I am tended to by the garden.
Now I don’t believe for a moment the garden has this particular human on a task list of things to take care of in a day. And yet, in the garden I experience unconditional care. I experience being attended to. This gives rise to curiosity.
At the Monastery we live on a large number of acres that are mostly wild. Yet, when taking time to renew, I often choose to sit in the garden. What I have seen so far is that to be in the garden, sit on the earth, sit among growing things fosters peace and connection. My experience is that all are welcome to grow in the garden, even this human! Yet why the garden?
What drops in is that the garden carries the imprint of human caring. In the words of Chris Larson taken from What Universe Are You Creating by Cheri Huber and Ashwini Narayanan: “as human beings we are perfectly constructed to care for things.” This care is made visible in the garden. I see what is possible when, I project, the attention rests on beauty, care, possibility, and presence. I experience the physical manifestation of being Life’s hands.
In the garden I sit with what is real. It reminds me to love unconditionally, attend to, be happy, and be grown, as part of a larger mysterious ongoing cycle. This gives rise to another possibility…. that maybe just maybe my most important work is to enjoy the flowers and be enjoyed in return. Yes, in deep gratitude, I am tended to by the garden.
In gasshō,
Sequoia