Spirit Gardens

“More than anything else, a garden is a portal, a passage into another world, one of your own thoughts and your own making; it is whatever you want it to be and you are what you want to be.” - William Longgood Spirit gardens are places where our soul feels embraced. Creating a spirit garden is as simple as potted flowers by the front door, a lovely green plant in your home or a garden in your yard. What makes a garden into a garden for spirit is your connection to it. Spirit gardens soothe and calm you. They delight your senses with colors, shapes, textures and scent. They can be bright, shady, cool or warm. They can be whatever you want them to be. Naturescapes of the heart What kind of naturescape captures your heart? Close your eyes and imagine yourself in your favorite place in nature. What do you see? Are there trees? Are the trees evergreen or deciduous? What colors do you see? Are there flowers? If so, what kind of flowers? Is there grass? Is your favorite place in nature a quiet hillside retreat, an ocean shore, a wooded trail on a mountain, a meadow, a butterfly garden or grasslands? Envision your favorite place in nature fully; the sounds, the scents, the temperature of the air around you, the colors. Imagine all aspects of your favorite place. Taking what you've learned, create a garden retreat that captures and embraces the colors, the textures, the sounds, the smells and sights of your personal paradise. Start with one space, one area and begin. Nature flows along the path, and the path is curved. Create flowing paths in your garden, curving walkways from the street to your front door, soft flowing paths from your driveway to the front door. These paths should be easy to see, safe and well lit, gently pulling you forward with the movement and grace of their curves. To create your spirit garden, start with what you love When you start with what you love, you can feel the spirit of love everywhere - there is no wrong choice. Everything you choose will help teach you the next step. Your garden retreat will grow as you grow and change as you change. The love you feel for the trees, the colors of the flowers, and the rocky path will guide you as you find your way. Gardening puts us in touch with the cycles of life, the seasons of nature, the gentle balance, the yin and yang. Your garden, regardless of the form it takes, is the visible symbol of your commitment to making room for the spirit in everyday life. And it begins with a single step. It doesn't matter how you begin, what matters is that you do begin. Roll up your sleeves, put on your sun hat and reach your hands deep into the soil. Connect to the energy of the earth around you. Your hands will get dirty but your heart will sing! Copyright © 2010 Harmony Life, LLC. All rights reserved.