A regular practice of meditation, conscious breathing, qigong, or tai chi can help you develop a rich inner life and connect mind with body and spirit. Meditation brings us into the present moment, which is where life takes place, and allows thoughts and emotions to come and go, without judgment. You can use various techniques to achieve this.
You can sit in stillness and, as thoughts and emotions arise, you can release them. You can think of these thoughts and emotions as being on a leaf floating down a gentle stream. As the leaf comes into your view, you notice it, but you don’t judge it. The leaf continues to float away with your thoughts and emotions. As it passes out of your view, it passes out of your consciousness and you release the thoughts and emotions to the universe.
Another popular technique is to focus on the breath. As you breathe in, you notice the sensation of the air flowing in through your nostrils and you think, I am breathing in. As you exhale, you notice the sensation of the air flowing out of your nostrils and you think, I am breathing out. When your mind wanders, you bring your attention back to the sensation of air flowing in and out.
Gardening has an inherent meditative aspect to it, particularly when we focus on the details, the shapes, textures, aromas, and growth of the plants, for example. We can notice our immediate connection with a certain plant or plants, and we can sense the larger connection to the surrounding environment, the temperature, moisture, fauna, and movement of the air that surround us.
I like to drill down a little deeper and take a more intimate view. This is a wonderful practice to nurture both yourself and a specific plant.
Choose one plant that you’re particularly drawn to. It can be in a pot or other container, or it can be growing in the earth.
Sit down at its level and observe it at close proximity. Notice its colors, the variations in hues. Notice its textures. Is it smooth and shiny, or does it have ridges or bumps? Does it have patterns on its leaves, raised or smooth? Is it fuzzy?
Notice the shape of the leaves. Are they broad or narrow? Are the leaves uniform, or are some “deformed” from disease or another stressful environmental situation?
Now, notice its scent. When you lean in close, can you smell it? If not, take a leaf between your fingers and gently pinch or rub it. Does that release a fragrance? How does this fragrance make you feel? Joyful? Hungry? Annoyed or disgusted?
Remember how this plant came to be in your garden. Did you get it as a mature plant or a seedling at the garden center? Did you grow it from seed? Perhaps a friend, neighbor, or loved one gave it to you. Or maybe, you took a cutting from someone’s plant – stolen or accepted as a gift.
Is this plant an edible? Is it a vegetable or fruit that you plan to consume for lunch or dinner? Maybe it’s an herb, a healthful powerhouse to add flavor and nutrients to your meals. Or maybe it’s an ornamental plant that brings visual pleasure and attracts beneficial pollinators.
There are so many more details to notice. As you explore your little plant friend, be sure to take some time to breathe slowly and deeply. Be conscious of your life-giving breath and understand that your plants are exchanging oxygen with you. They benefit from the carbon dioxide that you exhale. In return, they provide you with fresh oxygen to keep you healthy and strong.
All of these things – these details – bring you into the present moment. This helps your body lower blood pressure and release stress, it and takes you out of the perpetual “fight or flight” mode that releases adrenaline and cortisol into your body.
If you can, try to make this a daily practice. Giving yourself time to meditate with a plant helps you create inner space that allows you to appreciate the beauty of life that is right now. It helps us realize how fortunate we are to be alive on the most beautiful planet in our solar system.
