The earth is what connects us all together in an eternal flow state of being. From the plants to the rivers to the mountains and the animals and people who inhabit all of it. Every decomposing or blooming plant, animal and human are connected through the air we breathe, the water we drink, the food we hunt and eat, and every mineral in each grain of soil from the earth. If it’s hard to imagine, watch this video
The rhythms of all living beings are determined by the earth’s rotation, the atmosphere, the seasons, the sun and the moon. Our health, as well as the health of our planet, is hugely determined by how connected we remain to these rhythms. One way of staying connected to your natural rhythms is “grounding. Grounding is basically any form of connecting with the earth, such as walking barefoot, sitting against a tree, or playing in the dirt.
Grounding is also a form of meditation that can be practiced in many variations, including gardening. Now, not everyone is an expert botanologist and gardening can sometimes take a diligent research and patience to do it right. And in the same token, many people tend to overthink the whole meditation thing as well. Neither gardening nor meditation, need to be scientifically or intellectually organized and mapped out. In fact, the best way to plant a garden or even grow your own herbs on the porch, for example, is to implement meditation while you work.
Here are some simple starter ideas for Gardening as a Meditation Practice:
- Get to know your plant, flower, or herb. What are the many uses for it? When does it bloom? What minerals or soil does it thrive off of? Does it need a lot of sun or very little sunlight? What insects and/or animals are attracted to this particular plant and why? Does it have medicinal uses? Connecting to your garden by understanding its many purposes does not require hours of thorough scientific research. Keep it simple and short by focusing on one thing at a time and gathering more information each time you work in the garden. Learn as it grows. Metaphorically speaking, as the seed grows… you grow. It’s a relationship! You can’t learn everything about the person on the first date!
- Sing or talk to your plants! I’m serious. This raises the vibration of the plant – and you! Check out this video about Dr. Emoto’s experiments with water. Smithsonian researchers also tried to debunk the claims of a vineyard owner who claimed that his plants grow faster with music, andtheir discovery actually sided closer to the vineyard owner’s’ claims than they expected! Something you can do along these lines is to get a a few windchimes that carry different tunes and place them around your garden.
- Enjoy gardening as a creative expression of yourself, using colors and landscapes to design an artful presentation from your imagination. You can even add decorations to your yard or garden to compliment the landscape and make it a unique representation of your soul. You can string colored flags along trees or bushes, add rocks and crystals to garden beds to energize the plants and soil while adding ornamental touches, and even statues or fairy figurines give the garden a touch of your creative mind. Creativity enables us to shut off the left sides of our brains which helps us reduce stress signals in the body- the same way meditation works with our conscience and subconscious wave patterns.
- Put your intentions into the food you grow. As you plant a seed, visualize what that will become and how that seed will someday serve you. Is it a tomato? Is it a row of chives? How will you use this food once it matures? Give this little seed or seedling your gratitude and blessing each day for its purpose to nourish you on a cellular level. Once it matures enough for you to eat it, ask it for its own blessing to prune or pick it for your meal. And really listen with your heart. Thank it and receive it. And when you are enjoying this plant, practice mindful eating with intention as well. Try my method of intentional eating, found here with full transcript
- Assign specific affirmations to each plant or area of the garden to represent your vision, goals and mantras so that each time you see it or you are outside watering it, you are reminded of your soul’s vision and thus the plant or garden becomes your own personal motivational coach! Examples of using affirmations for goal-setting can be something like “My garden is a reflection of my health. As my garden grows, I am healed”.
By Sara Gustafson CHN, CEC, HLC3
