the thoughts or habit patterns we want to weed out from our lives? How might we align our inner values and outer actions in our daily choices?