Pest Control by Anne Nayer, msw – Coach Paradise

Now that spring cleaning has readied the fields for planting seeds, I keep tripping over gardening tips and tools. I walked away from Camp Umoja’ s composting workshop with an elegantly simple chicken wire composting bin – evidence that the seed of my desire to set up a composting system has sprouted and later on that day I happened on a local gardening show sharing information about protecting the garden from the local wildlife.

Building cages and enclosures will keep out the rats, feral chickens, iguanas and birds, flashing’s slippery surface will prevent iguanas from getting a foothold and small chicken wire and height will prevent chickens from flying over the top and rats from squeezing their way through.  I smiled as I thought about calling in the National Guard and about creating signage in bright red reading “Eat Desert First”, arrow pointing away from my garden to the abundance of fallen fruit beneath the carambola tree.

But what about the pests that chatter discouraging words in our minds and erode and nibble at the dreams and aspirations trying so hard to be born? What do you do when your dreams encounter trouble at the border and you are sent back or slink on home, deflated or terrified ready to cash in your ticket and cancel the trip.

Known by many names but all related: gremlins, monkey mind, limiting beliefs, demons, the ego and the devil incarnate – these pests are savvy destroyers of the crops and orchards in our hearts and minds. Well schooled in the subtleties of appearing to be on your side they look benign, like crossing guards, and may even come with labels (like GMOs) that look deceptively like fertilizers promoting organic well-being. Their voices are familiar because they have traveled with you all your life and like ventriloquists sound like mom or pop, a familiar teacher, an authoritative spokesman for the party of your choice, a religious leader, a cultural avatar, the voice of doom –

They say things like – Who do you think you are? Why bother? Why rock the boat? You’re not good enough? Things aren’t so bad after all”, and I’m sure you have a repertoire of your own discouraging words that echo in your mind especially when you are about to launch a new chapter, take on a new project, move, enter a new relationship, take a giant step.

These invaders are no respecters of boundaries or cages and flashing won’t keep them at bay. Saying, “thanks for sharing. Take a seat,” works sometimes and remembering that energy flows where attention goes can help shift our focus but sometimes the only thing that takes the wind out of their sails is questioning them head on – looking them in the eye and asking “Is that absolutely and beyond the shadow of a doubt true?” – and finding that under the spot light of rigorous scrutiny they start trembling and wither or run screaming before dissolving into the same kind of puddle that claimed the wicked witch of the west.

Buddha discovered that it is our thoughts that cause us to suffer, Byron Katie says that questioning our thoughts is the route to freedom and unbridled joy, and Bob Marley is still singing for us to “free our minds from mental slavery.”

Dorothy learned that the Wizard of Oz was a hoax, that she had always had the power and was always only a shoe’s click away from home. We too can learn to question our thoughts and dismantle the beliefs that keep us stuck and afraid.

While I’m building enclosures to keep my seedlings safe, I’m taking down the structures that have kept my mind small and my dreams only dreams and I’m getting really excited about harvesting the truly organic produce growing in the fertile soil of my garden and of my own true nature. I look forward to introducing you to my new partner, serenading you on the violin, inviting you to my book signing party and you won’t recognize me when you see my driving by in my new car – but I’ll wave.