Is gardening a spiritual experience?

[Kyla]

I hope this is the right place to post this thread. Of course feel free to delete or move if I am in the wrong location here!

Okay my question is this: I am planning a book about "spiritual gardening." What I mean by the term "spiritual" is simply the aspect of relating to gardening that is more meditative and less focused on harvest or even appearance, or work for that matter!

There are lots of similar books out there and I have not yet even begun my research into that (I have a big to do list this winter. ) What I hope to do in this thread is see if anyone here has a perspective on the topic you'd like to share?

Do you find that gardening is a spiritual experience at all?

What is the most spiritual aspect of your gardening?

Do you feel the garden "speaks" to you? Or do you feel the plants communicate with you?

Do you meditate in your garden?

What about things like pest control and weed removal? Can that have a spiritual component? For example I have an issue with slugs here in this climate. How does trying to control them relate to a spiritual gardening perspective?

And please, anything else you might want to share on this general topic, I would be most interested in!

thanks in advance,
Kyla

 

[maddie]

Most of my spiritual understanding /revelations come while watching over my plants and meditating.
I don't know if my garden speaks to me.. The inner voice often speaks to me using parables about trees and plants. Gardening is surely a spiritual experience for me.
It is a great way to wind down, relax and enjoy the beauty of creation while praising the creator for his wonderful creation.
I connect with myself and the world around when I get totally involved in my garden. The sense of oneness with the universe is often achieved through this experience.

 

[Kyla]

Thank you. It's that feeling of oneness with the universe that I mean when I use the word "spiritual". I feel the "speaking" is part of that feeling, and unless we have a reason to translate it into words, it is nonverbal. (The words are ours.)

I would love to hear some of the parables you mention; that sounds like a wonderful experience. Would you be willing to share one or two of those involving plants? I'm not sure I've had that kind of experience myself.

 

[maddie]

Kyla, I will share one here.. these are deep personal experiences and I am not sure about sharing them ..
I was going through a difficult period in my life. My little garden had grown out of shape as i had just watered and fed it, there was this need to prune some plants. I wasn't so keen on it at that time.. I was afraid of causing it hurt and pain.. then I heard this voice within tell me.. pruning is painful.. suffering is painful.. at that moment .. but the growth and the fruits are rewards enough.. After you have been through this birthing.. the joy of seeing the fruit of your labor is enough.
The kind of peace that settled over me was incredible after that it seemed as though my pain melted away and life went back to being good and even better.

 

[Kyla]

Maddie, gosh, thank you so much, that's a beautiful story. And I know what you mean, that it isn't always a good thing to do, or easy at all, to share from that level so I really appreciate this.

I find the garden is very forgiving. I have so often felt guilty for neglecting something in the garden, but what I've experienced is that when I do manage to re-enter that flow of exchange, of working with the garden processes, I always feel an inner reward, almost as though the spirit of the garden is saying thank you to my heart.

 

[blueiris]

I am an atheist, but I do think humans have a spiritual element, which is related to fulfillment and happiness - not supernatural or mystical at all but it has to do with following one's passion in life. So, yes, I think there is a spiritual element to gardening in that it helps me relax and focus at the same time.The care I give my plants and their thriving is a fulfillment of one of my passions, so it contributes to my thriving. Caring for my garden is caring for myself in a way. Sorry, if that's a little complex but that's as simply as I can state it at the moment.

 

[Kyla]

Not too complex at all, blueiris. I appreciate your adding this to the mix, too, because the whole idea of "spiritual" is tricky in that to some it does imply God, or religion, while for others such as yourself it means no such thing.

It seems to me that the spiritual component of gardening can be a bridge among us too, in that way, creating a shared zone of mutual understanding in a territory (spirituality) that is so often controversial.

And I totally get what you're expressing here. And I feel much the same way about how caring for the garden is also caring for my own well being. Thanks for sharing that!

 

[claudine]

I'm an atheist, I don't believe in any superpowers. But I believe we are a part of nature and being surrounded by the flowers always feels like home It relaxes me and it's one of my favorite things to do

 

[ChanellG]

This is a very interesting question, Kyla. I'm not sure how to answer it; I think that are definitely some spiritual aspects to gardening. Creating a space and bringing things to life and nurturing them is something that can be seen as exercising divinity, so it's quite possible.

 

[homejob0526]

Thanks for posting such a wonderful topic. Yes, for me, gardening is like meditation and it gives me immense pleasure to do all the watering and the other maintenance work for my garden. Well, I won't call it work exactly, I would say, it is a pure way of staying connected with the nature. I feel like I am also a small part of this beautiful nature and I feel extremely happy and peaceful when I am in my garden. Whenever I get some free time, I just run into my garden and spend my time there, trimming my plants, checking whether all are fine and see that every plant of mine looks healthy and beautiful.

 

[Pat]

Gardening provides a time and place for me to get closer to my creator. It is a simple enjoyment to me. It is a way to see good in all things even the weeds. Two of things I need in my life to make me happy is music and plants.

 

[ACSAPA]

The only spiritual part of gardening for me is the feeling that God put these plants and flowers here for us, and it's amazing how beautifully and perfectly designed they are. The fact that plants are here for food, medicine and beauty makes me feel that someone loves us and provided these things to take care of us.

 

[firelily99]

We are all spiritual beings on a human journey and for me, gardening is a wonderful way to travel that journey. i love to sink my hands into the soil, water, fertilize, and weed. Each plant I put in I wish luck and a good growing season. I worked on an organic farm and hoed and hoed and hoed for weeks on end. It took me awhile to get into it, I thought the owner was trying to get me to quit! Finally I let go of that thinking and just became one with the soil, the crop, and the hoe. It was very powerful and very healing - life changing.

 

[Kiese]

The only spiritual part of gardening for me is the feeling that God put these plants and flowers here for us, and it's amazing how beautifully and perfectly designed they are. The fact that plants are here for food, medicine and beauty makes me feel that someone loves us and provided these things to take care of us.

I agree! It is a wonder sometimes looking at some of these plants and vegetables and how you can put a tiny seed into the ground and a short time later have a squash or a rose in your yard. It amazing when really think about it.

 

[Trellum]

I don't consider myself that spiritual, but back in the day when I was gardening a lot I felt so stress-free and happy. I'd definitely say gardening is a spiritual experience in the sense something as mundane as this (that requires a lot work and physical effort) can actually relax you. I often thought about the beauty of it... how something so simple could bring so much happiness and peace into my life. There were times I seemed to be so focused on it I'd totally lose myself in the task; I loved it!