by Community Meditation teacher, Mandy Merritt

In the middle of my mom’s garden, at a little ice cream parlor table I am writing to you while surrounded by spiky red bee balm, cheerful white daisies, friendly yellow roses, restful lavender, and many others. This sensory bonanza is inspiring these words.

In a time of shifting sands (which means, all the time), the respite of a garden, or even the presence of a single plant, can be truly rejuvenating. Right now, wherever you are, imagine a garden. Take a moment to soak up the stillness, enjoy the scents – a sweet floral aroma, the smell of dry dirt. Feel and see evolving energy all around in this primarily innocent landscape. Flowers are typically at various stages of growth and decay; reaching up with growing sprouts, spreading down stabilizing roots while collecting nutrients, producing new leaves, exerting an explosion of bursting blooms, and going to seed for the next cycle and next generation. The metaphors are direct and the messages meant specifically for you can be made clear.

The gentle scene can allow a sense of safety, allowing an opening for our evolving lives, allowing deep soul work. If only a visual demonstration for what you might need to see as a reminder at a certain time in your life, the beauty can be stimulating. Some plants, herbs for example, can be healing when consumed in a mindful way. Other plants provide scents provoking perfumed attraction heightening experience or stress relieving relaxation letting your meditation deepen with less fidgeting. While still another debatable use for plants has been in conjuring spells to invoke specific outcomes.

Flowers and various plants have the ability to enhance a meditation practice. Burning incense, atomizing essential oils, or even simply sitting with a houseplant. The minimalism of sitting without props of various kinds reduces distraction but sometimes an added element for a sitting can enhance the experience and open doorways in the mind and to the spirit.

Let’s dig deeper into various ways of incorporating flowers and plants in your meditation practice inspiring and aligning your life in surprising ways.

The natural world is silently, and sometimes not so silently, speaking, are you listening?

Listen to this guided meditation (26 minutes) that is intended to inspire you to find the plants that are right for you and your life situation. Please join me on this garden path to enhance your meditation practice.