We have a small garden, and during the summer it becomes our extra room so I love to tend to it and make sure it is loved. Over the years I’ve neglected it and the weeds soon grow and the plants die. It literally looks uncared for and I really don’t like that feeling. It has so often reflected back to me areas of my life that I have neglected or not loved and cared for. Some people have large gardens, some people have simply a yard. Some people have communal gardens in their area and some don’t have gardens at all. Whatever your situation we can still learn a lot from the principles of lovingly tending to a garden and how that relates to nurturing ourselves and our inner garden ~ our spirit and our soul! What do I mean by our inner garden? Do you ever have those moments when you feel like anything beautiful and creative in you is being strangled by ugliness? Deep down inside you know there is beauty and expansiveness. There’s a vast garden inside of you that is desperate to come forth and blossom (flowers/plants) but negativity (weeds) are strangling your inner beauty. Those weeds and inner mess can often be our neglect of our inner self, for many different reasons.

So, let’s consider 4 top tips of gardening from an experienced gardener, and how they can relate to us:

1) Be Strategic About Sunlight

“A majority of plants require about six hours of sunshine per day”.  If we consider that sunlight increases your body’s level of serotonin, which is a chemical that enhances your mood and helps you to stay calm & centred. Maybe we need to intentionally allow ourselves to soak in the sunshine each day. Of course using glasses & sun screen that protect the skin and eyes from UVA & UVB rays. So many people are affected by SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) which is like a winter depression, so when the sun shines make sure you turn your face towards it and simply breathe.

From an “inner garden” perspective what do we watch, read & listen to? Are we intentionally having periods of time whereby we are soaking in something light? Something good, something that makes us feel good and lifts our mood and state?

2) Use The Right Soil

“You can’t plant your garden in soil that lacks nutrients”. On a purely practical level we need to ensure that our bodies do not lack essential nutrients. I’m not going to list all of the nutrients you need as there is a wealth of information about these already out there, but we are often aware when our diets are out of balance and there is no time like the present to address our imbalances and ensure that we have our essential nutrients.

From an “inner garden” perspective this relates again to what we watch, read & listen to. To ensure we are nurturing and nourishing ourselves and our inner soil is rich in nutrients we need to watch, read & listen to things that not only help us to grow but also incite the laughter response as humour and laughter have hormonal, physiological and psychological benefits. So consider what nutrients you are soaking your being in and remember that the majority of our personal beliefs about ourselves are in our sub-conscious. These effect how we think and feel about ourselves and the world around us. If we don’t have healthy messages going in then we won’t have healthy messages going out. You may be in a negative situation whereby you feel there is a lot of negativity surrounding you and being spoken into you. Only YOU can address that balance and start to allow yourself to receive some healthier messages.

3) Space The Plants Correctly

“If plants are too close together, they can rob each other of light, water and nutrients, which can make them smaller and more vulnerable”  From both the natural and the inner garden perspective this is so important. Yes we need other people and having a positive support network of family, friends and others is essential. But we also need to have time alone to simply breathe, rest and connect in with ourselves. Now, I know that can be challenging for some as spending time alone with yourself means you have to stop and look at where you’re at and whether you’re happy with where you’ve arrived in life and who you’ve become. That’s understandably daunting for some and I feel you! As a result we can so often fill our space with people, work and things in an attempt to find fulfilment from the outside in ~ but truly our personal fulfilment comes from the inside out, but we need to allow space for that to happen. Only YOU can create that space for YOU! What have I said before? We’re not inviting guilt or shame on this journey, so choose today to create some space and without allowing yourself to feel guilty. It’s essential!

4) Water Well

“If you need to hand water some of your plants, pull the leaves gently out of the way and make sure you only water the roots” I love this quote as it reminds us that sometimes our daily upsets have root issues that we need to have the courage to gently tend to. From a purely practical perspective, this really needs no explanation … DRINK PLENTY OF WATER!! We know that our bodies are approximately 70% water so with that in mind we need to ensure (especially in these summer months) that we are drinking around 8 glasses of water a day, and that can include hot drinks, but be aware that caffeine is a diuretic and can cause your kidneys to flush extra water from the body. Did you also know that your brain is 80% water so if you are dehydrated then you will suffer with a lack of mental clarity, increased stress, sleep problems, fatigue and headaches.

From an inner garden perspective the energy provided by water is ever changing which reminds us to expect change on our journey’s and learn to go with the flow! Sometimes we’re so shocked that something happens to us in life it can take us years to get over it, if we ever do! As I mentioned above sometimes roots can need gently tending to. We need to accept that life is a journey and we all have our paths to walk. Try not to judge experiences as “good” or “bad” rather than simply experiences. That’s not belittling trauma or your painful experiences. Everything has the meaning that we give it and that is always valid and personal to you, but this can either hinder or support our journey. Sometimes we need to honour the experience we have had and then reframe it in our minds in a way that helps us to see the beauty in the ashes. As water can come in many forms ~ liquid, steam, ice, snow etc you’ll need to water your inner garden in whatever form it needs it and only you will know what you truly need when you learn more about who you are and are valuing your self as one of God’s Highest forms of Creation!

Love & blessings as you tend to your gardens this week! Sam xx