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A few weeks ago, in a conversation with someone, I said, “Positive energy begets positive energy.” I know the point I was trying to make but I am not very sure how serious I took my own words. Sure, on some level I’d like to believe that having a positive attitude can have a positive effect on my life but honestly, my true nature is a bit Eeyoreish.

Then I read this post by Dayna about an experiment they did with rice and positive and negative thoughts. So I decided to give it a try. The results are astounding and are really making me rethink what I believe about the mind, energy and my own spirituality.

So, here’s the experiment. We cooked some brown rice and put it in two identical jars. On one jar, we put a label: “Thank you. I love you” and on the other, “You are stupid. I hate you.”

Both the jars are sitting on opposite sides of the same shelf in the dining room. Each day, one or more of us pick up the jars and speak the words that are written on them to the jar.

I have gone further that. Each day, I pour all of my negative energy in to the “I hate you” jar. If something goes wrong, I tell it to the jar. If I am frustrated or angry, I pick up the jar and let it all loose. And each day, I cultivate my gratitude and pour that into the “I love you” jar. All the things that are good I speak to that jar. I talk about being thankful for the kids helping me in the garden, for the laughter they bring to me. I even sing to the jar and kiss it. I know it sounds silly but I do.

It has been one week. Our positive energy jar hasn’t changed at all. The rice is still fluffy and separates. You can shake the jar and the rice moves around. It still smells sweet.

Our negative energy jar has started to mold and is sticky and compacted. It smells quite sour.

Here are photos. The camera didn’t capture the differences too distinctly but you can definitely tell that the jar on the left, our positive jar, is bright and fresh. The jar on the right has a darker color and if you look closely you can see the mold.


What does this tell me? Well, the experiment was proposed by Masaru Emoto to suggest that we may have the ability to heal the earth and to create a positive change in our water supply. I can’t deny that something has happened here. In just one week, we have been able to keep the natural process of decomposition from happening in one jar and maybe have sped it up in the other.

So, what if we are kind and loving to the earth? Today while gardening … or while preparing our soil, I started to feel angry and frustrated at how much work it is taking to transform this hard, concrete-like clay into something that will nurture and grow flowers. Immediately, I stopped. I want to pour good words and feelings into this soil. I have to change my attitude and pour positive energy into this project.  Yeah, I know. It’s sort of like talking to houseplants.  So maybe that wasn’t such a crazy idea after all.

What about the words and energy we pour into others or into ourselves? We know that negative words can become a self fulfilling prophecy in our children. I am challenged to take this even more seriously. And it is certainly making me stop and think about what it means for me if I speak negatively about my body, my mind, my talents.  Instead of putting myself down and diminishing my own worth, what would happen if I spoke proudly and with gratitude about myself.

I’ll share more photos of our rice project next week.  In the meantime, I’d love to hear your thoughts!