The concept of terroir suggests that the wine, the vegetables, even the meat grown in a specific region will have the taste of that region’s soil.
The discerning palate can distinguish the unique flavors, can taste the dirt, the good earth, from which that wine or wheat has sprung.
Even when the vegetable has been cooked and seasoned – the taste of the soil is present. Even when the wheat has been crushed and baked – the discerning palate can taste the good earth in which it grew.
The same principle applies to human communication.
Consider this: Behind every action and communication is a positive intent. Quite a concept! When I first heard this idea, I was stunned. But, I have discovered how useful an idea this is in my work with thousands of leaders and managers.
Just as an untrained palate cannot taste the good earth in a piece of bread, the untrained mind cannot discern the positive intention behind every action or communication. It’s particularly challenging when the person you’re interacting with is emotional, antagonistic, and challenging.
Their emotionality tends to trigger your emotionality.
Their reactivity tends to aggravate your reactivity. Their strongly held opinions tend to strengthen your own point of view.
It’s a natural, neurological reaction.
Modern neuroscience points out that our brains are highly responsive to others emotions. When important or powerful people around us are in a highly emotional state, it tends to evoke a complementary state in us. In short, their anger ignites your anger.
It takes a trained mind to stay balanced, present, and focused in the presence of reactivity.
A trained mind is a mind of equanimity. This is a mind that is able to receive others emotionality without being overwhelmed. Such a mind can move deeper than the surface presentation (no matter how dramatic) and “taste the good earth”, discern the positive intentions that lie at the heart of the other person’s soul. And in so doing begin to evoke that state of goodness from the other person.
The trained mind is a strong mind.
It is strongly rooted in its own good earth. Strongly connected to a place of inner authority and inner peace. It is strong enough to not need to defend and thus rather than amplify the emotionality that is already present, such a mind infuses the situation with mindful presence.
How do you develop such a mind?
By taking time each day to return to the good earth within. You do this by incorporating a regular (daily) practice of meditation into your schedule.
By regularly returning to the good earth – the Ground of Being – within, your mind naturally begins to rest more and more in inner stability.
Thus, when conditions around you become unstable, rather than react, you can meet these conditions openly and without defense. This allows you to taste the good earth, the positive intentions in others. Then every moment becomes a sacred meal – a way to receive and share nourishment as you create what matters most in your life. Bon Appetit!!
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2 responses so far ↓
1 Jose // May 21, 2010 at 12:48 am
Eric:
THANKS for a Beautiful and Inspiring Post….
However I prefer to use the word heart to refer to that “deeper, misterious and subtler mind” that we experience and are driven by when we dare to go beyond acting, thinking and understanding reality….
If our mind relates more to what we possess and do, our heart relates more to who we feel and are….
2 Eric // May 24, 2010 at 3:21 am
Jose – thank you.
When C.G. Jung visited the American Southwest a Native American elder explained to the great psychiatrist that white men were strange as they believed that the mind was in the head.
“Where do you locate the mind?” Jung asked.
The elder pointed to his heart.
The name isn’t as critical as finding that “place”, as I’m sure you agree.
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