Flower Meditation

Flowers represent such a playful and peaceful energy in nature, I believe they are the closest thing to real life magic. One of the things that brings me the most joy in my daily routine, is walking through the rows in silence before I begin to harvest and taking in all the beauty, perfections and imperfections alike, the sounds and smells. It is such a soothing atmosphere and a welcomed escape from all of the noise being thrown at us everyday. While I typically harvest for the sole purpose of selling what is growing, I have started to make time to harvest for another reason. Ever so often, I take the time to cut from the rows for no other reason than sitting down with plants I have grown with my own two hands and to create just for the sake of creating. Taking the time to appreciate the curve of each stem, the tenderness in the every petal, and deeply breathing in the sweet and spicy aromas. Making it a point to move slowly and with intention, never acting forcefully or working with haste, just letting things sit where they please. It is a very freeing feeling going into designing without putting certain boundaries or limitations on yourself and just letting the flowers lead the way. I don’t play music in the background or listen to podcasts, I just exist in that moment with no distractions, only noticing my own breathe and movements. I don’t put a time limit on this practice, I don’t force a schedule, I simply create and move until my mind and body have slowed and calmed.

Be still, breathe and listen.

We hear all the time how important it is to eat well and find some form of exercise to work into our daily routine, but we tend to overlook the importance of the well being of our mind and soul. Being tuned into social media and TV, it is easy to feel there is this sense of urgency, to feel constantly busy and always on the move. As if people are telling us that if you aren’t hustling every moment you’re awake, you’re going to fall behind. But ask yourself this, do you do your best work when you are stretched thin and depleted, or when you feel rested and recharged? I would assume most of us would say we perform best when we feel rested and recharged. But if we are in perpetual motion and pushing ourselves 24/7, our tanks are never filled back up and our batteries are never fully recharged. Instead, we are constantly running on a tank that is half empty and a battery only half charged. We can only better serve ourselves and those around us if we take the time to care for and nurture ourselves first.

So I would like to challenge you.

I challenge you to find something that brings you joy and lightens your spirit, something that forces you to be present in the moment and shut out all the heaviness and noise. For some it might be knitting or baking, tending a garden, drawing or painting, taking long walks along the water or a trail in the woods. Find your thing, and make time at least once a week to leave the hustle and bustle behind and give that “thing” your undivided attention. If it’s going on long walks, notice the sound and feeling of the dirt or grass under your feet as you take each step and the smell of fresh air. If it’s knitting, notice the feeling of the wool on your fingers as your hands weave in and out and the rhythm in which you move. If it’s painting, notice the way it feels when you make large sweeping strokes and the energy you release from your body onto the canvas. Whatever it is you find peace and joy doing, take the time to notice the small moments that make up the whole. Pay attention to your breathing and how your body is moving. How getting lost in those small moments can wash the most calming waves over you and ease you into a feeling of relaxation, and at the same time, releasing pent up energy and the powerful feeling of being alive. Life is happening all the time, everyday all around us. If we don’t stop to take these small moments of appreciation, it could be gone before we ever notice it. Be sitll, breathe and listen.