“If we want a garden, we’re gonna have to sow the sees
Plant a little happiness, let the roots run free
If it’s love that we give, then it’s love that we reap
If we want a garden, we’re gonna have to sow the seeds.”
If you plant and nourish a tomato seed, a tomato plant will grow.
Likewise, if you plant and nourish a thought in your mind, it too will grow.
What we feed will thrive.
And so it is with the thoughts we plant in the gardens of our minds. Consciously or unconsciously, positive or negative.
Soil for the Soul
The foundation for our mind garden is the rich and wholesome layer atop our mind’s bedrock of knowing who we are. As any seasoned gardener will tell you, a healthy soil is imperative for strong growth of the plants who will be homed there. In order for the strongest, most vibrant blooms to blossom, a bed of nourishing, soft soil is what enables our plants to form firm anchors with their hearty roots, receive invigorating oxgyen, and allows dreary, muddy waters rinse away.
So, let’s imagine our mind gardens, and the ways in which can can tend the soil in which we will be planting our bounty. The first thing we do in our earthly garden is clear away the debris and rocks, which hinder growth. In our mind garden, we can view this debris as those pent-up thoughts that I talked about in my last Mind Garden post. We can use our breath, or movement, or conscious awareness to begin loosening the heavy, burdensome blockages from the soil. We can weed the surface by gently but firmly releasing those nagging thoughts that really like to cling on. As in the earth, weeding will always have to be done routinely and for maintenance.
Next, let’s add in some organic matter to the soil, so it can become enlivened and ready to host your lovely thoughts. I’m sure you can guess what I like to use as compost: Yep, GRATITUDE! What we nourish expands, so having our continual layer of gratitude mixed in with our fresh mind soil will allow our plants to thrive, as gratitude begets gratitude.
Now that we have a fresh foundation ready for sowing our precious mind garden, let’s take a moment to warm it up with a little bit of sunlight in the form of a joyful affirmation.
I invite you to close your eyes, and practice the cleansing breaths you know will steady your heart and ready your vibration.
What I nourish will grow
Strong roots thrive in healthy soil
My mind garden is abundant with gratitude, hope, and serenity
The space is endless, and my bounty of ease and joy is ever-expanding.
Next week, we will continue on to the next step of our Mind Garden, and we will tenderly plant the seeds that will flourish with our best intentions.
Mind Garden