Over the summer Magdalena and I started a vegetable garden on our front lawn. Being novice gardeners, we sought advice. We asked people working at the local organic garden centre and we also asked some friends and neighbours who have a lot of experience growing vegetables. They told us at the garden centre that we should buy this specific type of fertilizer, to fertilize the garden right away and then once every month.
When we first started the garden we were feeling very gung ho! But somehow as the summer went on, we forgot to add more fertilizer every month. Some of the vegetables came up really well in spite of the lack of fertilizer. Some didn’t do so well:)
The tomato in the picture is a regular sized tomato bought at a store and the carrot (yes that’s a carrot) next to it is baby-sized. They are delicious anyways albeit baby-sized. Now I’m curious as to how they grow baby carrots. Are they normal carrots starved of fertilizer? Now I’m getting off on a tangent.
So now we have first hand knowledge of the importance of fertilizing your garden:).
It did also make me think of the importance of having some sort of daily practice. A practice that helps create a physiology of growth and healing. For most of us, our experience of living in society (especially these days) is full of stress. And if you don’t have a daily practice to “fertilize” your growth and healing, then you are submitting yourself mostly to that stressful environment.
Some of us will take on a helpful practice only when symptoms arise or a crisis hits. And then once the symptoms have subsided or the crisis is over, we abandon the practice. I myself have done this many times over the years.
I am seeing though that with a daily practice that creates a physiology of growth and healing, there are lasting benefits. Benefits that are not related to avoiding disease or illness. A daily practice that fosters growth and healing takes advantage of the body/mind’s innate capacities and abilities.
We are able to live not just a healthy life but a ViBRANT life even while living in this society.
A daily practice doesn’t have to take a long time or be very complex. It can literally take just a few moments of each day: Just like saying a prayer before going to bed. Reflecting on the things that you are grateful for each day is another. Doing a few simple energetic exercises. Whatever the practice consists of isn’t the important factor. Doing it daily or as often as you can is.
If you’d like to get some advice on your daily practice, just let me know. After all, I know how to make baby carrots. And bigger ones too now.