Theme: Hit The Dirt!
Intro: First Foot Forward
Exercise: Don’t Just Stand There: Plant Something!
Nature Spirits: What Do I Do Now?
Plants: Green Side Up
Thriving Garden: Blessing
Energy In The Garden: Clearing Command
Around The Garden: Digging
People In The Garden: It’s Time To Celebrate!
What’s Next
Intro: First Foot Forward
When you put your first foot forward, it lands on the earth, reminding you of the connection between your body and Nature. Perhaps you garden in your bare feet, and your first step lands in soil. You do remember the feeling of bare feet in soil, don’t you?
More likely, you’re wearing some sort of footwear and touching down on concrete. That’s ok.
Regardless, it’s a great time to pause and click into a different gear.
Remember who you are and who your partner is. Step into that connection with Nature. Do this every time you enter your garden.
By the time you hit your second or third step, you’re in action. Let’s get started!
Exercise: Don’t Just Stand There: Plant Something!
Your goal today is to plant something. To take a positive step forward in collaboration with Nature. To build. To claim your new garden, now operating under a new paradigm with a new partner. To plant your flag.
In the last Learning Lesson, we explained how to hold a conversation with Nature about what to plant and where. So, get to it!
When you handle a plant, connect with it. Observe it carefully. Allow each of your senses to report fully.
It’s ok to ask questions to and about your plant. What’s its character? What is it telling you? Why did it find its way into your care at this moment?
Appreciate your plant. Notice its beauty – its form – its color – its flowers. Imagine what it will look like thriving in your garden. Picture it in all its glory.
Be gentle. Go slowly with this one. Groom each plant as you plant it. Take your time. This deep connection is truly what gardening is all about. Don’t miss a single opportunity to enjoy it!
Plant by plant, connection by connection, you’re recreating your garden with Nature. Each time you enter your new garden, these connections will strengthen and deepen. The last time I walked into the plant department at Lowe’s, I almost cried from what felt like a sudden, unexpected outpouring of love between all the plants and me. This is what Nature and I want for you in your garden.
Nature Spirits: What Do I Do Now?
We’ve written about the nature of your partnership with Nature. We’ve identified these roles and responsibilities:
• Establishing desires/parameters for the garden – You
• Overall planning – Nature
• Daily work assignment – Nature
• Discerning the to-list – You
• Implementing the to-do list – You
• Carrying out a million operational details – Nature
• Enjoying the fruits of your labor – You and Nature
So, your next step is to figure out what Nature has assigned for you to do today. Keep this in mind: the things on your to-do list are things Nature thinks you can do today reasonably, and things you’re better equipped to handle than She is.
That makes you an important part of the daily routine.
In the Introductory Learning Lesson, we provided a checklist of possible tasks to help you get started. I suggest you make up your own. The idea is to help you manage your conversation with Nature.
My conversation goes something like this:
• Anything for me to do today in the garden?
• Inside?
• Front yard?
• Back yard?
• Is there watering to do?
• Water plants in containers?
• All containers?
• Some?
• Just the herbs?
• Anything else to water?
• Anything else need doing in back?
• Pruning?
• Cleanup?
• Around the annual garden?
You get the idea. Pretty soon I’ve got my to-do list roughed together and I’m ready to get to work. Sometimes I have to ask Nature about the order of things to be done. I find Nature much more efficient at organizing my time in the garden than I am. And remember, when I used to do this for a living, I imagined I was pretty good at it!
As I go about my tasks, I’m asking Nature for additional guidance whenever I can. For example, I always ask if this is enough water. After watering with Nature for awhile I have a sort of feel for how much to water, but I always ask to make sure.
And, it’s always good to check in at the end of each task and make sure it really is the end. Sometimes I find the task list changes a bit as I move through it. Often this is because I wasn’t in position to ask the right questions originally, when I made my list. Sometimes new opportunities pop up. And I must admit, sometimes I’m not being as effective as I could be, which means I can’t get the entire list done that day.
Following this routine is pretty simple, even if it seems strange at the beginning. Most humans aren’t used to a real partnership, and certainly not used to a partner like this one!
Plants: Green Side Up
We landscapers used to joke about silly customers and crew members who we thought should know better about how things work in the garden. One boss said he would never live to see the day when he didn’t have to remind his crews to not stick their hands or feet under their lawn mower. The standard answer to anyone’s question about how to plant something was “green side up.”
With Nature, I had to move beyond a lot of things I thought I knew about gardening. For example, a couple weeks ago, Nature wanted me to transplant my lemon tree from its spot in the front yard into a container. It had been in the ground for about a year and had just started to bloom.
I was preparing to move away from my home and had already come to grips with the fact that there was no way my lemon was coming with me. Even if it could be moved, it would be far more work than I could justify. Nature said “do it anyway.” I was having trouble believing Nature’s message, so I asked about a hundred times to make sure I was getting the message correctly.
Then I did the evil deed.
As I bent the trunk back and forth, leaning it closer and closer to the ground, I cringed as roots snapped. When she gave up and released, there was no root ball to speak of. I carried her gently to the back yard, and following instructions, planted her in sand and mulched the container with mesquite litter. I had to stake her because she didn’t have enough roots to stand on her own.
As a landscaper, I considered this folly. But as a partner, I followed instructions. I watered almost daily and did some healing work along the way. Three weeks later, my lemon tree is blooming profusely. It has set some actual lemons, and new leaves are coming on. As far as I’m concerned, that’s beyond amazing; it’s a miracle.
Thriving Garden: Blessing
About the most heart-felt connection I make with an individual plant is to bless it. You can bless a plant any time – you’ll feel the connection when you do!
I say it slowly, something like this:
• I bless you
• I respect you
• I honor you
• I thank you
• I love you
• And I ask that blessings be poured out upon you!
Energy in The Garden: Clearing Command
If everything is energy, including thoughts, and energy responds to our intention, how can we direct energy to help Nature in the garden? Actually, there are lots of ways – today, let’s concentrate on using words.
Words are symbols. Words are energy. Words can be directed. Let’s direct some word-energy to help our plants. Say this like you mean it:
It is by intent and purpose, Spirit of Nature, Spirit of Rog, Spirit of (your name), that we immediately zero the life force of all chemicals, heavy metals, ureic acid, manmade pathogens, and natural pathogens throughout all systems of all plants on this property, without negative side-effects, by call. We do this by multiple frequencies, harmonics, simultaneously, giving discretionary priority to the Nature Spirits. Do it now.
What we’ve done here is a command. By invoking the power of Nature, you, and me, we’ve directed that the precise frequencies necessary be provided to exactly counterbalance unwanted frequencies in our plants – zeroing them out.
Here are some simple guidelines for issuing this clearing command:
• Say the clearing command daily, or more frequently if intuition or dowsing sparks the need.
• Allow sufficient time to center yourself and focus on the command.
• After completing the command, wait about 2 minutes before closing with “I Believe, I Receive, I Accept this Gift of Healing. Thank you, Thank you, Thank you.”
Around The Garden: Digging
In general, Nature prefers pinpoint surgical maneuvers to slash-and-burn or fun with a backhoe. What’s the minimum you can do to accomplish Nature’s request?
For some people, blasting around the garden with power tools and broad brushes brings a lot of excitement. Nature’s goal has more to do with peace and joy in the garden.
Besides, part of the advantage of having a partner like Nature is that we don’t have to do a lot of unnecessary work or waste a lot of money. We know just what to do – no more, no less – to get the job done.
There are certainly some cases when Nature’s going to want the 4’x4’x4’ tree hole, but those are the exceptions. More often, I find myself digging when the soil is in perfect condition, and easily slipping a plant into a hole just big enough to fit.
Believe it or not, even here in the desert, I regularly find earthworms in our soil. And I’m doing absolutely nothing deliberate to foster their welcome presence. I water a lot less than anyone around me, and I don’t add organic matter to the soil.
So, take it easy out there!
People in The Garden: It’s Time To Celebrate!
You’ve made it through the first four Learning Lessons – it’s time to celebrate! I have an idea, I invite you and your new partner into your garden for a cool drink in a comfortable chair. Take a few moments to get connected and then reflect on the new paradigm for gardening. See what’s showing up differently for you.
And then have a toast with Nature. Express your gratitude for the opportunity to work together. Speak from your heart about the possibilities opening before you. If you listen carefully, you can hear your new partner expressing Her enthusiasm for your partnership. Nature has been waiting a long time for moments like this!
Rest in the peace and joy in your garden and its growing energy. You’ve earned it!
What’s Next
You’ve learned enough already to launch your partnership with Nature and develop it. The rest of the Learning Lessons take you deeper into this experience. There’s much to learn, much to explore, much to enjoy, and much to share.
In some ways, we’ve only opened the door to possibilities. Where could those possibilities lead? That’s up to you – and your partner.
Thank you for reading about this new paradigm – we appreciate your time and effort. Thank you for every exercise you did – every connection you made with Nature. Our best wishes to you as the adventure continues. We’re rooting for your success!
Remember, you and I and Nature are one – see you in the garden!
Peace,
Rog
