Searching for Nectar that Satisfies

Photo from National Geographic Kids

          What makes a garden desirable to a honey bee? These bees depend on pollen for most of their protein and nectar for carbohydrates in their diet. Single-flowered blooms (like daisies and marigolds) produce much more pollen and nectar than the showier double-flowered blooms (in which stamens have been transformed into extra petals). Hybridized plants aren’t as beneficial because they produce very little pollen or nectar. Honey bees are especially attracted to white, blue, yellow and violet blooms, as well as flowers with a shorter corolla (which makes it easier to reach the nectar). These bees will only visit a single type of flower on each trip from the hive (a trait known as ‘floral fidelity’), so they often seek out patches of identical flowers. 

          In Zen Buddhism, it is said that there are five desires: for food, for sex, for sleep, for comfort, and for reputation. These desires are natural and driven by our instinct to survive. Yet often these desires get mistakenly fused with a longing for happiness, and we become obsessed with them. This craving convinces us if we can just get this particular thing, life will be wonderful and perfect. Even when we do manage to get what was desired, we soon realize we’ve expended a lot of energy for a short-lived pleasure. The sage Shantideva likened this behavior to an ox that pulls a heavy load for only a mouthful of hay. The solution to ending this cycle of suffering is not to eliminate our desires but to change our relationship to them. If we can see through the fantasy of ‘happy ever after,’ we can enjoy moments of pleasure without expectations. As Ezra Bayda explained, “happiness comes from the inside; it cannot depend on our external life circumstances. Nor can it depend on simply feeling good emotionally. In short, happiness doesn’t come from making happiness the goal – it comes from being able to appreciate the journey, particularly the present-moment experience of our life.”

For more information on contentment, see this post.