Day 314/366 days Towards Self-Mastery.
The soul loves to connect with the greens of nature. There's something exquisitely soothing about immersing yourself in greenery. And even more exciting when those plants have a pleasing scent from gorgeous flowers.
Not everyone has access to a garden or courtyard in which to create a garden. At a time when I lived in apartments it was the greenery that I managed to grow indoors that welcomed me with refreshing colour and energy on arrival home at the end of each day.
In time I decided that the effort was worth it. It takes care and attention to grow an indoor garden and I found it at times, arduous. Might have reflected my approach to relationships generally at that time. If you want something to thrive and grow, plant or friendship, it takes some work. It seems to me that the more aligned that relationship is with its natural place in time and space, the less work it takes. I'm surprised that anything thrived under my care in those times.
Indoor plants are removed from their natural habitat, for the purpose of providing us pleasure. They are not going to flourish as well without fresh air, the right temperatures and humidity, attention to watering requirements and feeding, all things naturally provided by the right place in the garden. For this reason I prefer an outdoor garden.
Don't let that put you off if you live in an apartment. Google is your friend. Google has scores of ideas about indoor gardens, plant selection and care. Expect it to be an exercise in trial and error. Not everything found on google is good advice, and there are many variables you'll need to consider. But do take on the challenge. Life with nature close by is supportive and soothing. We all need that, especially if you live in air-conditioned workspaces all day.
Recently I received some plants in a gardening swap that are not suited to my outdoor garden. Scented geraniums, rose and lemon, I was excited to receive them, and will attempt to grow them in pots on my deck. The scent is delicious and having them close to the living area will add a sensual dimension that I'm seeking. Here they'll be protected from the frosts in winter and won't remain too damp if I don't overwater them, so should do quite well.
Give it a go. If you start an indoor garden, choose carefully as you would a person with whom to have a relationship. It's going to be a relationship that you build with your indoor plantings so don't make it too hard on yourself.
You don't want to be doing all the work. You want to choose plants that fit well with your needs and your environment. That way you're ahead before you start. Then you want to learn their ways, meet their needs whenever you can without overdoing it. Too much love and attention can become overwhelming, and the plant will wilt and die. Getting the balance just right is about improving your knowledge, and a lot of trial and error. Good luck!
366 days Towards Self-Mastery
When I considered my New Year's intentions for 2020 I had just one: To allow my heart to love what it loved...and let it lead me. (If not now, then when?)
I've spent months working on integrating my life. To live life more fully with my home life, my interests, my work, my responsibilities, all coming together, all connected. I want to give each the attention that they desire and need, and still have time and energy for the others. That means living and working from the heart.
As I was clearing out my bookshelf over the Christmas break I discovered Simple Abundance. I set it aside to explore it on New Year's Day as I lazed through another delicious day of nothingness. Sarah, the author, says this book is about living in grace. Living in grace I realised, is about Self-Mastery.
My thirst for understanding the human condition has driven me all my life, and hand-in-hand with self-mastery it has been a life-long goal. And seeing as I love to write, that living in grace is about self-mastery, and I love a bit of a challenge, then if I am truly going to let my heart lead, I really don't have any other choice. So scary as it feels, I'm starting out on a daily mission of leaning into the suggestions of this daybook and making a daily post to keep me accountable. If not now, then when?
I'm Josie. You can find out a little more about me here.
Simple Abundance: A Daybook of Comfort and Joy: by Sarah Ban Breathnach.
This book is written for the Australian and NZ market because it refers to seasonal changes. It's available on Amazon here if you'd like to follow along.